Category: Comic Books & Graphic Novels

Written by Chip Zdarsky.

Art by Mike Hawthorne; Miguel Mendoça; Belén Ortega; Jorge Jimenez; Mikel Janín; Jorge Corona; Adriano Di Benedetto; Tomeu Morey; Roman Stevens; Romulo Fajardo Jr.; Ivan Plasecenia; & Clayton Cowles.

Collection Cover Art by Jorge Jiménez.

SUMMARY:

Released in 2023 by DC Comics, this 240-page hardcover compiles 2023’s Batman # 131-136.  A seemingly fatal shot by the Failsafe robot using Toyman’s high-tech blaster had made Batman vanish before a horrified Tim Drake’s eyes. Immediately robbed of his utility belt, a battered and semi-conscious Dark Knight now finds himself stranded in an alternate-reality Gotham City. 

Initially haunted by a ghostly Commissioner Gordon, Bruce Wayne discovers that this bleak reality had no Batman, as its own Bruce Wayne met a grim fate.  Batman’s probe also confirms countless others from Gotham City and beyond have been abducted as test subjects for ghastly experiments conducted beneath Arkham Asylum.  Donning a makeshift uniform, Batman soon suspects the insidious research is linked to this Gotham’s reclusive billionaire philanthropist: Darwin Halliday.    

With help from his new young friend, Jewel, Batman senses that he must thwart this world’s Joker counterpart: the Crimson Mask.  More so, with such limited resources, Batman’s presence as an anomaly from another universe is a dire predicament he can’t resolve alone.  He must then take a chance that this world’s Alfred Pennyworth and mercenary Selina Kyle will become his allies rather than enemies. 

Shocking twists unfold, as a depleted Batman must later pursue the Crimson Mask out into DC’s multiverse.  In each different Bat-reality he encounters, the Dark Knight seeks a final showdown with his elusive adversary, who is chaotically bringing Joker variants to life.  

Upon finally returning home, Bruce Wayne acclimates to the changes that occurred in his absence, including Selina’s escape from prison.  Reuniting with Tim, Selina, and others in the Bat-Family, the Dark Knight resumes his relentless nocturnal mission.  The Failsafe crisis has seemingly ended for now.  Reeling from multiple surprise revelations, Bruce’s increasingly fractured psyche, however, is taking a bizarre turn for the worst.     

The four-part back-up arc is “The Toybox.”  After consulting Jon Kent’s Superman and Nightwing, Tim Drake’s Robin goes on a solo multiversal quest to find the missing Batman.  Utilizing Mr. Terrific’s technological wizardry, Tim pursues a supposedly dead Toyman into another reality.  Tim believes this villain may be the only answer to saving Batman.  After rescuing innocent civilians the Toyman abducted, Tim can’t resist chancing a reunion with his mother from a parallel world.  It’s conveyed that, off-screen, Tim’s multi-dimensional journey has him encountering as many different Batmen as his mentor has. 

With Alfred alive, the storyline concludes with an eight-page, back-up tale entitled “The Plans Below.” Seeking inspiration to better concentrate, Batman wearily descends from the Batcave into a private chamber.  Awaiting him is a reinvigorating workout versus his Failsafe robot and an opportunity to update the machine’s programming.   

Note: This title is also available digitally. Its paperback release is presumably in the works.

REVIEW:

Deeming writer Chip Zdarsky’s “The Bat-Man of Gotham” a glorified (and overstuffed) Elseworlds epic is a fair assessment.  The concept of Batman, Robin, Mr. Terrific, Toyman, and Crimson Mask all vaguely dabbling in multiversal energy residue, detectors, retracting coils, etc. comes off as outlandish nonsense.  Had Zdarsky instead been writing Mr. Spock, such scientific miracles might be plausible … for the 23^rd Century.  In this century, however, Zdarsky pushes far too many multiverse-driven contrivances trying to pass his Bat-Man of Gotham off as a compelling read.

If Zdarsky had simplified his premise (i.e. challenging Batman to escape from an Elseworlds alternate reality) and incorporated a less-bonkers take on science fiction (i.e. the supposedly true purpose for Batman’s existence), a more efficient storyline should have clicked. From a reader’s perspective, the plot’s credibility suffers a significant hit when only Tim Drake is openly worried about Batman’s apparent death. With others (i.e. Nightwing) presumptive that the Dark Knight will resurface on his own like he always does, it seems peculiar that the Justice League isn’t bothering to investigate Batman’s disappearance.

Hence, why shouldn’t readers conclude the same outcome and recognize that Zdarsky’s storyline is backing itself into a corner? Tim Drake’s valiant search inevitably impacts the climax, but it ironically also mutes the imminent suspense — i.e. how does one think Batman will escape? The Bat-Man arc’s resolution, therefore, is telegraphed by the events of “The Toybox.”

Zdarsky also pitches a seemingly shocking injury, which merely duplicates the same device used for Luke Skywalker and Aquaman.  Such dramatic impact would have been sufficient for an Elseworlds Batman, but Zdarsky’s gambit of disfiguring DC’s primary Batman is an unnecessary eyeroll.  Undoubtedly, DC will ensure that Batman’s ‘irreversible’ loss is reversed in a matter of time – sooner than later.    

As for the pop culture parade of familiar Batmen (i.e. Michael Keaton’s Batman ’89), the ‘wow’ factor is obvious.  The one iconic Batman oddly excluded is his Golden Age incarnation (from DC’s original Earth-Two).  Though this creative team’s Bat-homages dangle fun fan-bait, it doesn’t take long for one to realize how superficial the gimmick really is.  These guest spots don’t sidestep an exceedingly convoluted storyline beyond a series of wink-wink optics.      

The artwork, otherwise, treads a consistent B-range resembling most Elseworlds Bat-projects – that is, until Issue # 136.  That installment’s artwork is hampered by some glaring visual discrepancies.  For instance, in the previous four issues, Bruce Wayne/Batman is exceptionally well-toned.  Issue # 136 oddly depicts his physique as now nearly Hulk-sized (resembling his appearance in The Dark Knight Returns). 

Hence, Batman is shown towering over a far smaller Selina – as if she’s a foot shorter (which doesn’t make sense, given their established heights).  An ultra-petite Selina Kyle is also drawn as if she’s barely twenty years old, let alone dresses as such.  Either way, this issue makes for a wonky transition into the next arc reviving Zur-En-Arrh. 

Batman, Volume 2: The Bat-Man of Gotham packs several intriguing moments; its excesses, however, translate into a merely okay read given its hefty page count.  Over-reliance on DC’s multiverse and a horde of ridiculous plot elements, ultimately, does Batman no favors.  Frankly, the most practical option is finding this Bat-title at the library.                     

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Preceding each story is Jorge Jiménez’s full-page cover and then Stanley “Artgerm” Lau’s own full-page variant.  In the cover gallery, one can explore a ridiculous glut of full-page variants: 

• Issue # 131’s second printing: artist – Jiménez.

2^nd variant: artists – Joe Quesada & Richard Isanove.

3rd variant: artists: Jason Fabok & Brad Anderson.

4^th variant: artist David Nakayama.

• Issues # 132 – 134 2^nd variant: artists – Quesada, Kevin Nowlan, & Isanove.

Issue # 132 3^rd variant: artist Derrick Chew.

                   4^th variant: artist – Mike Hawthorne.

                   5^th variant: artist – Nathan Szerdy.

                   6^th variant: artist – Szerdy.

Issue # 133 3^rd variant: artist – Chew.

Issue # 134 3^rd variant: artist – Clayton Crain.

                   4^th variant: artists – Frank Cho & Sabine Rich.

                   5^th variant: artist – Tom King

• Issue # 135 (two-page spread): artists – Quesada, Nowlan, & Isanove.

                   3^rd variant: artist – Gabrielle Dell’Otto.

                   4^th variant: artist – Karl Ngu

                   5^th variant: artists – Jim Cheung & Jay David Ramos.

                   6^th variant: artist – Lee Bermejo.

                   7^th variant: artist – Neal Adams.

• Issue # 136: artists – Quesada, Nowlan, & Isanove.

                    3^rd variant: artist – Dell’Otto.

                    4^th variant: artist – Stjepan Šejić.

                    5^th variant: artist – Bermejo.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                          5½ Stars

Written by Bryan Q. Miller & Grant Morrison.

Art by Pere Perez; Dustin Nguyen; Derek Fridolfs; Ramon Bachs; Cameron Stewart; Lee Garbett; Trevor Scott; Guy Major; Nathan Fairbairn; Travis Lanham; Dave Sharpe; Carlos M. Mangual; Sal Cipriano; & John J. Hill.

Collection Cover Art by Dustin Nguyen.

SUMMARY:

Released in 2018 by DC Comics, this 328-page trade paperback completes Stephanie Brown’s initial journey as Batgirl — that is, prior to DC’s New 52 continuity reboot.  This volume collects Batgirl # 13-24; Bruce Wayne – The Road Home: Batgirl one-shot; and Stephanie’s overseas team-up with Bruce Wayne’s Batman in Batman, Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes # 1 — all originally released between 2010 and 2012.  With Issue # 24, DC Comics cancelled this series, as its subsequent New 52 reboot would restore Barbara Gordon to the role as the original (and again teenage) Batgirl.

After Volume 1, Stephanie Brown’s on-the-job training as the newest Batgirl resumes, as she tries evading her prior rookie mistakes.  Juggling her second semester as a Gotham University freshman, Batgirl must help enigmatic GCPD Detective Gage thwart a homicidal Clayface’s bank heist.  Another team-up awaits Stephanie, as fellow teen Supergirl flies into Gotham City for some downtime with her new friend.  Hence, they spend a wild Friday night pursuing twenty-four 3D clones of Count Dracula that have escaped from Gotham University’s campus movie screen into reality. 

Stephanie’s combat and sleuthing skills are then tested by a mysteriously stealth-powered adversary, who is the person she least expects.  Meanwhile, with Bruce Wayne still missing, a determined Vicki Vale confronts Barbara Gordon to confirm the original Dark Knight’s secret identity.

With Barbara and Wendy “Proxy” Harris providing her tech support from the Batcave and now the hidden ‘Firewall,’ Stephanie gains an unwanted ally in the ‘Grey Ghost’ in her pursuit of the sinister Reapers cult.  Worse yet, an injured Batgirl finds herself a prime suspect after being framed in the cult’s homicide of one of her own classmates. 

Stephanie, in the meantime, teams with Damian Wayne’s Robin in an undercover sting to rescue kidnaped children from their abductors. As his surrogate big sister, she later tries to demonstrate to ten-year-old Damian that he is still a child capable of innocent playtime.

Set amidst Valentine’s Day, Stephanie unexpectedly meets Klarion the Witchboy in Gotham City.  Helping Klarion find a romantic playmate for Teekl (his feline mascot), Batgirl reluctantly finds herself undercover in Limbo Town.  One friendly favor merits another, as Stephanie takes Klarion to a Valentine’s Day festival at Gotham University.  With Detective Gage and ‘The Grey Ghost’ at her side, Batgirl next faces the first of the Reapers’ techno-mercenaries: Slipstream.  Another of these techno-operatives, Harmony, subsequently challenges Batgirl.  At the same time, months after her brother Marvin’s grisly homicide, Wendy is now haunted by his zombie-like ghost.           

Assigned overseas to London by Bruce Wayne’s Batman, an undercover Stephanie teams up with her fellow teenage vigilante, the Squire, to rescue hostages.  The Knight makes a cameo appearance in this adventure.  Taken captive while probing a British boarding school, Stephanie confirms it’s an elitist front for a Leviathan terrorist recruitment center. 

With Batgirl vastly outnumbered, it’s up to the original Dark Knight to help even the grim odds.  Upon her return to Gotham City, Stephanie resumes her feud with The Reapers’ legion of armored thugs.  With an ally fatally struck down, Batgirl must re-double her efforts.  Hence, she summons the right kind of all-star firepower for this job: Supergirl, Miss Martin, Stargirl, and Bombshell.        

As the series comes to an end, Stephanie is stunned by the return of her supposedly dead father: the Cluemaster.  Rendered comatose, Batgirl’s life is saved by her beloved friends and the last person she wants discovering her secret identity.  Having dreamt possible future adventures awaiting her, Stephanie makes peace with her life as is.  She’s as ready for tomorrow as Batgirl as she’ll ever be.   

Notes: This title is also available digitally.  The prior volume complies Issues # 1-12, including a two-part crossover with Tim Drake’s Red Robin.

REVIEW:

Despite inevitable turnover with this franchise’s artistic personnel, Volume 2’s visuals are still well above-average.  In particular, Dustin Nguyen’s distinctive artistic charm is an ideal fit for Stephanie Brown’s Batgirl.      

In sync with a reliable visual look, writer Bryan Q. Miller proves consistently on his game progressing Stephanie’s “Lesson” as a rookie Batgirl.   Not only is Miller’s storytelling a fresh take on a college-age heroine, but he plays up Stephanie’s exuberance and self-confidence for what it should be – i.e. she’s a plausible teenager. 

Hence, energetic team-ups with Supergirl, Damian Wayne’s Robin, Klarion the Witchboy, and Stephanie’s British counterpart: the Squire, blend DC’s formulaic elements with the playful advantages this new Batgirl brings with her.  Ending an issue with a bounce house scene with the skeptical Damian, for instance, demonstrates how Miller has made Stephanie an appealingly relatable character to readers.         

With Barbara Gordon’s Oracle and Wendy Harris’ ‘Proxy’ leading the supporting cast, Miller ensures that his youthful protagonist isn’t overshadowed by a preponderance of too many Bat-characters crossing over.  That even includes the Dark Knight himself, as his team-up with Stephanie in the “Leviathan Strikes” crossover is a welcome treat. 

To Miller’s credit, he effectively phases in potential castmates that could stick around awhile or possibly prove expendable – it’s a welcome nod to unpredictability.  More so, DC Comics evidently paid attention to how Miller had revitalized Batgirl’s significance to the Bat-Family, even after this series was regrettably cancelled. 

One can recognize how many of Stephanie’s fun-loving traits were lifted for the New 52 Barbara Gordon to update the most famous Batgirl’s well-established persona with extra dimension.  It’s unsurprising given how another New 52 consolidation tweaked Barry Allen’s Flash to more closely resemble Wally West’s hyperactivity.  Hence, two Silver Age icons received contemporary personality makeovers while temporarily relegating both Stephanie and Wally to DC’s continuity dustbin. 

Nearly fifteen years later, Miller’s take on this underrated Batgirl still hasn’t received its due reward – let’s just say the poignant series finale speaks for itself.  Batgirl: Stephanie Brown, Volume 2, ultimately, is a teen-friendly gem well worth re-discovery.

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

The original cover is presented in a full-page format followed by a posed Batgirl portrait taken from the interior artwork to precede each story.  The cover artists are: Stanley “Artgem” Lau (Issues # 13-14); Shane Davis & Barbara Ciardo (Bruce Wayne – The Road Home: Batgirl); Dustin Nguyen (Issues # 15-24); and Chris Burnham & Nathan Fairbarn (Batman, Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes # 1).

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                    8½ Stars

Written by Grant Morrison.  

Art by Frazier Irving; Pasqual Ferry; Ryan Sook; Mick Gray; Yanick Paquette; Serge LaPointe; Doug Mahnke; Billy Dallas Patton; Michael Bair; Freddie Williams II; & J.H. Williams III.

Collection Cover Art by Ryan Sook.

SUMMARY:

Released in 2011 by DC Comics, this 381-page hardcover concludes the 30-issue Seven Soldiers of Victory epic originally published in 2005-2006.  With Seven Soldiers # 0 and Seven Soldiers # 1 serving as its bookends, the saga’s seven primary characters are each showcased in his/her own four-part, interrelated mini-series playing off the premise that none of these Soldiers interact with one another, let alone realize their link to an ancient prophecy.

Presenting writer Grant Morrison’s storyline by each issue’s chronological release rather than each individual mini-series together, Volume 2’s contents shift between Klarion the Witch Boy # 4; Mister Miracle # 1-4; Zatanna # 4; Bulleteer # 1-4; and Frankenstein # 1-4 before concluding with Seven Soldiers of Victory # 1.  Grim revelations of The Sheeda’s magical invasion of Earth become more specific, as the destined Seven Soldiers rise against their common enemy. 

Notes: As with Volume 1, this title was subsequent re-released as as a trade paperbacks and in digital form.  Other formats include: a full-scale, nearly 800-page hardcover Omnibus assembling the entire series and the original Seven Soldiers Books 1-4 trade paperbacks (i.e. Volume 1 combines Books 1-2 and this Volume 2 is the combined  Books 3-4).

Klarion’s series finale begins with the Witchboy nearly burned at the stake by Limbo Town’s incensed inhabitants, including his own mother and sister.  With the sinister Mister Malmoth and his mercenaries invading Limbo Town, dark secrets are revealed.  It’s up to teenage Klarion and his feline familiar, Teekl, to save his underground home from Malmoth’s diabolical plans for ‘updating’ Limbo Town. 

Elsewhere, a re-imagined a ‘Mister Miracle’ named Shilo Norman emerges as possibly Earth’s greatest escape artist (note: the existence of Scott Free’s Mister Miracle isn’t addressed).  Like his unacknowledged predecessor, the slippery Mister Miracle finds himself targeted by a cadre of otherworldly threats, including the ominous ‘Dark Side.’ Even his extraordinary talents escaping the inescapable may not be enough to overcome these odds.  

A possibly powerless Zatanna Zatara and her young apprentice, Misty, arrived in Slaughter Swamp in search of its mysterious Seven Unknown Men.  A lethal showdown awaits Zatanna in the form of the evil magician, Zor.  The ethereal prize awaiting their battle’s victor is the truth of her late father’s elusive four magical books: the Libri Zatarae. 

Stunned by her husband’s reckless death, Alix Harrower has reluctantly become the hero-for-hire Bulleteer – a Bullet Girl for a new generation.  It’s revealed that Alix was the unidentified no-show in Seven Soldiers # 0, who had avoided the prior team’s gory annihilation.  Forced into battle by a personal foe, Alix refuses the summons of a persistent ghost pressing her acceptance as one of the prophesied new Seven Soldiers.  Another ominous link to the prior team has targeted this rookie Bulleteer for assassination by The Sheeda.

With help from his estranged secret-agent wife, The Bride, Frankenstein’s Monster faces multiple grisly missions in his pursuit of the immortal Mister Malmoth following the villain’s escape from a defiant Limbo Town. The legendary undead monster senses he must hunt down Malmoth first in order to destroy The Sheeda. 

To thwart The Sheeda Queen and her insidious forces, desperate solo gambits must be made by Frankenstein’s Monster; Zatanna Zatara and Misty; Klarion the Witchboy; Sir Ystina the Shining Knight; and Shilo Norman’s Mister Miracle.  Also converging on the scene are Jake Jordan’s Guardian and the Bulleteer, as one of the Seven Soldiers will make the ultimate sacrifice to secure victory.  The epilogue updates the fates of some of the survivors.

REVIEW:

Explaining Grant Morrison’s strange Seven Soldiers of Victory, Volume 2 to non-fans would be the equivalent of fathoming Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five as a graphic novel.  Perhaps Morrison was aiming for a Vertigo Comics audience that deems weirdly subversive sci-fi/fantasies like Robert A. Heinlein’s Number of the Beast as top-caliber entertainment.

Given the artistic talent involved (and their varying degrees of murkiness), Volume 2’s visuals are consistently stellar – no matter how incomprehensible Morrison’s storyline often is.  Before proceeding further, Volume 2 concocts some cleverly devised plot twists, and a few well-written segments (i.e. Zatanna # 4) are easy to follow – scoring some rare poignancy at welcome moments.  Yet, that’s more the exception than the rule.  While Klarion # 4 and Frankenstein # 2-4 contribute necessary depth to The Sheeda invasion angle (and mostly make sense), the same doesn’t apply so much to either The Bulleteer # 1-4 and Mister Miracle # 1-4.       

Case in point: The Bulleteer’s sub-plots include some supernatural characters relevant to Seven Soldiers # 0 and # 1, which generates well-played intrigue.  However, the primary arc constructs an inevitable showdown between likable heroine Alix “The Bulleteer” Harrower and the woman her late husband was having a cyber-affair with. Aside from their terrific visual quality, Alix’s adventures are, therefore, mostly irrelevant. 

There’s also no mistaking the talented art team’s fixation on displaying the Bulleteer’s blatant sex appeal vs. crafting her a compelling origin tale.  While Alix’s mini-series is actually a fun read, her contribution is far more padding than any substantial one. More so, Alix’s cameo in the Seven Soldiers finale surely doesn’t add much to Morrison’s mixed-bag finish line. 

As for Morrison’s Mister Miracle, his re-imagining of Jack Kirby’s New Gods (including Darkseid) is a high-concept homage that baffles far more than it dazzles.  Readers will find that they have to operate on the same wavelength as Morrison to follow Shilo Norman’s confusing four-part tale.  Mister Miracle is prime evidence of how muddled Morrison’s saga becomes when Volume 2 is absorbed as a whole.  The glorification of horrific, R-rated plot curveballs (off-screen or not) makes their creative justification throughout this wonky project seem even more tasteless.

Note: Volume 1’s grisly surprises are more repulsive than in Volume 2.      

Ultimately, Volume 2’s high-caliber artwork and pristine production values are its two best and most enduring assets.  Morrison’s bizarre plotting, by comparison, is overrated, as his impressively grand ambitions tend to fall short of the actual content.

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

A two-page summary conveys the events of Seven Soldiers of Victory, Volume 1.  The original full-page cover precedes each story.  Cover artists are: Frazier Irving (Klarion # 4); Pasqual Ferry (Mister Miracle # 1-2); Freddie Williams II & Dave McCaig (Mister Miracle # 3-4); Ryan Sook (Zatanna # 4); Yanick Paquette, Michael Bair, & Alex Sinclair (Bulleteer # 1 & # 4); Paquette, Serge LaPointe, & Sinclair (Bulleteer # 2-3); Doug Mahnke & Dave Stewart (Frankenstein # 1); Mahnke & John Kalisz (Frankenstein # 2-3); Mahnke & Nathan Eyring (Frankenstein # 4); and J.H. Williams III (Seven Soldiers of Victory # 1).

Morrison, at the end, presents six pages of insightful script notes preparing Seven Soldiers of Victory # 1.  Presented in a full-page format, the collection covers for Seven Soldiers of Victory, Book Three (cover artists: Paquette, LaPointe, & Stewart) and Book Four (cover artists: Mahnke & Stewart) are included.  In a full, double-page montage (essentially, a poster), Sook’s collection cover artwork for Seven Soldiers of Victory, Volumes 1 & 2 is saved for last.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                      6½ Stars