Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?

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Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? (Batman)

by Neil Gaiman (Goodreads Author), Andy Kubert (Illustrator), Matt Wagner (Illustrator), Simon Bisley (Illustrator), Bernie Mireault (Illustrator), Mark Buckingham (Illustrator)

3.9 of 5 stars 3.90 · rating details · 6,833 ratings · 334 reviews

Best-selling author Neil Gaiman (THE SANDMAN) joins a murderer's row of talented artists in lending his unique touch to the Batman mythos for this Deluxe Edition hardcover! Spotlighting the story "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?" from BATMAN #685 and DETECTIVE COMICS #852 in which Gaiman joins artist Andy Kubert and inker Scott Williams for a story that shines a n...more

Hardcover, The Deluxe Edition, 128 pages

Published July 21st 2009 by DC Comics

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Jan 28, 2013 StoryTellerShannon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels

The artwork was classically close to superb with some interesting focuses. The story, however, was a transition of sorts that suggested Batman died but we all know they're not going to kill Batman off. Worst case scenario is that he'll disappear for a time and then just return. That said, this is about Batman looking down on his funeral/wake as notable villains of Gotham and a few non villains give their jaded interpretation of their times with Batman. It was way too short for my tastes and vagu...more

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Jan 01, 2010 miaaa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to miaaa by: Wirotomo Nofamilyname

Shelves: graphics-comics-illustrated

'Am I dead?'
'Not yet.'
'Are you death?'
'I don't think death is a person, Bruce.'
'Then tell me who you are. Tell me what's going on.'
'You're the world's greatest detective, Bruce. Why don't you figure it out?'

percakapan paling asik di edisi ini. jelas seri ini masuk dalam daftar kisah batman favoritku, terutama surat cinta (as he said) neil gaiman yang bisa jadi kisah sendiri.

dua jempol buat kisah sisipan a black and white world, benar-benar hitam dan putih, kisah di belakang layar batman dan jok...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Brandon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, comix, 2012, the-dark-knight

Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader is my second exposure to Neil Gaiman.

Earlier in the year, I read American Gods and while I loved the premise, the execution bugged me. I found it long winded and a little on the boring side. I was sure that when you put the mind of Gaiman into the Batman universe, you were going to get something very, very cool.

Truth be told, I found this to be pretty average. When I told my friend that gave this to me what I thought about the story, he responded with, "Yo...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Sam Quixote rated it 3 of 5 stars

As the original line of Detective Comics came to an end, Neil Gaiman was asked to write the eulogy to the Dark Knight and, for better or worse, this is it. A two-issue send-off for everyone's favourite superhero, the Dark Knight, the Caped Crusader, the Batman.

Gaiman creates an ingenious setup for the final Batman story. The spirit of Batman/Bruce Wayne presides over a funeral service where all of his rogues gallery, close friends and family, show up to tell their version of how Batman died – an...more As the original line of Detective Comics came to an end, Neil Gaiman was asked to write the eulogy to the Dark Knight and, for better or worse, this is it. A two-issue send-off for everyone's favourite superhero, the Dark Knight, the Caped Crusader, the Batman.

Gaiman creates an ingenious setup for the final Batman story. The spirit of Batman/Bruce Wayne presides over a funeral service where all of his rogues gallery, close friends and family, show up to tell their version of how Batman died – and each version is different, to reflect the numerous stories told over the years in Detective Comics. Catwoman and Alfred both get space to tell their stories in full, but Alfred's was the best - impossible, but still brilliant and momentarily chilling. That sneaky butler…

Andy Kubert's art is fantastic and imaginatively chosen. I loved the way he alternated between the many designs for Batman’s appearance, paying tribute to the different artists' depictions of him through the decades, as well as drawing different versions of the famous villains too.

While the story has some great moments – in particular the scene when Bruce goes back to Crime Alley, the place where Batman was born, to end it – it doesn’t feel like a Batman story despite having the features of one. People read Batman for the action, adventure, the mystery and the sleuthing – none of that is part of this rather slow-moving story. So while it’s a clever idea and visually superb, it’s not the most interesting Batman book to read.

But then it was never going to go down perfectly was it? Gaiman and Kubert were given the thankless task of putting to bed a game-changing line of comics and pretend to bury the most famous superhero of all time – this book was never going to satisfy the fans because no book could. Despite this, it's not a terrible story - nor a brilliant one. It's a story. It adds to the hundreds of Batman stories that are out there, that are being written now, and that are waiting to be written.

Whatever happened to the Caped Crusader? Nothing and everything. And he keeps going.(less)

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Jan 02, 2013 Tays rated it 4 of 5 stars

People often say that Neil Gaiman is one of the best writers out there, but I never tried reading some of his comic book stuff until now. I guess after reading just one, it's safe to say that I now believe what the people say.

Here, Gaiman explains the importance of Batman to Gotham or the other way around. It was a two-part comic set in the back of the bar Crime Alley. Notable villains and friends alike stopped for a moment to remember a fallen hero. Each character at the wake offers a story on...more

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Dec 04, 2012 Pete rated it 1 of 5 stars

I'm going to say a few words that you won't hear very often in reviews of comics. Especially comics written by comic book royalty like Neil Gaiman.

I don't get it.

Maybe it's because admitting that makes a person feel like an idiot. It's hard to hold a comic book about a man who uses a tool called a Batarang and admit that I have no earthly idea what the hell is going on, but so be it, here we are.

And you know what? I think more people should be prepared to say it. We would have a lot less of Gran...more

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Kali It's acknowledging Batman as a comic book character. His story will and has been retold in so many ways - the various comics, reboots, TV series, movi...more
May 21, 2013 05:13pm

Pete Hmm...I appreciate the laying it out for me. There's definitely a meta angle shining through this story. And if I'm hearing you right, the ultimate po...more
May 21, 2013 07:34pm

Nov 17, 2012 Alice Urchin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: owned

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 21, 2012 Klytia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

”Because if there’s one thing that Batman is, it’s a survivor.”
Così scrive Neil Gaiman nella sua introduzione, quasi una lettera d’amore nei confronti di uno dei supereroi più oscuri e per questo affascinanti. ”I love Batman….He was the first. He’s always been there.”

Batman è morto. I suoi amici e avversari di sempre sono riuniti attorno alla sua bara per l’ultimo saluto. Ciascuno racconta un suo personale ricordo del Cavaliere Oscuro, delle sue straordinarie imprese e…delle sue numerose morti...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Fox rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, graphic-novel, series, mystery, 2012

Absolutely beautiful.

While Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow is trapped in a very particular time and place, Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader is a book that transcends time. Alan Moore took the loose threads of Superman's existence and tied them together Neil Gaiman just made Batman all the more frayed. I liked that, though. It worked.

Neil Gaiman touches upon the importance of Batman as a figure. The actual stories? They change, they twist and sometimes they make no sense. What's i...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Arun Divakar rated it 3 of 5 stars

A love letter to the character of Batman is how Neil Gaiman opens this book. I associated with one point at that stage when Gaiman says that even after he has been reading,writing and creating comic book characters, he always has Batman as numero uno. While I have never written a word for comics nor even drawn a straight line for that matter, I follow the same principle : Batman is THE hero for me even after coming across so many other characters. This book specifically was a spinoff from the Ba...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Leanne Kinkopf rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels, mystery-suspense, fiction

The Deluxe Edition of Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? comes with Part I and II of the original comic, pages of fantastic sketches, and a few mini one-shots, A Black and White World, Pavane, Original Sins & When Is a Door. I was satisfied with the entire book, but I'll break it down anyhow.

Parts I and II of Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? is one of the best Batman stories I've ever read. It sort of pokes fun at all the deaths and origins a comic book character can have, but

...more

Parts I and II of Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? is one of the best Batman stories I've ever read. It sort of pokes fun at all the deaths and origins a comic book character can have, but it isn't laugh out loud hysterical. It makes sense. The artwork is extremely detailed and absolutely gorgeous, with plenty of homages to past comic book artists. Batman was done proud in that story.

The sketch pages offer some insight into what the creators wanted the characters to look like, as well as what the rough sketches of whole pages look like compared to the page penciled in properly. I was amazed at how detailed even the rough layout pages were. The character sketches are are beautiful in their own right, and include Batman, Selina Kyle, Penguin, the Joker, and Bat-Mite (who wasn't actually in the story). I love the updated-classics style they were drawn in.

The short one-shots were good. A Black and White World is goofy, Pavane a nice, creepy Poison Ivy story, and Original Sins & When Is a Door a very interesting story set in which a few people (you'll be shocked at one of them) decide to make a documentary on the Batman's villains. Riddler is featured and has a few great moments, although the documentary crew disagree for the most part.

This was a really good set of Batman stories. I wish Neil Gaiman would write more. He's got the proper style for Batman. If you're a fan of the Batman and haven't read this, I cannot recommend it enough. Even if you have read it, get it for the sketches and Original Sins &When Is a Door. I also think this is a good place to start for someone who maybe wants to get into the Batman or get the feel for him. I hope you enjoy this lovely comic book.

(less)

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Jun 24, 2012 Will Hinds rated it 2 of 5 stars

As much as I love Neil Gaiman, nothing can really make me love Batman, and the DC universe. Jeph Loeb's Batman stories are just about the only ones I've ever really enjoyed reading. The Nolan Batman movies are excellent, but even still, it's really Christian Bale and the amazing cinematography that I love. The Rocksteady Batman video games are also excellent, but even then, the story, eh, I just like exploring, sneaking, and beating shit up as Batman. So yeah, I'm not really a Batman fan. I like...more As much as I love Neil Gaiman, nothing can really make me love Batman, and the DC universe. Jeph Loeb's Batman stories are just about the only ones I've ever really enjoyed reading. The Nolan Batman movies are excellent, but even still, it's really Christian Bale and the amazing cinematography that I love. The Rocksteady Batman video games are also excellent, but even then, the story, eh, I just like exploring, sneaking, and beating shit up as Batman. So yeah, I'm not really a Batman fan. I like what some people do with Batman, but I can take or leave the character. Which makes for a rather emotionless funeral, it's like going to a distant family member's funeral, you know you should be sad, and you are, to see someone die, but at the same time, there is no resonance.

But, there was a moment that redeemed the whole affair for me, and that moment really demonstrates why I love Gaiman. I was in the shower the next day, after reading this story, and I was telling my wife about it. And I realized, the funeral, is detached, it's a funeral fit for any occasion. It could be the capstone to Batman today, or twenty years from now, I suspect it even would have been appropriate twenty years ago. It's told in such a way that it will always stay true. That is, as long as Batman is still Bruce Wayne I guess, the funeral is for him in a way too. The only disappointment I had with this, epiphany, is that I was probably supposed to know that from the get go. I read it a little too literally, and only realized Gaiman's intent long after the fact. Embarrassing. To me at least.

This book also collects an assortment of other Batman stories Gaiman has written over the years. One in particular I enjoyed about a little man going to visit Poison Ivy at Arkham, it was a neat little piece about a woman who knows how to play any man like a concert violinist. Very neat, a little dated artistically, but neat.

Overall, I'm glad to have read this, but, honestly, I could have lived without it. A greater Batman or DC fan would probably get more out of this collection, but that just ain't me.(less)

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Apr 14, 2012 Bruce rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Bat-fans, recursive story lovers, and the Neil Gaiman curious

This is a short collection of Batman stories by celebrated author Neil Gaiman (The Sandman, Coraline, Being an Account of the Life and Death of the Emperor Heliogabolus, etc., although if you really want to be impressed, he wrote that last one entirely in the space of 24 hours). The anthology attaches some of Gaiman's earlier Batman work with the title tale, a story whose premise is "This is intended to be read as the ultimate (meaning last ever) Batman comic."

Gaiman's a satisfying choice to tel...more This is a short collection of Batman stories by celebrated author Neil Gaiman (The Sandman, Coraline, Being an Account of the Life and Death of the Emperor Heliogabolus, etc., although if you really want to be impressed, he wrote that last one entirely in the space of 24 hours). The anthology attaches some of Gaiman's earlier Batman work with the title tale, a story whose premise is "This is intended to be read as the ultimate (meaning last ever) Batman comic."

Gaiman's a satisfying choice to tell such a story, inasmuch as much of his writing is really about aspects of the storytelling process. It's all very recursive. For those unfamiliar with his Sandman series, the Sandman is a personified Dream. In the dreamworld, anything can happen and virtually everything does. (I have to show my bias here, though. While I enjoyed the Sandman stories and appreciate Gaiman's concept, I was always much more of a Peter Milligan Shade the Changing Man fan.) Which is just to say that while I find dreams fascinating, I'm more drawn to madness.

But back to Gaiman. In this particular Batman set, all Gaiman's tales are meta-tales, frame stories for the story-telling of others. In the eponymous work, the frame is Batman's funeral; he is presumably being endlessly eulogized by friends and foes, but the one we hear in full is the one told by a senescent Selina Kyle (aka Catwoman).

In the closing work of the collection, journalists in search of a story find a retired Riddler eager for the spotlight. Sandwiched between the two is the best of the bunch: Batman in Black and White, a Simon Bisley ink-rendered oddity that presents Batman and Joker as actors under comic industry studio contract: they make small-talk in the green room, killing time waiting for their scene by running lines, do their bit, and then hit the canteen; Bisley's "Lobo" character gets a cameo as the action sequence "director." It's hilarious, not least because the expressionistic art is at such ridiculous odds with the quotidian content.

The book as a whole is pedestrian (and contains quite a bit of padding); the excellent Gaiman-Bisley gag in the middle notwithstanding, these are slight short stories, nothing here approaching Gaiman's best work. However, taken as a whole as further meditations on myth-making and the impact that storytelling can have on storytellers and the fictional characters who inhabit the storytellers' worlds (whom we, as readers, each own and shape the moment we read them), it's worth a browse. I think the comic that occasioned this collection is a bit pretentious (and trite), it won't kill you to read the whole collection. Anyway, Gaiman's preoccupation with metafiction is in and of itself worth the price of making this a book club selection. This tofu anthology ought nonetheless to foster a meaty conversation.(less)

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Jan 26, 2012 Cord rated it 5 of 5 stars

Being a great fan of Neil Gaiman and, of course, Batman, the idea of the former writing the final story of the latter was pure genius. This arc is pretty light on action; it reads like a love letter to everything that Batman was and is, rather than a story of the Dark Knight falling in a blaze of glory. It's full of fantastic references to past Batman stories (which, I'll admit, I missed the majority of the first way through, as I haven't read quite a few of these stories) which helps make this...more

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Nov 15, 2011 Guillermo rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. "What else am I going to do? Retire and play golf?" Batman ponders in the finite infinite moments, just before the last gasp - for most of us - shudders through the body, taking all life with it. "I doesn't work that way. It can't. I fight until I drop. And one day, I will drop." But are these flashes a mere near death experience, or is this the real thing? Has the Dark Knight succumbed to the inevitable? Because, in reality - comic book and real life - nothing lasts forever, not even the hero....more "What else am I going to do? Retire and play golf?" Batman ponders in the finite infinite moments, just before the last gasp - for most of us - shudders through the body, taking all life with it. "I doesn't work that way. It can't. I fight until I drop. And one day, I will drop." But are these flashes a mere near death experience, or is this the real thing? Has the Dark Knight succumbed to the inevitable? Because, in reality - comic book and real life - nothing lasts forever, not even the hero. Yet Batman has defined all the odds - his back has been broken. He's been shot. He's been framed. Brainwashed. Blown up. Seen his apprentice murdered only to rise again. Then again, hasn't the Dark Knight been dead before? Hasn't he risen again? And will the process not occur again and again in the infinite loop?

Neil Gaiman has given us a chilling tale of the Dark Knight's funeral and all those in his life is in attendance. From his closest friend and butler, Alfred Pennyworth, to his greatest nemesis, the Joker. The first chapter - originally published in Batman #686 - tells two stories of the his death. One at the hands of former Catwoman, Selina Kyle. And the other, tells a rather different take of the Dark Knight's legacy, having Alfred Pennyworth hiring several of his former acting buddies to masquerade as the villains we know and love - with Alfred playing the Joker. In the end, Batman dies by a gunshot wound.

The second chapter - originally published in Detective Comics #853 - clues you in the other deaths of the Dark Knight - as told by the Joker, Robin - Dick Grayson - Superman, Harvey Bullock, Clayface among others. Meanwhile, Batman is led through the abyss of memories and the in between by his mother, who - sadden - states, "No matter how many lives you save, you can't bring us back."

Neil Gaiman and Andy Kubert manage to combine several versions of our hero into two issues, nodding to woks by others who have molded and rewritten the Batman canon. Not only do they give an ending to Dark Knight's mythos, but rewind it to the very beginning - "You don't get Heaven or Hell," his mother explains. "Do you know the only reward you get for being Batman? You get to be Batman."

The trade includes Andy Kubert's sketchbook, as well as, other stories written by Gaiman. "A Black and White World" has Batman and the Joker living in a comic book world - as in, actors playing roles. In "Pavane," tells the intoxicating story of Poison Ivy's beginnings and the depths of her seduction. A group of edgy journalists attempt to bring the human side of the masked villains of Gotham within the pages of "Original Sins" and "When is a Door." The team digs deep, attempting to find the madman himself, the Joker. But as the saying goes, don't go looking for the Joker because the Joke will find you.

An all around great read - Gaiman at his best, you may say. And Andy Kubert's art as a homage to those who came before him is spectacular.(less)

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Apr 12, 2011 Drew Barth rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is it. The final Batman story. Nothing can or ever will come after this, Bruce Wayne is dead and watching over his own funeral, still in costume. Everyone is in attendance for this event, it being held in a bar in Crime Alley, while Joe Chill directs the mourners to the back, where Batman and his coffin lay.
His rogues gallery, his vast network of friends and accomplices stand and take turns, telling the rest the tale of the Batman's death, each person giving a different account. No two tai...more

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Feb 18, 2011 Jared Millet rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels, superheroes

Batman is dead. The mourners, friends and enemies alike, arrive one by one at a seedy dive in a Gotham back alley to pay their respects. The wake is being held in the bar’s back room. One by one the eulogies begin, but it quickly becomes apparent that all is not as it seems – for none of the mourners remember Batman the same way, neither in the details of his life nor the manner of his passing. Witness to this procession, and narrating the whole affair, is the watchful spirit of the Bat-Man hims...more

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Dec 23, 2010 David Faber rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 06, 2010 logankstewart rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-comics, library, 2010-read

Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? is a swan song to Batman. Written by Neil Gaiman, the two-part comic is set in the back of a bar on Crime Alley. Rogues and friends alike have come together to remember the fallen Batman. Each of them offer a tale of how Batman died and why Gotham will be different without him.

Through it all, in a corporeal form, the Caped Crusader watches. He hears what's being said, but something does not jive with him. Nor, does it seem, is he alone...

The main arc with...more Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? is a swan song to Batman. Written by Neil Gaiman, the two-part comic is set in the back of a bar on Crime Alley. Rogues and friends alike have come together to remember the fallen Batman. Each of them offer a tale of how Batman died and why Gotham will be different without him.

Through it all, in a corporeal form, the Caped Crusader watches. He hears what's being said, but something does not jive with him. Nor, does it seem, is he alone...

The main arc within the deluxe hardcover of this book is a beautiful piece. The artist, Andy Kubert, creates panel after panel of fantastic illustrations. The tale combined with the artwork make the arc stunning.

The story pays homage to Batman over the years. Gaiman, a lifelong Dark Knight fan, is more than capable of writing a gripping tale that highlights Batman as well as laments his passing. Despite having a rather predictable conclusion, Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? is a wonderful short story for all fans of the World's Greatest Detective.

After the main arc, Gaiman includes three other short tales. The first, a Batman Black & White, is intentionally crude in the drawings. All colors are either black or white. People are almost hideous looking. And the Bat is never fully seen, only in smoke and shadows. This story was over quickly, but I liked it. The second, "Pavane," is drawn in an old comic book style and tells a story of Poison Ivy. It was the weakest of the lot. The third, "Original Sins/ When is a Door," is a semi-frame story about a group of reporters trying to get interviews with famous villains. The Riddler agrees and gives them what they ask for, along the way telling his origin (if you can believe him). This story was fun to read, the illustrations were still old school, and the conclusion was excellent.

Overall, the entire deluxe hardcover edition of Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? was a quick read, filled with fun for any Batman fan, old and young alike. The main arc is definitely the strongest part of the collection, but the latter tales shouldn't be ignored either. (less)

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Jan 23, 2010 Erik rated it 4 of 5 stars

For some freakish reason, my comic book haunt never pulled the second and final issue of Gaiman’s famed “last” Batman story when it was published over a year ago. Equally strange is that I didn’t even bother tracking down said second issue. Instead, I opted to wait until this deluxe edition was released to read the story in its entirety. And as it is accompanied by an introduction by Gaiman himself, as well as several shorter backup stories about Batman and his Rogue’s Gallery penned by Gaiman o...more

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Sep 13, 2009 Orrin Grey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics

As Neil Gaiman says in his introduction, Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? is intended to be the last Batman story, no matter when in Batman's long, convoluted, and sometimes self-contradictory career the end should finally come. And, as such, it works pretty admirably.

Surprisingly, though, it's not Gaiman's writing that is the biggest draw here, nor that brings Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? as close as it comes to being a true classic (though the writing is quite good, and Alf...more

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Aug 30, 2009 Jason rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I had some money left on a gift card I received for my birthday, so I decided to use it to pick up one or two of the recent Batman graphic novels I've not gotten to. Thought about Frank Miller's Batman and Robin All-Stars, but having recently read it opted to acquire unexplored story lines. Looked through Brian Azzarello's Joker, but have it downloaded ready to ready digitally. I've been really wanting to acuire Grant Morrison's Batman: R.I.P. as Morrison wrote one of my favorite other Batman gr...more

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Aug 25, 2009 Lyndon rated it 5 of 5 stars

It's no secret that Neil Gaiman is my favourite writer. It's also no secret that Batman is probably my favourite character in all fiction. So by combining the two of course we end up with something I'm reasonably pre-disposed to enjoy, and have certainly been excited about for a good while.

But there's also a danger. If this doesn't go well, I will be shattered. Gaiman has been hired to write the last Detective Comic issue, and if it's not something pretty damn special then heads will roll and te...more

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Aug 17, 2009 Kemper rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics, superhero

Neil Gaiman writing a swan song for Batman should be a monster geek out for me, but I'm so tired of the comic industry making event comics out of killing (and later resurrecting) major characters. See Marvel's Captain America for a recent example. Plus this somehow fits into yet another huge continuity reboot that DC is doing that I don't have the time or patience to try and understand. I'm not sure if Batman is supposed to be alive or dead at this point, but since it doesn't matter because he'l...more

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Jul 26, 2009 Ross rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels

This volume is the two issue story by Neil Gaiman that provides a retrospective look through Batman's history and passes it off as a mystery while Batman comes to understand his role and what his ultimate reward is. A mysterious and complex story that portrays the history of the character and leaves nothing out as it explores the significance of his death. Excellent art by Andy Kubert and Gaiman's writing does not disappoint.
Also included are a group of three stories that Neil Gaiman featuring B...more

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Jul 16, 2009 Steve rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Is anyone else out there as completely and utterly fucking sick of Batman as I am? I grew up with major love for the Caped Crusader, and in the wake of the mostly-brilliant THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS (1986) and the genuinely excellent BATMAN: YEAR ONE (1987) — both tellingly over two decades old — the character of Batman has become an unlikable downer of a tyrannical and fascistic asshole whose adventures I've only occasionally kept up with because I get them for free thanks to my reviewing assignm...more Is anyone else out there as completely and utterly fucking sick of Batman as I am? I grew up with major love for the Caped Crusader, and in the wake of the mostly-brilliant THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS (1986) and the genuinely excellent BATMAN: YEAR ONE (1987) — both tellingly over two decades old — the character of Batman has become an unlikable downer of a tyrannical and fascistic asshole whose adventures I've only occasionally kept up with because I get them for free thanks to my reviewing assignments. Back in the days I used to question Dick Grayson's bitter rejection of his mentor/surrogate dad, but nowadays I think he had the right idea.

Batman has been put through a number of really stupid "event" story arcs in the past decade or so because, in my opinion anyway, no one in comics really knows what to do with him anymore. As a writer, Frank Miller got in there two decades ago with the aforementioned classic runs and said just about everything that needed to be said regarding what made Bruce Wayne and what he could eventually end up as, so really what was left after that? DC sure as hell didn't know and that's been plainly evident ever since. Batman getting his back broken by a steroid-abusing muscle-boy in Lucha Libre-style fetish gear? The great Gotham earthquake? The death and resurrection, for the umpteenth goddamned time, of Ra's Al-Ghul? Each a big "who cares?' on the non-changing landscape of the DC Universe's stolid status quo.

And then came Grant Morrison's BATMAN: R.I.P., an unintentionally ironic title for a story arc that "killed off" Bruce Wayne in more sense than one, right alongside the nigh-unreadable FINAL CRISIS — one of the worst "event" stories I've ever witnessed, by the way — , both of which supposedly take place within the current DCU continuity yet provide totally contradictory fates for Bruce Wayne. There are plenty of Grant Morrison apologists out there and the guy certainly can write when he wants to (his runs on ANIMAL MAN and DOOM PATROL and 2000 A.D.'s classics ZENITH and BIG DAVE being personal favorites), but both of those recent events were self-indulgent to say the very least, and in the case of FINAL CRISIS downright head-scratching. And when it came to BATMAN: R.I.P., did anyone who hasn't lived in a cavern in the deepest recesses of Paraguay actually believe that DC Comics would kill off one of its international cash-cows on a permanent basis? That strategy was equally transparent when they pulled it with Superman, and the utter shit that sluiced from the savagely jailhoused anus of the Man of Steel's stable of books during his absence was truly appalling to behold. The Cyborg Superman? Steel? The new Superboy? "Hraka!," as the rabbits of Watership Down would say. And now Batman's "dead" — yeah, right — and the next couple of years will be flooded with assorted dreck to keep the addicted sated until the time of his inevitable return. (I did enjoy the first of issue of the Morrison-scripted BATMAN AND ROBIN with terrific art by Frank Quitely, but from what I hear Quitely only on it for the first three issues, so...)

Then, adding insult to injury, came "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?", a two-issue eulogy for the entire career of the Batman as predictably heartfelt and flowery as one would expect from Neil (THE SANDMAN) Gaiman. Striving far too hard to be a "literate" sendoff to some seventy years of Batman and the many different interpretations of him and his world during that time, Gaiman's words are brought to visual life by the capable hand of Andy Kubert (with inks by Scott Williams), and the skills of the two combine to create a homunculus of sheer style and artificial narrative potency. It's pretty to look at and it reads like poetry in places, but overall it left me totally cold and uncaring.

The surreal narrative places the reader into a n open-casket wake populated with characters from Batman's seven-decade history and we are made privy to the sometimes bizarre reminiscences of such familiar faces as Catwoman (seen here in her Golden Age persona, only filtered through Gaiman's wistful perception), a mind-game-playing Alfred who fosters his master's escalating madness, Betty Kane (the blonde original Batgirl from the early-1960's), Dick Grayson, assorted villains who are on their best behavior, and even Superman, each of whom provide contradictory scenarios surrounding the hero's demise. Is that supposed to make us overlook the contradictions found in Grant Morrison's two published deaths for Bruce Wayne, pehaps as one of those "never believe the teller. only believe the tale" kind of things? Whatever the case, it's a thoroughly unmoving who's-who allowing Gaiman to wax poetic while the disembodied voice/spirit of Batman has an equally emotionally false tete-a-tete with the spirit of his mother. The story is also one of those "spot the cameo" tales where the reader who is not deeply versed in the complete history of the Batman will more than likely be lost without a road map (or a copy of the DC COMICS ENCYCLOPEDIA), and I very much doubt that the casual reader will get what Gaiman was going for at all.

As previously stated, this bit of comic book rockstar masturbation is only two issues in length, so the publisher has padded out this so-called "deluxe" edition with four other Gaiman-scripted Batman-related yarns from back in the days (aka "reprint filler"). There's an amusing "behind the scenes of a comic book" story illustrated by Simon Bisley that's kinda/sorta a swipe of the old Chuck Jones cartoon shorts where Wile E. Coyote is slightly visually altered to become Ralph the wolf, foil to Sam the sheepdog, and the pair are depicted as two workers at a daily job, breaking their established character roles before and after work and during their lunch break, and in this case that trope is applied to Batman and the Joker. But if you've seen any of those Jones cartoons you've seen the gag, and what's done here will justly seem derivative. The only thing that might be a hook here is the art of Simon Bisley, but I've never really cottoned to his work — especially not after he singlehandedly sank SLAINE with his legendary and overrated "The Horned God" painted epic, following truly spectacular runs by Mike McMahon and Glenn Fabry — and if you feel the same way I do, you'll find the black and white noodling seen here to be sloppy and over-stylized at best.

The remainder of the book is fleshed out with a not bad Poison Ivy piece drawn by Mark (FABLES) Buckingham, and some Kevin Nowlan work serving as a framing story for a terrific Bernie Mireault Riddler origin puzzler that raises more questions than it answers (which is only fitting for a Riddler origin) and is easily the best thing found between this collection's covers. There's also a perfunctory selection of sketchbook and pencil process stuff from Andy Kubert, but while it's appealing to look at, it offers little by way of a look into what the artist was thinking. In other words, it's just there to take up page space.

So what we have here is little more than a tarted-up annual that in no way deserves a hardcover edition, let alone a "deluxe" version that costs twenty-five bucks. I once loved the Batman and admired him as the more or less lone badass among DC's pantheon who had no built-in superpowers, and that all-too-human aspect, along with his indomitable will and across the board learned status, is what endeared him to so many for so damned long. That's why it truly breaks my heart to see this collection that can now serve as a symbolic tombstone for a once great hero whose reputation and creative viability have been tarnished and cheapened by his treatment in the hands of the Burtons and Schumachers of the Hollywood entertainment sphere, to say nothing of the indignities done to him by the powers that be at his own publishing house, or to name them more honestly, his pimps. Requiescat in pace, Batman. (Or rest as much as you can with the assorted necrophiles having their vile way with your moldering corpse...)(less)

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Aug 08, 2012 Abigail rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone interested in reading Batman though they should already be fans to fully appreciate this

Shelves: graphic-novels-comics

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 05, 2012 Thomas rated it 5 of 5 stars

Neil Gaiman has a way of making everything he writes read like a piece of great literature. This story is no exception. Charged with writing the "final" Batman story Neil goes beyond the norm and shows us why we need super heroes. It's not about the struggles they face or how they die. It's about that unending heroic spirit. To stand in the face of evil or injustice and get back up when it knocks you down. "You don't get Heaven or Hell. Do you know the only reward you get for being Batman? You g...more

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May 19, 2012 Angel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic_novels_and_comics

A pretty good collection written by Neil Gaiman. The title story definitely reflects the dream-like quality of story telling that Gaiman is known for. It is a good tale for the final Batman tale. The art is very good as well and suits the story. I did find myself wishing some of the stories the villains told about Batman were longer, or that more people got to tell Batman stories. The book also contains some other tales. The black and white story may be of interest to fans of the old Warner Brot...more

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May 13, 2010 Virginia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novel, read-2010

This version had several Neil Gaiman's Batman stories in one volume.

Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? - I thought this would be better, but the artwork was great. In particular, I enjoyed seeing the different villain's vehicles (especially Two Face's). They definitely revealed their owner's personality. I thought Albert's tale was the best - and the ending was different enough - and set up the re-numbering of future Batman comics.

A Black and White World - Hilarious "behind-the-comics" vi...more

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Quotes from Batman: Whatever Happe...

“You don't get heaven or hell. Do you know the only reward you get for being Batman?

You get to be Batman.” — 67 people liked it

“The end of the story of Batman is he's dead. Because, in the end, the Batman dies. What else am I going to do? Retire and play golf? It doesn't work that way. It can't. I fight until I drop. And one day, I will drop.” — 27 people liked it

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