step back and take a breath. is this a disappointing over-hyped mess of a story that just barely inches us forward? absolutely. but it's a brilliantly...morestep back and take a breath. is this a disappointing over-hyped mess of a story that just barely inches us forward? absolutely. but it's a brilliantly executed disappointing over-hyped mess of a story that barely inches us forward.
just had to capture a few thoughts on this for the later inevitable trade.
i had to read this twice and let it sit before i began to appreciate what snyder did with it. is it totally successful? no, unfortunately. but it is gratifying on a number of levels.
continuity problems and way too baggage notwithstanding, the essence of the story between the joker and batman is a little bit brilliant. part of that is 70+ years of history between them, but it's also snyder's willingness to use that history to give us an unambiguous look at the whacked out love affair these two have with one another. that this all boils down to a battle of identity is pretty gutsy.
my only question, really, is why didn't bruce just TELL everyone that in the first place? or did he really not understand it until they were all sitting there around the table? even though joker had been saying as much since the beginning?
so despite some serious flaws, i still enjoyed the heck out of this. loses a star, however, for not pushing quite far enough in the direction i felt set up for. while i very much like that the finale turns out to be a strangely intimate moment, rather than two dozen cross-overs preceding it, this should have had a triple-issue finale that could have given the characters more room to hit an operatic pitch. but that's a quibble, really; this didn't need bombast. that batman brings joker down to his level (in the dark quiet) is a beautiful thing.
after such an amazing start out of the gates, this was a disappointing follow up. williams steps aside on art and, i'm sorry, but even though reeder,...moreafter such an amazing start out of the gates, this was a disappointing follow up. williams steps aside on art and, i'm sorry, but even though reeder, mccarth, et al. do a fine job and try to provide a continuity of style, it just doesn't measure up to williams' original work in volume 1.
the story also suffers from some serious silliness (falchion's costume is...what?), and wretched non-linear narrative (one week ago, now, five months ago, oh just stop it already). while i appreciate the experimentation and the desire to tell a story in an interesting way, i also don't want to have to do timeline math to make sense of it all. and it's really convoluted in the end. two volumes in and she still hasn't rescued the missing children? enough's enough.
weirdly, the most compelling thing for me was jake kane sitting by comatose bette's hospital bed, which, once again, reminds me that good drama isn't always about stuff blowing up and shapeshifters and weirdoes in goofy costumes.
oh well. will i continue with volume three? not sure. i liked kate a little more in this one, but right now she's still just another emo punk with a dissociative personality who's picked the path of crimefighting. (less)
It's a shame this could not have held together better, but the finale does try to give it some shape and purpose (albeit a bit weak on some fronts). W...moreIt's a shame this could not have held together better, but the finale does try to give it some shape and purpose (albeit a bit weak on some fronts). We begin with Nightwing infiltrating (sort of) Blackgate where Lock-up has half the city’s criminals (placed there by Batman). Immediately Scarecrow, Ventriloquist, Mad Hatter, and Black Mask start plotting with Nightwing to escape. Fun story, but badly drawn. Then there’s a lengthy digression about Catwoman stealing some data in New York at Batman’s behest (flip flip flip). And then a story about Robin and the return of Ratcatcher and Mr. Freeze (with a dose of that lame Spoiler who I thought we’d lost many many pages ago). The Catwoman stuff is boring (disappointing especially for something from Ostrander), while the Robin stuff was mildly entertaining, though kind of pointless in the end (how did he get back in the city after he was lifted out?).
Things get interesting again with the return of Bane and a really great story about Leslie Thompkins, Zsasz, Killer Croc, and Huntress. Then there’s another nosedive with Low Road to Golden Mountain, a story arc that just sucks up space and does absolutely nothing. Joker returns in The Code and Endgame as the gang wars hurtle toward their inevitable climactic showdown.
About half of this volume is stuff I didn't care about and could have done without (and really, now we fill in where Bruce went when he disappeared after the quake? Who cares at this point?). But the other half was great, with the high point being (as many others have mentioned) the reconciliation between Gordon and Batman (and the tragedy that ensues). I dislike the "easy fix" of LexCorp coming in to clean everything up (how convenient), and I am on the fence about Joker's apprehension. On the one hand, I love how bizarrely insane it is, but on the other I just don't get why he did it. To say "because he's crazy" isn't enough. Was it just easier for the writers? Did they just need to wrap it up? Or did he just want to see the look on Gordon's face? It's a strange moment ~ but I guess it works.
I'd've given this four stars but for the fact that so much of it is just pointless filler. (less)
david finch is the perfect artist for this series: he knows how to draw batman! i know people love jim lee and blah blah blah whoever, but finch keeps...moredavid finch is the perfect artist for this series: he knows how to draw batman! i know people love jim lee and blah blah blah whoever, but finch keeps him likable yet terrifying and doesn't fall into the trap of turning him into a boring gargoyle. not as thrilled with finch's women: they are sort of one-note and cartoony (and predictably sexy which is always disappointing ~ i mean, i know it's a comic book, but i'd prefer a little more variety). four stars for the art.
as for the story? well, dc was smart with their "new 52" campaign ~ they got me to read it, after all. but there's a trade off with trade paperback compilations: if you're lucky, you get a story with continuity (which most of this is). on the other hand, you may get a lot of disparate one shots and/or references to things you have no idea about (which this also is). it suffers in the last few "issues" for this reason, but was still entertaining and had some nice softer character development. and finch makes the pages fly ~ can't really argue with big splashy action sequences.
all-in-all a nice throw-away read, which, i guess, is what a comic book usually is on a rainy day.(less)
i gave this book three stars because boyle has a fabulously accessible and interesting style and the pages flew for me as i read this novel. but i did...morei gave this book three stars because boyle has a fabulously accessible and interesting style and the pages flew for me as i read this novel. but i didn't love the story. in fact, two-thirds in, when the story made the leasp forward from the 19th century to the 1930s, i lost interest altogether.
i suspect, however, that this is a personal problem as i definitely have a bias toward contiguous narrative (even if it's non-linear). didn't like the characters, didn't feel compelled to root for them, and thought marantha's stupid husband was a bit too jekyl & hyde without any fair warning in the second part.
eh. glad i read it, i guess. i have always liked boyle's voice, but this didn't really do anything for me.(less)
aquaman has alway fascinated me, but let's face it, he's infamously lame throughout successive attempts to bring him in to the modern era (post copper...moreaquaman has alway fascinated me, but let's face it, he's infamously lame throughout successive attempts to bring him in to the modern era (post copper-age, let's say). and he was probably lame before that but then so was pretty much everything else post comics-code for a while there.
but enough about how lame aquaman is because goeff johns is doing wonders to revitalize him! here's a story that's smartly written, takes a tongue-in-cheek approach to the aforementioned lameness, and is perfectly coupled with art that's an absolute pleasure to view!
couldn't be happier with this reboot and it deserves all the positive buzz it's received. just hope it will last!(less)
the opening salvo of this reboot was extraordinary: throw batman, superman, constantine, and swamp thing in a comic book together and you have my atte...morethe opening salvo of this reboot was extraordinary: throw batman, superman, constantine, and swamp thing in a comic book together and you have my attention. and i hate "teams" in comic books. but scott snyder knows the material ~ he's not just reinventing and scrapping moore's astonishing origin or disrespecting wein, which is not an easy undertaking.
paquette's visuals are astonishing as well: evoking the best of wrightson and totleben with lush detail and creative page layouts (one of the things i have always loved most about this series: the sheer creative energy on the page when in the right hands).
the trajectory on this one looks to be long, so other than to say i am hooked, there's not much else i can add regarding the plot. another immense success coming from dc's "new 52" initiative!(less)
The ability to sustain such an unwieldy storyline over the distance is straining here in the third volume. The whole thing feels like it's coming apar...moreThe ability to sustain such an unwieldy storyline over the distance is straining here in the third volume. The whole thing feels like it's coming apart.
The stories are more fragmented, the characters are doing sillier and sillier things (really, Gordon? I mean: really???). A somewhat lengthy digression with Poison Ivy (Fruit of the Earth) was just blah, and another one-shot with Mr. Freeze was painfully nonsensical.
On the more positive side, Batman has finally gotten over his do-it-alone thing and called the Bat-Family together, though I don’t know whether this will make things more interesting or more silly. Hopefully the concluding volume will help bring this whole arc back to the strength and power from which it began.
This is definitely the weakest of the bunch; the bad stands out far above the good ~ and maybe that's how it should be: dark before the dawn and whatnot. Eh. (less)
from the opening words penned by michael caine, to the beautiful photos and presentation, to the final notes, this book is a joy and a must-have for f...morefrom the opening words penned by michael caine, to the beautiful photos and presentation, to the final notes, this book is a joy and a must-have for fans of Nolan's trilogy. wish it had been twice (three times!) as long, but i'm slowly learning to live with the finiteness of all things.(less)
this is way out of my usual zone, but i read a rave review elsewhere so i had to see what's up and i wasn't disappointed. as a library person one migh...morethis is way out of my usual zone, but i read a rave review elsewhere so i had to see what's up and i wasn't disappointed. as a library person one might think i would have a natural affinity for batgirl, but that was never the case ~ though i have always liked her father as a character.
gail simone writes barbara gordon beautifully and has a solid grasp of the batman mythos. likewise syaf and cifuentes as the pencil-ink team on this are amazing: clear, exciting pictures, distinctly drawn chracters, superb backgrounds, and pacing that perfectly matches simone's inner monologue for batgirl. there is no drag here ~ a perfect balance of action and melodrama.
and the story is good! in the hands of a lesser writer, batgirl could come off neurotic and obsessed about being shot and crippled, but simone tempers barbara's whining and makes a dramatic point of using her fear to drive the plot forward. there's lots i don't understand fully within this continuity, but i'm patient to catch up now that this title has my attention. this is the way it's done, people!
good on you, dc, you hooked me on another new 52. (less)
i don't know anything about continuity in batman comics. i doubt i ever actually read a complete batman comic until this year, but i did enjoy the hec...morei don't know anything about continuity in batman comics. i doubt i ever actually read a complete batman comic until this year, but i did enjoy the heck out of this one.
in a revolving door of re-telling batman's origin story, this one does everything right, by which i mean bruce wayne doesn't just emerge from vague "training" to instantly become the nemesis of every mad criminal in gotham. no, he's disorganized, clumsy, and, in some cases downright hapless in his early efforts.
this is a wonderfully written (and actually quite scary) tale of corrupt gotham, an insane serial killer, and batman's baby-steps toward super-heroism. the supporting cast is likewise terrific, though alfred is unrecognizable as a decidedly different sort of "butler" (in probably the strangest revision of the character, though it kinda works here).
and gary frank's art is superb. his characters are well-rendered and distinct, his women are exceptional (love that barbara gordon is featured in this as well), his backgrounds are exquisite (no slop here!),and he knows how to infuse even the most casual conversation scenes with drama.
this lost a star only for strange alfred, really. and i'm not even sure that's a fair deduction. 4 & 1/2 if I could give it.
i give this four stars, but with caveats. williams' artwork is absolutely stunning ~ probably the best thing going in comics right now: surprising and...morei give this four stars, but with caveats. williams' artwork is absolutely stunning ~ probably the best thing going in comics right now: surprising and creative layouts, beautifully rendered characters, dynamic action; everything about the look of this book is amazing. batwoman's costume is bold and sexy without being a slutfest, and the villain la llorona is genuinely terrifying.
and then it's not badly written either; there's a compelling story here with a good balance of the supernatural elements, excellent tension between kate and her cousin bette, nice cameos from gordon & batman....
so what's not perfect about this? two things: 1.) i feel no sympathy toward the character of kate; she's mean and distant (maybe i just don't know her well enough?). and 2.) too much emphasis is placed on her sexuality (probably because she's a lesbian, which maybe makes it doubly silly). comic book romance is almost always awkward and here, when it's out-and-out juxtaposed with vigilante violence, it just feels downright uncomfortable.
i am willing to give volume 2 a chance, but if kate doesn't grow on me, the gorgeous artwork alone won't be enough to keep me coming back for more.(less)
yes, yes, this is chatty as all get out. pages and pages about city planning and architecture, but i loved it and here's why:
1. stunning artwork. no r...moreyes, yes, this is chatty as all get out. pages and pages about city planning and architecture, but i loved it and here's why:
1. stunning artwork. no really, just staggeringly beautiful deco gotham in all its glory; characters rendered beautifully; action very clean and compelling. just straight-up a nice book that's fun to read.
2. throwback batman: unfettered by 70+ years of mish-mash, this is batman in his most simplest form and there's just something really refreshing about that.
3. very clearly a labor of love for chip kidd & dave taylor. i can always get on board with something that looks and feels like it comes from the heart ~ and this does.
maybe not everyone's cup of tea, but i prefer this to the mayhem and carnage of frank miller's stuff. (less)
Jean Paul Valley as Batman is such a mess. And reading this is like just waiting for him to implode and Bruce to come back (and wondering why anybody...moreJean Paul Valley as Batman is such a mess. And reading this is like just waiting for him to implode and Bruce to come back (and wondering why anybody puts up with this freak). I don't recall if ever there was a sense that Bruce might not be back--that Azrael was taking over permanently, but in retrospect it's impossible to imagine anyone would think he was worthy (which kinda makes Bruce an idiot).
No comment on the cowboy twins (ugh), and other sundry plotlines (most of which are just so-so). The Joker as a villain in the hands of Dixon is likewise a mess. Apart from one or two recognizably insane moments, he might as well be anybody and his final confrontation with Azrael is a huge head scratcher: 1.) it took this long for him to realize that Batman wasn't really Batman? and 2.) on discovering this information he doesn't just nuke the imposter? Dumb.
This is one of those arcs where you just have to sigh and move forward and hope eventually you'll get so far ahead into the new continuity that you can forget any of this ever happened.(less)
oh look, another polarizing batman story! some people hate this with a passion and some people love it. i land somewhere in the middle (hence the thre...moreoh look, another polarizing batman story! some people hate this with a passion and some people love it. i land somewhere in the middle (hence the three stars). i don't disagree with the naysayers who don't like the history of the owls or the idea of costumed fanatics running around in gotham pre-batman, but to be honest this was pretty suspenseful and a fun read: i loved the way batman was trapped in the labyrinth and the coordinated assassinations was a great way to involve the whole "family".
and yes, the ice thing has its problems, and the big reveal about dick grayson was a shade too much, but it was fun to read and capullo's art is fabulous. so i can't really complain. definitely a "read it for yourself to decide" sort of tome. (less)
i liked this as an "early" batman story in which he's still struggling to find himself. others have criticized that he "doesn't behave like batman" bu...morei liked this as an "early" batman story in which he's still struggling to find himself. others have criticized that he "doesn't behave like batman" but i think you have to let go of preconceptions for this one ~ it's early enough in his "career" that some latitude is appropriate. besides, there are more disturbing elements to this story (like the father who could care less about his dead child?)
at the heart of it, though, is an interesting (though somewhat conventional) story about overcoming personal demons, corrupt men, and a really bad beard. all of which i enjoyed despite the silliness. and yes, batman fights a shark. but that's about par for the course, so i say bring it on.(less)
This whole four-volume arc is probably doomed to be wildly inconsistent because of the way it stretches across so many titles and uses so many varied...moreThis whole four-volume arc is probably doomed to be wildly inconsistent because of the way it stretches across so many titles and uses so many varied talents in terms of the writing and art. So my review is tempered by a concession that there's almost to way to expect this to be great.
The two main storylines in this volume are Fear of Faith and Bread and Circuses. The first is about Scarecrow, Huntress, the gang wars, and an idealistic priest boringly named Father Chris. Aspects of this line were interesting and entertaining, but mostly implausible. Really felt this story sacrificed realism and character development for cheap action. Nevertheless, it had a fairly strong conclusion, so most of the worst of it was forgivable. The second story is about Penguin and the gang wars and was mostly just flip flip flip for me; but then I just don’t like Penguin as a villain, and find his machinations boring when there's so much else that's going on that's so much more compelling.
A one-shot between Azrael and the Joker was entertaining (though incredibly silly; Batman must have been smoking crack before sending Jean Paul Valley to battle ~ just dumb). But a story about Two Face joining the good guys (thanks to his coin) was very well done, and another one-shot about an aging ex-military guy defending his home was frankly the highlight of the volume (and a fitting return to the grim reality of Gotham’s collapse).
Overall this volume had as many highs as it did lows, though. The introduction of Cassandra Cain was completely baffling and Nick Scratch continues to be a bore. Some truly terrible art in this volume as well, unfortunately, even in the episodes with good storylines.(less)
This is the way to go out on a bang! I had to give this final volume an extra star just for saving this whole series from being an utter waste of pape...moreThis is the way to go out on a bang! I had to give this final volume an extra star just for saving this whole series from being an utter waste of paper. And Dini finally writes Harley in a way that makes sense in the non-cartoon world: she's utterly psychotic, cunning, and actually murderous (it was frankly shocking to see her kill, and yet it shouldn't be!). Her rampaging break-in at Arkham was full of the suspense that the whole series had been lacking: here's an event that could actually have consequences!
And I won't spoil what comes next because it's probably one of the most hilarious/terrifying moments in recent comic-book history, but I will say that it made the whole of the bumpy journey worth while.
For the series, I'd recommend reading Volume 1 & 4 and skipping the middle two. Unless you're really a big fan of Selina and/or Ivy (and even then I don't think the middle stuff is all that interesting). I'm glad I stuck with it and it's short enough anyway.
I will also add that it's only too bad Harley doesn't seem to have made it into the New 52 in the same spirit we see her here in the final volume of Gotham City Sirens.
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