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Batman (2016)

Batman, Vol. 6: Bride or Burglar?

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The path to the altar has never been so dangerous!

Not long after Batman announces his engagement to Catwoman, he and Wonder Woman are called to honor an old commitment requiring them to fight for Earth in a distant, magical realm. But time flows strangely in this new land, and an hour in our world could be years there. The storied friendship between two great heroes begins to unravel--while the universe itself does the same around them!

Next, the Bat and the Cat find themselves isolated as Poison Ivy seemingly takes over the rest of the world, including the Justice League! Can they nip Ivy's plans in the bud before the whole world falls under her dominion? After all, there's still a wedding to plan...

The big day approaches in these stories from Batman #38-44, from author Tom King (Mister Miracle) and artists Mikel Janín (Grayson), Joëlle Jones (Supergirl: Being Super) and Travis Moore (Fables: The Wolf Among Us).

168 pages, Paperback

First published July 31, 2018

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Tom King

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 345 reviews
Profile Image for Sam Quixote.
4,801 reviews13.4k followers
May 22, 2018
When a Baaaaat loves a (Cat)woman… !

The wedding’s right around the corner but there’s more adventures to be had first! Batman, Volume 6: Bride or Burglar? collects four stories of differing length. And, as usual, Tom King’s done it again, producing yet another corking Batman book!

The opening issue highlights how insane Bruce Wayne/Batman is, just in concept, when Bruce encounters a wealthy young boy, accompanied by his own butler, whose parents were also viciously murdered. But is this more than coincidence… ? It’s not the first time someone’s shone a light on the strangeness of Batman’s origins and Bruce’s choices after his parents’ deaths but it’s a fine issue nonetheless.

King continues the Superfriends story from the last book with Parts 3 and 4, this time featuring Wonder Woman. The Gentle Man is a warrior battling never-ending waves of monsters, forever, to keep our world safe. Wonder Woman and Batman do him a solid by giving him a day’s respite to visit his wife – except time doesn’t work the same way in the Gentle Man’s realm and Bruce’s faithfulness is about to be tested as he’s separated from Selina for 37 years…

I loved seeing Joelle Jones return to draw this two-parter. Her art is delectable here, particularly with the characters’ body language like Catwoman laughing at Bruce in actual knight armour and Bruce and Diana talking about their pets over dinner (of course Wonder Woman has a kangaroo!). The Gentle Man may be a contrived character, made purely for this story to work, but he was surprisingly more developed than he should’ve been, another testament to King’s skill as a writer. I don’t get how Bruce doesn’t age 37 years though. I understand why Diana wouldn’t – she’s a god – but Bruce is just a man. Hmm… shenanigans!

Everyone Loves Ivy is another callback from earlier in the series, this time to The War of Jokes and Riddles. A traumatised Ivy uses the Green to seize control of everyone’s will and it’s down to Batman and Catwoman to save the world. The concept felt derivative of Unity from Rick and Morty and the explanation behind Ivy’s actions meant little to me mostly as The War of Jokes and Riddles is the only book in King’s run that I haven’t been crazy about. Also, Catwoman – even on her best day – is NOT faster than The Flash, let alone 3! I guess Ivy controlling them must’ve slowed them down or something, right?

But it was fun to see the Gotham City Sirens reunite, I love how King continues to feature Bat Burger in his stories (KGBLT and Killer Croque Monsieur - I wants them!) and I’m so enjoying seeing Batman and Catwoman working together – they’re quite the formidable team! Mikel Janin’s art is spectacular – he’s seriously becoming one of the best comics artists working today – and I loved June Chung’s gorgeous colours, blending Ivy into her plants so they become one.

The book closes with Selina going shopping for her wedding dress – Catwoman-style (ie. breaking and entering)! There’s no real story but both Joelle Jones and Mikel Janin take turns drawing the comic so it looks amazing; Jones designs a helluva dress for Selina’s big day.

I liked some stories less than others and had some nitpicks but I wasn’t bored by any of them either and I LOVED the art throughout. Batman, Volume 6: Bride or Burglar? is another reliably entertaining entry in Tom King’s run.
Profile Image for Chad.
10.3k reviews1,060 followers
August 30, 2018
I'm loving these stories where it's just the Bat and the Cat together, seeing their relationship deepen while they battle bad guys. There's no larger narrative, just some very well told shorter stories with fantastic art by Joelle Jones and Mikel Janin. These two, even though they have very different styles, are at the top of their game.
Profile Image for Sean Gibson.
Author 7 books6,116 followers
August 6, 2018
Have you ever been working on a presentation at work with the understanding that you’ve got a 15-minute timeslot to fill? You start honing your material, practice over and over, get it down to the minute, and, when the time comes, you know you’re going to just kill it. You know your opening joke will land hard, everyone will be rapt, and you have a closing call to action that is clear and inspiring. But, right before you go on, whoever’s running the meeting—maybe your boss, or your boss’s boss, or some other such muckety-muck—looks at you and says, “After you finish your 30 minutes, we’ll break for lunch.”

30 minutes? Well, shit. You spend the next two minutes scribbling notes, trying to stretch out your key points, but you don’t have time to organize your thoughts, so while you get off to a good start, you end up rambling and meandering, never really saying anything coherent, and inexplicably telling that stupid story about the time your dad hit a golf ball up a goose’s ass, which has nothing to do with anything other than the fact that your dad’s subsequent maniacal laughter indicates at best a weird hatred of geese and, at worst, a really disturbing proclivity for cruelty to animals.
You manage to make a couple of solid points as you get near the end, but, when it’s over, everyone just kind of gives you a blank look and then heads to lunch.

That’s how this volume felt in the context of prior volumes in this series. It has been, by and large, highly entertaining, building a compelling narrative over the course of each volume and gaining particular momentum over the past couple. Here, however, the narrative veers of track. While there are interesting story bits sprinkled throughout, it doesn’t feel like it’s going anywhere, and it feels a little bit like the creators are stalling for time until they can come up with the best way to move things forward.

On balance, not the best volume in this series, but I’m inclined to think it’s an anomalous hiccup rather than an indicator of a series about to take a nosedive in quality. And, on the plus side, no geese were goosed by golf balls in the making of this book (as far as I’m aware).

Looking forward to seeing if Vol. 7 gets things back on track…
Profile Image for Lashaan Balasingam.
1,475 reviews4,623 followers
September 5, 2018
You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.

Here we are. If there’s one big event currently being built up in the DC Universe, it’s the wedding between two of the most iconic characters: Batman and Catwoman. Their conflict-full relationship has always been a highlight of their cat and bat game, and it is something that has made their encounters so tantalizingly beautiful. Tim Burton’s 1992 Batman Returns movie is one of the main example of that special bond between both characters, and it is truly a special time for DC that Tom King has decided to make their union so memorable and possible. In the hands of anyone else, this could have easily turned out to be a huge mess, but Tom King’s approach to both these character’s personalities and interactions has made this truly admirable and beautiful.

Batman: Bride or Burglar is the 6th volume in the main Batman series and should be seen as the transitive collection to the main event to come. In this volume there are 3 different stories packed together and each don’t really follow each other, but they do deepen the complexity of both Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle’s character. The first stand-alone story is the origin of Bruce Wayne, it is then followed by a two-part story arc called Superfriends. This story arc follows the same idea as the previous Superfriends story arc by Tom King where he magnificently highlighted the relationship between Superman and Batman. This time around we get to see the relationship between Batman and Wonder Woman. The story then jumps into a two-part Poison Ivy-centered arc and concludes on a stand-alone story featuring Catwoman and her wild ride down memory lane, but also through a bunch of wedding dresses.

If there’s one thing that merits recognition, it’s Mikel Janín and Joëlle Jones artwork. What they bring to the table is magnificent and intensely intimate. With Tom King’s minimalist writing style and the heavy focus on facial reaction and subtle movements, the story always finds ways to land a heavy blow into the reader’s emotions. Mikel Janín’s artwork in particular is also incredibly stunning. The colouring is different from what you usually see, but easily elevates the game to a whole new level. Just take a look at his two-page full-scale panels. These moments easily put emphasis on the epic scale of the action scenes and the importance of it all. If anything, Tom King is always surrounded by fantastic artists that knows how to give his ideas the tone and gravitas they need.

The best thing about Tom King is that he has incredibly grown as a writer when it comes to Batman and his playground. His understand of several villains is easily noticeable in this volume, especially with characters like Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. The complexity he conveys regarding every character is astonishing, and it is something that I truly adore in his work nowadays. The story arc featuring Poison Ivy also shows the insane scope of King’s ideas and the near-impossible-to-guess nature of his stories. It’s stories like those that makes you realize how much of a genius he can be if given the liberty to do what he wants.

However, the main attraction of this volume remains Batman and Catwoman. Their understanding of each other is both stunning and chilling. How Tom King develops their relationship is beyond my understanding. It is not only iconic, but also as authentic as it could ever be. And so, here we are. The big moment is within sight, and love is in the air. Expect to see more wedding-talk in the DC Universe.

Yours truly,

Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
____________________________
A wonderful collection of story arcs that focuses heavily on the relationship between Batman and Catwoman. I loved how it was explored with so much depth and so indirectly. As complicated as these two have had it between each other throughout their whole legacy, it is amazing how Tom King finally glues the pieces together to make it all work, and to make it all come true for fans.

And Mikel Janin's artwork is really addictive nowadays. Really nice to see it back in action in this volume, even if it's not for every issue. Some full two-page scenes are truly stunning, and really deliver the mood too.

I look forward to the next big volume, especially issue #50!

P.S. Full review to come.

Yours truly,

Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: http://bookidote.wordpress.com
Profile Image for James DeSantis.
Author 17 books1,205 followers
May 21, 2018
I knew after the last volume it would be hard to top it. This isn't as good but honestly? That's okay.

So this has three parts. Super Friends part 3-4 (Now it's Bruce and Diana's turn to be besties) as they fight for over 20+ years together against a endless horde of monsters while Selina tries to free them. Then we have a Poison Ivy story, which I'm going to be honest here, has never been one of my favorite characters. I get WHY people Love her, but not me. Anyhow she takes over the world and everyone in it except for Selina and Bruce since they had the cure. Last but not least is two one shots, one with the Origin of BRUCE WAYNE. No, not the hero, but a kid who is twisted and turns into a little killing machine. Then the last volume is Selina going over her past interactions with the Batman while trying on a wedding dress...or two...or three.

Good: I love Selina and Bruce together. It works. Maybe it's because of King's writing but they feel like they belong together. I really enjoyed Super Friends part 3 and 4 as well. Diana and Bruce always had a respectable relationship and nothing changes here. Very well done. I also enjoyed the hell out of Selina past interactions with Bruce and of course her trying on the wedding dresses.

Bad: The origins story of Bruce Wayne was kind of flat. It had a cool idea but went nowhere. I think it'll be interesting to see what becomes of him though. Also the poison Ivy story, while not bad, didn't really stick the landing for me.

So nothing terrible here. This is still a very solid collection for me. While I didn't love it like War/Engagement, I thought it was up there with I am Bane at a 3.5. I'll hit a 4 on here because I smiled a lot, and that's a good sign.
Profile Image for James DeSantis.
Author 17 books1,205 followers
June 13, 2018
I knew after the last volume it would be hard to top it. This isn't as good but honestly? That's okay.

So this has three parts. Super Friends part 3-4 (Now it's Bruce and Diana's turn to be besties) as they fight for over 20+ years together against a endless horde of monsters while Selina tries to free them. Then we have a Poison Ivy story, which I'm going to be honest here, has never been one of my favorite characters. I get WHY people Love her, but not me. Anyhow she takes over the world and everyone in it except for Selina and Bruce since they had the cure. Last but not least is two one shots, one with the Origin of BRUCE WAYNE. No, not the hero, but a kid who is twisted and turns into a little killing machine. Then the last volume is Selina going over her past interactions with the Batman while trying on a wedding dress...or two...or three.

Good: I love Selina and Bruce together. It works. Maybe it's because of King's writing but they feel like they belong together. I really enjoyed Super Friends part 3 and 4 as well. Diana and Bruce always had a respectable relationship and nothing changes here. Very well done. I also enjoyed the hell out of Selina past interactions with Bruce and of course her trying on the wedding dresses.

Bad: The origins story of Bruce Wayne was kind of flat. It had a cool idea but went nowhere. I think it'll be interesting to see what becomes of him though. Also the poison Ivy story, while not bad, didn't really stick the landing for me.

So nothing terrible here. This is still a very solid collection for me. While I didn't love it like War/Engagement, I thought it was up there with I am Bane at a 3.5. I'll hit a 4 on here because I smiled a lot, and that's a good sign.
Profile Image for Crystal.
129 reviews27 followers
December 17, 2018
I just had to come back and write a review since I can’t seem to stop verbalizing my confusion
I turned the spoilers on but I am not good with technology so I will warn you here as well



SPOILERS







Here



So little breakaway scenes throughout the duration of the volume show catwoman leaving Wayne manor in the middle of the night, breaking into a bridal shop, trying on dresses, finding the perfect one for 28k and stealing it.
All very catwoman behavior
BUT!!!
And this is to be said directly to her
What the hell are you breaking in and stealing for? You are marrying a literal billionaire, he probably owns the shop you’re stealing from. Why waste the energy???

That is all
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Wing Kee.
2,091 reviews37 followers
June 7, 2018
Wow.

World: The art is fantastic. King is an artist's writer, he let's the art tell the story and allows this mediums strengths to support the tale. The quiet moments with no dialog, the beautiful panels, the emotions the nods are all so beautiful. The world building is also solid, using the pieces that he's been building since Rebirth and also the history of the relationship between Bat and Cat it's perfect. The 2 issue arc with Diana is also wonderful, pulling that part of the world and also the Animated Series feeling that the book hints at is wonderful.

Story: 3 incredible stories. The first is a contusion of 'Super Friends' where we see the relationship of Diana ans Bruce and how it effects his relationship with Cat. It'd beautiful, it's small and quiet and heartwarming, it hits all the feels. Then we have the 3 issue arc with Ivy which is beautiful and the art is stunning and I'm rambling cause it's so good. This is a Batman story that would not be possible it out Selina and the changes we've seen the DCU go through over the years. The beautiful ideas of redemption and change is beautifully realized with Ivy and the relationship of another DC pair is solidified. Then we have the single issue of Selina and her dress, just read it, enjoy the art and love it.

Characters: King understands these characters so intimately it's amazing. It's beautiful how well Bat and Cat work and also how scary the prospect of a future is for them. It's beautiful what King has done with Selina, not clipping her claws (yes I went there) but making her such a strong and independent character. Ivy and Harley are done so well and the depth of emotional growth in this book is amazing.

I love King, he's up there with Snyder now for one of the best to write Bats.

Onward to the next book!

*read individual issues*
Profile Image for Richard.
1,062 reviews471 followers
January 30, 2019
★★★1/2

*sigh*

Tom King, what are we going to do with you? I'm really trying hard to fully give you a chance with your Batman run and I've made it through 50 issues. There are moments here that are absolutely atrocious (Vol. 2), but then there are times when you dazzle me with brilliance ("Superfriends" in Vol. 5, which is one of the best Batman stories I've read).

You have some really great ideas Tom King, you really do. I just think you need to focus. Your tendency to have little mini-arcs tend to spoil the overall plot a bit and makes everything a little messy, and with little consequence, taking away from the impact of a great overarching narrative.

You're taking your sweet damn time to get to the Bat and Cat wedding. First we get an issue with Batman investigating a series of murders that end up showing us what would happen if Bruce Wayne went in another direction after the murder off his parents. Then we get a story where Batman and Wonder Woman spend a few decades in an alternate dimension fighting monsters and trying not to fuck each other while Catwoman tries to get them back. Then we get some stuff where Catwoman goes wedding dress "shopping." All of these stories are filled with cool ideas and on their own can be really great but the whole run feels like when a kid is really excited about all these cool things and he tries to tell you, but it all comes out in a gibbering wave with too much saliva.

So calm down Tom King, I know you're excited to write Batman and I am too. But chill for a bit, choose your words, and speak slowly so I can appreciate what you have to say.
Profile Image for Molly™☺.
969 reviews108 followers
January 24, 2022
60% | C+ | Good

"Good-bye, Bruce. It was not fun. But there were moments of fun"

Bruce and Selina's wedding draws nearer, and their relationship is put to the test when Batman and Wonder Woman get trapped together for over two decades in another realm. Poison Ivy tries to better the world by taking control of every living person except for Bruce and Selina, and it's up to them to help Ivy see sense before it's too late


There are 4 separate stories packed into under 200 pages of content which very much vary in quality. The first is extremely unmemorable in comparison to the rest, so unmemorable that I literally forgot it existed until I saw someone else mention it in their review. Thankfully, the others are all stronger, especially in the Batcat department; if there's one thing King does well, it's writing the iconic couple. The second entry sees Diana and Bruce head into another realm in order to give The Gentle Man a chance to see his beloved. This story helps to seal the loyalty that Batcat have for each other and offers some nice Bruce and Diana friendship moments. Poison Ivy's story relates directly to the mess that is the Joker vs Riddler story from a few volumes ago, but this time, King manages to actually make it somewhat interesting. Seeing Ivy go through the guilt of taking a life and wanting to better the world through mind control is a really interesting concept which didn't quite get the amount of pages it deserves. The volume ends on a nice little
short story which involves Selina finding herself a wedding dress. Honestly, I'd hoped for a little more about the wedding, rather than a collection of somewhat filler-y stories, but this volume offers some entertaining dialogue and fun moments.
Profile Image for Scott.
2,252 reviews272 followers
October 2, 2018
I couldn't wait to tear into this one - as it is the follow-up to the outstanding Vol. 5: Rules of Engagement - but, whether intentional or not, I knew I'd being unfairly comparing the two books.

Vol. 6: Bride or Burglar is not quite on the same level as its predecessor, but it was a still another really good entry in the series. It kicks off with an unsettling stand-alone 'origin' story with horror overtones, but then briskly moves into the two other tales that take up the bulk of the volume.

'Super Friends' features Batman (truly living up to the nickname 'Dark Knight' with his choice of attire) and Wonder Woman on an otherworldly special volunteer mission of sorts. Lots of exhausting ass-kicking mixed with serious and humorous conversations ("This horde is everlasting!" refrain will get stuck in your head) from the two long-time teammates who have a strong connection.

The other major story, 'Everyone Loves Ivy,' has you-know-who causing big trouble as she appears to take over the whole damn world. Can Batman and Catwoman stop her? Are there stars in the sky? During a montage it even features a cameo by our POTUS . . . maybe that's not a selling point :-(

Things wrap up with the sly title story, a nostalgia-laced offering which briefly highlights the interactions and costume variations between Batman and Catwoman.
Profile Image for Gabrielle (Reading Rampage).
1,180 reviews1,752 followers
November 1, 2019
I’m not sure I would have gotten into Tom King’s Batman series if it hadn’t been for Joelle Jones’ contribution, but I’m glad I did. While Batman is far from my favorite superhero, King has an interesting way of approaching the character and his stories. I don't think he'll even win me over to the Bat's side (Joker fangirl for life!), but he certainly entertains!

The stories in “Bride or Burglar” are nice pieces of character development that push forward the unavoidably complicated relationship between Batman and Catwoman. He also gives interesting glimpses of fan-favorites Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, and the final chapter is a rollicking series of flashbacks intersected with Catwoman “shopping” for the perfect wedding dress – which is meta and cute. As usual, I am partial to Joelle Jones’ artwork (her Wonder Woman is gorgeous!), but the whole book is beautiful.

I’ve been reading this series backwards, due to my lack of patience and the limited availabilities of the books at my local comic book store: maybe I’ll eventually get to tome 1!
Profile Image for Robert.
2,190 reviews148 followers
August 3, 2019
A series of one-offs that you'd think would be a little more of a big deal in universe (Poison Ivy psychically possesses over 7 billion people for days via their salad greens. Just go with it.) but instead are just used to highlight and deepen the relationship between Bruce and Selina.

Since it's Tom King, though, the whole thing works and MAN DOES SHE SLAY IN THAT DRESS.

Profile Image for Eli Seibert.
Author 3 books9 followers
March 30, 2019
“You're not Bruce Wayne! You're a sick kid with dead parents.”
“Well, yes… but… but what else is Bruce Wayne?”
Wow, there hasn’t been a Tom King batbook I haven’t thoroughly enjoyed yet, and this volume is not the exception. Bruce Wayne fanatics, never ending monster hordes, Wonder Woman, more BatCat, and a story line that not only does not portray Ivy as a villain (FINALLY), but furthers her relationship with Harley? What more could my tiny nerd heart ask for?
The art was fantastic; the stories were great, and I am more pumped than ever for the comic book wedding of the century! (Whenever that actually ends up being)
Profile Image for Diz.
1,860 reviews138 followers
August 4, 2018
There is an interesting section that explores the relationship between Batman and Catwoman over the history of Batman comics. The costumes and the way they interact change, but there is something deep in the core of their relationship that doesn't change. I took that as a commentary on comics in general. The characters we love are always changing, but deep down we see them as the same.

Speaking of changes, Poison Ivy gets a big boost to her power level, which makes her one of the most powerful humans on the planet.
Profile Image for Steve.
962 reviews112 followers
June 12, 2018
I received this from Edelweiss and DC Comics in exchange for an honest review.

Another good volume in Tom King's Batman run. I'm really enjoying how we are seeing deep into the psyche of not only Batman, but into the people around him, villains and heroes alike. I'm not going to say any more, because I don't want to spoil anything, but I've also enjoyed the ties back to previous storylines and obscure plot points.
Profile Image for ✨Bean's Books✨.
648 reviews6 followers
July 20, 2018
Stunning artwork.
Sleek and sexy with a little gore and heartbreak... the best type of Batman comic. The epic saga of Batman 💘 Catwoman continues. I thoroughly enjoyed this graphic novel. It was a little difficult to follow in some parts but eventually I got the story out of it. A little less straightforward than some. Still very good none the less. I need to get my hands on the rest of the series for my library.
Profile Image for Vinicius.
817 reviews27 followers
March 25, 2025
Bruce: "Você nao é Bruce Wayne.É só um garoto doente, cujos pais morreram."

Garoto: "Bom, sim...mas...o que é o Bruce Wayne além disso?"

Essa frase encerra o one shot que abre esse encadernado, história essa que o Batman precisa desvendar um assassinato semelhante ao que aconteceu em sua infância: pais mortos em frente o filho. A história é recheada de investigação e um tanto bizarra quando se descobre quem é o assassinato, mas o mais legal, é ver como o Tom King atrela esse caso ao dos Wayne e como o Batman foi forjado meio ao trauma.

Em seguida, acompanhamos uma história dos Superamigos, envolvendo Bruce e Diana enfrentando demônios. A história em si não é grande coisa, mas é extremamente importante para a narrativa que o Tom King vinha construindo entre o Bruce e Selina, pois aqui ele consegue mostrar a fidelidade do Batman e como ele está se adaptando a vida de futuro casado.

Posteriormente, há um arco da Hera venenosa, que embora é cheia de exageros que necessitam de descrença do leitor, é uma historia bem interessante no que tange a Pamela e sua moralidade daqui em diante. Conforme mostrado no encadernado Guerras e Charadas, Ivy se aliou ao Charada, mesmo não gostando da ideia, ela cometeu assassinatos e até hoje ela se culpa por isso. Assim, esse arco foca em mostrar como a Hera está lidando com essa questão de tirar a vida de uma pessoa, sendo que ela mesma não parece estar se vendo mais como vilã, pois ela se preocupa com o mundo.

Por fim, há uma história one shot que mostrar a mulher gato pensativa a respeito do passado entre ela e o Morcego, enquanto se aventura por Gotham e vai experimentar vestidos de noiva. Porém, o mais legal é ver o Tom King sendo nerdola de DC e recriando/homenageando momentos clássicos dos personagens no passado.
Profile Image for Rod Brown.
7,342 reviews281 followers
August 5, 2018
Having won me over last volume, I am now committed to reading Batman for as long as Tom King will write it. Sure, sometimes his stories can be a little awkward, but he swings big and when he connects he really knocks 'em out of the park.
Profile Image for Chris Lemmerman.
Author 7 books123 followers
July 6, 2018
[Read as single issues]

(For the purposes of this review I’m assuming that this actually collects #38-44 and not #38-43, since the trade cover is from #44, the issue title from #44 is the same as the trade title, and volume 7 apparently collects #45-50, so otherwise it’d be missing)

“Will you marry me?” – Those four words upended Selina Kyle’s life; and then she went and said yes! But before she can get hitched to the Batman of her dreams, she’s got to meet the other half of the Trinity, battle best frenemy Poison Ivy, and, most important of all, pick a wedding dress!

But first, a creepy aside about a child who wants to be a pseudo-Hush figure. The opening issue for this volume is just plain weird; it’s kind of a dark mirror of what Bruce Wayne’s childhood could have been if he wasn’t exactly the person he is today. It’s not really ground we haven’t covered before (see again: Hush), but it’s King’s usual twisted mind at work so there’s something extra going on behind the scenes. Travis Moore’s on art for this one, and it’s just as dark and twisted as the story.

After that brief interlude, we’re back for the second half of the Super Friends story that started in the previous volume. This one’s not quite as good, as Batman and Wonder Woman are trapped in an alternate dimension and Catwoman’s interactions with the hero they’re replacing is the only way to get them back. It feels like King is trying to establish a certain tone for Wonder Woman, but it doesn’t gel with how her character has been presented before (or even is currently) so it comes off as odd. Joelle Jones’s art can’t be faulted though, because that’s as beautiful as ever.

Speaking of beautiful art, the next three issues featuring Poison Ivy taking over the world are jaw-dropping. Mikel Janin has turned out some cracking visuals during his Batman tenure, and these issues have some of the most lifelike pages I’ve ever seen. The story itself is a fun Bat/Cat team-up with an unexpected Gotham City Sirens-esque ending, but I expect it’ll get overriden by the fandom rage induced by Catwoman beating two Flashes at once despite there being a perfectly good reason why she can do that. Ignore that and enjoy the pretty story, fandom.

And then finally, the elusive issue 44. Set almost entirely from Catwoman’s point of view, this her cold feet issue as you attempts to reason if she should marry Batman or not, and if she’ll lose her identity as a result. I’m sure all the press about Batman #50 has told people that she does decide to go through with it, but it’s a very introspective little issue which is what King does so well. Joelle Jones on art doesn’t hurt either, especially since she’s launching the new Catwoman series, so it’s a taste of things to come.

This volume of Batman is an eclectic one. The opening issue and the Super Friends two-parter probably some of the weaker issues of King’s run so far, but that’s easily off-set by the fantastic Everybody Loves Ivy story and the Catwoman spotlight issue. The art as varied as the stories, but always manages to be top notch.
Profile Image for heidi.
88 reviews1 follower
June 4, 2022
I’m obsessed with catwoman. I wish I was batman. Also poison ivy & harleys relationship >>> i loved their small little scene. I want to read some comics about them!! This was my first one that my friend let me borrow :)
Profile Image for Subham.
3,070 reviews103 followers
January 4, 2022
This was an interesting volume though it starts off well with a new kid named Matt who wants to be Master bruce and its a very twisted tale and sees the birth of another serial killer and its ery weird but the next tale with Diana and Bruce as they go to this realm Gehenna to fight off monsters there while its fighter "The Gentle man" takes a break and its a very corny story but shows the thing and friendship between Bruce and diana and also Selina and how she is feeling though I wished the writer had done more of it rather than just showing the concept and yeah its a missed opportunity.

The next story with Ivy is so weird like she is controlling the world and Selina taking out the Flashes which is such a weird thing like how? But suspending that disbelief the reasons are not explained that well or maybe just showing she is having some breakdown which rather confuses the reader themselves but its such great art facilitated by solid moment between Harley and Ivy and makes it a good read and the last being Selina and her dress which leads to the biggest event in DC.

Its a volume filled with great moments and dumb and amazing art throughout and also some heavy misses and confusing ones so yeah take your pick and decide if you wanna read it or not.
Profile Image for Ivy.
1,505 reviews76 followers
June 26, 2020
5 🌟

Bruce and Selina are approaching their wedding. Bruce has to deal with a crazy kid can of his. Wonder Woman and Batman go to fight the Horde where they share a kiss. Bruce and Selina stop Poison Ivy from mind controlling most of the world. Selina decides to be a bride.
Profile Image for Malum.
2,839 reviews168 followers
June 12, 2018
The last couple of Batman volumes have been "slice of life" Batman stories. Darkseid isn't attacking, there isn't a nuclear bomb hidden under Gotham. It's just Batman hanging out with Catwoman, solving some crimes, and palling around with Diana and Clark. And you know what? It's been great! These stories have just the right blend of grim-faced Batman and heartfelt humor.

I also liked that, in this volume, we get to see "world's greatest detective" Batman solving some crimes. Nowadays we mostly get "go in and punch anything that moves" Batman, so it's nice to see some actual mysteries being solved by the caped crusader.
Profile Image for Rory Wilding.
800 reviews29 followers
July 4, 2018
We’re a few issues away from the big wedding with Batman #50, but there are still obstacles that are set to challenge the romance between the Bat and the Cat — whether it’s one man’s faithfulness to his one true love or the search for that perfect wedding dress, they’re explored in this latest volume of Tom King’s phenomenal Bat-run.

Please click here for my full review.
Profile Image for Kendall.
135 reviews52 followers
August 19, 2018
A series of individual and connected stories leading to the wedding that may or may not happen. Tom King is just so good at the Dark Knight story arc and the art throughout is absolutely stunning. My favorite of these stories was the last, showing the instinctual nature and independence of the Catwoman we know.
Profile Image for Des Fox.
1,076 reviews20 followers
January 18, 2019
While not tackling a larger plot, these issues are expect takes on Batman, Catwoman, and most importantly, their relationship. This book is the Batman/Catwoman book I didn't know we needed, with their engagement providing plenty of exciting spin to atypical bat-tales. These are pretty big tales btw. Batman spends 30+ years fighting demons non-stop and Ivy takes over the whole world for a little bit. There are quieter segments at the top and bottom, with a fantastically disturbing aside with a wanna-be boy Bruce, and Catwoman's approach to finding the perfect wedding dress. I loved it all, great art, great scripting, Tom king being a beast as always.
Profile Image for Ondra Král.
1,451 reviews122 followers
September 6, 2020
Čím víc pláštěnek čtu, tím víc oceňuju snahu dělat to jinak. A přesně to King umí. Hnacím motorem je opět psychologie postav a každý příběh řeší úplně jinou věc. Hodně se mi líbí trojdílný sešit s Poison Ivy - sice musím přivřít obě oči a vnímat ji pouze v kontextu Kinga - ale přesně tohle jsou ty charakterové studie, které mám rád.
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