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Batman: The Caped Crusader
Batman: The Caped Crusader, Vol. 1
Gotham City has endured much through its dark, twisted history, and even the cosmic changes wrought by the Crisis on Infinite Earths couldn't give the town a fresh start--the grime is in its DNA. The Crisis did, though, allow for the reintroduction of familiar foes, albeit with a fresh take on the Caped Crusader featuring a back-to-basics approach to crime-fighting.
Criminals don't always wear a colorful costumes: some just stalk the shadows with sinister plots and evil intentions. A new threat, a fearsome assassin known as the KGBeast, is prowling the streets of Gotham City and he's out to dismantle America's Strategic Defense Initiative. After saving the United States government, Batman must then solve the mystery of ten murdered women before the killer claims even more victims!
An all-star cast of talent, led by writer Jim Starlin (Batman: The Cult, Mystery In Space) and the dynamic art duo of Jim Aparo (The Brave and The Bold, Batman & The Outsiders) and Mike DeCarlo (The Legion Of Super-Heroes), present Batman: The Caped Crusader Vol. 1, collecting Batman #417-425 and #430-431 and Batman Annual #12!
Don't miss out on the companion series, Batman: The Dark Knight Detective, to chronicle all of Batman's post-Crisis adventures!
Criminals don't always wear a colorful costumes: some just stalk the shadows with sinister plots and evil intentions. A new threat, a fearsome assassin known as the KGBeast, is prowling the streets of Gotham City and he's out to dismantle America's Strategic Defense Initiative. After saving the United States government, Batman must then solve the mystery of ten murdered women before the killer claims even more victims!
An all-star cast of talent, led by writer Jim Starlin (Batman: The Cult, Mystery In Space) and the dynamic art duo of Jim Aparo (The Brave and The Bold, Batman & The Outsiders) and Mike DeCarlo (The Legion Of Super-Heroes), present Batman: The Caped Crusader Vol. 1, collecting Batman #417-425 and #430-431 and Batman Annual #12!
Don't miss out on the companion series, Batman: The Dark Knight Detective, to chronicle all of Batman's post-Crisis adventures!
320 pages, Paperback
First published August 21, 2018
106 people are currently reading
374 people want to read
About the author
Jim Starlin
1,342 books446 followersJames P. "Jim" Starlin is an American comic book writer and artist. With a career dating back to the early 1970s, he is best known for "cosmic" tales and space opera; for revamping the Marvel Comics characters Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock; and for creating or co-creating the Marvel characters Thanos and Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. Death and suicide are recurring themes in Starlin's work: Personifications of Death appeared in his Captain Marvel series and in a fill-in story for Ghost Rider; Warlock commits suicide by killing his future self; and suicide is a theme in a story he plotted and drew for The Rampaging Hulk magazine.
In the mid-1970s, Starlin contributed a cache of stories to the independently published science-fiction anthology Star Reach. Here he developed his ideas of God, death, and infinity, free of the restrictions of mainstream comics publishers' self-censorship arm, the Comics Code Authority. Starlin also drew "The Secret of Skull River", inked by frequent collaborator Al Milgrom, for Savage Tales #5 (July 1974).
When Marvel Comics wished to use the name of Captain Marvel for a new, different character,[citation needed] Starlin was given the rare opportunity to produce a one-shot story in which to kill off a main character. The Death of Captain Marvel became the first graphic novel published by the company itself. (
In the late 1980s, Starlin began working more for DC Comics, writing a number of Batman stories, including the four-issue miniseries Batman: The Cult (Aug.-Nov. 1988), and the storyline "Batman: A Death in the Family", in Batman #426-429 (Dec. 1988 – Jan. 1989), in which Jason Todd, the second of Batman's Robin sidekicks, was killed. The death was decided by fans, as DC Comics set up a hotline for readers to vote on as to whether or not Jason Todd should survive a potentially fatal situation. For DC he created Hardcore Station.
In the mid-1970s, Starlin contributed a cache of stories to the independently published science-fiction anthology Star Reach. Here he developed his ideas of God, death, and infinity, free of the restrictions of mainstream comics publishers' self-censorship arm, the Comics Code Authority. Starlin also drew "The Secret of Skull River", inked by frequent collaborator Al Milgrom, for Savage Tales #5 (July 1974).
When Marvel Comics wished to use the name of Captain Marvel for a new, different character,[citation needed] Starlin was given the rare opportunity to produce a one-shot story in which to kill off a main character. The Death of Captain Marvel became the first graphic novel published by the company itself. (
In the late 1980s, Starlin began working more for DC Comics, writing a number of Batman stories, including the four-issue miniseries Batman: The Cult (Aug.-Nov. 1988), and the storyline "Batman: A Death in the Family", in Batman #426-429 (Dec. 1988 – Jan. 1989), in which Jason Todd, the second of Batman's Robin sidekicks, was killed. The death was decided by fans, as DC Comics set up a hotline for readers to vote on as to whether or not Jason Todd should survive a potentially fatal situation. For DC he created Hardcore Station.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
March 2, 2026
Jim Starlin takes a gritty, real world approach to Batman, similar to modern Batman comics. It's a strong contrast from the Detective Comics of the time where Batman was still being treated as Batman '66 which can be seen in Batman Dark Knight Detective. Begins with a 4 part story where Batman goes up against the KGBeast for the first time. Then we get tales of serial killers, drug dealers with diplomatic immunity, and snipers. The book does leapfrog over the seminal A Death in the Family which I suggest you seek out and read.
September 12, 2019
Batman and Robin team up to pet a very fluffy bunny, though the bunny turns out to have a dark secret—he just loves everyone too darn much and lays chocolate eggs when you scratch him behind the ears just right. In a charming backup tale, Alfred is reunited with his childhood puppy, who, it turns out, is actually a long-lived talking alien dog, and the two proceed to solve a Scooby Doo-style mystery, complete with excessive consumption of massive sandwiches. And they have a tickle fight with the Joker. Everything is just light and fluffy and delightful.
…or so I was hoping. Turns out that this is, in fact, a considerably darker affair.
I get the sense that there’s a misperception out there amongst the (younger) reading public that superhero comics written in the days of yore (that would be the 1980s) were less plausible, dark, and realistic* than today’s fare, notwithstanding seminal classics like Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns.
Well, riddle me this, Millennials: when was the last time you read a funny book in which a teenager in a red shirt and very skimpy green shorts pushed the cokehead son of a drug kingpin off a fire escape to his death after the former lover of said cokehead committed suicide because she feared the degenerate cokehead was going to beat her again?
Yeah—that just got real dark real fast.
The 80s were a grim time for comics, influenced in part by the aforementioned sperm-filled classics (because seminal…get it?), but also the advanced urban decay plaguing large cities (American cities in particular) and, in the latter part of the decade, characterized by an overwhelmingly cynical response to Reagan-era earnestness and optimism, which would beget the slacker alternative culture of the 90s. (As previously discussed, proto-slackers Bill & Ted represented the high water mark of 80s sweetness and earnestness while also opening the door for forthcoming onslaught of sarcastic derivatives.)
Following Crisis on Infinite Earths, the DCU returned to a new normal and, in the case of the Batman, that meant grim and gritty street-level stories that don’t feature masked supervillains, but, rather, gangsters and crime lords and people whose existence is entirely plausible, if presented here in a somewhat exaggerated fashion. Batman himself is a hard-edged, vengeance-seeking obsessive, and, as noted above, his teenage sidekick might be an even bigger psychopath (note: to be fair, we don’t SEE Robin commit that heinous deed; but it’s strongly intimated, and he doesn’t work very hard to deny it).
Even a locked-room murder mystery backup story that seems like it could be delightfully whacky (and does feature some absurdly out-of-place demonic chicanery) takes a very dark and Oedipal turn (albeit not for Bruce Wayne for once).
And, in the grand tradition of villainous ethnic typecasting, we get a long arc that features Batman fighting Soviet secret weapon KGBeast, which is easily the most 80s thing about this whole endeavor. All in all, it’s like a graphic novel version of The Cure’s Pornography.
Because nostalgia is like mental nose candy to me, I enjoyed this. Your mileage may vary.
*All relative terms, obviously; it’s a little bit like calling vegetables tasty, but the context of the conversation is that you’re discussing eating discarded bunion skin as the alternative.
…or so I was hoping. Turns out that this is, in fact, a considerably darker affair.
I get the sense that there’s a misperception out there amongst the (younger) reading public that superhero comics written in the days of yore (that would be the 1980s) were less plausible, dark, and realistic* than today’s fare, notwithstanding seminal classics like Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns.
Well, riddle me this, Millennials: when was the last time you read a funny book in which a teenager in a red shirt and very skimpy green shorts pushed the cokehead son of a drug kingpin off a fire escape to his death after the former lover of said cokehead committed suicide because she feared the degenerate cokehead was going to beat her again?
Yeah—that just got real dark real fast.
The 80s were a grim time for comics, influenced in part by the aforementioned sperm-filled classics (because seminal…get it?), but also the advanced urban decay plaguing large cities (American cities in particular) and, in the latter part of the decade, characterized by an overwhelmingly cynical response to Reagan-era earnestness and optimism, which would beget the slacker alternative culture of the 90s. (As previously discussed, proto-slackers Bill & Ted represented the high water mark of 80s sweetness and earnestness while also opening the door for forthcoming onslaught of sarcastic derivatives.)
Following Crisis on Infinite Earths, the DCU returned to a new normal and, in the case of the Batman, that meant grim and gritty street-level stories that don’t feature masked supervillains, but, rather, gangsters and crime lords and people whose existence is entirely plausible, if presented here in a somewhat exaggerated fashion. Batman himself is a hard-edged, vengeance-seeking obsessive, and, as noted above, his teenage sidekick might be an even bigger psychopath (note: to be fair, we don’t SEE Robin commit that heinous deed; but it’s strongly intimated, and he doesn’t work very hard to deny it).
Even a locked-room murder mystery backup story that seems like it could be delightfully whacky (and does feature some absurdly out-of-place demonic chicanery) takes a very dark and Oedipal turn (albeit not for Bruce Wayne for once).
And, in the grand tradition of villainous ethnic typecasting, we get a long arc that features Batman fighting Soviet secret weapon KGBeast, which is easily the most 80s thing about this whole endeavor. All in all, it’s like a graphic novel version of The Cure’s Pornography.
Because nostalgia is like mental nose candy to me, I enjoyed this. Your mileage may vary.
*All relative terms, obviously; it’s a little bit like calling vegetables tasty, but the context of the conversation is that you’re discussing eating discarded bunion skin as the alternative.
February 9, 2026
Batman: The Caped Crusader is a good starting point for post-crisis Batman, just after
Year One
that is. However, it’s disappointing that the
Death in the Family
storyline (which fills the gap between issues #425-431) is not included, that book is probably still a bestseller, and DC wants you to buy these two books separately, for greedy reasons.
Story-wise there's nothing groundbreaking here, but it's still one heck of fun read, with some grittier material towards the end, all solid stories by Jim Starlin, with super iconic art by Jim Aparo. I loved the KGBeast saga, a cool-looking soviet assassin trained by a top secret cell of the KGB, who later fights Batman on the rooftops of Gotham City, in a story that reads like a tense political thriller set on Reagan era, so very eighties.
Story-wise there's nothing groundbreaking here, but it's still one heck of fun read, with some grittier material towards the end, all solid stories by Jim Starlin, with super iconic art by Jim Aparo. I loved the KGBeast saga, a cool-looking soviet assassin trained by a top secret cell of the KGB, who later fights Batman on the rooftops of Gotham City, in a story that reads like a tense political thriller set on Reagan era, so very eighties.
December 2, 2023
The stories in this volume were just OK. Batman seemed a bit chattier than I'm used to. Perhaps it's a difference between older Batman stories and modern ones.
February 12, 2022
This was such a great read!
Batman has to hunt down this killer called KGBeast and wow its a pretty fast paced read and we just see the danger of this beast as he is hunting down people on his list and he doesn't hold back, bodies are piling up and Batman is unable to stop him and when he finally does, even then its not enough as we see the extremist justice ending and how some men are beyond redemption and I like the inclusion of the POTUS of that time too, fun story.
And then another story where Batman has to stop the dumpster slasher and that one was weird but I kinda like the fast paced setting of it and the evolution of Jason here and him being more angry and all and when another character Felipe and his diplomatic immunitized father enter the fray and how the life of a woman hangs in the balance and what Jason does next and how it affects Bruce is interestng to read and I like how it resolves itself and you see Bruce as being broken again and we get flashbacks of the oath and what started him down this path of Justice.
Its a fascinating collection of stories and I love Batman here as he is more human compared to modern times, the detective angle and the fights he has to deal with in this crazy city and the evolution of Jason and the aftermath of "Death of the family" (collected separately) and the impact it has on him. There are a couple of stories involving some murder mystery and one of Bruce's teachers Kirigiri which was fun but not the greatest but a few mishaps in an otherwise great volume with amazing art by Aparo and Bright! A must recommend.
Batman has to hunt down this killer called KGBeast and wow its a pretty fast paced read and we just see the danger of this beast as he is hunting down people on his list and he doesn't hold back, bodies are piling up and Batman is unable to stop him and when he finally does, even then its not enough as we see the extremist justice ending and how some men are beyond redemption and I like the inclusion of the POTUS of that time too, fun story.
And then another story where Batman has to stop the dumpster slasher and that one was weird but I kinda like the fast paced setting of it and the evolution of Jason here and him being more angry and all and when another character Felipe and his diplomatic immunitized father enter the fray and how the life of a woman hangs in the balance and what Jason does next and how it affects Bruce is interestng to read and I like how it resolves itself and you see Bruce as being broken again and we get flashbacks of the oath and what started him down this path of Justice.
Its a fascinating collection of stories and I love Batman here as he is more human compared to modern times, the detective angle and the fights he has to deal with in this crazy city and the evolution of Jason and the aftermath of "Death of the family" (collected separately) and the impact it has on him. There are a couple of stories involving some murder mystery and one of Bruce's teachers Kirigiri which was fun but not the greatest but a few mishaps in an otherwise great volume with amazing art by Aparo and Bright! A must recommend.
October 19, 2020
A strong collection of late-80's BATMAN, marred by DC's bizarre collected edition policies.
April 26, 2019
This volume is a sequel to Batman: Second Chances, continuing Jim Starlin's post-Crisis Batman, featuring Jason Todd as Robin. The fact that you don't really know this is a sequel is part of the problem, highlighting how bad DC is at collecting their classics, something that foreshadows the biggest flaw in this collection of stories by Jim Starlin, which otherwise holds up quite well.
Ten Nights of the Beast (#417-420). If you've read the stories of the KGBeast from the '90s and beyond, you probably have the impression of a dull, lumbering oaf, who's just not that interesting. He's totally different here, in his debut appearance. That's because "Ten Nights of the Beast" is the most '80s Batman comic ever. The KGBeast is a premier assassin of the Soviet Union come to kill the prime actors in the Star Wars (SDI) program, including President Reagan. It was likely a shockingly topical story in the '80s, but today it's a wonderful time capsule to a time and place long gone.
Beyond that "Ten Nights of the Beast" is just a good story. It's a tense espionage-adjacent piece, full of CIA and FBI agents and Russian operatives. KGBeast spends the whole comic staying ahead of Batman, who recognizes the Beast as his superior. And then there's the wackiness of bringing Reagan straight into the narrative. Starlin's run remains strong today, but this was a highlight [5/5].
Serial Killer (#421-422). A think-y crime story, of the kind you could also find in Dennis O'Neill's The Question. This one runs a bit long at two issues, even with its delicious ending [3+/5].
Murder Mystery (Annual #12). Having Bruce Wayne take part in a murder mystery night that turns into an actual murder is an enthralling concept, but annual author Mike Baron doesn't do much good with the idea. There are too many people, and then he muddies it all with demons and monsters. The result feels like a mess. The Jason-focused backup is probably better, but shallow at just eight pages [3/5].
Stories (#423). Jim Starlin's story of policemen telling stories about the Batman isn't that deep, but it's nicely innovative for its time period [4/5].
The Diplomat's Son (#424-425). Did Starlin already know that Jason Todd's days were numbered? Whether he did or not, this is a great swan song for the character, showing his earnest desire to be a great Robin, but also his uncontrollable anger and his borderline psychopathy. A great character story, though the first half (focused on Robin) is a bit stronger than the second half (focused on the consequences) [4+/5].
And then, inexplicably, DC skips Batman: A Death in the Family, the most critical arc in this Batman run. It shows DC's gross inability to understand the TPB/collections market. While Marvel is carefully laying out omnibuses and Epic Collections that lay out the entire history of their characters, DC can't even manage to produce three complete volumes of post-Crisis Batman ... and worse, "A Death in the Family" seems to be out-of-print currently. Seriously, DC?
Fatal Wish (#430). A ham-headed attempt to make a child Bruce's angry outcry at his father equate to a murderous gunman. I mean, it's OK, but smash us in the head with cliches, eh? And the average reader would probably be quite confused by Batman's angry response to Gordon's question about where Robin is [4/5].
The Wall (#431). A fill-in by Priest. It does a great job of portraying Batman as a superior fighter and detective, but is otherwise shallow. And it makes more mysterious references to Jason Todd, sigh. [3+/5].
Ten Nights of the Beast (#417-420). If you've read the stories of the KGBeast from the '90s and beyond, you probably have the impression of a dull, lumbering oaf, who's just not that interesting. He's totally different here, in his debut appearance. That's because "Ten Nights of the Beast" is the most '80s Batman comic ever. The KGBeast is a premier assassin of the Soviet Union come to kill the prime actors in the Star Wars (SDI) program, including President Reagan. It was likely a shockingly topical story in the '80s, but today it's a wonderful time capsule to a time and place long gone.
Beyond that "Ten Nights of the Beast" is just a good story. It's a tense espionage-adjacent piece, full of CIA and FBI agents and Russian operatives. KGBeast spends the whole comic staying ahead of Batman, who recognizes the Beast as his superior. And then there's the wackiness of bringing Reagan straight into the narrative. Starlin's run remains strong today, but this was a highlight [5/5].
Serial Killer (#421-422). A think-y crime story, of the kind you could also find in Dennis O'Neill's The Question. This one runs a bit long at two issues, even with its delicious ending [3+/5].
Murder Mystery (Annual #12). Having Bruce Wayne take part in a murder mystery night that turns into an actual murder is an enthralling concept, but annual author Mike Baron doesn't do much good with the idea. There are too many people, and then he muddies it all with demons and monsters. The result feels like a mess. The Jason-focused backup is probably better, but shallow at just eight pages [3/5].
Stories (#423). Jim Starlin's story of policemen telling stories about the Batman isn't that deep, but it's nicely innovative for its time period [4/5].
The Diplomat's Son (#424-425). Did Starlin already know that Jason Todd's days were numbered? Whether he did or not, this is a great swan song for the character, showing his earnest desire to be a great Robin, but also his uncontrollable anger and his borderline psychopathy. A great character story, though the first half (focused on Robin) is a bit stronger than the second half (focused on the consequences) [4+/5].
And then, inexplicably, DC skips Batman: A Death in the Family, the most critical arc in this Batman run. It shows DC's gross inability to understand the TPB/collections market. While Marvel is carefully laying out omnibuses and Epic Collections that lay out the entire history of their characters, DC can't even manage to produce three complete volumes of post-Crisis Batman ... and worse, "A Death in the Family" seems to be out-of-print currently. Seriously, DC?
Fatal Wish (#430). A ham-headed attempt to make a child Bruce's angry outcry at his father equate to a murderous gunman. I mean, it's OK, but smash us in the head with cliches, eh? And the average reader would probably be quite confused by Batman's angry response to Gordon's question about where Robin is [4/5].
The Wall (#431). A fill-in by Priest. It does a great job of portraying Batman as a superior fighter and detective, but is otherwise shallow. And it makes more mysterious references to Jason Todd, sigh. [3+/5].
April 6, 2025
3.5 stars more like .
This book could be segregated into 6 stories .
The first one involved the very first introduction of KGBeast , and tbh i have never been a fan of KGBeast , he has always felt a Temu Bane , add to that the story didnt really deliver on it's promise of deception and mystery . It still was a rather good cat and mouse sort of tale , which introduced a classic villain and a very controversial Batman Ending .
In fact most of the stories had a controversial end , considering Batman didnt kill but always left people to die rather than being capable and refusing lifesaving help .
2nd story was a murder mystery that arised from a murder mystery party ... Yep , it was that clichéd and although the author likely attempted to give readers a flair like Agatha Christie, it actually became a convoluted mess and really felt like an meh story at best of times
3rd story was about a serial killer called Dumpster killer .and the ending was again unconventional and unsatisfactory. The key part of this story was the focus on Jason Todd not seeing eye to eye with Batman on what justice really means like .
4th story was a short story , once again focusing on Jason and his unconventional ways .
5th tale involved another tale about big Jason Todd's changing attitudes and it was real dark and gritty .
Finally we again had a throwaway short story about mistaken identity and one of the first League of assassins intriduction.
The art in all these were consistent of 80s and 90s art style , the dialogues all campy, but all stories were dark for their times and most stories ending felt more like from Punisher rather than Batman
This book could be segregated into 6 stories .
The first one involved the very first introduction of KGBeast , and tbh i have never been a fan of KGBeast , he has always felt a Temu Bane , add to that the story didnt really deliver on it's promise of deception and mystery . It still was a rather good cat and mouse sort of tale , which introduced a classic villain and a very controversial Batman Ending .
In fact most of the stories had a controversial end , considering Batman didnt kill but always left people to die rather than being capable and refusing lifesaving help .
2nd story was a murder mystery that arised from a murder mystery party ... Yep , it was that clichéd and although the author likely attempted to give readers a flair like Agatha Christie, it actually became a convoluted mess and really felt like an meh story at best of times
3rd story was about a serial killer called Dumpster killer .and the ending was again unconventional and unsatisfactory. The key part of this story was the focus on Jason Todd not seeing eye to eye with Batman on what justice really means like .
4th story was a short story , once again focusing on Jason and his unconventional ways .
5th tale involved another tale about big Jason Todd's changing attitudes and it was real dark and gritty .
Finally we again had a throwaway short story about mistaken identity and one of the first League of assassins intriduction.
The art in all these were consistent of 80s and 90s art style , the dialogues all campy, but all stories were dark for their times and most stories ending felt more like from Punisher rather than Batman
October 24, 2018
Yep, sat down and read this cover to cover. Really loved it. I mostly know Starlin for his cosmic stuff, so it was real surprise to see him taking on a character like Batman, and doing a damn fine job at it!
It's a really nice approach to Batman. He is more a street level character than anything here, and that's the way I like it. I've always preferred a Batman who relies less on his gadgets and more on his wits. I hate the "Bat-God" style of stories. Here, Batman is struggling with criminals. He is working things out as he finds clues, asking for information, following leads. He's a detective.
None of Batman's classic villains are in this book, and I didn't miss them. I'm not saying I'm tired or stories with the Penguin, etc, but it's cool to see Starlin showing us some new villains, and even having Batman take on just plain old criminals.
I would say the Annual contained in here is the only book I didn't really care for. It's a fun idea for a story, but I didn't like the delivery. Also, I'm not surprised that the "Death in the Family" story isn't collected here, but why is it not even mentioned at all, or even summarized? Robin is in the book, then suddenly, he isn't? That really feels like an oversight on the part of DC.
Definitely loving these two series collecting the post-crisis era of Batman, and I'm looking forward to more.
It's a really nice approach to Batman. He is more a street level character than anything here, and that's the way I like it. I've always preferred a Batman who relies less on his gadgets and more on his wits. I hate the "Bat-God" style of stories. Here, Batman is struggling with criminals. He is working things out as he finds clues, asking for information, following leads. He's a detective.
None of Batman's classic villains are in this book, and I didn't miss them. I'm not saying I'm tired or stories with the Penguin, etc, but it's cool to see Starlin showing us some new villains, and even having Batman take on just plain old criminals.
I would say the Annual contained in here is the only book I didn't really care for. It's a fun idea for a story, but I didn't like the delivery. Also, I'm not surprised that the "Death in the Family" story isn't collected here, but why is it not even mentioned at all, or even summarized? Robin is in the book, then suddenly, he isn't? That really feels like an oversight on the part of DC.
Definitely loving these two series collecting the post-crisis era of Batman, and I'm looking forward to more.
February 18, 2020
Old school flavor but still relevant. So I decided to jump into some post-Crisis Batman. This particular book collects Jim Starlin's run on Batman. Starting with Batman #417 Starlin introduces Batman to a more grittier and real world take on the character. In fact Batman does fight any of his usual costume rogues gallery in this volume. This book contains subject matter as if it was pulled from the headlines of the early 80s. We are in Reagan's america and in the tail end of the cold war with Russia. Batman must first take on a vicious killer, KGBeast, an asset from the Russian world of spies & assassins. There is an extremely high body count in this assassin's wake. It is important to note that this is the first time I have read a Batman tale with Jason Todd as the boy wonder, Robin. Jason clearly has a more hard edge drive to crush evil doers. At times it seemed like Batman doesn't quite know how to reign in Jason's rage filled unmerciful attacks on criminals. The artwork is okay for the era. I felt the colors could have been a bit more darker but this is still a far off from Frank Miller's take on the character. I do like that Stalin highlights the Batman's detective skills. One of the tales in this book plays out like an old mystery theater case. I really enjoyed this book and I am really glad I got a feel for post Crisis of infinite Earths DC comics.
March 16, 2022
This first volume of The Caped Crusader doesn’t have the same epic storylines or bad guys as “Hush”, or “Knightfall” or even “Cataclysm”. It’s pretty thin on anything memorable (even skips the entirety of the infamous “A Death in the Family” arc), but even so, this is still a great collection of the main Batman comics, keeping things in continuity and not trying to bring in various crossovers or miscellaneous one offs.
I’ve always thought late 80s Batman was the best version of Bruce Wayne and this first collection just furthers that belief.
I’ve always thought late 80s Batman was the best version of Bruce Wayne and this first collection just furthers that belief.
July 31, 2025
First appearance of KGBeast. The first 4 issues (#417-#420) are about KGBeast killing off the ten targets one by one outwitting not just Gotham police, FBI, CIA but also the Batman. The last target is President Ronald Reagan.
Batman has met a villain who is not only smarter but also stronger than him. At every confrontation, Batman is left reeling on the ropes. It's only in the last issue that Batman triumphs.
In issues #421 and #422, Batman is trying to capture the Dumpster Slasher serial killer who kills young women and throws their bodies in a dumpster. Using his detective skills Batman captures the killer. Unfortunately, he doesn't have enough evidence and the court sets him free. I think these two issues were a poor run of Batman stories by Jim Starlin which absolutely made a mockery of Batman's intelligence. Batman and Robin both lose track of their targets not once but twice leading to murders.
#423 has the iconic cover by Todd Mcfarlane. The story is brilliant. Various cops on night duty talk about their encounters with the Batman at different times, each a tale which shows a different side of the Batman.
The rest of the book is fantastic with intriguing stories and solid art.
Happy reading.
Batman has met a villain who is not only smarter but also stronger than him. At every confrontation, Batman is left reeling on the ropes. It's only in the last issue that Batman triumphs.
In issues #421 and #422, Batman is trying to capture the Dumpster Slasher serial killer who kills young women and throws their bodies in a dumpster. Using his detective skills Batman captures the killer. Unfortunately, he doesn't have enough evidence and the court sets him free. I think these two issues were a poor run of Batman stories by Jim Starlin which absolutely made a mockery of Batman's intelligence. Batman and Robin both lose track of their targets not once but twice leading to murders.
#423 has the iconic cover by Todd Mcfarlane. The story is brilliant. Various cops on night duty talk about their encounters with the Batman at different times, each a tale which shows a different side of the Batman.
The rest of the book is fantastic with intriguing stories and solid art.
Happy reading.
May 10, 2023
I expected these issues taking written in the late 80’s to be a bit hard to get through, but I was pleasantly surprised to find how enjoyable they were. These aren’t the most complete stories, but they are captivating. These issues are dark, rough, but still hopeful in each standalone story. The KGBeast run was also very enjoyable!
April 11, 2022
2.5 stars
A deeply dated collection of issues with strong notes of colonialism, a Reagan cameo with an added "War on Drugs"-esque storyline and a deeply harden, era-typical stance against communism. It should be noted that 80s Batman writers seemly loved to use the abused/murdered women trope. Ever a crowd-pleaser. And by crowd-pleaser, I mean a weak and cliched attempt at adding shock value to already mediocre narratives. I found myself deeply underwhelmed and disappointed by the staunch Reaganism that filled the pages of 80s Batman issues. I had hoped Batman was a bit more counter-culture than that but I guess not.
I will say this first volume did give one a clearer picture of what kind of Robin Jason Todd was; brash, reckless, passionate, and bit undisciplined. I can see why he's considered a contentious Robin. I do think I will continue reading this collection for the sake of background and context but currently my expectations are fairly low when it comes to plot.
CW/TW: implied rape, mass shooting, drugs, misogyny, attempted suicide, racist undertones
A deeply dated collection of issues with strong notes of colonialism, a Reagan cameo with an added "War on Drugs"-esque storyline and a deeply harden, era-typical stance against communism. It should be noted that 80s Batman writers seemly loved to use the abused/murdered women trope. Ever a crowd-pleaser. And by crowd-pleaser, I mean a weak and cliched attempt at adding shock value to already mediocre narratives. I found myself deeply underwhelmed and disappointed by the staunch Reaganism that filled the pages of 80s Batman issues. I had hoped Batman was a bit more counter-culture than that but I guess not.
I will say this first volume did give one a clearer picture of what kind of Robin Jason Todd was; brash, reckless, passionate, and bit undisciplined. I can see why he's considered a contentious Robin. I do think I will continue reading this collection for the sake of background and context but currently my expectations are fairly low when it comes to plot.
CW/TW: implied rape, mass shooting, drugs, misogyny, attempted suicide, racist undertones
December 26, 2018
This volume finds Batman once again in a period of transition. Jason Todd's descent has begun and writer Jim Starlin puts Batman in the uncomfortable position of having his morality tested by some untenable choices. Gripping stuff for a Batman fan.
One word of caution: included in this collection is an annual written by Mike Baron. It's, in a word, bizarre. It's an Agatha Christie-type murder mystery that also somehow includes incest, human sacrifice, demons, and possibly Satan himself. It's an oddball story that seems straight out of the early 70s instead of the late 80s. It's also not that well-written if I'm being honest.
However, other than this notable misstep, these stories shine.
One word of caution: included in this collection is an annual written by Mike Baron. It's, in a word, bizarre. It's an Agatha Christie-type murder mystery that also somehow includes incest, human sacrifice, demons, and possibly Satan himself. It's an oddball story that seems straight out of the early 70s instead of the late 80s. It's also not that well-written if I'm being honest.
However, other than this notable misstep, these stories shine.
April 28, 2025
This was a fun read! This trade paperback assembles Batman issues from the 1980s and you really get the 80s feel from the comics here. This is the first volume. It collects Batman #417-425 and #430-431 and Batman Annual #12.
The volume begins with a four part series story called “Ten Nights of the Beast” and it’s a story of a villain name KGBeast. The villain looks like Bane and when I went online to research apparently this KGBeast was created first before Bane; I wonder if it inspired the creation of Bane? As a spy thriller we see Batman and Gotham Police Department attempt to stop assinations from happening to hinder the SDI “Star Wars” program. Again this is very 1980s! Next is a story spanning two issues involving a serial killer that hates women. I thought the twists and turns made it interesting. This is followed by a story called “Slade’s Demon” that is a “Who Dunnit” kind of story where there’s a murder in a mansion and all the characters are suspects; think of Clue! There are others stories in here too and I don’t want to give the whole book away.
I really have been enjoying older comics of Batman. It seems the story telling is better than some of the current stuff. I had fun. I recommend this.
The volume begins with a four part series story called “Ten Nights of the Beast” and it’s a story of a villain name KGBeast. The villain looks like Bane and when I went online to research apparently this KGBeast was created first before Bane; I wonder if it inspired the creation of Bane? As a spy thriller we see Batman and Gotham Police Department attempt to stop assinations from happening to hinder the SDI “Star Wars” program. Again this is very 1980s! Next is a story spanning two issues involving a serial killer that hates women. I thought the twists and turns made it interesting. This is followed by a story called “Slade’s Demon” that is a “Who Dunnit” kind of story where there’s a murder in a mansion and all the characters are suspects; think of Clue! There are others stories in here too and I don’t want to give the whole book away.
I really have been enjoying older comics of Batman. It seems the story telling is better than some of the current stuff. I had fun. I recommend this.
October 20, 2018
I was always curious about Jim Starlin's Batman, but, oddly enough (or reasonably enough), this collection OMITS Starlin's most famous arc, "A Death in the Family."
The other stories are pretty 'dark age,' with not just Jason Todd, but Batman himself, crossing moral lines in order to meet out extra-legal justice.
The companion volume, by Mike Barr, takes Batman in a different direction entirely- the Batman pendulum swings from dark to light, but DC was taking the dark knight in both directions at once, it seems.
Disappointing, for the most part.
The other stories are pretty 'dark age,' with not just Jason Todd, but Batman himself, crossing moral lines in order to meet out extra-legal justice.
The companion volume, by Mike Barr, takes Batman in a different direction entirely- the Batman pendulum swings from dark to light, but DC was taking the dark knight in both directions at once, it seems.
Disappointing, for the most part.
August 10, 2024
These Batman comics are set after Crisis on Infinite Earth's and lead up to "A Death in the Family"it does skip that iconic storyline and has one strip set just after so be aware of that narrative jump. I'd forgotten just how dark and violent this era was and there are some questionable politics for its time. But it still holds up so well. Jim Aparo's Batman is my Batman . This is the one I grew up with for the best part of my childhood and I love how he draws the character and his cape. So nostalgi. And well worth a read if you want to lead up to the events of "death in the family" and "Knighfall"
Read
July 11, 2023Man, I forgot how aggressively barely-a-character they made Jason in his original run. (For the five minutes it lasted. Hey, at least he beat Steph. Rip my girl.)
June 8, 2024
The start of the more "realistic" Batman of future iterations. No super powered being just dark Street level crime
November 16, 2025
Caped and Brooding - a Batman for a Darker Time
As someone who deeply appreciates the evolution of comics through the 1970s and 1980s, this collection is a time capsule of both narrative ambition and artistic experimentation. The Caped Crusader, Vol. 1 gathers a series of late-'80s stories that reflect a medium in transition—where superhero tales began to grapple with real-world darkness, psychological nuance, and moral ambiguity.
The volume opens with the standout arc Ten Nights of the Beast, a Cold War-era thriller that pits Batman against the KGBeast, a Soviet assassin engineered to be Russia’s answer to the Dark Knight. Writer Jim Starlin attempts to frame the Beast as a mirror image of Batman—ruthless, disciplined, and ideologically driven—but the comparison falters. Batman’s moral code and psychological depth remain unmatched, and the Beast, while formidable, lacks the mythic gravitas to truly serve as a foil. Still, the arc is a fascinating artifact of its time, steeped in geopolitical tension and brutal hand-to-hand combat. His BDSM outfit was also quite distracting throughout that arc.
What follows is a mix of single-issue and two-part stories that dive into the urban decay and social crises of 1980s America. These tales don’t shy away from heavy themes: suicide, drug addiction, sexual violence, and the psychological toll of crime on both victims and vigilantes. One particularly haunting story involves a misogynistic killer who meets poetic justice via a barber’s blade—a grim, almost noir-like parable that lingers long after the final panel. Starlin and Bright present his body bled out at Gordon and Batman's feet without comment or dialogue. They ask the reader to render their own judgement.
The emotional core of the volume, however, lies in the unraveling relationship between Bruce Wayne and Jason Todd. We witness Jason’s descent into rage and recklessness, a slow burn that culminates in his estrangement from Bruce just before the famous Death in the Family arc. Starlin doesn’t paint Bruce as a noble mentor here; instead, he’s cold, distant, and often emotionally unavailable—a flawed father figure whose failures echo through Jason’s tragic arc through his modern era as the Red Hood.
There’s also a bizarre detour in the form of the annual issue Slade’s Demon, a gothic mystery that begins with promise but veers into implausibility. Bruce dons the cape and cowl in a mansion full of guests without raising suspicion, and the story’s supernatural twist feels jarringly out of sync with the grounded tone of the rest of the volume.
The final issues are quieter, more introspective, and deeply affecting. They remind me why I fell in love with Batman comics as a kid—even if I couldn’t afford to read them all back then, and even if I wouldn’t have fully grasped their emotional weight. Now, with the benefit of hindsight and a deeper appreciation for the craft, I can see how these stories helped shape the mythos of the Dark Knight. They’re not perfect, but they’re raw, ambitious, and unafraid to confront the shadows—both in Gotham and in the human soul.
As someone who deeply appreciates the evolution of comics through the 1970s and 1980s, this collection is a time capsule of both narrative ambition and artistic experimentation. The Caped Crusader, Vol. 1 gathers a series of late-'80s stories that reflect a medium in transition—where superhero tales began to grapple with real-world darkness, psychological nuance, and moral ambiguity.
The volume opens with the standout arc Ten Nights of the Beast, a Cold War-era thriller that pits Batman against the KGBeast, a Soviet assassin engineered to be Russia’s answer to the Dark Knight. Writer Jim Starlin attempts to frame the Beast as a mirror image of Batman—ruthless, disciplined, and ideologically driven—but the comparison falters. Batman’s moral code and psychological depth remain unmatched, and the Beast, while formidable, lacks the mythic gravitas to truly serve as a foil. Still, the arc is a fascinating artifact of its time, steeped in geopolitical tension and brutal hand-to-hand combat. His BDSM outfit was also quite distracting throughout that arc.
What follows is a mix of single-issue and two-part stories that dive into the urban decay and social crises of 1980s America. These tales don’t shy away from heavy themes: suicide, drug addiction, sexual violence, and the psychological toll of crime on both victims and vigilantes. One particularly haunting story involves a misogynistic killer who meets poetic justice via a barber’s blade—a grim, almost noir-like parable that lingers long after the final panel. Starlin and Bright present his body bled out at Gordon and Batman's feet without comment or dialogue. They ask the reader to render their own judgement.
The emotional core of the volume, however, lies in the unraveling relationship between Bruce Wayne and Jason Todd. We witness Jason’s descent into rage and recklessness, a slow burn that culminates in his estrangement from Bruce just before the famous Death in the Family arc. Starlin doesn’t paint Bruce as a noble mentor here; instead, he’s cold, distant, and often emotionally unavailable—a flawed father figure whose failures echo through Jason’s tragic arc through his modern era as the Red Hood.
There’s also a bizarre detour in the form of the annual issue Slade’s Demon, a gothic mystery that begins with promise but veers into implausibility. Bruce dons the cape and cowl in a mansion full of guests without raising suspicion, and the story’s supernatural twist feels jarringly out of sync with the grounded tone of the rest of the volume.
The final issues are quieter, more introspective, and deeply affecting. They remind me why I fell in love with Batman comics as a kid—even if I couldn’t afford to read them all back then, and even if I wouldn’t have fully grasped their emotional weight. Now, with the benefit of hindsight and a deeper appreciation for the craft, I can see how these stories helped shape the mythos of the Dark Knight. They’re not perfect, but they’re raw, ambitious, and unafraid to confront the shadows—both in Gotham and in the human soul.
April 6, 2023
Great anthology book!
Definitely one of my favourites of the whole "caped crusader" 6 volumes.
This volume concludes the run of writer Jim Starlin. The main artists for the volume are Jim Aparo (one of my favourite artists for batman), and Mike DeCarlo.
Note that this volume does not include the Death in the Family story arc, that is collected separately on a different book, so those issues are skipped on this book.
Let me review each of the stories included while avoiding spoilers:
Ten Nights of the Beast (4 parts)
The first story, with the KGBeast, is definitely a highlight of the entire book for me.
It is the introduction of a new villain, the KGBeast. The name is cheesy, I know, but don't let that fool you, it is a great example of how great Batman 80's action stories are.
It is an action packed blockbuster with several memorable action moments. The story irself is simple, and the dark knight detective does not "detect" a lot in this story, but it is still a thoroughly enjoyable read, even if slightly predictable.
Elmore's Lady and Just Deserts (2 parts)
A surprisingly dark and gritty story about a serial killer that only kills women. It portraits in a surprisingly profound way (for two 22 pages comic book issues) the failings of the legal system.
It also takes the time to show the rashness and unpredictable nature of the Robin character that will, eventually, lead up to the Death in the Family story arc.
Slade's Demon & The Back-Up (1 part, annual)
Bruce gets invited to a murder party in a remote state (in New York) where every guest is required to take a +1. That proves easy to Bruce, but things end up complicated once the murder party turns way too real and people start dying...
I think the concept for this one was really interesting, it started like a classic crime mistery novel, and that is the perfect setting for a detective. But quickly fell into mediocrity for me. It was not well executed and I thought the ending was bland and uninteresting.
The worst story in the book for me and, unfortunately, a big one.
You Shoulda Seen Him... (1 part)
A great story, with a very good twist payoff ending by the end.
Three police officers sit in a diner and share stories about encounters they had with the Batman that night. Each of them tries to explain what the batman means for them, and tell three interesting stories showing different facets of the enigmatic man behind the mask
The Diplomat's Son (1 part)
A good story that continues to show the rash personality of Robin that will eventually be his downfall. He dles severla questionable acts on this story (and the next) causing batman to start doubting his ability.
Good character development here.
Take note that this particular story delves into sexual assault, please take that ibto account if that is a painful topic for you
Consequences (1 part)
A follow up to the previous story where Robin learns the consequences of his actions.
Don't want to elaborate too much in order to avoid spoilers, but it is a good story too. It leads directly into the Death in the Family story arc.
Fatal Wish (1 part)
This story takes part after the Death in the Family story arc, please read it first, if possible.
A man suddenly goes to the top of a building and starts mass shooting people at random
The story shows Batman negotiating with the man who is clearly past his braking point.
This encounter will deeply impact both the shooter and Batman.
A short and surprisingly deep (for a single 22 pages issue) story.
The Wall (1 part)
I don't have much to say about this one. To be honest, I barely remember it, it is a totally forgetful story.
It focuses on detective work, but not a lot of imaginative stuff. The end of the stkry is not bad and it connects to Batman's past training as well as a someone who trained him in the past, that is the best part of the story, but definitely one of the worst in this book.
Definitely one of my favourites of the whole "caped crusader" 6 volumes.
This volume concludes the run of writer Jim Starlin. The main artists for the volume are Jim Aparo (one of my favourite artists for batman), and Mike DeCarlo.
Note that this volume does not include the Death in the Family story arc, that is collected separately on a different book, so those issues are skipped on this book.
Let me review each of the stories included while avoiding spoilers:
Ten Nights of the Beast (4 parts)
The first story, with the KGBeast, is definitely a highlight of the entire book for me.
It is the introduction of a new villain, the KGBeast. The name is cheesy, I know, but don't let that fool you, it is a great example of how great Batman 80's action stories are.
It is an action packed blockbuster with several memorable action moments. The story irself is simple, and the dark knight detective does not "detect" a lot in this story, but it is still a thoroughly enjoyable read, even if slightly predictable.
Elmore's Lady and Just Deserts (2 parts)
A surprisingly dark and gritty story about a serial killer that only kills women. It portraits in a surprisingly profound way (for two 22 pages comic book issues) the failings of the legal system.
It also takes the time to show the rashness and unpredictable nature of the Robin character that will, eventually, lead up to the Death in the Family story arc.
Slade's Demon & The Back-Up (1 part, annual)
Bruce gets invited to a murder party in a remote state (in New York) where every guest is required to take a +1. That proves easy to Bruce, but things end up complicated once the murder party turns way too real and people start dying...
I think the concept for this one was really interesting, it started like a classic crime mistery novel, and that is the perfect setting for a detective. But quickly fell into mediocrity for me. It was not well executed and I thought the ending was bland and uninteresting.
The worst story in the book for me and, unfortunately, a big one.
You Shoulda Seen Him... (1 part)
A great story, with a very good twist payoff ending by the end.
Three police officers sit in a diner and share stories about encounters they had with the Batman that night. Each of them tries to explain what the batman means for them, and tell three interesting stories showing different facets of the enigmatic man behind the mask
The Diplomat's Son (1 part)
A good story that continues to show the rash personality of Robin that will eventually be his downfall. He dles severla questionable acts on this story (and the next) causing batman to start doubting his ability.
Good character development here.
Take note that this particular story delves into sexual assault, please take that ibto account if that is a painful topic for you
Consequences (1 part)
A follow up to the previous story where Robin learns the consequences of his actions.
Don't want to elaborate too much in order to avoid spoilers, but it is a good story too. It leads directly into the Death in the Family story arc.
Fatal Wish (1 part)
This story takes part after the Death in the Family story arc, please read it first, if possible.
A man suddenly goes to the top of a building and starts mass shooting people at random
The story shows Batman negotiating with the man who is clearly past his braking point.
This encounter will deeply impact both the shooter and Batman.
A short and surprisingly deep (for a single 22 pages issue) story.
The Wall (1 part)
I don't have much to say about this one. To be honest, I barely remember it, it is a totally forgetful story.
It focuses on detective work, but not a lot of imaginative stuff. The end of the stkry is not bad and it connects to Batman's past training as well as a someone who trained him in the past, that is the best part of the story, but definitely one of the worst in this book.
August 5, 2025
As far as my nostalgia is concerned this is pretty good stuff, because this is really the comic book Batman of my childhood: a little dark, a little grim, very capable, not silly, but often in silly situations. While reading through this I remarked to a friend that I recognize a Batman I like by his ability to still be surprised by the crazy and horrifying things he encounters. You can throw anything at modern Batman and he just stares stonefaced like a psycho. This late-80s Batman is human enough that almost every issue gives him a chance to look visibly shocked by what's unfolding in front of him. I don't want a Batman who goes through some of the things in this volume without any emotion.
The stories are largely ground level and often gritty, but the dynamic is clear: Batman is a terror on the surface, motivated by an overwhelming goodness and kindness within. This Batman gets surprised, honestly criticizes himself, is moved by tragedy, and also will wreck violent criminals. It's such a relief from Modern Monotonous Bastard Batman.
I also appreciate that this volume gave me a chance to read some lead-up to Death in the Family, so I could see a side of Jason that gets lost in the retrospective view where his death overshadows all of his life. From my notes while reading: "So confused about Jason's bad reputation. He was fine."
But... some of the silly stuff does get too silly, and some of the stories are entertaining to a point and then end unsatisfyingly. KGBeast running around in his bondage mankini. Batman swooping out of the sky in early morning daylight to pluck Ronald Reagan away from his security detail. Cartoonishly irresponsible tactics that endanger others. As much as I enjoyed these stories, they do sometimes feel a little trapped between directions, trying to decide how seriously to take any of this. You can even see the conflict playing out within the stories, as multiple arcs in this revolve around Batman deciding whether he needs to kill.
Overall, a lot of nostalgic fun. By no means perfect, lots of stupid moments, inconsistent writing, but just some Classic Eighties Batman.
The stories are largely ground level and often gritty, but the dynamic is clear: Batman is a terror on the surface, motivated by an overwhelming goodness and kindness within. This Batman gets surprised, honestly criticizes himself, is moved by tragedy, and also will wreck violent criminals. It's such a relief from Modern Monotonous Bastard Batman.
I also appreciate that this volume gave me a chance to read some lead-up to Death in the Family, so I could see a side of Jason that gets lost in the retrospective view where his death overshadows all of his life. From my notes while reading: "So confused about Jason's bad reputation. He was fine."
But... some of the silly stuff does get too silly, and some of the stories are entertaining to a point and then end unsatisfyingly. KGBeast running around in his bondage mankini. Batman swooping out of the sky in early morning daylight to pluck Ronald Reagan away from his security detail. Cartoonishly irresponsible tactics that endanger others. As much as I enjoyed these stories, they do sometimes feel a little trapped between directions, trying to decide how seriously to take any of this. You can even see the conflict playing out within the stories, as multiple arcs in this revolve around Batman deciding whether he needs to kill.
Overall, a lot of nostalgic fun. By no means perfect, lots of stupid moments, inconsistent writing, but just some Classic Eighties Batman.
November 13, 2024
Read as a companion piece to the somewhat concurrently running Dark Night Detective, this one is grittier, but less fun. It does manage the unique achievement of making Jason Todd annoying, but in entirely different fashion than his characterization in that series. At least this one has one really solid ‘whoa!’ moment for him, but they might as well be different characters.
No fault on the art, which is superb throughout, it’s more that the stories don’t really hold up in the modern era, though they offer a fascinating slice of 80s comics sensibilities. If you have nostalgia for these I doubt you’ll be disappointed. They drag in a crazy number of timely references.
But that also means you get stuff like a four-parter about killing machine KGBeast, who would be entirely more impressive were he not revealed to be sporting what can only be described as a bondage diaper. His costume is really lame.
There’s an ostensible murder mystery that instead turns into a whole haunted house thing that is pretty much a howler of a story (Bruce Wayne vanishing and Batman suddenly appearing is some Adam West-level goofy). Not only is the mystery not really much of anything, the house has a history of Satanism AND manages to be built on a “sacred Indian burial ground”. It’s definitely the 80s.
Grousing aside, it reads fast and isn’t boring and there is one fantastic story about ninjas, of all things, towards the end that features Batman doing actual detective work and has kick-ass action to boot. It’s worth the whole collection just for that one.
This is a time capsule and should be treated as such, a peek into a particular era of comics that has long since passed us by. On that front it is an unmitigated success, even if the quality of these stories is more bemusing than compelling for me.
No fault on the art, which is superb throughout, it’s more that the stories don’t really hold up in the modern era, though they offer a fascinating slice of 80s comics sensibilities. If you have nostalgia for these I doubt you’ll be disappointed. They drag in a crazy number of timely references.
But that also means you get stuff like a four-parter about killing machine KGBeast, who would be entirely more impressive were he not revealed to be sporting what can only be described as a bondage diaper. His costume is really lame.
There’s an ostensible murder mystery that instead turns into a whole haunted house thing that is pretty much a howler of a story (Bruce Wayne vanishing and Batman suddenly appearing is some Adam West-level goofy). Not only is the mystery not really much of anything, the house has a history of Satanism AND manages to be built on a “sacred Indian burial ground”. It’s definitely the 80s.
Grousing aside, it reads fast and isn’t boring and there is one fantastic story about ninjas, of all things, towards the end that features Batman doing actual detective work and has kick-ass action to boot. It’s worth the whole collection just for that one.
This is a time capsule and should be treated as such, a peek into a particular era of comics that has long since passed us by. On that front it is an unmitigated success, even if the quality of these stories is more bemusing than compelling for me.
August 4, 2025
A series of stories bookending the death of Jason Todd including a confrontation with the KGBeast amidst declining cold war tensions, a misogynism driven killing spree, and a violent foreign diplomat dodging accountability.
It's good to see that the soapy, illogical schmaltz of 'Death in the Family' appears to be an outlier among the bat works of Starlin. It's pretty funny that these far better issues immediately wrap that cheesy yet more well known storyline. Anyway, most of these narratives were quite well written with compelling moral dilemmas, multilayered plots, and even a little geopolitical subtext. There was still a lesser issue or two and some of the exaggerated character designs clashed with the somewhat serious subject matter, especially KGBeast and his beefy dominatrix / luchador look. Aparo's impeccable pencils and DeCarlo's rich inking were enjoyable as ever, though I have developed one small gripe with both Aparo and Adams in how they draw Batman running, often totally horizontal with a posture like he's almost floating. Regardless, solid stuff.
It's good to see that the soapy, illogical schmaltz of 'Death in the Family' appears to be an outlier among the bat works of Starlin. It's pretty funny that these far better issues immediately wrap that cheesy yet more well known storyline. Anyway, most of these narratives were quite well written with compelling moral dilemmas, multilayered plots, and even a little geopolitical subtext. There was still a lesser issue or two and some of the exaggerated character designs clashed with the somewhat serious subject matter, especially KGBeast and his beefy dominatrix / luchador look. Aparo's impeccable pencils and DeCarlo's rich inking were enjoyable as ever, though I have developed one small gripe with both Aparo and Adams in how they draw Batman running, often totally horizontal with a posture like he's almost floating. Regardless, solid stuff.
Read
April 9, 2019Jim Starlin’s post-Crisis Batman run offers a gritty, realistic take on the Dark Knight. This book serves as a follow-up to Second Chances, the beginning of Starlin’s run where Jason Todd is introduced. It stands in stark contrast to Detective Comics at the time, which took on a Batman '66 tone (see The Dark Knight Detective).
Starlin does a solid job with grim and gritty. We get stories of drug dealers, street murderers, and snipers. My favorites were the KGBeast four-parter that opens the book, and “You Shoulda Seen Him”, where three cops reflect on their separate encounters with Batman. The stories are somewhat predictable, but otherwise decent for the time. The art, mostly by Jim Aparo, is quite good. Fair warning that the book skips over A Death In the Family.
Starlin does a solid job with grim and gritty. We get stories of drug dealers, street murderers, and snipers. My favorites were the KGBeast four-parter that opens the book, and “You Shoulda Seen Him”, where three cops reflect on their separate encounters with Batman. The stories are somewhat predictable, but otherwise decent for the time. The art, mostly by Jim Aparo, is quite good. Fair warning that the book skips over A Death In the Family.
November 2, 2019
This is a collection of Batman comics from the late Eighties. This was the time period when I was actively buying and reading Batman comics in my youth, so I have a nostalgic relationship to them. In fact, the last story in this collection is from an issue that I have in my collection. These stories showcase Batman as the master detective who fights normal crime in Gotham. The one supervillain who makes an appearance is KGBeast. Be warned, there is a guest appearance by Ronald Reagan. I recommend this to readers who want to see Batman fight crime with his wits as well as his martial arts skills.
September 20, 2021
Another checklist for the Batman reading order and another enjoyable read. Most of that credited to Jim Starlin who is showing to be one of the best to write the 'Dark Knight.' We see more of Jason and his struggle with the moral lines of crime fighting. We see a lot of the law getting in the way of bringing true justice and Jason not being able to fathom criminals getting away on technicalities. A lot of character analyzation for Jason Todd which Starlin does fine job of writing. We had various artist but mainly Jim Aparo who is becoming one of my favorite Batman artist. These two together make good reads. Overall a fun continuation of the Batman reading order.
March 11, 2023
This is a great era of Batman comics that I don't think I could've appreciated until I was an old man.
My brother turned officially old last year, and his name is Ian. And just today, I came up with the name "Eon" to slap on him, both because it rhymes with his real name and correctly expresses how old he is.
If someone has invented a time machine, please let me know. I'd like to go back in time, set this up for myself, and then get back and make a sweet burn on my brother. I mean, we're both going to be in our 40's. Pretty soon it'll be gross for us to burn each other. But it'll still happen anyway.
My brother turned officially old last year, and his name is Ian. And just today, I came up with the name "Eon" to slap on him, both because it rhymes with his real name and correctly expresses how old he is.
If someone has invented a time machine, please let me know. I'd like to go back in time, set this up for myself, and then get back and make a sweet burn on my brother. I mean, we're both going to be in our 40's. Pretty soon it'll be gross for us to burn each other. But it'll still happen anyway.
August 27, 2025
Overall a pretty good read, not a huge fan of issue 431, and while this technically doesn't include the death in the family story line that takes place in the middle of this...I went ahead and read it as well. Important context for issue 430/431 tbh. But I included the bulk of my notes on the individual issues. Here are my overall ratings:
Issue #417 - 4/5
Issue #418 - 4/5
Issue #419 - 4/5
Issue #420 - 1/5
Issue #421 - 4/5
Issue #422 - 4/5
Annual #12 - 1/5
Issue #423 - 5/5
Issue #424 - 4/5
Issue #425 - 4/5
Issue #426 - 3/5
Issue #427 - 4/5
Issue #428 - 4/5
Issue #429 - 3/5
Issue #430 - 4/5
Issue #431 - 2/5
Issue #417 - 4/5
Issue #418 - 4/5
Issue #419 - 4/5
Issue #420 - 1/5
Issue #421 - 4/5
Issue #422 - 4/5
Annual #12 - 1/5
Issue #423 - 5/5
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Issue #425 - 4/5
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Issue #428 - 4/5
Issue #429 - 3/5
Issue #430 - 4/5
Issue #431 - 2/5
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