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Batman
Batman: Collected Legends of the Dark Knight
Since its inception BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT has presented some of the most interesting and thought-provoking adventures of the Batman. This collection includes some of the shorter story arcs that originally appeared in that book. BLADES, written by James Robinson and illustrated by Tim Sale. LEGENDS OF THE DARK MITE, by Alan Grant and Kevin O'Neill. HOTHOUSE, by John Francis Moore and P. Craig Russell. Three different interpretations of the Batman by three creative teams. Collected Legends of the Dark Knight
159 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1993
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About the author
James Robinson
1,265 books236 followersJames Dale Robinson is a British writer of American comic books and screenplays.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 30, 2019
And most of all would I flee from the cruel madness of love
The honey of poison-flowers and all the measureless ill
Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1955)
Three short stories about Batman and villains. With writers like Alan Grant and illustrators like Tim Sale and Co. At first I didn't expect to enjoy this collection, but I warmed up to it later.
Here is what we get:
(1) Blades
Gotham has a new crime-fighting champion! But is this new hero as righteous and heroic as he appears to be?
Basically this story is a tragic Gothic melodrama with B-rated mystery story line. I'm not so impressed by the mystery part of the story but I can live with it. Somehow by the end of the story I got a bit emotionally involved with the story when it reveals more of how the burden of being a vigilante can destroy a person, tragic love and men forced to do bad things.
(2) Legend of the Bat-Mite
Okay, the artwork is so colorful and so much fun! Bat-Mite, the funny looking elf from another reality and Batman's number one fan! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkXAW..., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eT7d...)
I really love the artwork, although the story is just too silly.
(3) Hothouse
OMG a young Batman getting hot and bothered with a 'reformed' Poison Ivy, a.k.a Dr. Pamela Lilian Isley! It's the best short story in this collection!
'Hothouse' has a decent murder mystery and some really crazy chemistry between B-man and Ivy! The artwork is good too, a bit dark and gloomy but still colorful enough when the plot and the mood needs it to be!
Trust me, I'd never given much thought about Batman/Poison Ivy (still...a Batman who once believed he was in love with Ivy and she loved him in return? How young must he be back then?), and I tended to overlook Ivy's character as a seductress and men-eater (I always remember her as a woman with a mission), but much to my surprise she works it all out so well! Although I still have difficulty to wrap my mind around Poison Ivy as a troubled, sort-of love-sick young woman.
Aside from the romantic plot line and the mystery, I also like Batman's sense of dry, dark humor in this story (e.g. the lines about a man's personality and his car and the Batmobile) and these killer quotes:
There's a no man's land between love and hate--
between passion and obsession
-where it's easy to lose all sense of reality---
and in doing so, lose yourself.
Somewhere in that emotional minefield Pamela Isley wanders---
and I wonder if she'll EVER find her way home.
"Consider the type of women your custom attracted, Master Wayne."
Review: Red Hood: Outlaw vol. 1 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review: Batman: Battle For the Cowl: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review: Batman: Life After Death: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review: Batman & Robin: Batman Reborn https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book Review: Batman: The Long Halloween https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review: The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told Vol. 1 (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
Review: Batman: A Death in the Family https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
February 10, 2017
I've been a fan of the Batman for a while, with a scattered collection my youth and some version of "Best of Batman" before the movies ever came out. Long before the decision that there was a "Modern Batman" following Frank Miller's Batman: Year One.
So I "really like" when Batman gets back to his roots, as he does here in Batman: Collected Legends of the Dark Knight. There are three stories, starting with "Blades", a brilliant and temporary reinvention of The Cavalier. There follows a nod to the 1950s Batman larks with "Legend of the Dark Mite" (who appears only in the confessions of a drug-haunted arrestee of the Batman), and "Hothouse", a story from the early days of Poison Ivy.
(Collects Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight 32-34,38, and 42-43. According to the Wikipedia entry, it lies serially between Batman: Faces (#28–30) and Batman: Other Realms (#35–36, #76–78). In continuity, it is listed between Batman: Prey and Batman: Other Realms.)
So I "really like" when Batman gets back to his roots, as he does here in Batman: Collected Legends of the Dark Knight. There are three stories, starting with "Blades", a brilliant and temporary reinvention of The Cavalier. There follows a nod to the 1950s Batman larks with "Legend of the Dark Mite" (who appears only in the confessions of a drug-haunted arrestee of the Batman), and "Hothouse", a story from the early days of Poison Ivy.
(Collects Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight 32-34,38, and 42-43. According to the Wikipedia entry, it lies serially between Batman: Faces (#28–30) and Batman: Other Realms (#35–36, #76–78). In continuity, it is listed between Batman: Prey and Batman: Other Realms.)
January 7, 2025
This was Meh . I mean , considering it came from the 90s , the story for its time was solid , but apart from the Ivy storyline , i dont think this book holds up that well .
Dont get me wrong , the ambiguity of the Bat-mite tale was fascinating and the Ivy story was actually neat but both were filled with a lot of monologues and all 3 stories were quite predictable .
If you keep your expectations in check and remember the time when this was written , it may well be a decent read
Dont get me wrong , the ambiguity of the Bat-mite tale was fascinating and the Ivy story was actually neat but both were filled with a lot of monologues and all 3 stories were quite predictable .
If you keep your expectations in check and remember the time when this was written , it may well be a decent read
March 17, 2025
3/5 Stars
Individual issues rated below -
Legends of the Dark Knight #32: 2.5/5
Legends of the Dark Knight #33: 3/5
Legends of the Dark Knight #34: 4/5
Legends of the Dark Knight #38: 3/5
Legends of the Dark Knight #42: 3/5
Legends of the Dark Knight #43: 3.5/5
Individual issues rated below -
Legends of the Dark Knight #32: 2.5/5
Legends of the Dark Knight #33: 3/5
Legends of the Dark Knight #34: 4/5
Legends of the Dark Knight #38: 3/5
Legends of the Dark Knight #42: 3/5
Legends of the Dark Knight #43: 3.5/5
December 15, 2012
"Blades" by James Robinson still remains one of my favorite Batman stories ever. While other writers often fall into the trap of portraying Batman as so intelligent and infallible that he seems almost supernatural (cough Grant Morrison cough), this story reminds us that Batman is all-too-human, and he is a lot more sympathetic because of it. A powerful, emotional tale featuring a disillusioned knight and a tragic villain.
"Hothouse" by John Francis Moore is a fun Poison Ivy story. Hothouse doesn't try to reinvent the character or shake up the Batman mythos, it's simply an exciting adventure featuring Ivy in all her seductive glory, particularly the scene where Batman briefly falls under her spell!
As for the Bat-Mite story...meh! In the 90s, DC had a mandate that every single Batman character had to be grim-and-gritty, so Alan Grant tried to give us a darker Bat-Mite...it works about as well as you might expect...not very! A lame attempt, but fortunately it's only one issue long, and since the other two stories in this collect are SO good, I didn't deduct a star just for Bat-Mite.
"Hothouse" by John Francis Moore is a fun Poison Ivy story. Hothouse doesn't try to reinvent the character or shake up the Batman mythos, it's simply an exciting adventure featuring Ivy in all her seductive glory, particularly the scene where Batman briefly falls under her spell!
As for the Bat-Mite story...meh! In the 90s, DC had a mandate that every single Batman character had to be grim-and-gritty, so Alan Grant tried to give us a darker Bat-Mite...it works about as well as you might expect...not very! A lame attempt, but fortunately it's only one issue long, and since the other two stories in this collect are SO good, I didn't deduct a star just for Bat-Mite.
October 25, 2012
James Robinson and John Francis Moore hit it out of the park with their respective stories. Unfortunately, Alan Grant used his opportunity to write a- ugh- Bat-mite arc. Robinson and Moore did beautiful work crafting short, to-the-point, pulpy stories, and their artists were equally fantastic (Tim Sale and P Craig Russell). Definitely worth checking out of the library for the read. Only worth buying as single back issues.
June 30, 2020
This is a solid collection of three Batman stories, each with very different tones and themes. I loved the artwork throughout and appreciated the different styles. This collection is an example of some of the better written stories, I'd totally recommend it!
May 16, 2018
A few years ago, I made a chronology for how to read modern Batman. I was focused quite a bit on creating the order, as opposed to just reading the books for enjoyment, so now I'm going back to see how the chronology holds up.
I must have been very excited when I first started this chronology, because I was pretty generous with how good I thought some of these early stories were.. I was mostly bored by this while rereading.
James Robinson's "Blades" is definitely the standout of the collection, but I didn't love it as much as I did during the first readthrough. It's an interesting two prong story, as Batman is busy trying to solve a case of someone killing elderly people while Batman's newest vigilante, The Cavalier, ends up searching for a jewel thief. The bare bones of the story is interesting, and Tim Sale's art is always a joy when it's attached to a Batman story. But Robinson's pacing and dialog is uneven, and his villain names are annoying. It might still be worth reading, but it's not worth buying the collection. Maybe try and find the issues in a dollar bin.
It's not Alan Grant's fault that I don't care about Bat-Mite stories. This may be The Best Bat-Mite Story Ever, and I still wouldn't care. The language is interesting. The conceit, as far as Bat-Mite conceits go is fine, and Kevin O'Neill's wacky art suits the story just fine. But unless you're craving a story about Bat-Mite that is "Not an imaginary story!", you'll probably find this very skippable.
John Francis Moore's Poison Ivy story, while better than the Poison Ivy story in Batman: Four of a Kind (which was the previous book in the chronology), is still mostly unmemorable. It does have a decent close, and the benefit of P Craig Russell's spectacular art. But I still didn't care about this Reformed Villain Is Actually Still A Villain story.
Since this collection has also gone out of print since I created the original chronology, I"m going to drop it from the list.
I recommend it for Bat-Mite fans, people who enjoy P Craig Russell art (which is probably most comic fans), and people who wished there was a Batman story with a Zorro character.
I must have been very excited when I first started this chronology, because I was pretty generous with how good I thought some of these early stories were.. I was mostly bored by this while rereading.
James Robinson's "Blades" is definitely the standout of the collection, but I didn't love it as much as I did during the first readthrough. It's an interesting two prong story, as Batman is busy trying to solve a case of someone killing elderly people while Batman's newest vigilante, The Cavalier, ends up searching for a jewel thief. The bare bones of the story is interesting, and Tim Sale's art is always a joy when it's attached to a Batman story. But Robinson's pacing and dialog is uneven, and his villain names are annoying. It might still be worth reading, but it's not worth buying the collection. Maybe try and find the issues in a dollar bin.
It's not Alan Grant's fault that I don't care about Bat-Mite stories. This may be The Best Bat-Mite Story Ever, and I still wouldn't care. The language is interesting. The conceit, as far as Bat-Mite conceits go is fine, and Kevin O'Neill's wacky art suits the story just fine. But unless you're craving a story about Bat-Mite that is "Not an imaginary story!", you'll probably find this very skippable.
John Francis Moore's Poison Ivy story, while better than the Poison Ivy story in Batman: Four of a Kind (which was the previous book in the chronology), is still mostly unmemorable. It does have a decent close, and the benefit of P Craig Russell's spectacular art. But I still didn't care about this Reformed Villain Is Actually Still A Villain story.
Since this collection has also gone out of print since I created the original chronology, I"m going to drop it from the list.
I recommend it for Bat-Mite fans, people who enjoy P Craig Russell art (which is probably most comic fans), and people who wished there was a Batman story with a Zorro character.
June 10, 2024
Three stories from Batman's early years as a crimefighter.
In the first, whilst obsessively on the trail of a serial killer, Batman finds his crimefighting eclipsed by the new vigilante The Cavalier. The second sees Batman interrogating a drug addict on his claims of an interdimensional Bat-Mite. Finally, Batman finds himself entranced when Pamela Isley returns to Gotham.
Two of the three stories here are exception, those being James Robinson's 'Blades' and John Francis Moore's 'Hothouse'. They're great tales of Batman's early career when he's still learning the trade and still working to find the balance in his obsessive behaviour.
'Blades' in particular is really good and put me very pleasantly in mind of stories like 'The Long Halloween' (and not just because of Tim Sale's always pitch-perfect artwork).
Unfortunately the book is let down somewhat by Alan Grant's 'Legend of the Dark Mite'. I did like the way it tries to provide a serious and modern way of introducing Bat-Mite to the post-Crisis continuity, but it has to be said that maybe we were better off with Bat-Mite left behind in the Golden and Silver Ages of comics.
Having an interdimensional elf who cosplays as Batman turn up in Gotham just isn't something that gels well with the darker and more adult tone of the rest of the book. Sure, it's suggested that it might all be a drug-induced hallucination, but we still have to see it all unfold as if it weren't.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
In the first, whilst obsessively on the trail of a serial killer, Batman finds his crimefighting eclipsed by the new vigilante The Cavalier. The second sees Batman interrogating a drug addict on his claims of an interdimensional Bat-Mite. Finally, Batman finds himself entranced when Pamela Isley returns to Gotham.
Two of the three stories here are exception, those being James Robinson's 'Blades' and John Francis Moore's 'Hothouse'. They're great tales of Batman's early career when he's still learning the trade and still working to find the balance in his obsessive behaviour.
'Blades' in particular is really good and put me very pleasantly in mind of stories like 'The Long Halloween' (and not just because of Tim Sale's always pitch-perfect artwork).
Unfortunately the book is let down somewhat by Alan Grant's 'Legend of the Dark Mite'. I did like the way it tries to provide a serious and modern way of introducing Bat-Mite to the post-Crisis continuity, but it has to be said that maybe we were better off with Bat-Mite left behind in the Golden and Silver Ages of comics.
Having an interdimensional elf who cosplays as Batman turn up in Gotham just isn't something that gels well with the darker and more adult tone of the rest of the book. Sure, it's suggested that it might all be a drug-induced hallucination, but we still have to see it all unfold as if it weren't.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
August 1, 2025
Story collections are difficult to rate, as the reader always enjoys some short stories more than others. This collects 3 separate story arcs from the Legends of the Dark Knight comics, which feature Batman, and are of various lengths. The book is well-constructed in that the 2 longer, more moody stories are book-ended by a short, one issue, tale that is lighter in tone.
My personal favorite tale was the first, Blades, which introduces The Cavalier as a potential rival/hero competing with Batman. The retro-future style (think the 90's Batman cartoon) works well as a setting for this story.
Legend of the Dark Mite is fine, but I didn't really get into the comedy of the issue. It does work well as a pallet cleanser for the final story Hothouse, which is a Poison Ivy story that I thought was ok.
Overall, I'd give Blades 4 starts, Dark Mite 2, and Hothouse 3. Enjoy!
My personal favorite tale was the first, Blades, which introduces The Cavalier as a potential rival/hero competing with Batman. The retro-future style (think the 90's Batman cartoon) works well as a setting for this story.
Legend of the Dark Mite is fine, but I didn't really get into the comedy of the issue. It does work well as a pallet cleanser for the final story Hothouse, which is a Poison Ivy story that I thought was ok.
Overall, I'd give Blades 4 starts, Dark Mite 2, and Hothouse 3. Enjoy!
July 2, 2017
Batman: Collected Legends of the Dark Knight is a great value for money collection of 1 decent, 1 silly and 1 great short stories. Get it if you’re interested in Bruce’s early days as Batman and want to know what he was like before he was always right. If you’re a fan of the new stuff and don’t want to look at dated art however, this isn’t for you.
Score : 4/5
Read the full review here
Score : 4/5
Read the full review here
September 24, 2019
This overlooked collection has some huge comics legends and there are two good stories...and Bat-Mite. James Robinson and Tim Sale collaborate on the introduction of a new vigilante and showcases Batman's mania. Then John Francis Moore and P. Craig Russell give us a fantastic Poison Ivy tale. Both of these stories are worthy of a re-read or two. Classic stuff.
August 2, 2024
Decent opener with some sexy noir panels of Jim Gordon and more on the un/controllable evil in Batman. A howler of a middle with this acid nonsense. It be good to see a good one that does bring in Alice in Wonderland like in Arkham Asylum but this isn't it. Finally, a really good Ivy story to close.
May 12, 2021
Three fun and engaging stories, that stand on their own and provide their own little experience.
September 30, 2021
Total - 4.5 / 5
Blades - 3.5 / 5
Legend of the Dark Mite - 4 / 5
Hothouse - 5 / 5
Blades - 3.5 / 5
Legend of the Dark Mite - 4 / 5
Hothouse - 5 / 5
January 1, 2023
Three strong arcs from Legends of the Dark Knight are collected in this book:
Blades, by Robinson and Sale, is a great look at the joy and freedom of being a vigilante and how that pleasure and rush can lead you down a dark path. It also shows the vulnerability that Batman hides deep inside himself, as his fascination with a Zorro-themed hero causes him to give the new hero the benefit of the doubt. Sale's art is very strong - not his best work, as he's gotten much better over the years, but his use of shadows was remarkable even in this early tale.
Legends of the Dark Mite, by Grant & O'Neill, is a delirious trip through the addled mind of a drug-user. Hilarious and fun, this is the perfect type of story for readers who want a serious Batverse, but still like to have some occasional zany big props Batfun.
And finally, Hothouse, by Moore and Russell, is a twisted little Poison Ivy story in the vein of the animated series. Set early in Ivy's career, we're asked if maybe she has gone straight, who is using whom, and how much blame exactly falls on Ivy. It's engaging and fun, and it's nice to see Batman's collected, serious demeanor being slowly undone by one woman's power. Russell is one of the greatest illustrators in comics history. There's not much that I can say about his art, because it's just gorgeous and lyrical. Lovely work from Russell, as always.
+++++++++
Reread this one, prior to donating it to the library, and it remains a solid collection of Batman tales. I think the Moore/Russell collaboration is the best one, on reading it again. Nice detective work, great look at obsession, and with all due respect to the legendary Sale and O'Neill, P. Craig Russell is in a class of his own.
Blades, by Robinson and Sale, is a great look at the joy and freedom of being a vigilante and how that pleasure and rush can lead you down a dark path. It also shows the vulnerability that Batman hides deep inside himself, as his fascination with a Zorro-themed hero causes him to give the new hero the benefit of the doubt. Sale's art is very strong - not his best work, as he's gotten much better over the years, but his use of shadows was remarkable even in this early tale.
Legends of the Dark Mite, by Grant & O'Neill, is a delirious trip through the addled mind of a drug-user. Hilarious and fun, this is the perfect type of story for readers who want a serious Batverse, but still like to have some occasional zany big props Batfun.
And finally, Hothouse, by Moore and Russell, is a twisted little Poison Ivy story in the vein of the animated series. Set early in Ivy's career, we're asked if maybe she has gone straight, who is using whom, and how much blame exactly falls on Ivy. It's engaging and fun, and it's nice to see Batman's collected, serious demeanor being slowly undone by one woman's power. Russell is one of the greatest illustrators in comics history. There's not much that I can say about his art, because it's just gorgeous and lyrical. Lovely work from Russell, as always.
+++++++++
Reread this one, prior to donating it to the library, and it remains a solid collection of Batman tales. I think the Moore/Russell collaboration is the best one, on reading it again. Nice detective work, great look at obsession, and with all due respect to the legendary Sale and O'Neill, P. Craig Russell is in a class of his own.
September 11, 2022
Batman: Collected Legends of the Dark Knight collects three Legends of the Dark Knight (LOTDK) stories, namely, Blades, Legend of the Dark Mite, and Hot House.
LOTDK has produced many good Batman stories like Shaman, Venom, and Prey, but a LOTDK story that does not get enough recognition is Blades, written by James Robinson and drawn by the legendary Tim Sale. Blades is a tragic story about the rise and fall of a hero. This story shows that, regardless of your intentions, there are lines that you should never cross. In case you’re wondering, the Cavalier in the story is not the Cavalier that first appeared in Detective Comics (1943) #81. That is Mortimer Drake. The name of the Cavalier in this story is Hudson Pyle.
The second story, Alan Grant’s Legend of the Dark Mite, is the first time I’ve encountered the imp Bat-Mite. It is about a criminal drug user who claims he saw an elf in a Batman costume. Did he see it, or are his visions a by-product of his drug use? This story is really fun and trippy. The last story, John Francis Moore’s Hot House, is a good Poison Ivy story.
Collected Legends of the Dark Knight is a rare book. You should get this book if you find a reasonably priced copy. It is worth picking up for Blades alone.
My Batman Collected Editions Instagram page
LOTDK has produced many good Batman stories like Shaman, Venom, and Prey, but a LOTDK story that does not get enough recognition is Blades, written by James Robinson and drawn by the legendary Tim Sale. Blades is a tragic story about the rise and fall of a hero. This story shows that, regardless of your intentions, there are lines that you should never cross. In case you’re wondering, the Cavalier in the story is not the Cavalier that first appeared in Detective Comics (1943) #81. That is Mortimer Drake. The name of the Cavalier in this story is Hudson Pyle.
The second story, Alan Grant’s Legend of the Dark Mite, is the first time I’ve encountered the imp Bat-Mite. It is about a criminal drug user who claims he saw an elf in a Batman costume. Did he see it, or are his visions a by-product of his drug use? This story is really fun and trippy. The last story, John Francis Moore’s Hot House, is a good Poison Ivy story.
Collected Legends of the Dark Knight is a rare book. You should get this book if you find a reasonably priced copy. It is worth picking up for Blades alone.
My Batman Collected Editions Instagram page
August 10, 2014
Batman Blades is one of my favorite Batman stories! Tim Sale's art is great as usual.
I loved the character of the Cavalier. A Zorro-esque hero/anti-hero.
I can't recommend this story enough, it's worth a read, check it out!
Legends of the Dark Mite is a goofy story, a little trippy.
Hothouse was a good Poison Ivy story. Is she reformed or isn't she? That's the question throughout the story.
This trade paperback is worth getting just for the Blades story.
I found myself rooting for the Cavalier the hole time. He is a really interesting and great character.
As I was reading the story, it was like watching a movie. A great movie and the ending was really cinematic.
I highly recommend this book, you must read Blades.
I loved the character of the Cavalier. A Zorro-esque hero/anti-hero.
I can't recommend this story enough, it's worth a read, check it out!
Legends of the Dark Mite is a goofy story, a little trippy.
Hothouse was a good Poison Ivy story. Is she reformed or isn't she? That's the question throughout the story.
This trade paperback is worth getting just for the Blades story.
I found myself rooting for the Cavalier the hole time. He is a really interesting and great character.
As I was reading the story, it was like watching a movie. A great movie and the ending was really cinematic.
I highly recommend this book, you must read Blades.
August 18, 2015
The highlight of this volume is undoubtedly the art, which is gorgeous. Tim Sale and P. Craig Russell are always worth your time. Unfortunately, the stories which accompany the art, while perfectly solid, aren't anything remarkable. It's a very solid Batman collection, but it never rises above that.
February 5, 2015
Blades is the best of the 3 by far. The other two are okay. They are attempting to document a descent into madness, but feel incomplete and under developed. Blades is exceptional though. It is the best of what comic books/ graphic novels can be.
September 1, 2012
Worth reading.
November 22, 2015
An odd little collection of short runs of storyline.
March 5, 2019
Three stories (chosen at random to contrast, apparently) from the Legends of the Dark Knight anthology. All of them come from that murky, iffy post-Year Two continuity. First is about a rival of Batman’s against the backdrop of Batman investigating a serial killer obsessively. Entertaining enough, but what was the point?
The second story involves a drug addict’s testimony to a disbelieving Batman and Gordon of his encounter with the Batmite and his bizarre dimension. This one, by Alan Grant, was best.
The final story is a fairly basic Poison Ivy number. Good, no great shakes.
The second story involves a drug addict’s testimony to a disbelieving Batman and Gordon of his encounter with the Batmite and his bizarre dimension. This one, by Alan Grant, was best.
The final story is a fairly basic Poison Ivy number. Good, no great shakes.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews