America vs the Justice Society of America
Jerry Ordway, Howard Bender and Roy Thomas
Book
* This epic story, originally published in the 1980s, takes place in the late 1940s. Following the...
Injustice Gods Among Us Year Four: Vol 1
Brian Buccellato and Bruno Redondo
9.5
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Book
The prequel to hit video game and comic series INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US continues with INJUSTICE:...
JLA: Volume 6
Joe Kelly and Doug Mahnke
Book
* With Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth severed, the very concept of truth itself has been fractured -...
Joker: Death of the Family (the New 52)
Book
* After having his face sliced off one year ago, The Joker makes his horrifying return in this new...
Birds of Prey: Vol.3
Book
Continuing legendary comic writer Chuck Dixon takes on the crime fighting duo consisting of Oracle,...
Ross (3284 KP) rated Gotham - Season 3 in TV
Sep 23, 2019
Harley Quinn, Vol. 1: Hot in the City
9.0
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Book
Fresh from BATMAN: DEATH OF THE FAMILY and SUICIDE SQUAD, Harley Quinn returns to her first solo...
Dana (24 KP) rated Batman: Arkham Asylum in Books
Mar 23, 2018
Okay, so in this comic, the Joker is trying to turn Batman crazy by exposing him to all kinds of horrifying things, namely the villains he has put away.
We get Arkham Asylum's backstory. We learn that the owner, a man who had lived in the house before turning it into an asylum after his mother had died after going insane herself. After many years of trying to help those admitted into the asylum, he ended up going crazy as well and locked himself inside one of the rooms scratching a story into the ground with his fingernails. Gruesome, right?
I really enjoyed getting to see the patients in their natural state and seeing them trying to fight Batman and make him feel as they felt was strange, but really interesting.
The artwork is what really set this comic apart. It set the mood perfectly, capturing the creepy, haunted, and ominous tone of the asylum while still keeping a sense of beauty to it. All in all, it was absolutely stunning, if not unnerving.
I enjoyed the story, even if I was a little confused at first, but it all comes together in the end.
There will be some spoilers in this next bit. This comic comes full circle in the fact that it, the comic, the asylum, and the old Doctor Arkham, all foreshadow Batman's involvement in the asylum itself. He is the one to bring people in, deeming them insane, and bats are what drew Old Arkham insane. It was very well thought out.
Overall, I really enjoyed this comic book and I want to see if there are more that are told in this style!
Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated Batman, Volume 1: The Court of Owls in Books
Nov 30, 2020
Lately, since getting back into DC with Bendis' Superman stories (yes, they are not perfect, but they are nowhere near as bad as I had initially anticipated), I have found myself rethinking my feelings towards the New52, especially as it was stated that the Superman/WW thing was a different Superman from a different Earth. With that rethinking, I began to read the beginning of the New52 Batman, starting with Volume 1.
The Court of Owls is a cool-ass concept! A secret order dedicated to controlling Gotham City, setting things in motion, helping to shape the city the way they saw fit? Yes, please. Yeah, sure, it messed a bit with Bat's origin, but I felt it added something to it. Something that we didn't know that we really did need!
And those masks they wore? Holy cow, they were so simple in design, yet decidedly creepy all the same! I could totally see Faction Paradox having some dealings with the Court of Owls, especially in regard to the whole "War in Heaven"!
The more I am being exposed to how Scott Snyder writes, the more I am finding myself becoming a very serious fan! I feel he has a good feel for both Bruce Wayne, as well as Batman - far more than Tom King has!
And, let us not forget all the awesomeness that was Greg Capullo's art! Dark, moody, with just the right amount of creepy and a fair amount of attention to detail! Solid work for sure!
In conclusion, I can't recommend the first volume of New52 Batman enough! I am looking forward to finishing the second volume to see how this whole "Court of Owls" storyline finishes!