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David McK (3752 KP) rated Batman: Arkham Origins in Books

Jan 30, 2019  
BA
Batman: Arkham Origins
Adam Beechen | 2014
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Hmmm … what to make of this?

I picked this up on a whim when I spotted it on sale in a local 'Works' (basically, bargain books) shop, with fond memories of playing the game on which it is based.

I thought it would be, basically, a comic/graphic novel retelling the plot of that game.

I was wrong.

A few pages into this, I realised it's actually a 'Choose-your-own-adventure' style of story, set (as the name suggest) back at the very start of Batman's career as a vigilante crime-fighter, with little-to-no links to that console game.

It was interesting for a diversion, however it did only take a couple of attempts to reach the 'good' ending (and even that was not that great), after a few dead-ends.

An interesting experiment, maybe, but nothing to set the world alight.
  
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Mike Carlson (115 KP) rated Batman and Robin: Volume 2: Pearl in Books

Mar 18, 2018  
Batman and Robin: Volume 2: Pearl
Batman and Robin: Volume 2: Pearl
Patrick Gleason, Peter J. Tomasi | 2013 | Children
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Some really great art panels. (0 more)
The phrase "Eat to live" gets old. (0 more)
Damian's second step.
Having read Tomasi's Superman Rebirth and now this New 52 title, I am really impressed on his grip and development of the 2 most iconic DC families. Unlike the Kent's, though, this is interesting as a single parent vigilante scenario.

I like Damian as a character. His relationship with his father gets fleshed out throughout this series, with both of their doubts and fears about each other fully realized and explored. This book covers how Damian was raised by Talia al Ghul and has him in a Court of Owls tie-in story. There's a 3 part arc with villain Terminus that deals with sibling rivalry among the Robins. It ends with a 2 parter that seems like a relapse for Damian. The beauty is that these individual stories contain a subtle story arc amongst them...one which culminates in a touching moment at the end.
  
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David McK (3752 KP) rated Batman: The Dark Knight Returns in Books

Jan 28, 2019  
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, Lynn Varley | 2005 | Fiction & Poetry
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Commonly cited as one of the best Batman graphic novels, this is the one that turned Batman from the Camp Crusader of the Adam West years into the growling anti-hero of the Tim Burton and (later) Christopher Nolan films (leaving aside the Schumacher mis-steps in the middle).

Written in the 80s but set in the near-future, this sees Bruce Wayne return to his role as the vigilante 10 years after unspecified events that saw him hang up his cape. His return, however, also sees the return of some old foes, alongside that of some new.

While - as it was written in the 80s - some of the subject matter is now out of date (most noticeably, the Cold War between America and the USSR), this still holds up surprisingly well. I also have to say that, with some crowded art panels, language and the violence throughout, this is also not one for the kiddies!