Monday, May 26, 2014

[Best of Batman] HUSH by Jeph Loeb

This comic story has everything that it tends to become disjointed at times but at its best, it was able to provide insightful examinations on Batman’s social circle which includes fellow caped crusaders and the colorful villains that composed the infamous rogue gallery. Hush basically has every character you have ever known in the Batverse: the Robins minus Damian Wayne, the Huntress, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, Joker and Harley Quinn, Killer Croc, Two-faced, Ra’s Al Ghul, The Riddler, etc.

There is something really enticing about that since all of these characters are so incredibly fascinating that it could never go wrong if they’re all present in one story, right? In a way, it was very exciting to read, especially since Batman’s narrative explaining the complexities of each relationship he has with a villain/fellow hero adds a lot for weight to the interactions.

However, the central plot also became too underwhelming because that’s what happens when you overcrowd a story with too many antagonists. But Loeb still managed to keep things intact even if the seams are about to unravel. The strength of this story relied on the reader’s familiarity of a character and putting him or her in a situation that would make the most impact. It worked for others while for some it didn’t. Nevertheless, it has a lot of action, intrigue and fun so I still decided to put in a higher rank than the previous ones which have more emotional depth. This is a kind of Batman story that is for general audiences. It’s not as complicated but it’s not as one-dimensional either. Also, it focused on my ship Batman/Catwoman, as well as more exposition with the distinctions of each Robin to Batman (from Dick to Jason to Tim), and the delightful cameos of Superman also helped a lot to appreciate this story.

Hush was ambitious in scope and often outlandish and bizarre but it remains easy to enjoy to a newbie especially if they wanna see Batman have some romantic angle to his character, and was able to provide charm and quirkiness for a long-time Batman fan.


RECOMMENDED: 6/10


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