(DC Rebirth) Batman by Tom King issue #6

Why do I have to care about Claire? She wasn't as fully fleshed out as her brother or have any other compelling qualities aside from her superpowers that lend themselves some potency by shaving years off her life. She wasn't really that impressive to me by herself either because it's been made clear she was just emulating her brother about being a vigilante. Her behavior in the last two issues had also not been pleasant. It made sense, considering the psychological scarring she had been through in the hands of Psycho Pirate, but other than that it was still quite easy to see that she had been nothing more but a supporting character in every sense of the word. She was there to give her brother Hank more gravitas and in the end she became responsible for killing him. I suppose I should be fair and give the girl a break, so I will. I might, at least, with this final installment for I Am Gotham.

I found Claire a wee bit interesting here as she slowly unraveled due to the crushing weight of grief and guilt over her brother's unfortunate passing. Claire essentially began losing what little grasp she had on sanity to begin with and started talking to herself quite loudly while addressing said dearly departed sibling. What was so intriguing about King's approach here is that he also used it as an opportunity to bring about villain cameos. These villains are obscure and old enough to make the nerdiest of fans feel a sense of delight and maybe even some slight smug entitlement that they themselves easily recognized who these villains are and what issues they appeared in. I haven't been reading Batman in comics that long (I only began to seriously digest and dissect his stories since 2014 with my Bat-blog), so these references didn't click with me at all until I've done my research.

I'm not going to discuss said cameos because I'm not an authority about their appearances and I frankly didn't give a shit. I was focused on Claire because for Chrissake why would a casual reader of present comics care about her if Tom King can't make even the veteran readers in general settle down enough to give a damn about her and stop going "Oh my god, that's a cameo from an old issue back in..." or something like that? This issue's central idea is to deal with Claire's grief over the loss that was her very own doing and yet a good percentage of readers would probably rather focus on those obscure villains. It just seemed like a disservice to whoever Claire should be. She never had a fair chance even from that start and now an issue which supposedly focuses on her was also a tribute for other things. Poor Claire. That being said, I enjoyed the idea of her still going about superheroing while losing her mind in the process. Girl at least can multi-task. And then we get a nice emotional wrap-up later on.

Nice share, Bruce, but this shouldn't be about you! This issue wasn't as awful as the one that came before it. But it's not a good one either and only had a few redeemable qualities to keep it from being worse. I want to see more or Claire after this. We have been spoiled in Issue #5 that she and Duke Thomas get married so I guess she stopped using her powers and became a normal person after that because she didn't die too soon or anything. Well, that's it for Claire, I guess. 

RECOMMENDED: 6/10

(DC Rebirth) Batman by Tom King issue #5

This issue was an absolute dud, and just knowing I still have to review it is a little disheartening which was why I delayed it for a few days. Yesterday was my birthday but the celebration came in with three installments starting on the 22nd. This was why I didn't submit any Bat-reviews, but now I'm back and I at least can finish the first volume of Tom King's run and do more of Snyder's All Star Batman and realistically be able to reach issue #8 before this month ends. 

The fifth chapter for I Am Gotham was a dud, like I said, which was disappointing since King has delivered capably enough so far and he was also quite fairly consistent with his narrative. This issue, however, completely detracts from that consistency which made it utterly baffling, more notably at the last pages. The cover promised readers a violent showdown between Batman and Gotham, but it had been a gimmick because the Justice League apparently swooped in and was a part of the mission. I'm all for a long-winded superpowered battle with a person taking a team of competent fighters which is what happened here with Gotham vs. JL and yet at the same time it came off as an afterthought. We got this technicality that Gotham can increase his powers based on his opponent's own ability but doing so earns years off his lifetime. That I can get behind with too. 

But what I find rather hard for me suspend my belief upon was how easily Gotham managed to defeat every leaguer---including Superman and Wonder Woman. Perhaps I would have been more open to the idea if there was any build-up to Gotham's formidable prowess as a threat even to the big players. This wasn't the case. He was just simply too powerful for even Sups and Diana to handle, regardless of the brainwashing thing and blind rage or whatnot. I mean, do we really have to diminish the league just to show Gotham is strong? But Batman holds his own against Gotham, at least for a while before Claire as Gotham Girl saves the day.

I say 'saves the day' very loosely at this point because she was still a hot mess. Leave it to the psychologically impaired superheroine to handle her own brother, I suppose, whatever. But she didn't handle it that well since she ended up killing him which sucked because Hank had a real fleshed-out motivation to begin with than his sister and yet we're stuck with that sibling now. I'm still not impressed about Claire. She had more screen time and autonomy here, I can acknowledge that, but again it felt too rushed and too perfect of a timing just to kill off Hank. There's nothing more I can say for this issue.

I just didn't like it overall; except only for that small scene at the beginning with Alfred dressing up as Batman.

NOT RECOMMENDED: 5/10

(DC Rebirth) Batman by Tom King issue #4

The scope of David Finch's art for this issue in particular is outstanding, and that is not at all an understatement. Certain illustrations stood out, most notably pages that depicted gore and violence. I'm never that squeamish when it comes to seeing blood and guts in any medium I consume such as in television shows and comic books, but Finch's illustrations definitely made me stop and stare for a while just to appreciate the quality and breadth that he had contributed solely for this fourth issue. I don't think Tom King's story would be nearly as effective in form if Finch wasn't the artist who drew its scenes to life.

The fourth installment for I Am Gotham was provocative, especially since it made such a complete turn for the worst since last issue. The body count is unapologetically high and committed by the one person I never wanted to become bloodthirsty and possessed. The detestably fruitful alliance between Dr. Hugo Strange and Psycho Pirate yielded some terrible consequences. These two assholes managed to capture and inflict serious psychological damage on aspiring superheroes Gotham and Gotham Girl (Hank and Claire) who did not stand a chance so now the former has went on a psychotic rampage while the latter was reduced into a sniveling weak mess and had to be put under Alfred's care. It was a rather shocking escalation. I know things will go bad---but I did not expect that it would become even worse so soon. This was an overall spectacular issue, given the tight suspenseful drama at its core and Finch's impressive body of work for each page. King was also winning me over as a writer at this point.

However, there are a few things that didn't make sense to me, such as the participation of Amanda Waller in all this clusterfuck and apparently an appearance by the Suicide Club might just take place somewhere down the pipeline. But I digress.

What I want to tackle is Hank's regressed state which happened so quickly and so violently that I had to flip back and forth between pages just to make sure I'm witnessing such gruesome events unfold for real, and that they were all because of his doing. From a promising earnest idealist, Hank had now become a deranged killer who are doing things that go against everything he wanted to stand for as Gotham and according to what he wanted to emulate from Batman. It was mortifying and I hope to all the gods this can be fixed soon because I actually like him and his sister. Claire also needs to get back in shape and stop crying because I've grown tired of females being portrayed as broken damsels after a villain had took possession of their minds or some shit like that. 

I was pretty disappointed that she just broke down into an emotional mess. Not that going on a rampage like her brother did would be an improvement in her characterization but at least then she would be doing something instead of clinging onto Duke's arms for consolation. But then again, it needs to be pointed out that Gotham Girl seems to exist because Claire herself was said to be mirroring whatever her big brother wants to do, so she doesn't have a lot of things going for her in the first place already, so is it really such a surprise she would be so easy to manipulate and discard? I sure hope King can fairly resolve Claire's part in the equation. I know Hank well enough but I don't really know that much about Claire.

On more pressing matters, Batman tried his best to get through Hank but he was beyond reasoning with at this point.

Now that is some heavy Break-The-Cutie stuff

I can't wait to see how this drama would resolve and devolve yet again in the next issue.

RECOMMENDED: 8/10

(DC Rebirth) Batman by Tom King issue #3

The first pages of this issue was an unexpected serving of deja vu---in the most gruesome yet also moving way possible. For a split second, I thought King was giving me yet another rendition of the Wayne murders but the essential details about the scene are altered which led me to conclude quickly that this wasn't about Bruce Wayne's childhood trauma at all but another child's tragedy. A young boy was walking with his parents on a dark alleyway in Gotham. A mugger tried to rob them. He beat the father and was now getting handsy with the mother's jewelry. The scene was playing out exactly in a horrible nostalgic way until that crucial last moment when everything would have ended in blood and grief. At the last second, Batman appeared and saved everyone. 

It was a victory that was satisfying on an emotional level because of how much it means for Bruce Wayne as Batman to save even just one life in the hands of a petty crime. Most people forget that Batman was always about stopping street-level crimes. His night patrols were always composed of impeding organized crime or even the smallest crime committed in some alleyway in Gotham. Tom King showed us that in this flashback and reminded us that behind the Dark Knight will always be that traumatized boy who lost his parents one bad night where it changed the course of the rest of his entire life afterwards, and in becoming Batman he was channeling this loss into something demonstratively righteous and inspiring. He may not have been able to save his parents, but he can symbolically avenge their deaths by ensuring no one will ever lose their loved ones the same way he did particularly in cases where a tragedy can just  happen in the most mundane way possible such as during a late-night mugging.

Speaking of inspiring life-changing events, let's talk about these specific panels for a moment:

I'm sorry, but I was in goddamn tears right after reading this. How could I not be, seeing as how much Batman is my own childhood hero whose brand of justice and truth resonates with me to this day? Watching him prevent the same crime that claimed his parents' life was cathartic, and being able to talk to the boy who could have been him was a rather powerful moment. Later on, the readers will discover that this flashback sequence was about Hank Clover (and to a lesser extent, his sister Claire) who will become the superpowered fans named Gotham and Gotham Girl. This was their origin story which Bruce found out by himself while he was in FBI disguise to interview their parents who were more than eager to share their children's aspirations to become defenders of the city since they have been motivated and inspired by no other than Batman.

It was all the more reason why I was so moved about those panels above because I feel as if this was Batman not only speaking to Hank Clover as a young boy but also speaking to his child-self. These were the words he wished someone had said to him when his life changed after witnessing his parents' brutal murders in front of him, and he had no idea how to start picking up the pieces just yet. This was Bruce Wayne now as an adult and a vigilante wishing to reassure a kid just like him from before that hope blooms even in the most wretched of places, and that he doesn't have to stay powerless forever because one day he may even get the chance to fight back and rise from the adversity of his own fears and insecurities. That's the message a hero like Batman imparts and one that people should never forget or tarnish. This is why we read his story. At the heart of it all, this is about one man's victory over his own demons every time he becomes Batman and defeats his enemies. He is an inspiration.

Just ask Hank and Claire Clover. They decided to become Gotham and Gotham Girl because of him.

I was really happy about this issue because it humanized Hank and Claire and gave them convincing character motivations. I readily accept that they are simply noble and decent people who just want to give back to their city and help anyone who needs a hero at the end of the day. That fateful meeting between Hank and Batman that night was a hallmark for the former who found a role model to emulate and an altruistic purpose to share with his sister. It's so beautiful and I dread how they're going to be broken down once Hugo Strange and his Monster Men get to them. I know it's going to happen and I can only hope they survive the ordeal because at this point it has become rather easy and natural to root for these kids. Earnest idealists who want to do good being thrown into a gritty situation never fails to break my heart. The next issues are bound to get crazy and sad.

RECOMMENDED: 8/10

(DC Rebirth) Batman by Tom King issue #2

From what I can tell so far into the second issue for this flagship series, a lot of the classic mythos from the long run of Batman is being constantly rehashed here and rendered as something new, most possibly for the benefit of the fresh readership. This re-telling does not bother me, and I'd like to think that what Tom King is merely doing is paying tribute to the Bat-canon by allowing new readers to experience a version of one of its classic stories. This narrative choice makes sense too for DC's Rebirth theme in general since I believe the whole point of the re-branding is to revisit the roots of DC comics, and that includes some form of nostalgic appeal when it comes to framing the stories of their popular characters.

That being said, I would like to fully disclose that Dr. Hugo Strange is a Bat-villain I have loathed for a long time since reading Batman: Prey. He just rubbed me off the wrong way. And this was back in 2014 when I read it. So as soon as I got to the last few pages of this second issue where it was revealed that we'd be tackling Hugo Strange and the 'Monster Men', I was understandably torn. I seriously let out an audible grunt of dismay and annoyance to find that I'm going to have to deal with Strange again. Still, I actually have learned to appreciate the character more as years went by, mostly because of his recent adaptation in Fox TV's Gotham show during the second season. Actor B.D Wong nailed the character very well, or at least presented him in a way in which is villainy was convincing as well as his relevance to the canon altogether. The same thing goes for his exposure in the Arkham Asylum games which I didn't mind. I suppose my negative bias still holds in comics, however, but I will reserve any more critical judgments until I see how King plans to utilize him here for his story arc, I Am Gotham. 

Now I want to talk more about the other characters here, but first I want to get a cameo appearance out of the way. Solomon Grundy was featured in the beginning action sequence for this second issue. New superpowered heroes Gotham and Gotham Girl join in the mix to aid Batman in bringing down Grundy. It went as well as expected with a few hiccups here and there. I think I recognize Grundy from his appearance in The Long Halloween, if I'm not mistaken. Anyway, I liked the angle in which these superpowered newbies actually do look up to Batman and recognize the important work he had done for Gotham City. They weren't there to get into some trite macho contest with him or challenge his authority as a seasoned crime fighter or anything like that. So I like Gotham and Gotham Girl so far because they have shown humility by asking for Batman's tutelage as well as passion in what they want to do so they can help the city, even if they tend to get a little enthusiastic about it.

If all goes well, these two can even become dependable allies for Batsy, mainly to aid him in catastrophic events in which superpowers can make a difference in avoiding such disasters. Batman, of course, can acknowledge his fallibility; that he is not an invincible man physically---just someone who is resourceful and determined to fight. This was he told Alfred as to why he was willing to give Gotham and Gotham Girl a chance, and why he even introduced them to Commissioner Gordon. 

I would be remiss if I don't point out how witty and dry Alfred and James Gordon have been for this issue. It's refreshing to read Alfred being snarky as it reminds me of his Gotham counterpart. Gordon makes the best expressions too, especially after meeting the two superheroes aforementioned. What really takes the cake, though, was the fact that Batman pulled the Disappearing Act and even got the best of the two who were baffled that even they can't find him when they have superpowers at their disposal. That earned a chuckle from me. I think I'm going to have fun reading more Tom King if he keeps this up for the series.

I look forward for the third issue since Dr. Hugo Strange made his appearance at the last page, and I'm curious to see what direction King plans to take for the Monster Men storyline as well as how the presence of the two new caped heroes can serve the rest of the arc. I will hold off on giving higher ratings since I want to save them for issues that will truly stand out and shine. So far, it's all been a steady build-up to what I hope will be something spectacular!

RECOMMENDED: 7/10

(DC Rebirth) Batman by Tom King issue #1

It's the very first issue of Tom King's run for Batman, and I didn't know what to expect but it certainly isn't an airplane about to crash Gotham, and the fact that only Batman has to stop it since the Leaguers who can prevent such a crash by using their superpowers (Sups and Lantern) are currently fighting their own monsters. As far as an action-oriented piece of story goes, this first issue had been spectacular. David Finch's illustrations were gripping to look at even if his overall style so far hasn't been at his best, at least as far as comparing it to his earlier work in his own line for The Dark Knight series during the New 52 lineup. 

Since this issue was action-based, there is not much content to talk about regarding the plot itself as of yet except of course the revelation at the end which definitely proves rather promising to see unfold by the next issues. What I would like to discuss first is the underlying commentary regarding Batman as the self-appointed hero and defender of Gotham City. Unlike the aforementioned Leaguers, Batman, of course, does not possess superpowers. His speed, agility and strength came foremost from a rigorous training regimen that Bruce Wayne had explored all his life. He had to travel through continents to learn and hone several fighting techniques before even coming back to his city so he can start his one-man crusade. He has immense wealth and above-average intelligence to match his physical prowess and this was why he was regarded not just as a formidable fighter but also as a great detective. But it's mostly about his wealth as a Wayne heir that enabled him to sustain a crime-fighting nocturnal career. How else can he build his own Bat-cave and other gadgets if he didn't have serious cash to burn?

There are many obvious reasons why Batman is a lot of people's favorite go-to hero and they mostly have something to do with state-of-the-art weaponry, gritty person as the Dark Knight who stalks the criminal underworld, his incomparably unique Rogues' gallery; villains who are just as off-beat and compelling as he is, and---the primary reason we often hear nerds would say---the fact that he was not blessed with superpowers but had rather acquired his skills through sheer will and discipline alone. We can also add his personal tragedy into the mix; an orphaned boy who had to watch his parents get gunned down by a mugger one fateful night and how that traumatic experience and his survivor's guilt changed and tempered him into a badass steel.

So why do I tackle something that's already general knowledge about Batman? It's because this first issue by Tom King seems to have the makings of exploring why Batman is the hero Gotham needs/deserves. It's a theme that had been written countless times in the long 75 years run for the character in comics. It's something of a staple now too that in the hands of a capable writer who may have great insight to share, the story of examining why a flawed, human and determined crime fighter like Batman appeals to us (by the simple reason that he lacks superpowers and yet gets shit done anyway and does it so with style) can be a worthwhile read once more for both old and new fans who are reading this title. Sure, it's been done to death, but who says it can't happen again and be magical just the same? Say, you've read this issue yourself, and then you got to those crucial pages where the airplane is guaranteed to crash and burn straight into the heart of Gotham. Now, tell me honestly as you read it---

---did you ever doubt that Batman would be unable to pull off something awesome and save everyone at the last minute?

Superhero comics are a wish fulfillment designed to tell stories of heroism and vibrant hope where one man or woman's fierce dedication and strength of will can make a difference in a city often bereft of redemption in the first place. Since they operate that way, a hero saving the day is no strange feat and may even be formulaic and predictable. And so when Batman was able to swing the direction of the malfunctioning airplane by riding it like a badass (the mechanics of which you need to read for yourself so pick up the issue), readers like me are willing to suspend belief and just say, "Yes, of course he can do that shit. He's Batman!" 

It's the same sentiment that Jim Gordon has. He had rather comedic lines for this issue, the most notable of which is when he contacted Batman to ask where he is in the middle of all this commotion, and Batman confidently answers, "I'm on the plane." And Gordon's ready if not snarky response was, "Of course you're on the plane." He knows that Batman is already about to prevent the latest disaster as it strikes Gotham City. Of course he is! With an almost cynical scoff yet grateful relief, readers do the same thing too every time Batman rises up to the challenge and we don't have to pretend anymore that it's anything we can expect otherwise.

The last two pages has Batman about to crash the airplane on sea to hopefully avoid more casualties, but suddenly two flying caped crusaders came swooping in to lift it from under Batsy. His reaction was to call out Sups' name because who else can do that? He was mistaken, however, and instead came face-to-face with these amusingly clad champs who apparently are the new heroes for the city. They even named themselves appropriately in case to make the representation as clear and concise as possible.

This should be fun.

RECOMMENDED: 7/10

Batman by Scott Snyder and Tom King [ R E B I R T H ]

The DC Universe Rebirth is a "2016 relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic books. Using the end of The New 52 initiative in May 2016 as its launching point, DC Rebirth restored the DC Universe to a form much like that prior to the 'Flashpoint' storyline while still incorporating numerous elements of The New 52, including its continuity." Many of these titles now have a twice-monthly release schedule and cost about $ 2.99. 

And yes, I straight-up copied that from Wikipedia, sue me. I have been out of touch from my comics for months now because of other preoccupations. I would do my research better next time, which I did too, particularly about new Bat-writer Tom King himself. The man's a multi-tasker since he's currently writing for DC, Marvel and Vertigo. Before doing Batman, he's written for Grayson and outside of his comics career, he joined the CIA counterterrorism unit after 9-11. So that makes him a badass by default. He had an original superhero graphic novel afterwards, and I suppose that explains why he would be a perfect fit to write Dick Grayson becoming an undercover spy in the aforementioned series, and why he's writing for the flagship Batman title now. King's credentials are pretty damn impressive, so I'm definitely intrigued now to see what he can offer content-wise for his run for Batman. The man interned for Chris Claremont as an assistant writer for X-Men too! Just WOW.

This Rebirth issue is a prologue of some sorts, although most readers might mistake that with the relaunch, issues stamped with Rebirth on different titles meant that there's a continuity here that goes back to the official major story of DC Rebirth. It's not the case, though. Batman: Rebirth is a standalone story much like the others which I think should be the case so that readers who only prefer to read Batsy's adventures and follow them religiously can just focus their energies on this title and other Bat-related titles as oppose to purchasing other titles with Rebirth stamped on it that had nothing to do with the Dark Knight. But I digress.

Interestingly enough, this was a collaborative work by Snyder and King. I suppose one can take it as the predecessor passing the torch to the successor symbolically here by writing a collaboration, and in some ways I think it works well. Overall, Rebirth wasn't exactly a stellar standalone. The small moments of dialogue and callbacks to classic roots are what made this issue great, but as a sum of all its other parts, Rebirth just didn't hold that much weight as a standalone. I liked it for those small moments, though. Such as the dialogue exchange between Bruce Wayne and Lucius Fox because it was funny (thanks to Fox's dry sense of humor and easy comebacks) as well as enlightening (how Fox managed to get Wayne Enterprises back from government control) if not entirely meta (how comics would usually have their billionaire heroes claim back their empires without that much difficulty).

Mike Janin's illustrations were invigorating to look at in spite of the darker color palette that made most of its panels muddy and not as polished as one might expect. We don't get to see Batman get into thrilling fight sequences here and instead he faced a singular foe in Calendar Man...who apparently has supernatural powers now? I don't have a problem that his characterization has changed because I believe it at least made him formidable enough, and the concept of him aging as seasons turn (and that means he dies by winter and gets reborn again in spring) was for me brilliant, but I sure hope we get an actual explanation about the sudden shift of his representation in canon. Speaking of characters, we're getting Duke Thomas as the new addition for this series. He's not entirely new, though, so to speak. He first appeared back in Zero Year when the Riddler shut off the power in Gotham City and challenged the citizens to 'get smart or die by natural selection' because as the Riddler, he gets to be an asshole. 

Zero Year is hands-down my most favorite story arc from Snyder's run, but even I have to research who Duke Thomas is again because I've forgotten all about him for a moment. What we all need to remember foremost is that Duke Thomas has the worst luck. After that debacle during Zero Year, he had also suffered during Endgame during Joker's crazed seige in Gotham. His parents were subjected to the mind-controlling gas. In the meantime, Bruce just offered Duke a place to stay in the mansion while they try to figure out how to reverse the effects of the gas. He also offered him a place by his side as Batman while he fights crime. Duke said he has no interest in becoming the next Robin and even quipped that 'Robin doesn't need a Batman' which is just rude. But Bruce countered that he wasn't offering to train Duke as Robin at all, so way to go on being presumptuous. I for one would like the last Robin to be Damian Wayne, so this is good news. And then Batman showed him a yellow outfit that Duke apparently has to wear now. I'm not sure how to feel about Duke for the time being. I wasn't happy about his snarky comment but I'll give him a pass.

The issue ends with Calendar Man being reborn once spring rolled around. So I guess we'll be seeing more of him and hopefully we finally get a reason why he has powers now all of a sudden. Bruce and Duke are training together by kicking trees which I believe is an improvement on subtlety for Bruce who was doing pull-ups on a skyscraper next to the helicopter pad during the first few pages of the issue. I mean, look...I'm a woman who digs Bruce/Batman very much so that piece of fanservice tickled my ovaries, don't get me wrong, but other than that why would Bruce Wayne even do something so exhibitionist which might only call to attention that he is Batman? My best guess is that it was done for the ladies because ladies read Batman comics too, and we totally would appreciate some shirtless superhero acrobatics thrown our way every now and then as we flip the pages. 

Now was there sarcasm laced within that appreciative statement of my gratitude on behalf of all women for Snyder and King (and Mike Janin most of all) who drew Bruce Wayne in tight black shorts as he hangs suspended on the skyscraper, all sexy perspiration and rippled muscles glistening under the golden sun? You will probably never know, nerds.

It just wouldn't be summer without a sexy Brucey hanging suspended thirty stories high of a skyscraper

RECOMMENDED: 7/10