You won't see Batman or Gotham or much of anything Zero Year related, but the new creative team gives readers a top-notch jumping on point and a hero who is dynamic and fun. Does it add much to the Zero Year story? No. Is it impressive in all other areas? Yes. Superman fans can rejoice.

This was a fun issue and apparently there's a lot more to it than meets the eye. If you want to add some variety to your pull list with something Bat-related that's also light and humorous then this would be a fine choice even though it may be askin

I'm just getting acquainted with a handful of the characters and each issue throws even more my way. This time we get a female Flash as well. And with the artwork losing its anime edge and the writing coming up short on laughs and overall frivolity I've totally lost

Flipping through it all again now…I would have to give it a 4 or 5/10. It doesn't add a whole lot to the Arkham City story at all. It doesn't feature anything you didn't piece together already by playing the game, anyway. And just by typical comic book standards, I have to say that this thing came out 5 months ago and I've already forgotten most of what happened here. None of the imagery or story is very memorable. But, next month's issue of Arkham Unhinged features Gordon and that was quite good and very memorable. I actually look forward to reading that again. Issue #1, however, can stay on the shelf.

It's being drawn out much too long and fails to capture the tone of the Arkhamverse, but it is still smartly written written and well-drawn. I just wish it felt more like a Batman story and felt more like something a reader who loved Arkham City would actually gravitate toward, otherwise this should have been a Legends of the Dark Knight piece. You'll want to start reading from issue #16 before jumping right into this one.

There are a couple of good lines here or there, but in the end almost nothing happened in this issue. It's boring. The Bookbinder storyline AND the Arkham Unhinged series has dragged on too long. It's well past time to end all of this and thankfully next month's issue will be the series' last.

Avoid it at all costs. Good riddance, Arkham Unhinged!

Overall, I found this issue to be pretty dull and it actually raised more questions than it answered. We see her dress up in a makeshift Batgirl costume and get a head nod from Batman, but what about after that? How did she become a part of Batman's team? The final pages give a quick montage of what happened after that fateful day at the GCPD (except for how Batman let her in the group) and shows that Batgirl retired prior to The Killing Joke but she doesn't explain why, “Story for another time.” she says. Of course, Barbara definitely was retired back in the old continuity before Alan Moore wrote The Killing Joke– but I don't remember why that was and now I wonder why she would want to be Batgirl now when she wanted to leave the mantle behind then. Oh well. I thought it was a pretty weak installment ofBatgirl, which is a shame because I was looking forward to this the zero issue the most.

Of all the characters in the Bat-family I've seen this September it's Barbara who I empathized with the most. I laughed as she awkwardly tried to keep up with her quirky new roommate and make friends. I believed in her during the opening home invasion scene even when she didn't believe in herself. Barbara Gordon is the most likable character in Gotham at the moment and I can't wait to see what happens in her life next month. This is a finely drawn, vividly colored, well written book that I highly recommend to every Bat-fan.

Spoilers There's a car accident and only one man survives. The casualties are his wife and twin daughters. Tragic right? How does he go on? He wishes he was dead himself. So, instead of killing himself he decides to wear a costume and do research into what people miraculously escaped death, like how he was pulled out of the burning car and lived. He then hunts those people down and kills them because if he thinks he's better off dead, then surely they will think they're better off dead, too. Right? Or is that an overly complicated motive for a serial villain? Either way, Barbara and the rest of the cast better not see where this guy is coming from. This is not a Mr. Freeze level sympathetic villain. This is villainous motivation requires Olympic gold medal winning mental gymnastics. If Mirror isn't acknowledged as being utterly insane in the next issue, this villain is going to all completely flat for me.

The art is still quite good except for a few action panels and a shot of Batgirl pulling a tag off her bike. The coloring, as always is very vibrant with plenty of pink and purple highlights. I like that, but it's still not the level of color that you get from Justice League, which is the comic equivalent to Skittles.

The final battle between Barbara and Mirror isn't going to make anyone's jaw drop, but it gets the job done and brings about a satisfying conclusion. And get ready for a surprise appearance on the final page that's sure to make fans of The Black Mirror raise an eyebrow as to whether or not their favorite Grayson as Batman tale has been retconned, already.

It's moments like this that make me wish DC had just rebooted Batman entirely. What a mess. Batgirl #5 was a solid read, especially if you enjoyed the first arc. If you were on the fence about the first one, I'd recommend giving this story a chance as it does have a better villain at the very least.

And with that" I think I'm done here. I honestly didn't think I would have that much to go on and on about since I enjoyed the book at first glance, but"here we are. Still, although I found a lot of things to complain about in the end, I enjoyed this book. That's probably hard to believe after that list of nerdrage, but it's true. I guess it's because Barbara and Batman are so damn likeable in this issue and the flashback moments show us a tender side of Batman that we never get to see anymore. Those scenes were touching and made me a bit sentimental. On the first reading I was able to set aside all these complaints about villains and grievances about what is or isn't canon and just enjoy the ride. If you can do that, you're probably going to like this issue, too because it's a very fun book with characters that you actually care about. It just needs fewer captions that state the obvious and way, way better villains.

I thought it was a weak issue. One that manages to clear up a few things and set up a potentially amazing follow-up issue, but a pretty weak issue none the less.

It's not a bad looking issue and it's a very ambitious issue, but I hated pretty much every minute of it. The art, which was good, can't even persuade me to give it a higher score. I can't recommend it.

If you don't question any of the action on these pages, you'll have an alright experience. It's well drawn, vividly colored, and action packed. But if you think about what you're reading for just a little bit I don't see how you could enjoy this. “Batgirl” #9 should have been the very best of all of the Night of the Owl crossover issues but instead it's one big missed opportunity. I will say that the origins of the Talon in this issue are kind of interesting. It's a story that dates back to 1944 and shows us how yet another child was taken under the wing of The Court of Owls. Those 4 pages however, are not worth $2.99 and the characters in those pages didn't even matter to the greater story being told. At all. I say skip this one and if Batgirl doesn't clean up its act soon– drop the series from your pull-list entirely.

Overall, it's an entertaining issue that even has a cameo by another famous DC female. Besides Barb's weirdly shaped head on the cover, the art within is consistent with what you usually see from “Batgirl” however, the purple coloring is getting to be a way over-used. I wouldn't rush out and buy this if you're only a casual fan, but if you love Barbara then this is shaping up to be one of the better arcs in this series so far.

This is the most fun I've had reading a “Batgirl” comic since the launch, but I could do without all the super-powered foes. It seems like that's the only kind of enemy Batgirl fights anymore.

When it comes right down to it all that happened was that the girls fought among themselves, then they fought the bad guys for a bit, and then the issue ended in an abrupt cliffhanger. Like I said, there's a lot of action and it sets up a few things to come, but it's a stepping stone between issue #11 and #13 rather than being a notable chapter all its own.

So I guess in the end I either wanted real closure in this issue before Death of the Family starts or for the Knightfall arc to go on a bit longer with the new and exciting developments that occur on the final pages.

Batgirl #14 is a must-read for any fan of Barbara's and a great tie-in to the Death of the Family event. But perhaps best of all, it's new reade

I could say more but I don't want to spoil anything and frankly I'm rather exhausted from writing about a thousand words already and doing a 2,000 word Batman review. I think my reviews have been too long winded for a while now and I should rein it in a little. Or a lot. I'll just wrap things up by getting straight to the point and send you on your way: Batgirl #15 is an entertaining read, but it features an unnecessary flashback, art that doesn't fit the

It's not a terrible comic and even with it having a fill-in artist halfway through I though that the artwork was an improvement over issue #15. It's just that it had so much squandered potential. A Batgirl and Joker wedding is such a twisted and fun idea and it was all tossed out the window so another cha

The things that occur in this issue are executed well enough but they aren't very interesting. I thought I was getting a confrontation between Batgirl and Jim Jr. but

I don't recommend picking it up. The art by Sampere, Hunter, and BiOND is good and the final three pages are important for what's to come, but overall this felt like filler to me. The narration was a chore to read, the villain Firebug was very uninteresting, and if you're picking it up for some sentimentality due to “REQUIEM” being written on the cover you're going to be very disappointed.

I'm glad to see the James Jr. thing finally come to an end (it's been going on for far too long and I never got the sense he actually wanted to do anything. Too much talk, not enough action) and there are some pretty interesting new developments that should lead to more complicated Batgirl stories in the future. But I have a great distaste for this portrayal of James Jr. and how overly violent this and Batman: The Dark Knight have been. I'm happy to see Simone back on the title, but I wish the series would lighten up a bit. Judging by the cover of the upcoming blood-soaked Ventriloquist arc… I don't see that happening.

If you're in favor of this series getting even darker and have no problem with magic in your Bat-comics then you're definitely, without a doubt, going to enjoy this book WAY more than I did. But for me, I was ready for it to be over at the half-way mark. I'm sick and tired of seeing Barbara cry. I want this series to take note from the recent changes in Nightwing and make the stories more fun. We never come out of these horrible situations feeling triumphant, there's always more doom and gloom and crippling self doubt around the corner.

So, yeah, it was a huge improvement over the last issue! I'm liking the new artist and the cover by Alex Garner is fantastic. Overall the Ventriloquist didn't make for a very good 2-part story, but at least it had an entertaining finale even if we still know almost nothing about the villain.

While there are quite a few hiccups and the Gordon vs. Batgirl plot is kind of clunky, there's more good than bad in this issue of Batgirl and I'd prefer to look on the sunny side. Yes, Barbara will cry at some point in this issue, but it's not as overwhelmingly gloomy as previous installments nor is it a gory episode either. We actually get some tender and humorous moments here and if there's more of that to come, well that is an encouraging thought.

It's the most tense and tragic issue of Batgirl yet but you need to care about Barbara's new boyfriend Ricky and believe the questionable characterization of Jim Gordon for it to be totally effective and those are things that I struggle with.

This issue gets a “meh.” and a shrug from me. There's some decent action, it's well drawn, and we even have some surprise cameos, but too many nonsensical things happened that made me shake my head. This series does a good job of making the Gordons look tough, but they sure aren't smart.

This is a very human story with a few good moments in it and some nice artwork here and there, but in the end I found it to repeat some of the same beats as Batgirl #0 and ultimately be really unnecessary. I would have much rather had the final part of the Batgirl: Wanted Saga but unfortunately that tale continues to be as disjointed as possible. It's only a 3-part story and yet it's been interrupted not once, but twice.

Long overdue, “Ambush” has its problems but it rises above them to become the best finale any New 52 Batgirl story has had to date.

I was really underwhelmed by this one. I liked that Gail Simone explored the effect Gotham's villains have on the lives of average citizens, but the Batgirl title once again goes too dark, features a great cover but lackluster interiors, and as a tie-in issue it doesn't offer anything substantial to the Gothtopia event.It's not terrible, but I think you can skip it. It's filler.

It's a good jumping on point, the villain has potential and there are some fun moments with Babs and Strix. On the downside, there are some questionable art choices here and there and there are a number of things that currently make no sense and if the next chapter in this 2-part story doesn't clear things up then this will have all been a big waste of time. Batgirl #28 is good… but the next issue is going to be a gamble.

The conclusion to this 2-part filler storyline involving vampire hunters had me laughing my butt off. It's both intentionally and unintentionally funny and for that I don't know whether to give it a high score because it's “so bad it's good” or a poor score because it's just so ridiculous and pointless. I'll just give it a middle-of-the-road score. Buy it at your own risk.

Batgirl #30 is an unnecessary done-in-one issue by a fill-in creative team, but it has its moments of fast-paced fun and humorous one-liners. The problem is when the heavy-handed writing attempts to address events in Forever Evil, but can't. With all of Barbara's talk about how much she misses Dick Grayson, you still won't know if he's alive or dead by the end of this issue– just that the's missing. The requiem is wasted and serves as a distraction from the potential fun of facing down the monster called The Midnight Man.

It's a so-so story, but it's a good jumping-on point for new readers and it features a fun villain.

If it were cheaper I'd give it a better score, but it's too expensive" especially on a day with so many great comics. Seriously, there are a lot of really good Halloween themed books out today.

This over-sized issue is as much Poison Ivy's story as it is Batgirl's. The comic features some spectacular visuals and a seasonal theme that dissects the frequent change of allegiance and temperament we've seen from the villain in recent years. It'll also make you wish Gail Simone was writing Birds of Prey. However, Ivy's interest in the story's antagonist gets a convoluted, there's a very noticeable transition between artists, and the comic does feature a really awful moment reminiscent of David Finch's “You can call me One-Face now!” from Batman: The Dark Knight.

I loved it. Does the Nostalgia aspect have a chance of wearing off? Sure. But for right now this was an amazing comic that recaptures the look and feel of the Adam West show and that's exactly what I wanted. If you're a fan of the original series then I can't see how you could possibly be disappointed by this. Batman '66 is definitely worth every Batman fan's time. One of the funniest and well-illustrated books I've read this year. Jeff Parker and Jonathan Case did an amazing job.

The Penguin story is a bit of a letdown, but the book is lifted back up again with a wild Circe & Chandell back-up story that once again features Jonathan Case's artwork. This is a done-in-one adventure once again so if you haven't checked out Batman '66 yet (and I highly recommend you pick up issue #1– I gave it a 10/10) then now's the time to hop aboard and do the batusi.

Both stories were very enjoyable, but it was the Egghead episode that had me laughing out loud. This is a great series with great artwork and no fan of the classic TV series should miss it.

Yet another fantastic issue in what's quickly becoming one of my most anticipated bat-titles!

The Sandman story is brilliant. You've seen the “Dark Knight trapped in an illusion” story a million times now, but I bet you've never seen Adam West's Batman trapped in an illusion! It's exactly what you'd want it to be and personally I thought it was fantastic. The back-up story featuring Batgirl, however isn't quite as fun and is what dropped the score down a tad, but a very, very small tad.

I see issue #6 as the first installment of Batman '66 that can be skipped.

It's not as funny as previous issues, but Parker makes great use of False Face and Peyer's exploration of just how much work goes into being the Joker made for a charming short story. Issue #7 isn't one of the strongest chapters in this series, but it's definitely a step back in the right direction after the weak Bookworm adventure.

I would've liked a few more laughs and there was a loose-end leftover from the King Tut story, but these episodes were definitely some of the most imaginative in the comic's run so far and the artwork is some of the best you'll see this month.

I thought this was a really entertaining read. I especially liked the unconventional villain choices! If you want to get some bang for your buck and are a fan of the classic TV series then you won't regret picking up this issue with not one but 2 lively adventures. Out of all the many, many Batman titles,Batman '66definitely brings something different to the table.

Issue #10 features the best adventure that the '66 Mr. Freeze ever had and offers a Batgirl solo-adventure that's just as entertaining. I felt that the Mr. Freeze portion was over a bit too quickly, but that's one of the only complaints I have. This was a fun and hilarious ride with gorgeous artwork. A great book for new readers to pick up on Free Comic Book Day. Note: This issue was originally intended to be read as a DC2 Motion Comic so you might get an even greater experience by reading the comic online!

The cliffhanger aggravated me and something in the backup definitely left me scratching my head, but I know I'll find myself going back to closely examine all of the early tech Bruce had lying around his original base of operations, I'll be reading what is one of the best Tim Drake moments in years–without a doubt this past year– again, and there are a lot of really great character moments that I know I'll revisit. Issue #0 even with its flaws is an immensely fun and re-readable issue for Batman fans.

There's plenty of adventure in the first half of this book, but it's not a stand-alone episode. No, it is clear by the end of Batman #1 that Snyder is building a mystery that's going to span across a few issues. Which is a good thing because if it's anything like #1 we're in for a heck of a ride! Snyder and Capullo's Batman earns a 10/10 from me because it shows off everything I love about Batman and gets me excited about the future. This is a definite buy. I even picked up the variant cover!

I love the art except for that one jarring scene and the similarities between Bruce and March, the story has all the elements that make a great Batman story, and the sepia tone Gotham (think Batman Begins) and the cool blue hued Batcave are nice touches. And I'm a little less excited about this book since we're doing the secret society business, again. But the way Snyder builds on the history of Gotham, shows off Batman's latest gadgets and brings spot-on characterization to Bruce/Batman and Gordon while also delivering an action packed finale"it's just a damn fine comic.

And with that, I'm all out of pedantic criticisms. How creepy were those white owl masks, by the way? What do you think the Court of Owls is up to? How will Batman survive the explosive finale? Tune in next time! Same Bat-time, same Bat "channel.

Plus, if you've been reading Capullo's Twitter account, it sounds like things are about to get crazy-awesome so you better come aboard now before you miss out on something spectacular.

By all means, try it out. Buy an issue of Batman #5 and hand it to someone who neither knows nor cares about Batman comics and then write back to me with the results. We could do a whole article featuring everyone's success stories.Read more: http://batman-news.com/2012/01/18/new-52-batman-5-review/#ixzz1u71GtU3Z

Another fine issue that everyone should read. Everyone. It's intense, the artwork is top notch, and its final pages mark a very big step toward the upcoming Night of the Owls crossover event.

It's another entertaining issue and it looks incredible, but whereas issue #6 felt like a dark conclusion to “The Court of Owls” arc, this issue, seemed to serve as a prologue setting up “Night of the Owls” and as a jumping-on point for new readers who need to know the events so far. And if you enjoyed the twist at the end of this issue, then you should probably check out issue #7 of “Nightwing” as well. That book has the same final pages as “Batman” but it's all taken from Dick's perspective.

I really can't recommend this book enough so I'll stop here. I think I got my point across that this is a great bat-book, a great comic in general, and a fine example of what sort of value you should get from a $3.99 title.

Get it. It's great as always and its only majorhindranceis the lost time caused by the “Detective Comics” tie-in. Honestly, how could you turn down a new batmobile, a T-Rex, Pennyworth(s), use of the word “Vengeance”, and Batman vs. an undead horde?

The last act had some definite problems and I have major issues with big reveal, but this is an absolute must-read and in that way it's a 10/10. If you've been reading the Owls storyline this long then you might as well see how it wraps up and if you haven't, then you'll want to give this a gander just so you can see what everyone is talking about. The artwork of the main story combined with the back-up story's art by Albuquerque might be worth the price of admission alone.

Now that it's over and I can look at these 11 issues as one big whole, I think it's a Batman story that we're still going to be talking about years from now.

It's a fun issue mildly hurt by a jarring art shift and then a ridiculous and very rushed finale (which I covered in the spoiler section. It's a fun scene if you don't think about it too much) but overall, I enjoyed this issue. I like Harper Row a lot. I think she's a great character and I think this is a wonderful one-shot issue that you can pick up and get the whole story all in one sitting. Very satisfying. Quality one-shots are few and far between nowadays. Interesting new characters are even more rare.

Issue #13 has a fun cover, a scary atmosphere, cool cameos by members of the batfamily, and it's a great jumping on point for new readers. Most importantly though, it's going to get people excited about Batman and spark intense fan discussion. This is a must-buy but I went back and forth on giving it either an 8.5 or a 9/10. Not that the scores really matter much, they're pretty arbitrary. Gordon, Batman and the cops were nerfed and the backup was disappointing but there are so many amazing Joker moments in this that I can't NOT love it.

I think that the whole issue plays out rather perfectly and you might even find yourself giving into the hype that this could very well be the next great Joker story. Every Batman fan should be reading Death of the Family and if you haven'

Another great issue that's sure to be one of the main highlights of December, it just doesn't reach the heights of the issues that came before it. There are moments that feel very tedious to those of us who have been reading all of the tie-ins in addition to Snyder'sBatmanand there's one moment that made me wonder if Batman had learned anything at all from his encounter with the Court of Owls. The opening and closing pages are very haunting, the fight on the bridge was cool, the artwork is as rich as ever, and it features one of the best back-up stories so far. Issue #15 is a necessary breather before things get really crazy and judging by the way this issue ends, issue #16 is definitely going to be someth

Just when I'm at my worst point of Joker fatigue and exhaustion from all the tie-ins, Snyder and Capullo push the plot forward and remind me that the core of this event really is something worth getting excited for. I can't see

Expectations were simply too high for this book! Death of the Family is a good and very creepy Joker story with an unnecessary detail about Joker cutting off his face. It shouldn't have been sold to as anything more than that. Appreciate it for what it is.

Yes, you'll want to read it because everyone will be talking about it and discussing such a big development is fun but I found the comic itself to just be okay at best. It's definitely not something I will want to re-read again anytime soon.It's like a 6.5 or a 7/10 for me. Somewhere around there if these arbitrary scores mean anything to you? Not that it really matters though. Let's be honest, this thing is going to sell-out no matter what due to the Damian/Requiem hype and that lovely cover. You'll want to buy it up quick because otherwise it'll be on eBay for an outrageous mark-up.

It's great to have a smaller story for a change, especially one that has such great detective work and a Clayface who is actually a formidable opponent. The backup, while not my cup of tea (extended DCU + ghosts), will surely serve as a fun team-up to those who like the Batman/Superman dynamic. I say pick this issue up. It looks to be a very entertaining 2-parter before we jump into the massive Zero Year.

Issue #20 is a really fun conclusion with artwork that's worth the cover price alone. Scott Snyder does a fine job of delivering plenty of action and a heartfelt ending that brings us full circle to the opening pages of issue #19. I wish that more attention had been given to Clayface's motivations but it didn't bring down my enjoyment of this simple story too much. What made the comic drag for me was the backup. I detest the backup. So enjoy this last action-filled episode of Batman in modern Gotham with Snyder, Capullo, and the gang. Next month the series heads to “Zero Year” where it will stay for a full 11 months.

There are a few changes that might bother me in the future, but, as it stands, Zero Year is off to an amazing start. Not only does it live up to the hype, but I would go so far as to say it's one of the best issues of Snyder'sBatman yet. Look out for the embossed cover but the variant by Jock is really awesome too. An absolute must-buy comic.

It's a must-buy. Great artwork, great appearance by Edward Nygma, memorable scene between Bruce and Alfred, dazzling action sequences… it's a pretty fantastic issue all around. Some readers might find the whole thing to be moving a little slowly, be disappointed by the lack of attention to the other two timelines, or they could get aggravated by how issue #0 doesn't seem to sync up with these new events but all in all I think any Batman fan should be able to pick this issue up and find something to appreciate and plenty to talk about.

With such a long review you might think I didn't like this thing, but I did. It's just that this is an incredibly important piece of the Batman mythology we're dealing with here so I have a lot to say. Batman #23 is a must-buy for any Batman fan who wants in on the discussion and any comic fan who loves great artwork. Do I think that the changes made here improved on the Batman origin? Not really but it's not too drastic to keep me from enjoying this story. There weren't as many surprises this issue because it repeats a lot of beats from previous origin stories, but I think that we can expect big things to come, especially from The Riddler.

I doubt there's a better drawn Villains Month comic out today, but the story here is not only pointless but there are many who will view this as Andy Kubert breaking the Cardinal rule of Joker stories– you don't give him an origin. I think if you can assume that the memory is fabricated then what you get is a really insane tale about a homicidal maniac raising a Gorilla to be a henchman, which is just as strange as it sounds. Andy Clarke gets some spectacular visuals out of that but the story being told is not a memorable one you'll find yourself revisiting in the future.

Riddler #1 is a great one-shot with a satisfying ending that defines the character.

Of all the Batman villain books I've read this month, Penguin #1 feels the least like it takes place in a Gotham on the verge of a great Arkham War. It doesn't really feel affected by Forever Evil at all and it could have easily taken place outside of this event entirely. Penguin #1 stands not as an origin story (we saw enough of that in Pain & Prejudice) or a Forever Evil tie-in, but as just a pretty good Penguin one-shot. And that's okay.

It's an alright read if you're unfamiliar with the character, but I think most Batman fans will give this issue a rather lukewarm reception. Those who are heavily into continuity will find the numerous discrepancies between Bane #1 and Forever Evil #1 to be incredibly frustrating. Like many Villains month books, it's a good time for those who are just meeting these characters for the first time, but longtime fans will likely shrug Bane #1 off as a filler episode.

While this marks the conclusion of the first Zero Year story, I can wholeheartedly recommend it to any Batman fan. It's a great finale but oddly enough a great stand-alone issue as well that I think many fans will read over and over again. It's incredibly exciting and the artwork is some of the best you'll see this year.

Despite there being surprisingly little Riddler in the first chapter of “Dark City” there are more than enough surprises on hand as well as an intriguing mystery that will get readers very excited about what's to come. I find some of the horror elements to be a bit over-the-top and i'm not a fan of the design of Batman's first car, but putting those nitpicks aside this was a very engaging read.

It's still better than the average bat-comic, but I can't guarantee it'll knock your socks off quite like previous Zero Year chapters. Frankly, it feels like there's too much story for so few pages– something that's all the more noticeable now that the back-up short is gone and we're coming off an over-sized issue. You'll fly through this comic in no-time.

Issue #27 will definitely get readers excited about the climax of “Dark City,” it's just too bad that it'll take 2 months for that finale to get here. Yes, this chapter gets too wordy and I have a few other nitpicks here and there regarding Gordon and a certain villain, but this was a really rich comic with jaw-dropping artwork, great action, and a number of noteworthy references to classic stories from Year One to The Dark Knight Returns.

It's a teaser comic so it's stocked with loads of surprises accompanied by precious little context. You'll be confused, but it's a good kind of confusion that piques the curiosity and sparks fun discussion. However, you'll have to wait until April to get any answers and see the journey continue so be ready to discuss what comics may come for a good long while. Issue #28 is more of an advertisement than a stand-alone story, but it definitely entertains.

Capullo, Miki, and FCO exceeded expectations with the artwork and expectations were exceedingly high. However, the story of Batman's first major failure was a bit of a disappointment for me as much of it felt like we were going through the motions of trying to tie together all the loose ends from previous issues and catch-up with the flash-forward from issue #21.

It's definitely different! Whatever parallels could be drawn between Zero Year and Year One are thrown out the window in the first issue of Act III: Savage City, which has more in common with I Am Legend than any Batman origin story.

This isn't an important or necessary chapter in the Night of the Owls. It adds nothing of importance to that overall story. It also isn't a Batman Annual so much as it is a Mr. Freeze reboot that's incredibly divisive. It's sure to spark a really interesting discussion among fans, however, and for that reason you should probably check it out so you can join in on the debate because there are plenty of good points to be made on both sides of the argument.Read more: http://batman-news.com/2012/05/30/batman-annual-1-review/#ixzz22PnlOQeM

Midway through the book I was just ready for it to end. It's way too wordy, I found the villain uninteresting, and the artwork by Wes Craig is a major step down in quality compared to what we get on a monthly basis from Capullo.Spending $5 (yes, it's an annual so it's $5) to watch Batman get the crap beat out of him by an old lady with Martian Manhunter powers isn't all that appealing to me and when the cover is the very best aspect of a book, it's really not worth it.

The artwork is going to blow a lot of people away even if the artist couldn't finish the entire book. However, the story itself is sporadic and poses a lot of unanswered questions that will leave readers confused until issue #2 comes out next month. Lastly, $3.99 for only 25 pages of content is upsetting. You'll be done reading this comic in no time at all and if you're like me, you won't exactly be upset but you'll be scratching your head and wishing the next installment was out already so you could make a better judgment of what it was you just read.

If you liked the last issue then you're going to love this one and if you just thought the first issue was okay (like I did) then this is going to be a step up for sure. There's plenty of material here that will make you smile and it has an ending that will supply you with more than enough to talk about.

I don't think Jae Lee is the right fit for this book, the actual Earth 2/Darkseid plot could pick up the pace, and some action scenes were really pointless but the flashback to the first time Earth 2 Bruce and Clark met is must-reading. Absolute must-reading. That portion of the book is beautifully written by Greg Pak and beautifully illustrated by Yildiray Cinar, who I would rather see draw the entire comic.

It's not bad but it felt like we were just going through the motions since everyone knew there would be a mind-wipe scenario from the get-go. Once the Earth 2 Batmen and Supermen met and had their fun character moments the story really seemed to run out of steam. Fans of Jae Lee's art will find this issue the most rewarding, but I found it to be the weakest chapter in the 4-part opener. The build-up was enjoyable, but the pay-off left me rather disappointed.

I would describe it as only “mildly entertaining.” It was a very middle-of-the-road issue for me and I didn't find anything to be terribly engaging but I also didn't find anything all that bad either. The cliffhanger only left me slightly curious about what's to come in the next installment.

I found it to be thoroughly mediocre. If you enjoyed issue #5 and are looking for over-the-top action then you'll probably like it, but otherwise I'd say skip it and wait for a better storyline.

The conclusion to one of the most outlandish storylines I've reviewed in some time is rather unfulfilling. Most of the comic is made up of a Batman vs. Superman fight scene that goes nowhere and the real conflict between Mongul, the gamers, the nanobots in Batman's body, and all that pollen is shrugged off in just a few speech bubbles worth of exposition.

It's fun but fleeting. We have all these heroes pulling together to fight a bad guy who is completely forgettable and I wish that the interactions between Huntress and Batman were more meaningful. Some of the more humorous exchanges and Jae Lee's stylistic artwork should be enough to satisfy many fans– and I suspect many of you will be buying this for Jae Lee's art alone– but after reading Part II in Worlds' Finest#20 I would advise caution before getting too excited about this crossover event. Batman/Superman #8 is a decent comic, but I just don't get the sense that “First Contact” is leading anywhere special.

I didn't enjoy myself at all while reading this, but a big part of that is likely because I already knew the ending and knew that whatever I read here was only going to lead to something terrible so all of issue #9′s potential was soured by the early release of chapter 4 a month ago. So I'm tossing a few extra points in its direction because I know many of you love Jai Lee's art and I'm acknowledging I went into this issue with a negative attitude. Still, it's not a good score (anything I give under a 5 should probably be ignored) and I absolutely do not recommend Chapter Three or the four-partFirst Contact arc as a whole.

It's a fun filler-issue, especially if you're a fan of Ray Palmer as The Atom, but on the downside Batman and Superman don't do a whole lot, the artwork is inconsistent, and, well, it's a filler-issue. NOTE: Its ending does potentially set up a future storyline, but who knows for sure?

It's a great Annual issue that anyone can pick up and one of the best issues of Batman/Superman to date. There are a few minor missteps here or there, but this was definitely a fun read that I highly recommend.

I think that this is a great issue for those who are just getting into Batman comics and need to know who need an introduction to Damian. But there is nothing here for loyal readers and because of that I was disappointed.

Batman and Robin #1 is well paced book with a small dose of action, great dialogue, a memorable new villain, and great work by the art team. This story may not have a lot of plot (though it's clearly setting up something big in future issues), it makes up for it by applying heavy focus to the characters and their relationship with one another. If you haven't been keeping up with the Batman books over the past year or so you may be very confused by the opening pages, but I think the Bruce/Damian material is handled carefully enough that even if it does raise questions none of them will be overly distracting. This issue is a definite buy.

So, I liked the characterization for the most part, I liked the new villain, and I liked the art (minus the overuse of blank backgrounds). What I didn't care for was the brevity of the story. It took no time at all to read.

And NAME THE DOG!!!

Batman & Robin #4 is a mesmerizing, action packed, yet deeply personal tale that every reader should pick up this week.

The pace has definitely slowed down and the action is nowhere near the levels of the last issue, but it's a very, very good read and a necessary one that builds upon both Bruce's history and strengthens the character of Nobody, who, if he doesn't get killed off in the next few issues, could be a great new Batman rogue. I highly recommend this book.

This book features a very formidable, deceptive villain with clear motivations, a lot of twists and turns that some may see coming but are fun none the less, wonderful artwork (Mick Gray and John Kalisz do a fantastic job with the coloring in different levels of shadow in each unique locale), a satisfying cliffhanger (if there is such a thing), and adds a welcome new chapter to Bruce's past.

It's pretty forgettable, but far better than this week's “Batgirl” or last week's “Detective Comics” entry to the Night of the Owls saga. Also, on a side note, I think it's time comics retired the sound effect “fap” it has an unfortunate connotation now that makes for some unintentionally funny moments.

Overall, it's a fun issue. It could have been better, but it's nice to see Batman take a break so we can watch his allies take the reins for a bit, especially Tim who has been a pretty worthless character so far in the New 52 and it's nice to be reminded he still exists and has a role to play.

This isn't a great issue, and it deserves a lower score than I'm giving it BUT those opening pages were so enjoyable and the some of the visuals were so cool that I would be ashamed to give it below a…

Overall it's quite a mess. I mean, there is some cool art, the full page shot of Batman flying in front of the sun is really awesome to behold but the story is terrible. The Born to Kill saga was well orchestrated, but this arc feels like it was sloppily thrown together at the last minute. A glass helmet and a loin cloth? Really?

In the end I just asked myself "Does it feel like a Batman story?" It doesn't. "Do I care what happens next with Damian and the zombies?" I don't. And I think that's got a lot to do with how the book can't decide if it wants to be taken seriously or if it wants to be the fun comic.

If this comic wanted to be about zombies, it should've strove for a more adventure tone. Zombies and Batman don't mix naturally so if you want to do it you better bring the fun so we Bat-fans can just sit back and have a blast watching Batman and Robin battle the undead. This 2-part story was absolutely joyless. Batman & Robin needs a good story and fast. It's quickly becoming the weakest of the Batman titles.

Make sure you read this and make sure you read it after Batman #15. This is the best issue of Batman & Robin in a long time and I know a lot of you have dropped this series recently. Now is the time to give it another chance. Tomasi, Gleason, Gray, and Kalisz all brought the

There's not a lot under the surface here. Last issue we had shocking, creepy, and creative imagery and good dialogue. This time we have shot after shot of a fake Batman trying to throttle Robin followed by variations on the lines "Hahahahaa" and "Stop fighting, it's me Robin!" all leading up to a final teaser page that's one big advertisement for Batman #17.

Anyway, Batman and Robin #17 is a must-read. It's dark, disturbing, funny, lighthearted, triumphant, trippy, and although it's a very quick read it's a pretty satisfying one. Coming up with an ending for a comic that's just 3 dream sequences can't be easy, but I think Tomasi pulled it off okay by going the heart-warming route. In fact, I'd be totally on board for Batman and Robin becoming the feel-good title, but if the rumors hold true about upcoming Batman

Batman and Robin is a terrific series to read right now. Between this, the last issue, and the Annual, I would even go so far as calling it my current favorite of all the Bat-titles. Issue #18 is such a superbly illustrated, emotional comic that I'll likely flip through it a few more times before the week is out. Nearly all of the bat-titles feature the "Requiem" tagline this month but no other comic will make you feel the pain of loss as hard as Batman and Robin #18.

Batman & Red Robin #19 does a fine job of balancing 3 guest stars and giving Batman fans PLENTY to discuss. The artwork is fantastic, there are loads of surprises, and you'll see Batman at his absolute most cold, calculating, and desperate interacting with characters you couldn't have imagined would ever show up in this or any other Batman series. Will this interpretation of Batman put some readers off? Yes. And the ending does come rather abruptly as if Tomasi ran out of pages to explore these rich themes and heaven knows Tim Drake should've had more facetime but I still highly recommend you give this one a chance. It's also a done-in-one story so anybody can pick it up.

Overall I was disappointed. For an issue titled “Rage” there really wasn't very much of it. Sure, there are some punches thrown between friends, but it lacked the brutality to back up such a heavy theme. It was a battle that didn't look any worse than the average sparring match you see in the cave and the dialogue didn't have much punch to it either. Combine that with how annoyed I was with Carrie Kelly and we have something that let me down. It's not a bad comic, by far, but the series has been flying high since the annual and with a cover as jaw-dropping as this one I was hoping for something at least half as amazing to be in the book's interior. However, I will say that the final page of this comic has me, again, pretty hyped to see what comes next as we explore the bargaining stage with Batgirl.

I finished it and said “Yikes. That was awful.” There are some really nice Batgirl moments in the first half of the comic but I hated everything else.

It's a must-read if you love the Batman/Catwoman dynamic and a nice done-in-one issue but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't ready for this grieving process to be over so we can finally get to the Two-Face arc.

Batman & Nightwing is a very poignant issue that I think every Batman fan should read. This is an absolute must-buy for its story as well as its art and it's told in a way that anyone can pick it up whether they've read the previous 4 installments or not.

I don't think anyone who is a fan of Two-Face will be disappointed by this issue.

Well-done. Not only does James Tynion IV do a fine job of reintroducing us to the Court of Owls and remind us of how scary they are, but he manages to get us excited about what's to come in Talon as well. Not all of the spooky tales about the Court are a home run and we don't learn any more about the Court's motivations, but I think most of what you find here is very entertaining and a cut above most other Villains Month titles. And the artwork by Jorge Lucas is absolutely perfect for this collection of horror stories.

James Tynion IV reminds us why Ra's al Ghul is one of the greatest villains in the DC Universe and gets readers excited about what's to come in Red Hood and the Outlaws.

It's a sharp looking book, but I found the nonlinear structure to be ineffective. Had the story focused more on the mystery behind Killer Croc's relationship with a certain police officer from the opening page then that drama would've propelled the reader through the entire issue and made for a more satisfying conclusion. Instead, the frequent narrative jumps come off a bit sloppy and the origin of Killer Croc is too similar to what we already saw in Derek Fridolfs' Arkham Unhinged #8 just under a year ago. If you don't know Croc's origin and missed out on Fridolf's version then this is worth picking up, but it's skippable otherwise.

Upon finishing this issue I let out a long “Hmmmmmmmmm.” I'm still not sure how I feel about the new take on Two-Face's origin and I doubt that'll change until this 5-part story is over. Part 1, however, definitely has my attention and I recommend others pick it up so they can get in on the discussion. This story has a lot of potential.

From the Batman: The Animated Series-esque cover to Alfred's hilarious closing remark, Batman and Two-Face #25 was a fun issue full of great surprises, action, mystery, and really cool imagery. There wasn't as much Two-Face as I would have liked and there's a jarring transition during a flashback sequence, but overall this was an enjoyable read that I highly recommend.

This is shaping up to be one of the best arcs in the series so far and I'm about ready to declare Erin McKillen as the most interesting new bat-character of 2013.

Issue #27 is a good crime comic with great artwork and it left me wanting more, but it also makes some questionable changes to Harvey Dent's origin.

As a whole, the New 52 Harvey Dent origin came up short" there just wasn't enough Harvey Dent until the final chapter. But this issue proves that the re-imagining could have been great if Tomasi and his team had provided 1-2 more parts that paid greater attention to Harvey than his attacker, McKillen, who stole the show from "Batman & Two-Face" and had the greatest arc of them all.

This was a lot of fun and I appreciated how it wasted zero time jumping directly into the action and introducing Aquaman, who, by the way, turned out to make perfect sense as a co-star in this issue! I think this is a promising start to an all-new arc where Ra's and Batman play cat and mouse across the globe and it serves as a long-overdue followup to the events of Batman Inc. #13.

It's not quite as thrilling as issue #29 and that's because it follows almost the exact same formula and ends without any major change to the status quo. There's a lot of great action and plenty of fun to be had by DC fans, but it feels like we saw something almost identical a few weeks ago. Those interested in reading the ongoing Wonder Woman comic should give this issue a look because unlike the Aquaman issue, much of this comic is spent familiarizing the reader with what's been going on in our guest star's own New 52 adventures.

It's a must read. I think I'll probably flip through my copy again even before I bag and board it, it's that delightful of an experience. I had a smile on my face the whole time I was reading it and I think that it just might be my favorite comic from this month. Believe me, I'm usually pretty bitter about having to pay five bucks for a single issue but I have no complaints about this one at all. It's an essential read for fans of Damian and those who love these characters and think that they deserve some happiness in their lives.

Peter J. Tomasi created another great annual issue well worth the premium price. It's a fun and heartfelt done-in-one story told well through Doug Mahnke's visuals. I had a few minor criticisms here and there, but I gotta say, it's a must-buy for fans of the Boy Wonder– whether your favorite sidekick was Dick Grayson or Damian Wayne.

Batman Beyond 2.0 raises a lot of exciting questions about what happened during the one year gap and it takes what was once more of a background character and makes him a lot more dangerous. Justice League Beyond 2.0 on the other hand doesn't take any chances at all and feels like a Superman story we've all seen before. The book also comes with a really amazing cover by Sean Murphy and Jordie Bellaire that blows every Batman Beyond Unlimited cover out of the water.

With Justice League Beyond stepping it up a notch and Batman Beyond 2.0 delivering even more surprises, this issue is a must-buy for fans of this universe.

Holy hell, there was a lot of action in both stories included in this comic. And we're not talking action against no-name baddies, if you love the villains of Batman Beyond and Superman: The Animated Series then you'll want to pick this one up immediately.

This isn't a new-reader friendly issue since both Justice League and Batman Beyond are wrapping up their opening storylines, but what frequent readers get is one very action packed issue that's mostly satisfying. The Justice League Beyond comic is fantastic and ended its arc strong and with a great surprise that I didn't see coming. Batman Beyond, while fun, felt rushed and I think that we could've gotten another issue out of that tale, easily.

I liked one story more than the other, but overall this is a dense, action-packed read that introduces quite a few classic characters to the Beyond Universe. This is a great jumping on point that still feels the aftershock of what happened in the previous, epic storylines.

I definitely enjoyed Batman Beyond 2.0 far more than Justice League 2.0, but at the end of the day this is a highly entertaining comic for fans of Bruce Timm's cartoons.

It's not a new-reader friendly issue by any means, but if you've been keeping up with these two stories from the beginning then I think you're going to be heavily rewarded.

Although this comic features 2 finales, it's not entirely inaccessible to readers. The short story “Reunion” is not only readable for any fan of Batman Beyond and Batman The Animated Series, but it's the best story in the entire issue (Justice League‘s ending was overkill and Batman Beyond‘s lacked impact after a one month break following the emotional setup of issue #7). Also, it's important to note that Justice League Beyond‘s climax plants the seeds for the upcoming “Justice Lords” crossover between both Batman Beyond 2.0 and Justice League Beyond 2.0.

It's a decent jumping-on point and a dense read that gives you plenty of bang for your buck– just be sure you're very knowledgeable about your Animated DC Universe. If you're a big fan of Justice League: The Animated Series or Batman Beyond then this is something you'll absolutely want to pick up. Both Batman Beyond 2.0 and Justice League Beyond 2.0 crossover in this Beyond sequel to “A Better World” and it's shaping up to be pretty epic. Just brace yourself for a lot of exposition because the setup gets pretty complicated.

Also, am I the only one who hates how the Beyond universe calls Gotham “Neo-Gotham”? At what city council meeting did someone suggest that the city add “Neo” to the front of its name “ya know, because we're in the future and stuff!” and there was resounding approval by everyone involved?

I have to say that this book is kind of flying under the radar and it shouldn't be. It's your last link to the Beyond universe. Wouldn't it be fun to find out what happened to Lex Luthor? Who some of the other DC heroes are in the future? (This series should definitely swap out the team members from time to time) It's an incredibly fun read and when the “Batman Beyond” half manages to pull its weight, the whole thing is definitely worth the price of admission.

Overall: I don't feel like I wasted my money on this book. There was plenty of content and I enjoyed reading most of it, but it's clear that “Batman Beyond” is weighing the quality of this comic down. “Superman Beyond” has a lot of potential and up until this point, “Justice League Beyond” has been very fun and exciting, it's just that this is a breather/filler issue for an otherwise thrilling series. I sincerely hope that the other members of the Justice League get their own story like Superman did, too. This is easily one of the most fun DC titles out there right now, but “Batman Beyond” desperately needs to up its game.

“Batman Beyond Unlimited” gives you a lot of bang for your buck at 48 pages of content for $3.99 but the stories within are kind of hit-or-miss. Out of all the adventures compiled in this series, it's “Batman Beyond” that's consistently disappointing and weighing down the score month after month. But don't let the 6/10 score scare you, if you're a fan of the DC Beyond universe, this is a pretty important issue because it will give you a hint at what became of many of Superman's supporting cast and a few other important DC heroes.

What we have here are three stories of varying quality. I wish we could finally get a month where all of these Beyond stories are of the same caliber but it's not June. Batman Beyond was an enjoyable read but an unnecessary change to Beyond history, Beyond Origins: Warhawk was beautifully drawn and colored but excruciating to read, and Superman Beyond was fun and it pulled me in but it was shorted on page count and left me feeling underwhelmed.

The main complaint is that I wish it was longer. All three stories collected here are very entertaining and I think it was money well spent. Would it be better as a trade paperback? Absolutely! But as a stand-alone issue, this was a lot of fun. Had 2 of the 3 stories not been so horribly short-changed then it would have been a great comic deserving of a 9 or 10/10. But it feels like 1 full chapter and 2 quarter chapters of 2 other stories and that's not ideal. If you're new to this series, then “Batman Beyond” is the only section that you'll be able to comprehend.

I think this might just be the best issue of Batman Beyond Unlimited yet and it offers you more bang for your buck than pretty much any other comic out there with lots of enjoyable content.

Once again, it's a pretty great issue. Terrible for new readers who will have no clue whatsoever what is going on, but great fun for those of us who have been reading the series from the beginning. I still say that you should wait for the TPB though. It'll be a much more fulfilling experience when you get to sit down and read these adventures from start to finish.

Whew! You'll be pretty exhausted by the time you finish this comic. Each of these 3 episodes is nothing but non-stop action and each of them is a major battle scene in a city that's been turned to rubble. Every hero is teaming up, every building is crumbling, and every citizen is dying. It's hell on ear

This was a whole lot of fun. I enjoyed seeing all the cameos from characters who we never heard from in the Beyond universe until now, Batman Beyond‘s siege on Gotham is proving to be more epic than the global invasion that happened in Justice League Beyond, and Superman Beyond is taking it slow to set up a great new chapter full of new and interesting characters. The only downside is that Justice League took up most of the book and still felt rushed. After waiting 10 months for a conclusion, I wish it had amounted to more than “Let's call Etrigan and be done with it.”, other than that I had a blast and I'm really excited to see how 10,000 Clowns ends and whatever comes next in Superman's journey SHOW

Overall it's an alright issue but it could've used more Superman. Superman Beyond was far too short, Batman Beyond is awesome but should probably wrap this storyline up in the next issue or so, and the Justice League Origin story couldn't hold my interest. It would be nice if all of these stories got on a similar

It's another great issue in which all three stories deliver and two of those are quite accessible to new readers. The fights between Superman vs. Lobo and Batman vs. Joker King advertised on the cover are nowhere near as compelling as they are advertised, but there is plenty of other entertaining stuff going on to make Batman Beyond Unlimited #12 totally worth picking up.

Not as wholly entertaining as the past couple of issues but there are plenty of good moments in here to make the book worth your money, especially if you've been reading this series since the very begin

It would appear that next month will have the middle of Superman's journey plus 2 all new arcs starting fresh in Batman Beyond and Justice League Beyond. So if you're a curious browser skimming through this article, make a note! Next month is the ideal time to give this series a test-drive. Not that this issue is too bad. In fact, I recommend you pick it up regardless just so you can see the surprise that Batman Beyond has in store for you. All in all, this is a comic that's worth the $3.99!

So, it's 2/3 of a new-reader friendly comic but only one of those two stories was good enough to bring me back next month. Superman, as always, is phenomenal but Justice League Beyond brought this book way down in my opinion. If you've been reading the adventures of future Kal-El, you have reason to be excited for this $3.99 book. If you're new to the Beyond books, however, it might leave you a little underwhelmed. Hopefully the final page of Batman Beyond will make you curious enough about the return of a great villain from the animated series that you'll come back again for issue #16.

It's only going to be entertaining to those who have read these three stories from the start, but even those folks will likely feel off balance by all that's going on. Too much attention is given to Batman Beyond's story when those pages would be better served on the fast-paced, cartoony chaos of Justice League or the war epic happening in Superman Beyond. The artwork of Batman Beyond is also falling short of the other two titles included in this book, but the Batman narrative is by far the easiest to follow. I think the big flaw in all of this is that these stories aren't being assembled properly when they go to print. Readers might be better off following whichever title they like best digitally week-to-week instead.

It has its moments but this issue made up of climaxes failed to satisfy me in a number of ways. If you've been reading these stories from the start then by all means look at how those tales wrapped but if you've only been occasionally following along here or there or you're totally new to the book you're probably better off staying away until Batman Beyond Universe #1 is released at the end of summer.

The Batgirl Beyond story is brilliantly written and illustrated and has me very excited for what's to come in Batman Beyond Universe but the Undercloud finale featuring Terry and the Metal Men was something I found quite dull.

This is the best Batman Beyond story that Adam Beechen has written and now that it's in a TPB and not spread out over 15 months of digital firsts and printed anthologies it should finally get the attention it deserves. However, I can't help but shake my head at the folks who put this book together because they neglected to include the INCREDIBLY important epilogue that ties up ALL of the narrative threads from this arc. You'll still have a great time reading it, but the ending is abrupt and you won't get all the answers you need to feel 100% satisfied. It's a hell of a shame that that chapter wasn't added.

I was let down by this. It's a zero issue that didn't need to be told, it had no real sense of purpose, and the artwork didn't fit the tone of the story. If you like all the throw-back Morrison characters then ignore my score and go pick this book up. You'll love it. But I was looking for more than cameos and was bored while reading this.

At a time when Bat-titles are hiking up to $3.99 and everything this month is a one-shot fight against Owls, “Batman Incorporated” is a breath of fresh air. I don't see a reason for any Batman fan to miss this issue. Give it a shot and I think you'll be back again next month to see what happens.

This shaping up to be a far better run than the previous volume of "Batman Inc." and this issue in particular is the definitive Talia Al Ghul story. Whenever people ask about Talia Al Ghul, this will be the book everyone points to for answers about her origin and her greatest triumphs. It's beautifully drawn, references classic Batman and Ra's Al Ghul tales of the past, and Morrison does a superb job of catching new readers up on what Talia and Leviathan have been up to for the past 6 years of comics in 20 highly entertaining pages.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed issue #3 but didn't find it quite as exciting as the previous two installments or as re-readable. That said, it's still the best Batman comic of the month! (And yes, I know we still have one more week left, but I'm willing to bet that nothing next week will top this)

This was an alright issue. Definitely better than last month's Zero issue, but not quite as good as issues #1-3 because it's the conclusion, the payoff for having read part 3 and nothing more. It'll read wonderfully in a TPB, but you definitely need issue #3 fresh in mind to fully enjoy it. The art is a bit more hurried than usual and the twist at the end was kind of stupid, but it's an enjoyable albeit fast read and it sets up some interesting (but somewhat confusing for the time being since we won't see those questions answered until next issue) elements for Batman Incorporated's future.

It's easy to say that it's a "What if" story and for the bulk of the comic nothing will really matter, but that's a very pessimistic way to approach it. If you let go and have fun with the chaos that occurs in a Gotham that is truly lost without the real Batman, Bruce Wayne, then I think you're going to absolutely love this one.

Besides those complaints I thoroughly enjoyed this issue. It's a breath of fresh air honestly after reading all of these repetitive Death of the Family books. And if you're a long time fan of Morrison's Batman run you will not only enjoy all the action, character cameos, and creative page layouts but you'll also get a little emotional. I've always had a love/hate relationship with Morrison's run so the “big moment” that happens her

It's not the worst issue to come out of the New 52 Batman Inc. (that's issue #0) but I definitely had a lot of problems with it and think it could've been better organized. Despite all of the revelations that occur in this issue the real highlight for me (besides the artwork) is Alfred. Alfred is written beautifully here and seeing him interact with Damian is a real treat. In fact, Batman never says a single line in this entire comic and it is the supporting cast that gets all of the attention. That's wonderful! The focus of Batman Inc. really should be the organization itself rather than focusing primarily on Batman and I must say that up until this point the New 52 series has felt far more like Batman & Robin than Batman Inc. I just wish that we would have left the fantastical elements out of it, had some consistency between this issue and the last, not repeated the same twists as volume 1, and structured all of this information better so the story didn't j

It's probably going to go down as the most important moment in Batman comics this year and it's pretty touching too. Damian Wayne has come a long way and I have to admit I'm pretty sad to see him go, but at least he went out in style. The talk he has with Dick

It's good to see the funeral scene though. I'd give it a 6 or 6.5 but it's a book that everyone who reads this article is going to buy regardless so I guess the number rating means less than ever this time around.

Batman Inc. #10 is the quiet before the storm. There are some good scenes here and there with Gordon and the GCPD and then with Talia and her father, but for the most part we're only here to see Batman prepare for his 1 vs. 100 fight against Leviathan and he's not looking to outsmart them, but to out gun them. Fill-in artists disrupt the flow as does some odd pacing and the brief cut to Jason Todd's as-yet-unexplained subplot, but for the most part issue #10 is an entertaining transition issue with some cool surprises to make you excited for the final confrontation to come.

Look, we're all disappointed that we're not getting the first half of Morrison'sBatman Inc.finale today. I think we can all agree on that. But would you rather have had a month long delay or something experimental like this? For the most part I think those who will hate it will know they'll hate it just by taking a glance at the cover, but a good way to know if this is worth your time is if you enjoyed the pre-New 52 Batman Inc. run's most campy stories. If you liked those episodes then you should buy this but if not or if you never read the pre-New 52 run, then you can skip it. Worry-free. It's the very definition of filler. Personally, I thought it was well constructed with some really cool artwork, but it's not something I'm ever going to re-read again and if it wasn't for me doing the review I would've been a member of team skip-it.

It doesn't progress the story as much as I would have liked, nor does it have the depth of previous installments but the artwork is stunning and the fight scene between Batman and Heretic is worth the price of admission. If you've been keeping up with Batman, Inc. then you're going to be entertained by this. I suppose my biggest complaint is that after all the wait for issue #12 to get here and only one issue left to conclude the story, I wanted more.

I didn't find it to be a fitting end to such a daring and experimental saga. It didn't satisfy me in any way, really, and there were actually a couple of things that made me mad. And most of my appreciation for it comes mostly from how much I wanted it to be good! I needed it to be good. When I first started this review I had the comic at a 7.5 and I gradually brought the score down to a 6 by the time I was done writing and truthfully that still feels like it's being too generous. There's some really amazing artwork (I love the ouroborous 2-page spread– the second good ouroborous-themed page we've seen in a Batman book this month) and I liked the exchange between Bruce and Gordon but the rest of it just wasn't compelling enough. I guess you could say it was the ending we needed right now, but not the one we deserved. I can't help but feel that the series “jumped the shark” after Damian died.

Wildly fun and with a high re-read value. No, there isn't anything essential to the Batman Incorporated story found here. Some tales could take place before or after issue #13, but it really doesn't matter. This is just about having a good time with some of the most odd and campy characters to be introduced (or re-introduced) to the Batman mythology in the past 10 years. Yes, it's a little pricey but I think it's worth it. I had a great time. It's both well written and beautifully drawn and has enough variety to keep you entertained all the way through.

I didn't love this chapter, but I certainly didn't hate it. Sure, it doesn't feel like Batman at all to me. At least not the Batman stories that I enjoy, but it's a very progressive idea and the whole things climactic energy really propelled me forward and made me want to know what would happen next even when I didn't 100% understand what was going on in the previous page. And now that I've explained my stance a bit, let me post my arbitrary __ out of 10 score that's probably gonna make a lot of people mad.

This was a good read and made a damn fine epilogue to the Arkham City video game. However, those who haven't played the game should steer clear of this, as it is something that only the initiated will enjoy. Another great detriment to this book is its $7 dollar price tag which, even though I enjoyed the book, still feels

You'll get plenty of Gordon, a brilliant narrative, great art, lots of action, GADGETS, and cameos by several rogues and members of the bat-family. I would give it anywhere from an 8.5 to a 10/10. This is a book every fan of the video game and the caped crusader in general should pick up, even if there aren't any owls!

Flipping Through it All Again Now"I'm surprised that they didn't re-color Joker's hair (like they did Vicki Vale in last month's issue. She was a brunette in the online version, but they fixed that for the hard copy) for the scene when he is in disguise, but I guess everyone on board decided it wasn't worth their time. The best thing this issue has going for it is a cool surprise in the first act and a hell of a nice cover. But these books should be enhancing the Arkham City experience and this issue fails miserably.

I can't recommend that you buy this. Even though you're getting more pages than other comics, they aren't good pages.

So basically, this is a well drawn issue that tells a story we already know and takes a lot longer to tell it (it's a lengthy comic. You get bang for your buck when it comes to page count). If you haven't played the video game, you might find this issue entertaining but I have played it and I was bored as a result. Issue #5 is worth checking out for the artwork, but the story went nowhere.

There are stories to be told in Arkham City that take place before the events of the video game but this isn't one of them. What's the point in telling a tale about Robin infiltrating the fight club if he can't change anything? If he doesn't change? What's the point in having Bane and Grundy fight if it's a stalemate and both characters return to the exact same position they had on page one? A good story requires that something happens. There has to be a change in the emotional charge from one scene to the next. Nothing, absolutely nothing is resolved here. Jorge Jimenez does a fine job with the art and he does a great job recapturing the look and feel of the Arkham City video game, but it's not enough when the story is a non-event.

At this point I'm ready for this series to wrap up and I'm very curious about the new digital series called Arkham City: End Game that takes place after the events of the video game. Arkham Unhinged is proving to be too constricting of Fridolfs' creativity and when the stories he creates start conflicting with the events of the video game it's time to call it quits and move on.

The real highlight of the book is the art. It's the best looking Arkham Unhinged comic I've seen in months. Artist Darick Robertson put some real effort into this and it shows. There are some really detailed panels here and most importantly it looks 100% like the Arkham games. This is something many of the artists fail to capture, but not Robertson. The look is spot-on and the Joker in particular looked fan

It's a better book than many of the previous installments if you look at it as a book all on its own, but that's not what this series is, is it? It's a companion piece to the greater works of the Arkham video games and it needs to respect the canon of that universe more. When it comes to Arkham Unhinged there are two very important questions I have to ask before I give it a score: Did the book entertain? Mildly. And does it enhance the Arkham City mythology? No. The things

If you don't know much about Deadshot, you should definitely go pick this up, especially if you're a fan of the video games. However, if you haven't

I would imagine many of you have already had your fill of the Joker for a good long while what with Death of the Family wrapping up today, but even though this issue is centered around the Joker, he's not exactly the star. It's the supporting characters that steal the show. There are some funny moments and the artwork is the very best that this series has ever had, but overall it's not a re-readable issue. It tries to do what The Animated Series and No Man's Land did, but it's as if writer Derek Fridolfs either didn't have enough time to do it or had

Is it worth picking up? Eh…maybe. For $3.99? Not it's probably not. Not unless you're a big fan of Azrael or Raapack's art anyway. The first 1/3 of the book explains what happened to Mayor Sharp in the video game and if you played the game you know all of that already. The 2/3 is the origin story which should've had more attention brought to it because it was a bit hard to follow– magic suit, possession, kidnapped kids, etc. It's a lot of info to take in. And the last act is a really short fight scene that I wasn't that involved in. Not great nor terrible, but not really necessary reading either.

Had Black Mask been given more personality then this would've been the best issue yet. Everything surrounding him is great and a wonderful way to support the existing story of Arkham City. But Sionis simply isn't any fun to watch. Good art, good addition to the Arkhamverse, poor main character.

This was a pretty good issue, but it's definitely not something you need to rush out and buy unless you don't know much about Bruce and Talia's first encounter. Derek Fridolfs did a good job of retelling that story, but it doesn't add anything that the video game didn't already explain and it doesn't show die-hard Batman fans anything they haven't seen before.

With so many Batman comics on the market, fans of the world of Gotham need to spend their money carefully and there are frankly far too many better Bat-titles out there than this one. Thankfully, there are only a handful of issues left in this series which has overstayed its welcome by about a year.

I say flip through it at the comic shop. You'll know by page 3 or 4 if it's for you. The new writer's style is completely different from Derek Fridolf's so if you're up for something much slower that doesn't use the usual rogues gallery then this is worth checking out. For me, I think it has a lot of potential, but until I see what awaits in part 2 I'm not so sure that this richly written but snail-paced issue was fully worth $3.99.

It's getting better, but not enough that I recommend you spend $4 bucks on it. Most of the story is Also, unlike every other Arkham Unhinged storyline before it, you can't really enjoy this issue without reading last month's installment and even then you'll need to wait until next month to get the finale.

The only legitimate excuse that you as a Batman fan can have for not rushing out and buying this is if you're waiting for the more affordable trade paperback that'll be out sometime next year. Otherwise you're missing out on some very entertaining stories. There were a lot of Batman books on shelves this week, but in my opinion this was by far the best.

The showcase of stylish artwork is about as impressive as the last issue, but the quality of the stories these images tell isn't as satisfying. That being said, I still recommend that everyone go pick it up as it's great to see so many unique takes on the character and while none of these shorts really hit home for me, your personal favorite might just be tucked away in here somewhere.

I don't know what writer and artist Rian Hughes was going for with this one. The throwback cover with Tal-Dar was probably my favorite part, but everything after that" well, I was just wanting it to end but it just kept going. What starts out as a plot similar to Mark Waid's Tower of Babel mixed with some Silver Age nostalgia quickly mutates into a strange post-modern commentary on the art of sequential storytelling told through characters that look like they stepped out of those Erin Esurance commercials. "Namtab" looks like fun, but I found it overly wordy and obnoxious.

Part 4 is an enjoyable addition to the Black and White catalog. Shorts like Long Day and Tea-Minus Party definitely deserve repeat readings and every page of artwork in this collection is terrific and worth a second glance.

It's not as groundbreaking as you'd expect an issue of Batman: Black and White to be, but issue #5 is still a solid read with some really nice short stories and top-notch artwork.

There was only one story in this collection that I felt could've used some work, but issue #6 as a whole is one of the best chapters of this mini-series and it ends Black and White in grand fashion. A very memorable issue.

The art is wonderful, breathtaking really, and you're not going to find another Bat-book that looks anything like this. It's a one-of-a-kind visual feast for the eyes. But even though it has a great look and feel unlike anything out there today, “Batman: Death by Design” falls way short on storytelling and isn't the sort of book you'll find yourself re-reading. If you collect comics more for the art than the story then “Batman: Death by Design” is an absolute must-have, but if you're like me and want the story and art to better complement each other, it may be better to wait for this book to come out in cheaper, paperback form.

I'm giving it a fairly low score of a 4.5/10 not because this isn't “my Batman” and I hate change or anything. There's enough proof over the past 70 years of Batman comics that I shouldn't have to say how malleable Batman is and how well he can work under any circumstances. It's that “Batman: Earth One” feels like it was more focused on changing the appearance and last name of characters rather than making them interesting. It was more focused on altering the past we know in shocking ways rather than telling a compelling story.

It's a good first issue with more than enough action and Jim Gordon to satisfy many, but if you already read the preview pages that DC put out a few weeks ago and the “Channel 52 News” segment at the back of every comic published last week then Batman Eternal #1 will hold no surprises for you. However, if the series as a whole can maintain this level of quality from week-to-week it will definitely be a must for every Batman fan's pull list.

With a new issue out every week, there's no reason to have such a cluttered and unfocused issue. Batman Eternal #1 was like a fully laid out buffet, but issue #2 is like one of those KFC bowls with all the junk slopped together.

Besides it being Stephanie Brown's big debut, issue #3 of Batman Eternal is a great chapter for The Dark Knight himself. Our hero spent the first two issues reeling from the horrific events and being just as confused as everyone else, but now he's on the trail and we get to watch as he and a few others begin to realize not just that something terrifying is on the rise, but that they won't be able to stop it from coming– that makes for a fun Batman comic.

A solid issue with an unexpected twist. It's a must-read for anyone who loves Jim Gordon, Steph, and Barbara. While we don't hear much from our favorite mustachioed Commish, his storyline is quickly becoming the most interesting to follow as his world continues to crash down around him. Dustin Nguyen's artwork looks nice, especially since it's complemented by the inks of frequent collaborator Derek Fridolfs and John Kalisz' diverse color palette. Eternal #4is not going to knock you out of your seat like some of the previous installments, but it remains a very satisfying chapter in what's becoming my #1 most anticipated Bat-book.

It's kind of disappointing to desert the Jim Gordon and Falcone storylines, especially for something as bizarre as a nanobot plague. It can feel a bit like a filler episode at times. However, it's totally cool to finally see Tim Drake doing something of note in a Batman comic and Andy Clarke's artwork looks great! Fans of Tim Drake should definitely check it out and readers anxious to see more from Vicki Vale and Harper Row.

It starts out fun with a Batwing vs. Gentleman Ghost battle, but then it slows to a crawl and in the end I found it to be the weakest issue yet. Brief and uneventful.

I'm sure it's infinitely better than what Ann Nocenti was coming up with and the brief tease of the Joker's possible return might interest a few, but Joker's Daughter is still an unimaginative and often times annoying character that tries too hard to be edgy by employing excessive amounts of violence and gore. It's not as terrible as many expected, and I think Bennett and Hetrick did the best they could, but I still don't think it's worth five bucks! NOTE: You do not need to read Catwoman or The Joker's Daughter's Villains Month issue prior to picking this one up.

This was a beautifully illustrated comic and an all around great time. Best of all, it's not going to be the last we see of this fun, lighthearted Batman & Damian. These Li'l Gotham shorts will be released every holiday from here on out so come back on November 15th to enjoy a Thanksgiving adventure!

You'll breeze through this installment pretty quickly and not have much reason to return to it again unlike last month's Halloween special which I would happily re-read again and a

As always, the water colors by Nguyen are perfect and the comic relies on their cutesy nature pretty heavily. I imagine it's only a matter of time now before we start seeing a lot of Li'l Gotham merchandising pop up everywhere. An ongoing print series is what I would most like to see, but this is great for now. I especially liked how Mr. Freeze was drawn here, it was highly reminiscent of Batman: The Animated Series and you really can't complain about that. It's a great design that lends itself well to the style used here. There's even a reference to the snow globe from the now famous Heart of Ice episode.

Overall, it's another solid issue. I'd have to say it's my third favorite of the series so far and a de

These two spring-themed issues worked well together I think, but neither of them made great use of their respective holidays. The Halloween and Christmas episodes are still the ones that stick out the most in my mind and even while this was enjoyable I don't think it has the same re-read value as some previous installments. However, there's some good laughs to be found here and it has some of the best artwork Dustin Nguyen has given the series yet and that's really saying something. He mixed it up quite a bit with some even brighter colors, characters we've never seen before, and even a bat-vehicle and an Easter bunny! Derek Fridolfs and Dustin Nguyen are producing a pretty fun and beautifully presented all-ages comic.

This installment didn't tickle me the way previous specials have. Not that the charm of Li'l Gotham has worn off, mind you. It's just that it was a fun idea that never quite reached its full potential in my eyes. The artwork is still terrifi

Is Li'l Gotham #6 worth a buck? Definitely. It's not as charming as the Halloween or Christmas episodes, but I'm a sucker for a fun Alfred story. It's rather disappointing though that this issue didn't get a unique cover of its own. It's identical to the Valentine's Day cover but with slightly different colors.

The holiday themes were weak, but the artwork and affable nature were as strong as ever. A nice issue, especially if you're a fan of Aquaman and Damian Wayne.

Not long after the fun of watching Alfred convince Bruce to take a vacation, the comic quickly goes off the rails and then the pirate-filled holiday is followed by what can only be described as character overload. The artwork is still as lovely as ever and there are some cute jokes as well, but both stories collected here are a mess, an entertaining mess but still a mess. Issue #8 is a fun read for the kids, but I don't think it's as rewarding for adults as previous installments have been.

This issue was great from cover to cover. It's an absolute must-read for Batman fans of all ages and would make a great stocking-stuffer. Don't thumb your nose at it and say "that's kid stuff." It's funny, beautifully illustrated, and a great tribute to all the characters from the mythology you love. There aren't a lot of issues of Batman: Li'l Gotham left and that might be a good thing because issue #9 is going to be VERY hard to top.

It's cute as always, but not quite as funny as the previous issue. “Ivy in the Fall” had gorgeous colors and “Horror Stories” is an atmospheric mystery that'll keep children guessing all the way up till the end.

Issue #28 features two very memorable Li'l Gotham episodes packed to the brim with bat-references that die-hard fans of the mythology will recognize. The art is just as lovely as ever and there are some good laughs to be found. The only real flaw to it is that the ideas behind these two stories were too big to fit within the number of pages allotted and so each feels rushed in its pacing.

The first story in this final issue is a familiar but funny short that should be good for a few quick laughs and the very last episode titled “Our Family Album” was a remarkable way to end one of the most entertaining Bat-titles in recent years. It's a solid issue and one worth picking up whether you're a long-time fan of Dustin Nguyen and Derek Fridolfs' work or, surprisingly, if you're just hearing about Li'l Gotham for the first time.

If you read at the same pace I did, the dark, brooding tones end after the brawl and the sweeping triumphant stuff kicked in at the appropriate moment. It was lovely.Read more: http://batman-news.com/2011/11/05/batman-noel-review/#ixzz1u716vBTe

I think Batman: The Dark Knight #0 is an okay comic, but totally skippable.

Avoid this book.

However"I might just be a Batman snob right now. In the past week I've been reminded of the great story “Batman: Year One” what with the release of that DVD and then Scott Snyder's fantastic “Batman #2″ came out and then I played through the jaw dropping “Batman: Arkham City” videogame. So"in the past week I HAVE SEEN THE MOUNTAINTOP. I have the image of a great Batman adventure fresh in my mind and “Batman: The Dark Knight #2″ could not be farther from it. I'm giving it a 2, I don't care how good the pencils are at times. When there are this many Batman books on the market, “Batman: The Dark Knight” fails to justify its existence and I'd rather have quality over quantity.

I still hate this series, but I can see how some might find this issue enjoyable. More enjoyable than the last issue. If cramming as many cameos into a single issue with a few healthy helpings of T&A is your thing then you'll probably get a kick out of some of this. For me, it can't be taken seriously and I don't think it wants to be. But if I wanted to read a comic that's just about having crazy-out-of-this-world fun with lots of cameos AND features Batman, I'll stick with Justice League or maybe Batman: The Brave & The Bold.

It's an over the top comic that features hulked-out villains showing up just because the artist draws them well. That's a bad thing if you're looking for a deep story that sparks discussion, a great thing if you just want to see new artwork featuring your favorite villains and lots of explosions and fist fighting. You get plenty of that in this issue.

It's not a terrible comic, but the consistently poor writing is dragging Finch's name down. I used to look forward to anything he was involved in but I'm beginning to associate his name with a mediocre product thanks to this series. Again, if you just want to see some sweet drawings of your favorite characters punching each other, you're going to love this book. But if you're craving something more, look elsewhere. I will say that the book has gotten better since the first "Call me One-Face!!!" issue.

It tries to be big, action packed fun, but I still didn't like it. And it's not like I'm opposed to such things (Ask me about my love for Road House and Con Air). I don't see a story here, I don't like the characterization (can't even root for Batman. This is just a guy in a Batman suit who keeps stumbling into situations where he gets his ass kicked), the dialogue sounds unnatural…the only thing this book had going for it was the art and even that blatantly rips off the Arkhamverse design. It doesn't matter how good the art can be when it serves little purpose other than to polish a turd.

If you want learn the secret behind the villain The White Rabbit (shout out to reader TC by the way 6 Comments) and want some well drawn popcorn action that can be read and forgotten in 5 minutes then issue #7 is for you. If you're looking for something deeper then I can't really recommend this book.

It's a passable book, but I wish that Harris had not gone for such a big spectacle with this one-shot. The same thing happened in “Detective Comics” earlier this month. If your story is going to be self-contained in under 32 pages, it's probably best to keep the story small. The best parts of the whole comic are the quiet moments with Gordon at his therapist's office. Why not use these one-and-done episodes to develop character rather than waste one of the A-list Batman rogues (I'm sure some may debate his A-list status, but I think he's a pretty memorable and formidable foe) on a half-baked plot to destroy all of Gotham?

Basically, what I'm saying is that if you don't read this comic you will have missed out on nothing. Most of the events shown are from “Batman” #9 and those that weren't are either forgettable or detrimental to the overall Owls saga.

But those are only nitpicks and they are small–as most nitpicks are. This is a great issue where we see a Batman who is both bad ass AND compassionate, an incredibly scary and threatening depiction of Scarecrow, and a Gordon done right! It's an issue that not only has me excited about the future, but it's saved this entire series.

Things were off to a good start in issue #10 so much so that I overvalued it at a 9/10 just to shake people out of apathy and give this series a chance after 9 horrible, horrible comics in a row. But this issue here falls flat. Still better than anything from issues #1-9, but definitely mediocre. The worst thing about all of this is that a lot of potential new readers are going to be coming into comic shops this week after seeing “The Dark Knight Rises” and this book is going to make for a very forgettable first impression.

Overall, disturbing imagery and villainous dialogue prevail in issue #12 but there isn't much of a story at all. The uninitiated will find a lot to love, but we are initiated…aren't we?

Overall, it was a good read. Very entertaining, and perfectly scary which is just what you want to read this close to Halloween. Its only major drawback, and it's a pretty big one, is that there isn't much here. Its overuse of extra-large panels and splash pages with little or no dialogue means that you'll be done reading this comic in around 5 minutes and no character even leaves the basement! The story needs to pick up the pace and dream a little bigger both in its villain's ambitions and its hero's nightmares.

I dunno, folks. I really want to like this arc, but the problems I listed above plus the way things escalate in the end SHOW SPOILER We went from a dark, psychological tale told from the confines of a basement over 3 issues to a city-wide assault via airship complete with flesh-eatin

There's a lot going on in this issue as it hurries to tie up every loose end from the past 5 chapters and in the process it actually becomes one of the best paced issues Hurwitz has cranked out so far. If only the other issues had moved as quickly this whole thing might have turned out better. Those who have kept up with this arc from the start will want to see how it ends, but you could really just guess for yourself since it's not anything you haven't seen before. I found this to be a very disappointing and unmemorable arc and hope things improve in the upcoming Mad Hatter story.

I went back and forth on this one. 7/10 or 6.5/10? I hate giving scores to these things. I even showed it to someone else who said that they would give it an 8/10, but they didn't have any familiarity with Mad Hatter whatsoever so the changes to his character didn't bother them one iota. I think everyone can agree however that the artwork of this comic is great, there's some fun action, and if you like gore you'll love how brutal the book is. But for me…I just can't accept this new Mad Hatter characterization, having another kidnapping plot doesn't excite me since we just saw that with Scarecrow, Bruce's drama with

I almost hate to hype up Batman: The Dark Knight since it's let me down so much in the past, but this comic was totally worth my $2.99. It looks great, it's funny, it's thrilling, and there are quite a few unique twists on Tetch's origin that have me curious about what new direction Hurwitz is going in. I'm still nervous that he's going to write something that's overly dark thus bridging the gap between Tetch's picturesque past and neck-snapping present but as far as this issue goes I like what I saw.

Worth picking up? If you've been reading this arc since the beginning, sure. If you're curious about the new Mad Hatter origin and have $3 bucks to spare, sure. Is it must-reading? Not really. There's some excellent artwork here but the overabundance of unnecessary gore and stilettos with Mad Hatter and the overly open and sarcastic Batman turn me off. Ya know, even though I said this late review would play out differently than usual, I think it turned out about the same. About 1000 words worth of me rambling.

This was an alright read with a great atmosphere thanks to Szymon Kudranski and colorist Hi-Fi, but Kudranski's style is so vastly different from Sciver's that it's going to make for one extraordinarily jarring trade paperback! As for the writing of this book the romance subplot is falling flat for me and Mad Hatter's target for the perfect Alice is a predictable and boring direction to take the arc. There are some very corny lines as well that I could have done without. At the very least, you'll finally understand New 52 Jervis Tetch's turn to the dark side, grasp what his latest evil plan is all about, and you'll likely be shocked by what the first phase leaves in its wake. It could be the most disturbing Bat-title of the month. I went back and forth between a 6 and a 6.5…thereabouts. It's not great. It's not terrible. Quite the long review to just say “Flip through it at the comic shop and decide for yourself.” eh?

Oh well, at least there's only one more issue of this arc. It has gone on for long enough and in the past two issues has turned into a predictable snooze. A blood-soaked snooze, but still a snooze. And if anyone wants that band name “Blood-soaked Snooze” You're free to take it. Since issue #20 is only accessible to readers who have been with this arc from the beginning, those are the only folks I can recommend this to. If you're dead-set on seeing this story through to the end then fine. But if your interest has been waning, you can probably just flip through this in the comic shop. It's a very quick read. The thing about Batman: The Dark Knight #20 isn't that it makes me all that angry or disappointed, it's that I can clearly see that the events that happen are intended to elicit great emotion, but I felt nothing.

It's an unsatisfying and predictable conclusion to a story arc that author Gregg Hurwitz should've ended about three months ago but returning artist Ethan Van Sciver blew me away with one of the best looking issues of Batman: The Dark Knight yet so I'm conflicted with my recommendation on this one. It's a book that I like to have because I appreciate the artwork so much, but I won't be reading the speech bubbles ever again. This series could be great but it needs to drop the Penny-One/Bat-One nonsense, pick up the pace so it can tell a story in under 6 issues, and find a way to set itself apart from the other bat-titles beyond the gore.

I'm giving it another chance. Call me a hopeless romantic but I think this could really be good. I even went back and forth between giving it a score as high up as a 9/10 but…I've been hurt before, ya know? Alex Maleev drew a beautiful book that had a great atmosphere brought to it by McCaig's colors and Hurwitz's way with Gordon's words. I just pray that this doesn't turn into another 6 or 7 issue flashback fest showcasing another villain's messed up childhood.

Other than Alex Maleev's artwork Batman: The Dark Knight #23 is a waste of time and a waste of a fine villain's potential.

I don't like this villain at all, but she does have a unique motivation and the artwork is quite spooky. If you wanted to know more of Shauna the Ventriloquist's story and actually liked that character the first time around then you won't be disappointed by this. But if you miss Arnold Wesker then this is just going to give you a migraine. So I'll give it a lukewarm 5. It's not for me because I'm a steak and potatoes sort of Batman fan but it's not a poorly put-together book.

Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti do a fine job of continuing where Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV left off with the character in Batman Annual #1, but as someone who doesn't like the New 52 origin for Victor Fries, this comic's story will only get an “It's okay.” from me but a definite thumbs up for the chilling artwork by Jason Masters and Dave McCaig.

John Layman's Clayface is played for laughs. If you want a big, bad-ass moment that solidifies this villain as a major threat then you'll be disappointed. However, if you're just looking for something simple that doesn't take itself too seriously then I think you're going to have a pretty good time.

Not as bad as I had expected! (How awesome would it be if they put that on the hardcover's dust jacket?)

You should have walked out on this storyline the first time Clayface was locked away in Arkham Asylum. That was a fine point to leave off on because the do-over conclusion we have in this issue is pretty much the same. If you're a huge fan of Alex Maleev's art then sure, go ahead, but this is a tremendously forgettable finale to a story that should have been wrapped up 2 months ago.

Not really good or bad, but a very middle of the road book. I would personally skip it, but if you do decide to go ahead and pick it up you'll at least be mildly entertained by the novelty of a silent comic or the very dark and depressing story.

Honestly, I would recommend just skipping issue #26 and reading this one alone. It's a decent silent comic with plenty of action and a direct story any Batman fan can enjoy. It doesn't offer anything we haven't seen a hundred times before but it's enjoyable if you're in the mood for a really quick read– it is a silent comic after all! I do wish that the visuals were more consistent throughout since there isn't any dialogue or prose, but artist Alberto Ponticelli definitely delivered more impressive pages for this finale.

Hurwitz tries to reinvent Man-Bat by tying Kirk Langstrom's past closer to Bruce's and introducing father Abraham Langstrom, a more sinister figure and a much bigger bat-monster. Ultimately it's all rather familiar territory right down to the race for an antidote and the aerial-hand-to-hand fight over the city. You've seen most of this before, but Ethan Van Sciver's artwork makes it all worth your while. His pencils will floor you even if the story isn't all that original or meaningful.

My interest gradually faded more and more after artist Ethan Van Sciver left (which only took 5 pages). There were some amusing moments with Alfred and Gordon, but mostly this story felt all too familiar and Jorge Lucas' art failed to make any of the over-the-top action interesting. A Man-Bat story needs an artist who can draw a cool monster.

I still haven't read the Red Hood annual yet, but as of right now this seems to be the best Annual issue of the day and it's one of the best issues of Batman: The Dark Knight yet that nicely ties together all of Hurwtiz's previous stories. I think it's good and worth a read, but $5 dollars good? I keep going back and forth on that. This Halloween special has some scenes that go on a bit long and if they were trimmed then “Once Upon a Midnight Dreary” would've made a fantastic $2.99 issue come October.

If you're still craving a good, new Batman graphic novel, check out Batman: Noel (obviously, I certainly hyped it up enough here) or wait a week and pick up the Absolute edition of Kingdom Come, which isn't exactly new, but if you haven't read it before then it's definitely something you should pick up as it is a classic. Also, if you've never seen those episodes of Batman: The Animated Series I mentioned, do yourself a favor and try to find them"immediately.

Readers who have always been curious about Batwing should give issue #0 a chance but if you've stuck with the series since the beginning then you'll probably find this issue to be no more than just "okay".

Does it become a bit derivative at times? Yes. Batwing has his own gadget-filled Batcave called the Haven and his own Alfred-like character staying there to help him out. And there are quite a few African clichs but they aren't too distracting (yet). This is definitely a book that SHOULD be bad and it has every potential to turn into something awful in the future and get canceled, but for right now I'm staying on board. This book has a lot of potential to do some very original things, but it's going to have to step away from the superhero formulas that the market is saturated with.

Should you buy Batwing #2? Nope. Flip through it at the comic shop. What's dragging down Batwing is that opening shot from Batwing #1. There's no drama in stabbing the hero at the end of issue #1 if we already knew from the first page that he would survive and come back to fight Massacre in a few weeks. There's no drama when the cops show up to shoot Massacre when we know he is going to be fighting Batwing in a few weeks. Judd Winick should've either A)Flashback aspect of the narrative in book #1 or B) Cranked up the pacing of this book. It's a beautifully drawn, predictable chapter in the life of a hero who nobody has a reason to be interested in, yet. Step it up, DC.

Do you guys think that Massacre is David's brother? And what do you think it was that The Kingdom did that deserves Massacre's wrath?

For now, Batwing is good. Not great, but good and I recommend it.

The things I didn't like about this book far outweigh the things I enjoyed.

I liked the first issue of Batwing, heck I even liked parts 3 and 4 okay, but I'm getting bored with how much it repeats the same action again and again and how bland the backgrounds are. Next month will see Batwing visiting Gotham. Hopefully that breathes some energy into this series, even if it is just a gimmick to get more new readers to take notice of this title.

What do you all think of the new DC logo that premiered on all DC comics today? We've known it was coming for a while, but now it's a reality. Also, what do you think of the “We Can Be Heroes” advert at the top of every cover? You can donate here or you could just buy something that lets everybody know what a good person you are and then only half of the money goes to the charity if you go here.

“Batwing” #8 was the better Bat-title this week and it sets up an interesting future plot. I just wonder how long the “Batwing” series has left to play such a story out.

This is a thrilling action comic and a great jumping-on point for anyone who hasn't read a Batwing adventure. My question is: what is to be gained from killing Lucius Fox and especially (over in “Detective comics”) Jeremiah Arkham? How exactly does the elimination of a small list of Gotham's “elite” put the Court of Owls in control of the city? Are they just looking to cause a bit of chaos? They can't be all bad when they want to kill Jeremiah because he “harbors an encourages criminals” so what exactly do these Owls want? That's something Snyder needs to address in his own book. As for Winick, To, Reber, and Winn, they delivered one hell of a fun book this month that's sure to spark interest in readers who haven't been following this series.

This isn't a bad book, but it's far from being a must-buy.

It's redundant, unmemorable, and although it can be slightly entertaining at times I find Batwing to be an uninteresting hero in an uninteresting world that only livens up when other heroes guest-star. It's far from being a must-buy comic.Read more: http://batman-news.com/2012/07/04/new-52-batwing-11-review/#ixzz21wU7yRzh

This issue was mediocre at best. There are too many better books coming out today to bother with this.

But the book went by so quickly and is so disposable that I can't recommend it. It's not one of the worst issues in the series' history, not by a long shot. But it's definitely the most forgettable. I also wonder when Judd Winick will be leaving the title and who will take it over. He told Newsarama last month that he would be leaving and there has yet to be any announcement on a replacement. Maybe Batwing won't survive the 4th wave of titles?

We're 2/3 of the way through this story and it's unclear who Father Lost is or what he's up to and that doesn't give me any reason to care about what happens in the final 3rd part. Hopefully things pick up with the new writer, o

Overall, it's a decent way to end a pretty lackluster arc but most importantly it's a glimmer of hope for issues to come. If these guys are capable of making somethingservic

This is a great jumping-on point for new readers. Not only does it start a new arc that takes Batwing back to the elements of his character that I personally find the most interesting, but it does a fine job of reintroducing the supporting cast, the setting, an

Batwing #17 is pretty solid. The new creative team is pushing the hero into more dangerous situations than ever before and building

So basically, if you've been reading Batwing from the beginning you should get this because some important things happen. If you haven't, then skip it and wait for the new creative team.

Overall it's a good and very fast paced issue that ties up all the loose ends from the previous arc so we can get into the brand new adventures of Batwing 2.0 next month. I recommend you give it a try, but it's understandable if you want to wait until issue #20. That's when we'll really see what this new hero's personality is like and what sort of obstacles he will be facing.

For a first issue, the new Batwing looks alright. If you're even the slightest bit curious about the new direction of this series then I think issue #20 is worth checking out. No regrets here. I read it a month ago now and it still sticks in my mind so that has to count for something.

This was okay. It's a series I'm still on the fence about but I'll still give it a chance to see where it's heading. However, Luke Fox came across as even more immature in this issue than the last and I still can't see why Batman picked him as his first choice for Batwing. The artwork is great for action scenes, but in the character moments (of which there are many) the quality slides drastically. On the plus side, this issue did teach me that the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion pepper is the spiciest in the world.

There's a lot of fun action and Eduardo Pansica is proving to be a great fit for the series. However, the over-the-top villains and Batwing's inability to face a threat on his own is turning me off from this title. If you've enjoyed the previous 2 issues then I think you'll enjoy this one, but it definitely hasn't hooked me yet.

Luke Fox is still a novice and this issue explores his current limitations and how difficult it is to be a masked avenger with a personal life. However, Batwing 2.0 has yet to have a moment that hooks me and makes Batwing feel like a comic that the world of Batman actually needs. It's a series that has potential, but I don't find myself dwelling on it long after finishing an issue nor do I ever get all too excited for the next installment. It's still missing something that makes it feel necessary but it's fun nonetheless.

“I Can't Catch a Break” has a gorgeous cover by Darwyn Cooke and a story that strikes a perfect balance between Luke's personal life and his crime-fighting adventures. While some of the personal drama can feel a bit cliche, it moves along at a brisk pace and the accompanying action sequences are fun enough that I think readers should walk away from this one feeling entertained.

Batwing #25 is a decent done-in-one story even if it does feel a little too familiar. It doesn't do a good job of tying into the Zero Year event (we don't even see the great Gotham blackout) but it is a fairly entertaining way to flesh out a character who is relatively new to the DC universe, offer an accessible jumping-on point, and get fans excited about an upcoming storyline.

Batwing #26 is great escapism and a wonderful jumping-on point for new readers. However, I do disagree with how exposition heavy it gets at times and the potential body count that our hero ignores in the story's conclusion. If you approach it as a lighthearted action adventure, you'll have a really good time. I know I had fun reading it. So much fun that I'm going to ignore the body count thing and just go ahead and give it an 8. Yeah, it has some problems, but I think it's satisfying and worth your $2.99.

If you've been following this arc then absolutely go pick it up. I have some nitpicks about certain characters and certain aspects being dragged in from the Catwoman series, but none of that seriously harmed my enjoyment of this book which really felt like it had a lot of content for a $2.99 release. Very well paced.

There are about 9 good pages here and then the next 11 go into the underground city, an element of the New 52 that we all need to agree never happened.

Great artwork and plenty of action, but I can only enjoy it if I imagine it existing separately from the rest of the Batman line. A subterranean city? Giant anglerfish monsters? It's wild and over the top fun, but it's also too weird for something that's actually part of the mainstream continuity.

This isn't just the best Zero issue I've read so far. This is the finest issue of any bat-comic that I've read all year.

I gave this book a 6/10, but that's because I'm someone who is new to Kate Kane. And if you're new too then you won't understand who these people are or why you should care. Is it a buy if you're unfamiliar with Batwoman? Definitely not. If you're already a fan of Batwoman then you're probably going to love this book. Just by looking around at a few message boards I've seen most Batwoman fans giving this book a 9/10 and you'll most likely feel the same way. Note: If you pick this one up digitally it will be listed as only 16 pages rather than 22. That's because of the double page spreads that occur. This is not one a short read. There's plenty of content here to enjoy.

This is a beautifully drawn and colored book. Maybe the best! There's no doubt about that. And if you're already a fan of Batwoman, then you're probably going to love this book. Everything I hear from fans of Rucka's Batwoman run on Detective Comics is nothing but positive. But if you're like me and have only known Kate Kane since last month's issue #1, you'll find that the art, Kate Kane and the people in her personal life are the real draw here. Not Batwoman.

Anyway, I enjoyed this issue more than the last two. The art, as always in the best in comics and it's packed with characters you care about. If it would only fix its problems with the action side of things, I'd like it much, much more. In issue #3 you see a Kate Kane whose relationships are under immense strain, some of which may have even broken entirely. If you've enjoyed the previous 2 installments from this series, you're sure to enjoy this one. I wasn't really a fan of the last two issues, but I found myself having a good time here. And did I mention the art is gorgeous? It's really not fair to other artists how high Williams is setting the bar.

Great comic. Brief, but great.

It's clear from Batwoman #6 that Williams and Blackman have big plans for this arc, but this first chapter was so scattershot and so much of a recap that it could easily be skipped. On the other hand, if you haven't been reading this series, issue #6 might be able to catch you up on what's been happening for the past 5 chapters.

Does “Batwoman” #7 look good? Yes. Reeder is doing an awesome job drawing all the creepy, disgusting monsters and the page layouts are phenomenal. A lot of content gets packed into every page without becoming cluttered and the colors by Guy Major, while not the highly stylized brush strokes of the previous arc, are very strong. The only problem with “Batwoman” right now is that the story is a chore to read. Does that mean it's a bad story? Possibly not. As I said before, once this whole thing gets collected in a trade and you can read the whole thing in one sitting it should be much easier to follow and possibly quite enjoyable. But with a month in between reading each issue and such short glimpses at each of 6 stories it's almost impossible to recollect what happened in the previous installment. For that reason I can't give it a strong recommendation as a monthly title.

It'sdisorganized, many of the side stories you jump to feel unrelated, and there just doesn't seem to be a point. Even if you're a big fan of Batwoman, I would suggest waiting for the trade. Maybe then this will all make sense and not be such a chore to read.

Issue #18 kicks off an interesting new arc for the Batwoman series but it's not likely to gain any new followers unless those folks are dedicated enough to go back and read the first 3 volumes. Seeing how Batwoman and her partner operate against a foe like Mr. Freeze in the book's opening pages was very thrilling and it's great to see that the personal relationships of these characters are still getting plenty of focus as well. The artwork is gorgeous and features some really stylish page layouts that are a pleasure to look at too. Other than the pooraccessibilityof this first chapter my only complaints would be that the ending was rather abrupt and its cliffhanger confusing. The comic places so much emphasis on the artwork that sometimes very little happens on a page and with so many characters the tale didn't quite gain enough traction following the opening fight.

Issue #25 is clearly a rush-job and a wholly unnecessary tie-in, but it's not the train wreck you'd expect it to be either. I recommend reserving judgment on the new creative team until issue #26 when they're allowed to start their own storyline rather than struggle to involve themselves in a crossover event. The plot of ""Or High Water," as the issue is called, is very forced but the voice of Kate Kane and her father sounded right to me and while the action was over the top for the character at this point in her life, it would have worked exceedingly well for a mature Batwoman. Ultimately, though, this is totally skippable (especially for the price).

Marc Andreyko's attempt to tie up all of J.H. Williams & W. Haden Blackman's loose ends is a thankless task to say the least, but he manages to use every page of this oversized annual issue to get the job done. The twists have too much of a soap opera-quality to them, the constant shift between artists is a little distracting, and some of the dialogue could use some work, but it's an alright issue overall. At the very least it should give some fans the closure they need and it serves as a nice bridge between the old creative team and what Andreyko is doing with the series today.

This was a solid debut for an all-ages bat-title. The folks involved did a terrific job of capturing the look and feel of the show and I think fans of the show need this book now more than ever what with Cartoon Network putting the series on hiatus until January. Maybe if this comic sells well enough the suits will think twice about canceling to ‘toon.

It could've been paced a lot better. I know it's geared more toward children, but this Man-Bat story absolutely flew by (pun not intended). I recommend it to parents shopping for their children or fans of the show who want one last adventure before Beware the Batman vanishes for good in the medium as well.

If you're a fan of the series then it's a must-read and if you've ever been curious about the Birds then issue #0 makes for a strong jumping on point.

Overall, this was fantastic and I loved every minute of reading it. I had a couple of tiny nitpicks, but they were only nitpicks, not real problems that hurt my enjoyment in any way. I wish all of the Talons in the other tie-in books were this scary.

I will be reviewing next month's gatefold cover, but I don't see myself sticking around this series for too long after. The artwork by Romano Molenaar was adequate at best and the drab colors didn't do his pencils any favors either. It was overall a pretty darn forgettable comic. And if you're looking to get your Mr. Freeze fix, the Mr. Freeze fight from the first couple pages of Batwoman #18 was more exciting than the entirety of the battle that took up this comic's second half. Birds of Prey #18 may be fairly accessible to new readers, but I don't recommend they spend their $2.99 on it. You could read the whole comic while standing at the shelf of your comic shop. It's that short.

I think Talon fans can probably hold off on buying this one, but they won't feel like they wasted their time or money if they do decide to pick it up. All the characters sound like themselves and I thought it had some very dynamic illustrations. But while everything here is well executed, there's just not very much substance. Not a whole lot happens. Comic readers know the routine: when one hero character with their own comic must kill another hero character with their own comic, they fight to a standstill, eventually come to an understanding of each other's situation, and decide to team up. It's what happens after that which will be the most interesting and we don't see any of that play out here.

Christy Marx captures the horrors of a blacked out Gotham better than many of the other tie-ins, but Zero Year still takes a backseat to the origin story of Black Canary. While I also enjoyed the flashbacks and the character development of Dinah Drake, the story did get bogged down by the unnecessary inclusion of ninjas, special ops teams in search of top-secret gadgetry, and other over-the-top elements in the last half of the book. A city-wide blackout, origin flashbacks, a threatening street gang, and an incoming hurricane was really more than enough to create a riveting one-issue plot.

So I got to thinking about the arbitrary rating that comes at the end of these articles and what I should even give such a thing. And then I figured, I'm a Batman fan and as a Batman fan, I'm offended by this issue so I'm giving it a 1/10. We all spent so much time focusing on how bad the original cover was that we forgot to worry about how potentially bad the content could be. I didn't like the Batman: Year One prostitute origin either, but this is far worse in my opinion. Is a good Catwoman origin even possible? Even Christopher Nolan didn't touch it.

There's no controversy here. Just a good comic that I'm glad I bought. I can't wait to read next month's issue.

For these reasons, I'm a little less excited about the future of Catwoman, but I'm not going to take points away from something because it has the potential to be sub-par in the next issue. I had a good time watching Catwoman get revenge, get rich, and above all else, toy with the boys.

As for Bone, he turns out to be all talk. Catwoman herself even acknowledges him as a C-list gangster and watching her go after this punk is a real thrill and 100% brutal. I don't think Catwoman could have a better creative team than the one it has in Judd Winick and Guillem March.

What you get with Catwoman #4 is not the energetic, sexy, action packed adventure you've been seeing for the past 3 months. Instead, this is a throw-away tale complete with an ultra-lame villain of the month named Reach, a femme fatale wearing lots of denim who wields an energy leash. My guess is that Winnick had been playing the video game “Bulletstorm” at about the time he wrote this"an activity I recommend doing instead of reading this well-drawn, poorly thought out issue.

It's easily a 7.5 or an 8"not that points matter if you read what I had to say. Truthfully, Catwoman is one of the better Bat-titles and easily one of the most exciting in the entire New 52. Definitely worth buying. I don't know why it takes so much flak, but thankfully there are enough varied opinions about this book online so you can make an informed decision before you head to the comic shop.

Other than that it's a good, fun read. Batman's cameo isn't forced, we see plenty of action and emotion from Selina, and the supporting cast gets a bit more fleshed out. I continue to love the work Winick, March, and Morey are putting into this book.

Overall, issue #7 is a passable, but overall forgettable issue about Catwoman making a new friend who we won't ever get a feel for until issue #8. Seeing as how he appears to be a "meta-human" (think Static Shock, but Asian) I'm not that excited about it.

Overall it's an alright book. Catwoman's changing face is a bit of an annoyance, but at least Spark wasn't! And the story Winick is cooking up appears to be going places, unlike the last arc which was basically just a bunch of stand-alone adventures that were incredibly fun but lacked depth. He's even found a way to blend the Court of Owls into the current plot quite nicely. It's not a must-have issue, but it was definitely an enjoyable read.

Overall, “Catwoman” #9 is a weak entry to the Night of the Owls cross-over event, but an otherwise okay comic. It even has a heartfelt ending that seemed like it should have been better than it was but since the story had to be rushed it doesn't quite have the impact that it should have. Issue #9 is also a very fast read that you'll get through in no-time at all, but it's a very well drawn comic that you'll find yourself flipping back through again when you are done just so you can take in all the little details of late 17th century Gotham. It's definitely not a must-buy for Catwoman fans or Night of the Owls fans, but it was fairly entertaining.

Overall, it's an alright issue. It's not going to be anybody's favorite, but it's the start of a new arc that has some real potential.

This is an issue that leaves me far less excited for the conclusion of the Dollhouse arc and more interested in what the new writer can bring to the table come issue #0.

Overall I thought it was a pretty average comic. Anybody who has already been reading Catwoman is definitely going to pick it up just so they can see how Winick's run ended but new readers won't find anything of interest. Old readers like myself will likely feel a bit empty since they wanted a grander finish to a pretty exciting run.

As good as the artwork is, I found the comic to be totally incoherent and a waste of both time and money.

2. Catwoman #14 – Showed us something new, but felt very unnecessary. I don't think Joker would've bothered visiting Catwoman at all. Joker's argument is that the batfamily makes Batman weak, but Catwoman can't really be seen as a crutch to lean on like the other side-kicks. She's just a very minor distraction and one that's never really gotten in the way of the Joker/Batman rivalry… unless you look at it as a weird jealousy “He's my man!” sort of thing.

I don't see how anyone can read this and say “That's a great comic. I'll share it with friends– after I'm done reading it a second time that is!” It's not going to happen. The only way I can imagine this happening is if you had a fun time laughing at how ridiculously awful it is. Or I imagine the person who legitimately gives Catwoman #15 as a 10/10 to be the sort who believes Michael Bay̵

I don't want to waste a lot of time talking about this comic. It's garbage. It's garbage because it's exactly what people who DON'T read comics would think it is: drawings of nonsensical bang! pow! fights between 1 dimensional villains and a scantily clad babe. And for Christ's sake, can she leave her cowl on for a change? The book's called Catwoman.

So"yeah. It's not that offensive. The dialogue is quite bad and the art is pretty stylistic so it won't exactly please everybody but at least the story was easy to follow this time around and we're back to doing more traditional cat burglary again. It's a step in the right direction, but not quite worth picking up just yet.

This comic is really like a 3/10 or so, but this is Batman News. You can't make Batman look like a bitch and not get a 1/10 here. Batman doesn't cry in Catwoman's arms (he got an ass-out hug, by the way. Why is Catwoman giving him an ass-out hug in such an emotional scene? That was horribly depicted by Sandoval) or beg others to help him on such minuscule assignments. And the fact that this thing references Joker and Death of the Family more than anything that happened in Batman Inc. is false advertising and a lot of folks picking this up for the Damian tie-in are going to be very disappointed. But most of all I hate it because Batman looks like a wimp and I can't abide that.

It's a good concept but really it's just a side-story to the real tale which will be in JLA #3 and JLA #4 so there's really no point in reading this. It could've been a very thrilling episode but it's poorly executed with an overly simple escape, awful dialogue (“Cured? I'd rather be dead. I like to steal. It's fun.”, “Smashing you two gives me great pleasure.”) and weak and inconsistent artwork. I have no idea how this comic book continues to exist. It's sad to see such a great character bastardized month after month after month.

It's not the worst issue of Catwoman I've read and there are a few glimmers of a halfway decent story in there, but it's all buried underneath some pointless demon possession nonsense. You don't need to read this before checking out the annual, you don't need to read it at all. Please, please DC, stop killing a great character with this awful series. Oh how I wish Nocenti did half as good of a job writing Selina as she does writing for Joker or Penguin.

There's some amusing action in this one, but the title is just as nonsensical as ever. The GCPD and Bat-family are totally absent while Catwoman fends off missiles and attack choppers with catapults donated by the Welder's Union– that's strange, right? It feels like a chapter from No Man's Land only with more characters risking life and limb for a gallon of milk.

Until this creative team is gone I suggest you turn to Justice League of America and occasional issues of Legends of the Dark Knight(issue #9 was excellent) for your Catwoman fix. Only there will you read good dialogue and see smart capers involving one of Gotham's most important characters.

Yes, this is a positive review for a Catwoman comic. No, Ann Nocenti did not write this Catwoman comic. Look, it's admittedly filler and it sucks that it costs a buck more, BUT it's also the first time in a long time that you're going to get a good Catwoman story so in that way it's not filler and it is totally worth it. Just don't forget that this creative team will NOT be here again, this is a one-time only event.

I say pass on this one, but the arc it sets up shows promise for the months to come. The artwork by Christian Duce is an improvement on what we see in the ongoing series and the characterization of Penguin and Bullock was nice plus we got to see more from a little-known baddie trying to make his way in the New 52. Catwoman Annual #1 doesn't feel like a giant-sized special, it feels like a half-way decent…well, almost halfway decent regular issue that's been way over-priced. Have you seen that Arrested Development episode where Jim Kramer upgrades the Bluth Company from a “triple sell” to a “don't buy”– that's basically what I'm saying here about Catwoman.

What happens here will probably be summed up in some dialogue in one of the main Trinity War chapters, but I enjoyed it. Constantine #5 has more substance than I had expected and it gives new readers a taste of the kind of adventures they can find in this series. I wanted to see what Constantine wanted from Shazam and that's what I got. I wish these two would have had a bigger adventure together rather than just this one small moment but… well, I guess I'm really saying that my expectations here were pretty low and I was pleasantly surprised.

I'm staying optimistic for now, but the first chapter of this 4-part saga was definitely strange. The writing is nowhere near as strong as the superb artwork, but given the bizarre nature of the story being told my curiosity will definitely bring me back for more next month. I'm giving Damian: Son of Batman #1 an average score of 5.5/10.

I definitely don't recommend this one. The artwork looks really great as long as no character is yelling– then it looks downright silly. But overall it's a nonsensical story with really bad dialogue and characterization. The spirit of Batman Odyssey is alive and well in this book… I thought it was over but apparently I gotta cast a horcrux back into the firey chasm from whence it came in order to end this madness. *sigh* at least the newest formOdyssey‘s has taken is only 4 chapters long and not 13.

I really don't recommend this. Unless you're a glutton for punishment and desire to see what sort of insanity Andy Kubert could possibly come up with next, I suggest you skip this one. The only thing that's worth saving about all of this is the artwork, which is quite beautiful and perfectly colored.

If it wasn't for the artwork I could easily disregard this entire mini-series as being totally awful. I'm grateful to see it finally come to an end.

It's a nice ensemble of Harley Quinn stories for the price, but Mad Love‘s absence is felt and Batman: Harley Quinn #1 looks like it was scanned in low-resolution. Otherwise, I think fans of the character will have a wonderful time reading these amusing tales of Quinn's misadventures.

This could've been a good opportunity to hook curious DC fans into learning some more about He-Man's world, but instead this book feels very much like it should've came with a sign that reads “For He-Man Fans Only” because if you don't know your He-Man (or your Justice League Dark) then you're going to have some trouble keeping up. There's too much exposition and not enough fun in this crossover.

I wish both The Long Wait and The Final Lesson could've been given more pages so that they could reach their full potential but even so I think that this is a comic that every Batman fan should go pick up. Although they were brief, each story was very well done.

Although Ton Daniel seems to be trying a bit too hard to be dark and edgy, you can't help but wonder where he's going with this story. The final page has a cliffhanger that's guaranteed to make your head spin! So I'll give it a 7/10 and recommend it to anyone who enjoys the gritty, violent stories and fans of Tony Daniel's previous run on Batman.

I was on the edge of my seat with this book until the end reveal of who was hiding in Taylor Street Imports. I just"I don't know what to make of them. I think Dollmaker and crew are just a little too over the top for my taste, but the comic ends abruptly after we meet him so I can't make an accurate assessment of the character. We see him and his family and then BAM! Daniel hits us with yet another cliffhanger ending that's going to bring me back again for issue #3.

If you're looking for some mindless violence but don't want to go full-retard like Batman: The Dark Knight, then this is a good comic to pick up. But I'm quickly losing interest in this series.

As a whole, I'd say that this 4-part story started out strong, but gradually waned and became more and more illogical to the point that it wasn't enjoyable and I just wanted to get it over with. Well, now it's over and Batman is going after The Penguin. I only hope that the Penguin we get is half as bad ass as the one in Hurwitz's “Penguin: Pain & Prejudice”.

Not only is it the introduction of an unnecessary character (whose existence doesn't even make sense because if anyone of Batman's rogues is impotent, it's Hugo “I drink cognac with my mannequin” Strange), but the story doesn't make any sense! Sure the art's great, Kudranski is the same artist working on “Pain & Prejudice” and he handles quiet moments, shadowy places, and faces extremely well. But this story has Catwoman using Eli as a side-kick to rob an underground poker game"BUT he does nothing. He serves no purpose but to get caught. Catwoman sneaks in the background, empties the safe, and nobody realizes it. The poker game was happening with or without Eli's involvement. Instead, the bad guys realize that Eli is cheating and Catwoman has to emerge and fight everyone. He serves no purpose in this story. Catwoman does everything. Eli. Is. Useless. And so is this issue of Detective.

I will say that the art is wonderful, though. Which, that's what Daniel should be doing. He's an artist first, after all. This issue may be the most well drawn issue of Detective Comics, yet, and the scenes where Batman is threatening crooks look phenomenal, but without a coherent story and characters with purpose, the hard work he put into the stunning visuals falls flat. This isn't worth $2.99 and it sure as hell won't be worth $3.99 when the price hike happens this spring.

At least the last issue had that awful “blood bath” line that made me laugh.

Issue #8 is a definite improvement on what I've seen lately from “Detective Comics”, but it's still not good enough to warrant a $3.99 price tag. Not when there are so many better books that come out on the same day. Examples would be “Animal Man”, “Swamp-Thing”, “American Vampire”, “Supurbia”, “Ultimate Spider-Man”, “Avengers vs. X-Men” and even “Batwing” is a far better read if you just want something bat-related.

“Detective Comics” is a book worth dropping. Daniel is a swell artist, Kudranski is a swell artist, but the writing is terrible in both the main story and the back-up story. Issue #9 might have some cameos that'll make a few fans happy and it does answer a few questions regarding the identity of the New 52 Black Mask and Clayface (Basil Karlo) but it doesn't feel like it has any impact on the “Night of the Owls” story. It doesn't feel important at all, like it's just a side-trip Batman takes before moving on to the real adventure. Instead of feeling like it's part of a sweeping event it feels like filler.

Overall, the main story sets up an arc that has potential to be better than the brief Penguin encounter or the Dollmaker saga, but it's still not good enough to justify paying $3.99, especially when that extra buck comes from the absolutely idiotic Two-Face backup tale.

“Detective Comics” #11 isn't worth $4 bucks. It isn't even worth your pocket change. And above all, it's a terrible way to spend your 4th of July holiday.

The main “Detective Comics” story written and drawn by Tony Daniel is not worth your time, but the backup by Tynion and Kudranski is most definitely deserving of your attention. However, it only makes up 8 pages of a 4 dollar book! It's also important to note that the back-up isn't necessarily must-reading– you'll be able to read Snyder's “Batman” #13 fine without having seen this one-and-done prelude. I'm simply saying that “The Tell-Tale Face” is an entertaining and spooky short story that was well executed. You have to ask yourself: Do I want to spend $3.99 on 8 good pages?

I recommend that everyone give this new creative team a chance. Issue #13 is the start of a great Penguin arc and the return of detective work (and fun) to Detective Comics.

Great issue. I really enjoyed it and it's a must-read for fans of Poison Ivy for sure. If you liked the humor of last month's issue, that more talkative Batman is still here and there's an awful lot of action, excitement, and gorgeous artwork as well. I highly recommend you pick up the Digital Combo pack, the colors on

It's far from being a Death of the Family tie-in but itR

It's a stunningly illustrated work that continues the Emperor Penguin plot all while starting something entirely new with a gang called the League of Smiles, who are lead by a baddie with a very interesting character design. I felt it was money well spent. This creative team knows what they're doing and I can't wait for them to get away from the crossover events and produce an arc that is purely their own.

Issue #17 was far too predictable to really be fully enjoyed but it's still a well drawn issue that ties up all of

As much as we all like to discuss continuity, Detective Comics‘ focus on connecting to the timeline of other titles is bogging down an otherwise great story. I can't help but think that the collected TPB of this is going to be kind of confusing with all the references to other books… Anyway, it's a fun read and the artwork in both the main story and the backup is great. Don't pick it up because you want some Damian Wayne cross-over like the cover would have you believe. Pick it up because it's a good story about Penguin's demise and the rise of Zsasz and Ogilvy.

Action, a new and improved Bane, progress in Emperor Penguin's story, the first appearance of Man-Bat, and spectacular artwork. It's a book that gives you a lot to talk about.

Great artwork, great epilogue, and great backup story but everything else fell way short of my expectations for an 8-part arc's conclusion. After all that wait I wanted something much more than this. To have the brilliant villain turn into a big blue monster who only wants a fist fight is underwhelming. And the constant intrusion of editor's notes in this comic was almost as annoying as Batman's brash actions. Where's the planning? The majority of the story is Batman getting his butt kicked because he waltzed right into an obvious trap and he only wins because he finally decides to do what really should've came naturally to him when the fisticuffs first began. Penguin himself comes out of this arc looking great, it was a solid story for that character and the backup makes Ogilvy's future look quite bright with a lot of possibilities. However, I'm very displeased with the handling of our hero.

This was a perfectly average issue. Those who love Harper Row will enjoy it the most, but this chapter spent the majority of its time bridging from issue #0 to now in the main tale and issue #19 to now in the Man-Bat backup. Big things are clearly on the horizon, but nothing too spectacular occurred here. Today's Batwing #21 was about as entertaining and it was a dollar cheaper.

This was a terrific first chapter with a great new villain (I say new, but he's been around since 1984 or so without much success), action (could've used more detective work but I'm sure that'll come later), a police force that doesn't feel one dimensional, and absolutely tremendous artwork. The only flaws I found at all noticeable were a somewhat sluggish pursuit by Batman in one of the action scenes, a potentially obvious villainous identity, and a back-up that didn't add to or enhance the main story. In the end I think it's the best bat-title of the day and a must buy, especially for those who have been eager to give Detective Comics a chance as this is a new reader friendly comic.

It's an excellent read and it really makes the upcoming issue look very promising. The artwork is fantastic in both the main story and the backup and the backup especially has some big surprises in store for Man-Bat fans. However, there were enough minor problems in the main story to bring down the score for me but even with these blemishes Detective Comicsremains one of my most anticipated Bat-books.

It's an alright little done-in-one Poison Ivy story with nice artwork. There's nothing here that's going to surprise you or to give you something to meditate on, but it's entertaining.

If you want to read a good Harley Quinn story, pick up last week's Batman: Black and White #1.

There seem to be as many good moments as there were bad. If some of the visuals were more well-defined then it would have definitely been a much better comic, but in the grand scheme of things Scarecrow #1 is still must-reading for those interested in picking up the Arkham War mini-series.

As a fun short story about monsters it's a success, but it really is over and done with far too quickly even if it has some cool imagery. It's the readers of John Layman's Detective Comics that I recommend this to the most. I think Tieri and Eaton did a great job, I just wish there was more of it and that the fight between Man-Bat and Francine had carried more weight.

Talk about big action! Detective Comics #24 ends the Wrath arc with dogfights, mech-suits, and even spares a little time to give Gordon a scene or two. However, there's a bit of cheese, weak dialogue, over-narration, and an unnecessary transition that all drag the story down a tad, but not so much that you won't still have fun.

Even though there are a number of changes to Gordon's backstory that I found questionable, this was a really engaging read with fantastic artwork. Plus, Gordon is a character who has gotten the short end of the stick in the New 52 so far and it's great to see him get a story focused on him being smart, strong, and totally capable for a change. It might not add much to the bigger Riddler blackout story of Zero Year, but I think it provides something else to the New 52 Bat-mythology of equal importance.

It's just okay. Unless you were heavily invested in those Man-Bat backups over the past few months, this comic can be skipped.

I had a number nitpicks here and there and there were some stories that didn't quite seem to fit, but by the end there was just way too much good not to give it anything less than the highest score I have. The re-read value on this comic is incredibly high and I think this is something that every Batman fan should pick up. It offers a lot of material worth discussing.

The story is nicely plotted and going at a nice pace, but the flimsy excuse for how Gotham is under Scarecrow's influence hurt this one a lot for me. If you can ignore that then I think you'll enjoy it quite a bit. Granted, we've seen Batman try to escape from a villain-controlled Arkham Asylum before but having him partner with Pamela Isley is a rare sight.

There are a few nice moments (particularly the final pages with Batman and Catwoman), but I wasn't all that impressed with the conclusion to “Gothtopia.” It's an okay issue and I think readers who just want a quick arc with lots of cameos will be entertained, but for a story that has Scarecrow, Mr. Freeze, and others conquering Gotham it certainly wraps up way too easily and has the Dark Knight making some rather questionable choices.

It's a solid start and a big part of that is how Manapul & Buccellato are approaching the Bat-title in a different way than most of the books I've reviewed over the past couple years. They've ditched the inner monologue, turned the focus away from the big name villains, made Gotham feel alive by giving the Gotham gangs and average citizens their due, and they're devoting just as much attention to Bruce as they are Batman. We don't see any detective work in this issue, but I think it's coming. Issue #30 is all about setting up the big mystery The Dark Knight will need to solve and while I'm not terribly excited about it being centered around a drug that makes people burst into flames, all of the other elements were very satisfying.

It's shaping up to be the best arc that the New 52 serieshas had yet. Manapul & Buccellato are putting the detective back in Detective Comics.

I found it completely un-enjoyable and totally overpriced. If it had been $4 bucks I might've given it a 3 or 3.5 because the art was alright, but there are way, way way too many better books out there for you to be reading to waste your time on this ridiculous one-and-done book.

The main story gets a little rushed toward the end but the remaining two short stories were fantastic and give us a great look inside the minds of Jane Doe and, one of my favorite characters, Harvey Bullock. I wish Bullock had been drawn better in the third and final story, but overall the artwork in this book looks great. This was the best bat-title I read today and I think if you're a fan of Bullock then this annual might actually be worth your $5 bucks.

It's a good world-building issue that should please frequent readers of Earth 2 and it makes a nice jumping on point for curious new readers. The artwork by Cafu is quite good with expressive faces and fun action scenes for an all around good-looking book. But was it worth $5 bucks? Not for me. I actually found it to drag in the middle and the lack of attention to the new Batman was a disappointment considering how heavily it was advertised. It's an okay comic, but it feels falsely advertised and the price is too steep for what you get. I think an annual should have a higher re-read value than this when you're asking people to pay so much.

This could have been a really good detective story" and that actually gives me a lot of hope for what this team does when they come to Detective Comics in 2014. However, trying to squeeze this kind of plot into a single issue probably wasn't the right direction to take and it plays even worse when the backdrop is Zero Year.

As a DC fan I'm happy, but as a Nightwing fan I'm unhappy. Still, I recommend you pick this one up. You'll want in on the debate about whether or not what happens here is good or bad for the future of the bat-titles. Note: I suggest you read the last issue of Trinity War before reading Forever Evil #1.

It isn't as earth-shattering as the previous installment and it won't satisfy readers who are anxious to find out what's next for Dick Grayson, but the squabbling between supervillains is fun and fans of the Teen Titans and the Man of Steel are sure to be happy. I'm enjoying this even so far and a part of me wishes that it was weekly instead of monthly.

Forever Evil #3 does further the plot but it does so with too many coincidences, contrivances, and inconsistent panels. While it should be cool to see these villains pull together during the DC universe's darkest hour they stumble upon one another all too conveniently and it makes their rally a lot less interesting. I found this issue to have a few cool moments, particularly with the villainous Deathstorm, and it does answer a number of questions but ultimately it didn't entertain me as much as the previous installments. The ingredients are there for a really great comic, but it seems only half-baked.

“Hide and Seek” is a fun comic that makes reading all the other tie-in books seem worth it and it leaves you wanting more. The artwork has a few rough patches and The Dark Knight's gambit doesn't pay off in a satisfying way for us Batman fans, but overall this is one of the strongest chapters in Forever Evil so far.

Issue #5 is a notable chapter in the Forever Evil saga that I think is deserving of a score in the 7-8 range. It features some major developments and nice characterization of its numerous villains, but some of the art gets a little rough and it does need a better pace. The comic feels more like an extension of the previous, less eventful installment.

I couldn't put this one down.

I have mixed feelings about it. There are a lot of cool moments and a lot of predictable moments that I saw readers guess long ago in the comments section right here at Batman News. It also raises more questions than it answers and leaves a lot of loose ends dangling. It's not self-contained at all and simply leads into yet another crisis, and the artwork gets rather sketchy. Then again, Geoff Johns writes the heck out of Lex Luthor and makes it one of the villain's best issues in ages. For the most part I would say it satisfies with the biggest threats resolved, but there's still quite a bit of ground left uncovered. Overall the Forever Evil saga was entertaining, but it seems to have stumbled its way to the finish line.

KOOM! WHAAM! NAARGHH! FRAMMM! That about sums up Forever Evil Aftermath: Batman vs. Bane #1. This one-shot prologue to Arkham War sees Batman defeat Bane and catch any other remaining bad guys effortlessly. There are no consequences to be found, even in the action. It's just a foregone conclusion that Batman's going to win and can't be stopped. He takes some incredible hits, but shows no injuries or the slightest signs of fatigue. The story gives you nothing to think about. It's all about the big fight scene, which isn't terrible. The book was better than expected, but still nothing I would ever go out of my way to read again.

It's very derivative of No Man's Land and even The Dark Knight Rises (which borrowed many elements from No Man's Land itself) but it's quite a bit of fun and really well illustrated. However, I do wish more actually happened in this issue as it mostly recaps all the Arkham War setup we saw in various Villains Month issues like Scarecrow #1.

While there's definitely more action in this issue, I think what fans will enjoy the most about Arkham War #2 is a particular scene between Bane and Penguin. For the most part, the battles don't carry much weight and we haven't seen enough of the motivation behind the team-ups, everything done for the sake of eye-candy. Many characters are used without purpose and merely serve as fan-service cameos to pop up in the background during battle sequences. The actual story hasn't hooked me yet, but it's admittedly fun to see Scott Eaton draw Bane vs. Man-Bat or Clayface vs. The Reaper, etc. etc.

My interest in this tie-in series is waning. Big time. Like I said, it's basically a feature that shows us all the villains duking it out each month and I like something with a little more substance than that. And when you've got 9+ Batman related comics coming out on the same day there are just too many better options out there. Speaking of which, I have more reviews to write. Did I mention I haven't slept in 36 hours? 9+ Batman comics in one day, seriously? Nine plus?

The plot continues to barely putt along but we still get quite a few pages of the rogues gallery brawling. If you're satisfied with just the imagery of super villains at each others throats then this will be worth your time, but it's really starting to try my patience.

I think that it could be cool for those who are just looking for big, ridiculous action featuring Bane, Talons, and lots of cameos from a roid raging rogues gallery, but if you're looking for something with more substance you'll want to steer clear of this one. I've been really disappointed in this mini-series' attempt at a villain-centric New 52 No Man's Land. It's a Forever Evil tie-in worth skipping.

It's really just more of the same only this time a little worse because most of the villains are the size of The Hulk (it was a terrible idea in David Finch's Batman: The Dark Knight and it's a terrible idea now). If you liked the nonsensical never-ending fight sequence quality of the previous issues then by all means have at it but if you have been as consistently disappointed in Arkham War as I have then you have no reason whatsoever to believe it has made any improvement with this finale (actually, it's not really the finale, we still have the one-shot Forever Evil Aftermath: Batman Vs. Bane)

This was good. If you're a fan of Green Arrowthen it's an absolute must-buy and if you have been at all curious about the series then I think this is a terrific jumping on point. However, if you don't care about Ollie then you can probably skip it. There's nothing here that really adds to the overall Zero Year story, but you do come away with a fun scene between Batman and a proto-Killer Moth. Does it look like an unnecessary tie-in? Yes. Is it still an enjoyable read? Absolutely.

It gets a little preachy, I wish that Anarky was more formidable, and the artwork is ranges from average to below-average, but this was a really, really good issue for John Stewart. If he's your favorite Green Lantern then this is a must-buy as it perfectly demonstrates his strength, intelligence, and courage.

The page-by-page shift in artists and Harley's commentary about their style and the increasingly absurd situations they plant her in is really fun for the most part, but it did get a little repetitive for me near the end and I was just ready for the real story to begin (it won't until issue #1, by the way). Still, there are more than enough funny lines and terrific artwork on display to make this an oddly entertaining done-in-one comic for Harley Quinn fans. And I also have to applaud Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiottt, and all other parties involved for doing something so experimental. A creative approach like this is worth checking out.

It'll be too wacky for some but for many this will be exactly the book they've been waiting for. It has the fantastical character's everyday life aspect of Hawkeye supercharged with the zaniness of Deadpool. If you're looking for a book that doesn't take itself too seriously and you're a big fan of Harley Quinn, then I think you're going to adore this. Personally, I only enjoy characters like Harley or the Joker when they are used in moderation and I found myself falling into the “This is too wacky” category.

Tom Taylor needs to be given an ongoing series. Now. He gets the voices of every Justice League character perfectly in this issue. Perfectly. It's funny, it's dark, it's intriguing"it's just an all around wonderful book and I can't believe I was so ready to dismiss it since it's a video game tie-in. Go buy it, I can guarantee there will be more than a few moments in this that will take you completely by surprise.

Injustice: Gods Among Us is must-reading right now, folks. Even if you're not interested in picking up the video game later on, the comic has a really enthralling story and solid artwork. It's unlike anything else you can pick up from DC right now.

Part three of this gaming tie-in is still quite good but it's not going to leave you with goosebumps the way parts one and two did. Superman and Wonder Woman fans might have some disagreements with the portrayals here, but overall I think most DC fans will find this series to be a very refreshing break from the norm of the other New 52 titles.

This was a very, very fun read. I was ready to give it an 8/10 or 9/10 when I thought the thing was almost through and then it turned out I was only half-way through the comic! Everything that followed was equally good and it made for a satisfying read. Batman and Dick Grayson are great and Aquaman felt like Aquaman but I can see many still being aggravated with the portrayal of much of the rest of the cast.

One of the most important Injustice issues for Batman fans to pick up. The artwork in the middle when we're in the batcave looked a little off-putting, but overall it was a nice looking and very entertaining book. The usual problems remain with character design and characterization of folks who aren't connected to Batman directly, but if you're still reading at issue #5 chances are you've come to accept all that already and you're in for a good time.

Another good issue, but I think it's one that will satisfy the non-video game crowd more. This is a chapter that's more about setting up what's to come and I'm very, very excited to see what July will bring. Let Batman's rebellion begin.

Surprisingly, despite that image of Cyborg's robotic arm getting ripped off, this issue really toned down the ultra-violence and instead featured a more suspenseful plot that didn't rely on an “Oh my God! This guy just killed that guy and there's blood everywhere!” moment to make it interesting. I did find that stuff to be pretty fun and exciting in the beginning because it was so out of the ordinary but now I want to see that the creators can present characters that are capable of carrying a book without resorting to shock value. Issue #7 shows that they're on the right track and the final page definitely has me looking forward to what's to come next month.

Nice artwork, big action, a few laughs, and it manages to fill in some very important gaps in the video game's story.

The aftermath to the all-out-war of last month's issue is just as compelling if not more.

Tom Taylor's Injustice: Gods Among Us continues to outshine the video game it was based.

Action-packed as usual with an added emotional punch. Watching Batman's elaborate plan to infiltrate the Fortress of Solitude fall apart at the seams makes for a very entertaining read.

Not only is it a great ending to the first season of this series, but it's one of those comics where you'll eagerly want to show certain panels to friends just to see their astonished reactions. That's especially true if you're an Alfred fan like me, I'm a sucker for any comic that gives e a great Alfred moment and this one? Wow!

This is a great little one-shot and nice return to form for Lobo. The character may have gotten a makeover in the New 52 but this issue is a love letter to the original with a bad-ass finale and plenty of laughs throughout.

Injustice: Year Two continues to thrill with this all-new series. It's heartbreaking, funny, and its action carries a great deal of weight. My main complaint is that I wish it had been longer because the two stories it collected feel as though they were only getting started before being abruptly cut short.

It's the most Green Lantern focused issue of Injustice yet and the quietest issue as well, but every scene is necessary and it's clearly just the calm before the storm.

I'm not quite sure what the little something is that's missing and preventing me from giving it a 10/10, but I'm giving it a 9. I don't know why I'm hesitating with the 10. It's not like I save those up for some sort of un-achievable perfection or anything. It's a great comic. The scores don't matter. Go buy it.

It's another Green Lantern heavy installment and you know what's going to happen, but I love the ever-rising tension that Year Two has had and the origin of Sinestro should make for an entertaining read for those unfamiliar with the villain.

Good read? Absolutely. New reader friendly? …maybe not so much.

But those nitpicks aside, I'd say go pick this book up"well, if you can still find it anywhere. I'm sure it's on like a 3rd or 4th printing at this point. The 2nd printing cover was my favorite. Issue #2 will be on shelves this week.

I'd give it a buy, but a low-buy. Granted, there are no surprises here. You can guess everything that's going to happen in this book from what you read in issue #1. But, it's a fun read with ultra-cool illustrations and some laugh-out-loud dialogue. What's holding it back from being a must-have book is the lack of story progression (we have yet to see Aquaman, Wonderwoman or learn what Darkseid wants) and any sense of urgency to the threat at hand. And the awful Cyborg subplot jars the pacing and has no place in the story.

There's a boatload of funny moments and lots of action in this comic so you're gonna get your money's worth. Especially if you enjoy these 2-page spreads of the heroes kicking heads in. Wonder Woman's debut action shot is especially cool. And it appears that even in this New 52 universe these heroes who claim to not kill continue to make exceptions for robots and aliens that don't look human. So look forward to seeing Superman knock off a few limbs.

As great as it is to see those cool pictures of BOOOOOOOOMING, SKRREEEEEEEING, and CHOOOOOOOOMING, I want to see the story move along more than this.

It's thrilling, and it's pretty, but you'll likely never read it more than once.

Quite a lot of fun was had with all of this and the artwork was very impressive. Look out next month when Lee is replaced by Gene Ha and the story takes a 5 year leap to the present day.

The 7th issue of “Justice League” is pretty weak except for one really great character, Steve Trevor, and an intriguing back-up tale that introduces a super hero that doesn't get enough respect or attention.

Overall, it's an attractive comedic issue that hints at a lot of potential drama to come in its final pages, but doesn't have a whole lot going on otherwise unless you're a big fan of Ollie. If you're not, a fan of the Green Arrow then I can see this one being pretty forgettable because it feels more like a nice issue of "Green Arrow" rather than a Justice League comic.

Overall, it's a very good read and it sets up a story that has real potential. You should at least flip through it at the comic shop just so you can read the (far too few) Shazam pages.

Do I recommend you buy “Justice League” #10? Heck no. There are far too many better and more affordable comics out there. You should definitely read the Shazaam section, but I would recommend waiting for a trade that collects them all so you can sit down and enjoy it all in one sitting. In the meantime, write to DC saying you want a real Shazaam comic.

The Shazaam back-up by Johns and Frank is terrific as usual but it flies by this time (I wish this had its own series). You'll probably be done reading it in less than 2 minutes and that's if you take your time to admire the stunning artwork. It looks great, it shows some awesome stuff with Black Adam, and best of all we get some real progression toward the big moment we've all been waiting for– the moment when Billy becomes Captain Marvel Shazaam. In fact, this whole issue of “Justice League” has the best plot progression of any of the issues so far. The 6 part Origin saga moved at a snail's pace and the more recent stuff hasn't been a whole lot faster. But here we travel all over the place with the Justice League as they hunt for Graves and we also learn more about Graves in the process, heck we learn more about certain members of the team as well. Things happen!

The conclusion to the The Villain's Journey is a great issue not only for those who have stuck with the series, but anyone who wants to hop on now–which is really rare for an arc's final issue. Jim Lee's artwork is gorgeous, especially in the quieter moments and there's even some art by Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, and David Finch at the back of the book that teases what's to come in future issues. I think the only people who are going to be really disappointed by this issue are Flash fans because that guy didn't contribute much at all to this fight or the events that follow. Otherwise, this book is totally worth your time and money.

It's an alright start to a new arc but it could've been really great with some better dialogue (“Let me free you from the cheetah!”), better use of the heroes at the end rather than acting like a bunch of Red Shirts, and if it had a backup story that was more than just an ad for JLA #1. I'd give it a 6.5 or a 7 I suppose, but it's a good jumping-on point for new readers and I suspect the next installment will be even better now that they're done making Cheetah look like an A-lister.

Overall, it's a pretty unbalanced and rushed filler episode. It's got some really stupid moments like with the old lady and the horn but it also has some nice interactions between the members of the team when the

Overall this was a great issue and it really feels like we're in for an epic after the rather disappointing 2-part Cheetah story. Throne of Atlantis is shaping up to be a pretty cool event and I can't wait to sit down with Aquaman #15 (which also came out Wednesday) and see what happens next.

You want to see more great action? How about top-notch artwork? Then go buy this. Look, if I'm willing to call this comic book THE BIRTH OF THE NEW 52 UNIVERSE, then obviously some pretty big things happen in it and I don't want to spoil anything. It's a heck of a good time, worth every penny, and I can't wait for next week's Aquaman to see where the story goes from here. My only real complaint with this comic is that it took some time to advance from the 3-way argument and the book as a whole goes by too quickly, but that has a lot more to do with Geoff John's writing style which is more suited for a collected TPB as opposed to a single issue and this will definitely be one epic trade paperback.

Other than a few pages of some-what disruptive fill-in artwork and an overall feeling of being a bit rushed toward a conclusion, Justice League #17 is a very exciting comic with some major developments for the greater DC universe. It's a must read if you want to get a glimpse at what sort of changes are under way for Aquaman and the Justice League. But make no mistake, it's mostly Aquaman's show. There are loads of superheroes duking it out in the background but all the important character moments are Arthur's and all of the best fights are Arthur's. So in a way it felt more like an issue of Aquaman rather than a Justice League book. Not a bad thing though.

Justice League #18 is a nice little breather after the all-out-war of Throne of Atlantis but it's more fun for die-hard DC fans looking for familiar faces than it is casual readers looking for story. Some exciting stuff is thrown in at the end that could lead somewhere great but only time will tell. The Shazam backup is still a joy to read but if you haven't kept up with that since the beginning you won't know what's going on.

This is a comic worth picking up I think. The twist at the end of the last issue is hardly addressed so in a way this feels like a fresh new start and a good jumping on point for new readers. Great art, cool action, and as this arc chugs along in coming months it looks like we're going to have a pretty formidable bad guy. It's not as impressive as the Throne of Atlantis saga, but it's entertaining enough.

Issue #20 picks up where we left off last time only it takes the time to better develop the new recruits Element Woman (who I think I actually might like), Firestorm, and the Atom while pushing the story ever closer to Trinity War. It's a fast paced issue with a lot of twists and turns and more than enough action to satisfy everybody. Add that with the Shazam backup and you have a winning combination that's worth your $3.99. Had the Justice League portion featured artwork that I could label anything higher than “passable” this would've been a 10/10.

All of the key aspects of the Shazam mythology that you love are here. Issue #21 of Justice League may not feature any of the actual Justice Leaguers or add anything to next month's Trinity war event but it does give Shazam fans the finale they deserve and it also serves as an exciting setup for an ongoing series.

You'll have to read Justice League #22 more than once to full appreciate the enormity of what all is going on and that's a good thing. Geoff Johns not only throws a lot of plot into these pages and answers some important questions left over from the JLA series but he also brings a tremendous amount of action to the table (as well as a full deck of tarot cards). However, the plot points can all be a bit overwhelming, as can the incredibly large cast of characters and the action can come off as fan-service. But in the end I think it's a pretty ambitious comic that will give fans plenty to discuss, argue, and get excited about. I recommend it.

If you didn't have the big reveal spoiled for you by press releases or interviews this month then what you'll find here should be very thrilling! The artwork is fantastic and what happens in this comic does indeed set a precedent for the months to come so it's indeed an important comic for DC and the upcoming Villain's Month, but it's not a comic that I would return to for repeat readings. This issue is mostly made up of cool imagery without much plot development outside of what we already knew. If you pieced together who the leader of the Secret Society of Super Villains was months ago (as many did) and grow weary of superhero on superhero battles that always end in a draw then you might find yourself strumming your fingers on the table waiting for something new to happen. I think that there was a good story, a good prologue anyway, within Trinity War but it could've been told in 2-3 issues.

While calling it “Secret Society #1″ does feel a bit like false advertising what with only 1/3 of the characters on the cover making an appearance at all, this is still one of the more important Villains Month books and it makes for nice supplemental material to the Forever Evil event.

The kryptonite-snorting Ultra Man's over-the-top origin was a great deal of fun and the final pages definitely have me pumped for the next installment, a fight I didn't even know I wanted to see, but now it's one of the showdowns I'm looking forward to most. It appears as though Justice League will be dealing primarily with the origins of the Crime Syndicate over the next few issues while the main story happens in Forever Evil. If you're not at all curious about the backstory of these villains I can understand why you would want to skip it, especially since it's just a dark retelling of our Superman's origin, but I found this to be a pretty entertaining issue with nice visuals.

I definitely recommend this one. It's good to see some character development with Owlman, plus Nightwing's side of the story gets some long-overdue traction. To top it off, the book has two incredibly memorable moments, one of which features a character I didn't expect to see again anytime soon.

There's a whole lot of content here and Ivan Reis' artwork is breathtaking. I highly recommend it to anyone reading Forever Evil as it is very good supplemental material.If you're skipping that saga then this won't mean much to you, but if you are then I think issue #26 is a must-buy.

Issue #27 spends its first half laying the groundwork for a Doom Patrol title (which is fun but still felt a bit like we lost focus for a moment) and the second half updating Cyborg's look and giving him a new sense of purpose for the journey to come. There are some really cool moments here (especially if you're a fan of Cyborg and DC's more retro heroes) and the artwork looks nice throughout but the dialogue gets awfully heavy-handed. It would've been a far better read if every little detail didn't have to be spelled out for the reader, but it's still quite fun and it enriched Cyborg's character

It's a really great debut for The Metal Men, but it's only that. If you're buying this for Cyborg or more Forever Evil development you might be disappointed because this is an origin story through and through. Fans of The Metal Men should be ecstatic.

A solid issue that should rekindle your interest in the much-delayed Forever Evil saga. A must-buy for fans of Cyborg.

Jeff Lemire moves the plot forward and draws the battle lines between all of DC's heroes while Mikel Janin draws what I think is the best looking chapter in Trinity War yet. I wish some characters in this expansive cast were better utilized, but overall I found this to be a pretty enjoyable issue. Note: you'll want to read this one BEFORE Constantine #5. A full Trinity War reading list can be found HERE.

Mikel Janin and Jeromy Cox's artwork is astounding. This comic is full of beautiful imagery, but writer Jeff Lemire doesn't push the plot forward enough and instead we get an issue full of hero vs. hero brawls that feel like fan-service and not much else.

There may not be much story here but what you get is absolutely necessary. It's a whole lot of exposition and character introductions sandwiched between two brief glimpses at where the team will be heading in the future. I thought it was pretty cool and I'll be back to read it again next month for sure. The one-two punch of reading Justice League and JLA makes it a pretty satisfying day in DC comics if you ask me. It's the most cohesive the New 52 universe has felt so far. So yeah, it has my endorsement. I think you should pick up Justice League #17, Vibe #1, and JLA #1 and read them in that order for the most fulfilling experience.

Go pick this one up. I'm really enjoying JLA so far. It's a lot more engaging than Justice League at the moment and it and Vibe complement each other really well. Plus the Manhunter backup is really cool. Can't stress that enough.

JLA #3 fails to progress the story past what we saw last month in Catwoman #19, but it does a far, far better job with the Catwoman character both in its main story and the Martian Manhunter backup. After the long delay, it would have been nice if the artwork was worth the wait but this might just be David Finch's poorest effort. Luckily, Manuel Garcia lifts the book back up with his pencils in the quite breathtaking backup which shows us a young J'onn J'onzz on Mars. JLA #3 is a must-buy for fans of Selina Kyle and I still find myself very interested in where Geoff Johns is taking this motley crew.

There's some fun action, a long list of characters and things from the old DC Universe making their first New 52 appearance, and some things occur that make issue #4 a must-buy for Catwoman fans. But even with all the cameos and changes for Catwoman, the plot barely inches forward from where we were in issue #3. Also, while Brett Booth and his team deliver the goods as usual, their style doesn't appear to suit the the characters or tone of JLA as well as it did Teen Titans or Nightwing. But perhaps that's just me being bitter about Booth leaving Nightwing. Anyway, Justice League of America needs to bring greater focus to more of its characters so we get to know them and care about them and it might just be the 1 month delay in release from #2 to #3 but the plot needs to pick up the pace.

If you like action and discussing fan theories, especially about how our Mystery Man might have a connection to the world of Batman, you're going to love JLA #5. And if you love cameos by forgotten characters from the far corners of the DC Universe, you're going to have a pretty damn good time reading this book, too. There are a few hiccups here and there but I think a DC fan will close this book feeling thoroughly entertained.

When I finished Trinity War Part 1 I was left reeling. There was so much to discuss! But when I finished chapter 2 I just sort of shrugged, said “That's it?” and went back to packing for my trip.

This has some terrific artwork and a fun fight scene, but given Geoff Johns' spoilerific announcement (which I don't recommend you Google) I'm honestly ready for Trinity War to wrap-up so we can get to the real story, Forever Evil. It's taking too long to get this show on the road and as of right now the Throne of Atlantis storyline from earlier this year is looking like the more epic and captivating event.

PS: There were a few more interesting Forever Evil developments in today's Pandora #4 and I actually recommend that issue more than this one. It has better artwork and a greater sense of purpose.