Whether we agree or not that Batman needed a fresh start this was about the best possible way to do it.

It's the third week of January and I think I already know my favorite single issue of 2012.

Next issue officially begins the Night of Owls crossover event, this title bumps from $2.99 to $3.99 with extra pages and a backup by Snyder and his American Vampire partner Rafael Albuquerque and I couldn't be more excited. To DC Comics and the team behind this book all I have to say is…

At it's core Scott Synder is giving on heck of an epic story that gets bigger with each issue and always keeps me guessing, all the while Greg Capullo and the whole art team only get better. It's not a mystery at all why this is one of the best selling books in comics right now, it's just good. Better than good, it's freaking great.

The team on Batman will have everyone's attention again because this is one heck of a single issue and beginning to a fresh event. I'm not sure if it's my favorite of this team's so far, Batman #5 was pretty freaking great, but this makes it pretty clear why this is one of the best selling comics right now.

It's always hard for me to sum up feelings for any individual issue of Grant Morrison's Batman run because it's really one long saga that just happens to be broken up; the story flows in arcs, not issues. But as a single issue this has got to be one of the biggest, saddest, and most epic of Morrison's entire run.

If there's one thing I've constantly praised Morrison for during his run it's been his originality. Even if your not a fan, you have to respect his unwillingness to tell another Riddler or Penguin story. And if that's your thing than DC has really stepped up their game with giving you good-ol Batman stories in their other titles, but THIS is what I was hoping for when the Batman Incorporated concept was first introduced and now that it's here I can't wait for the next issue.

Again another great story and brilliantly showing off how well New Jersey folks pulled together to help each other during a natural disaster and a time in need. Even though the series deals with Hawkeye we rarely see him suited up in his purples tights and instead we see an ordinary man doing what's right when not on active duty. Truthfully Clint's never off the clock and if I had to guess what a worldly known superheroes life would actually be like I would have to guess this is as close as possible. This is the perfect issue to jump on and get a feel what kind of character Matt Fraction is making Clint out to be. Oh and the art is on the money as always.

Gritty pulp/noir comics aren't for everyone. But if you like comics, if you enjoy sci-fi, enjoy crime stories, and you made it to this point in my review you either bought the book and are nodding your head in agreement to how much fun it was to read or your the perfect person for this book. It's great. It's fun. I got my money's worth. And I'm going to go read it again right now.

Like the previous issue (and a trend which I'm sure will continue) the book is not only chock full of great art and story but another insightful essay on pulp history from Jess Nevins (on the character G-8) and 23 pages of uninterrupted goodness, no ads. For fans of crime, noir, or pulp comics/stories I can't think of another comic out there giving you more bang for your buck. And as for any fear of sequels there is none, so far this is just as good as the original.

Put simply, this is good comic booking. From the moment you flip the cover you're going to be entertained, and left wanting more. For my two cents Francesco Francavilla has created something worthy of sitting next to any of the other popular crime books out there right now. If you haven't already, go get this.

Anyone not buying this book is missing out one of the best series of the year so far.

Morrison isn't finished with Batman yet but this issue will mark the end of a run that is sure to be discussed and built on for years.

And the scene with the iron mask-wearing gang and Batman's magnet – awesome.

“I pay with Steel.”

Declan Shalvey continues on art duties and hits another beautiful splash page with Conan sitting outside Belit's room as he hears her screaming in pain. Shalvey captures Conan's pain perfectly on the splash page with Conan sitting on the ships floor lost, stressed and covered in his enemies blood as he continues to hear Belit scream in pain as the witch attempts to heal her. Brian Wood manages to put together another great and emotional story as I was able to feel Conan becoming more and more desperate to save his wife and crew as he hacked as slashed down opposing enemies who were attacking the ship trying to apprehend Belit. Conan the Barbarian continues to be the perfect balance between a great love story and action. Pick up issues 10-12 or if you want to jump on board fresh next months issue 13 is the perfect opportunity.

Lady Mechanica is offering more than just a kick-butt mystery thriller; the style, the story, and the art collide in what has all the makings of a great comic book. Seriously, do not let this book pass you up, it's a gem. And the promise of more is enough to hook me.

Can't wait for issue #2!

This felt like the start to the summer Court of Owls crossover event coming up; it looks like were going to see more Talons, Bruce has escaped the labyrinth (Kinda. Unless you believe he dies at the start of the next issue) and I couldn't be more excited. I only hope that DC gives us a long and meaty run of this Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo team up because I'm not sure I'll ever get tired of it.

It's always interesting to experiment with a non-Batman story in a Batman book and here it works about as perfectly as it can. I'm a Becky Cloonan fan and upon hearing that she'd be featured in this issue I got excited, but I didn't expect to love her work this much, Scott Snyder and her can meet again with these characters as many times as they like " more of this is a good thing.

Batman #16 delivers. When I first heard the Joker was returning and that Snyder and Capullo were taking a shot at him this was the level of crazy I'm sure everyone expected. If your going to play with Arkham it should be dark and terrifying. And this was just that. I'm not sure what were in for with the next issue but count me in as very, very, excited.

In the end I'm not sure it will go down as anything more than a good Joker story but I think most Batman fans enjoy a good Joker story, right? This creative team got the chance to play with the biggest Bat-villain of all time and the story was creepy, twisted, and revealed something warped about Batman that we didn't know about before. That's a win to me.

As an Annual and as a tie-in to “Night of the Owls” (which was done nicely and in a way that made sense) this was a fun read and a great issue.

Despite my nitpicking this issue was great. It's opening was heartwarming, it's ending was a classic cliffhanger, and the stuff in-between made for an excellent read. The worst part is having to wait till issue #21.

Up until this issue Batman Incorporated was still a bit of a mystery; what kind of book was it going to be and how would it all tie into Morrison's previous Bat-work? I think these questions are partially answered now (by virtue of presenting more questions and mysteries, but keeping to Morrison's style). Not only will we be getting new Batman from all over the world but it looks like expanding the Bat-universe will include brining the return of past characters. I say bring it on, but if DC could start a feature in the back of each issue titled, "Grant Morrison for Dummies" it sure would help.

Since giving our lowest Morrison-written-Batman rated issue with #5 Batman Incorporated has been solid. This issue is a great example of Morrison's ability to make an iffy idea actually work. And for all the hype Batwing is getting an ongoing of Chris Burnham on Man-of-Bats would make the top of my stack preeeety quick.

It's a Batman experiment done right. Something you'll love reading the first time, will revisit again (probably right after your first read like I did), and is an excellent set up for the next installment. With as flexible and expansive as a character like Batman is it's a waste not to venture outside his normal settings once in awhile. Batman: Earth One delivers exactly what it promised to with enough surprises to catch in your second or third reading. Good, fun, comic reading.

Sidenotes: Welcome Sarah Charles and Thomas Morrow back to the DCU and I'd be curious how many times Aquaman has introduced himself in comics by splashing out of the water. Still awesome though, anxious to see more of him next issue.

The second issue expands Power Girl's world slightly by featuring a couple of members of the Justice Society, a team of which she holds the chairmanship. Flash, Doctor Mid-Nite, Hourman, Wildcat, Damage, Mr Terrific, Green Lantern and Liberty Belle all make a brief cameo but take no time away from the two majors, PG and the Ultra-Humanite. We are left with a cliffhanger of Power Girl having her head cut open as the Ultra-Humanite attempts to switch bodies yet again.

Like the whole arc, Batman #707 isn't going to blow you away, but for my two cents it's been the best writing we've seen from Tony Daniel yet. With as much original Batman stuff that's being written right now I enjoy getting these issues knowing it's going to be a fun and familiar Batman adventure. And also unlike a lot of the other Batman comics right now Tony Daniel has been on time every month with the quality of this work improving each issue. So don't skip out on these, you'll be missing out.

See, again I can't wait for the next issue.

Snyder, Capullo and Jonathan Glapion get it done in this issue, and to a standard we've come to expect. Things have reached about the highest peak they can and with the set up for whats to come I think all eyes will be on Batman #16.

For an even deeper breakdown check out David Uzumeri's Annotations over @ ComicsAlliance

Overall, this issue is a bit of a disappointment given the last one. It's more about setting the stage for what's to come and meeting characters we've heard about than it is actually doing anything. Perhaps all this information reinforcement is a necessary evil, laying the foundations and such, but I'm hoping something really exciting happens next issue, and we don't just keep treading water.

Jeff Lemire took over with issue #9 in Justice League Dark and it has been a great experience for me so far. I never read the previous issues so I can't compare how good or not the series was but Jeff Lemire has proven to be a solid writer with JLD and his other DC series he currently writes. The entire Justice League Dark gang have such unique personalities and backgrounds that the one thing they all share is that they are each so different in the DC Universe that putting them all together was a great idea. Jeff Lemire has made magic and sorcery cool again.

Overall, volume 2 does something that a lot of Superman stories don't, and that's make Clark/Superman the main character. Instead of treating him as a force of nature or some living deus ex machina, JMS makes Clark a living breathing man. And maybe the trade off there is that he can't be both perfect and three dimensional? And is seems like that was the whole point of Earth One to begin with.

I'd imagine it's hard to write a Batman story right now that isn't as exciting as Bruce Wayne traveling through time or a possible return of his father Thomas Wayne, but kudos to Tony Daniel for not inviting a comparison. With good art, hidden gems, and a classic-feeling Batman story separated from the craziness going on elsewhere I would easily recommend this as a good buy for any fan.

(To people wanting to dive a little deeper into the Morrison elements here is Comics Alliance annotation, going over the issue beat-by-beat: Batman #700 Annotation)

Perhaps I have nothing to worry about though, and Tony Daniel has certainly earned the benefit of the doubt. This was still a really fun read and I'm anxious to see the Beholder arc unfold. Only time will tell.

All things considered Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo deliver another standout issue. From the composition to the actual story it was worth every dime.

Enough nitpicking though;, complaining about this issue doesn't do it justice, it was an intense and beautifully drawn beginning to one of the most exciting Bat-events in a long time and the New 52′s first crossover event. Snyder and his crew have more than proven their ability to impress and I'd be willing to bet we haven't even seen the best to come.

With Tomasi's writing matched with this art team it's a shame we only get one more issue because Batman and Robin has returned to one of my favorite reads from DC right now.

Again and again Morrison proves that he has bigger plans than can be realized in just two issues so I'm doubting this book will just be issue after issue of Bruce recruiting new Batman. Still though, I'm holding my breath. Just a little.

Dark Horse Comics has had the Star Wars license for twenty plus years and this is a perfect example of how well they treat the franchise. Here the most loyal or standard of fans can latch onto something with an exciting amount of potential. A lot of what makes Star Wars great is right here in the comic; space battles, likeable characters, impossible odds, and Darth Vader. Anyone who loved the movies will find enough reasons to enjoy this.

The momentum Tony Daniel has been building for the Batman title was at a maximum with Batman #707 (I said it was my favorite Tony Daniel written issue yet) [Link] but any fears of this crossover filler issue squashing that momentum is, at least for me, a non factor. David Hines and Guillem March deliver an exciting story that is more than worthy of following up with.

So no, not my favorite issue but that's like picking my least favorite peace of work at the Smithsonian, it's all good. I'm still biting at the bit to read the next issue.

Despite my being underwhelmed this is still a decent issue, there are more than enough good character moments and the Joker's plan for Batman (and Snyder's plan for the Joker) is still exciting to read, but the strength of this issue seems to eventually rest on what's to follow. So we'll have to see.

So maybe it accomplished just enough. I didn't get the green space action I've been missing, I've still got a lot of questions about the new guy that Superman is beating the heck out of in a future event, and I thought the cliffhanger was an odd choice but I'm buying the next issue and enjoyed the read…sounds like a win.

My only beef, for $3.99 and just 22 pages of story I'd like more than a transcript of an interview and not-Jim Lee character sketches. The upcoming Shazam backup with Gary Frank and Geoff Johns will probably convince me (I'm a sucker for anything Gary Frank).

I like the story he is telling. He's re-connected with Jeph Loeb's Long Halloween and Dark Victory stories along with bringing back some of the classic pulp mad scientist character types with Hugo Strange and Black Mask, who shares some of those same elements.

As a single issue this isn't the best of the series, but how does that saying go, "it's about the journey, not the destination?" Part of what has made this creative team so fun to watch is that even an issue that might not be on exact par with the rest is still heads and shoulders above most of the other superhero books on the shelves right now and this is just a part of the web they're weaving, it is a conclusion of sorts but it's also a bridge to the next thing this team has in store for us. None of which this has made me any less excited for.

So the issue is pretty safe. There's not much boat-rocking. Which means no one falls overboard, but no one is begging to climb aboard either. It's enough to keep me interested though; their was definite emotion, even some sweetness to the family atmosphere, and I'm intrigued by the possibilities of where a story like this could go. But I wouldn't mind things getting shaken up a bit, in fact I'm hoping for it.

Good issue? Eh, worth the read definitely. Bad issue? Heck no, Tony Daniel wraps his story up, gives us GREAT art, and sets us up with some great stories to come.

Batman Incorporated is about as experiential as we've seen Morrison handle the Bat-Universe. Bruce Wayne is completely out of our (the reader's) comfort zone, interacting with characters that are either brand new or barely touched on in the modern era of comic books. The attention to detail, symbols, and story following required from the reader is arguably the highest it's ever been. Granted timely released issues helps but I'm beginning to wonder if Morrison's compiling style here will start to wear down it's fans. Morrison is loyal to the process though, and as he's proven in and out of his Batman work the payoff at the end is almost always worth it, but man this is a comic book workout if I've ever seen one.

Speaking of my dumb adult brain; only 4 instances in the entire book where a DC Comics ad didn't take up 1/2 of the whole spread and the back up is still as useless as Wonder Woman is to the league (seriously, why is she even on the team?) This is probably DC's best selling advertising book.

A BIG special thanks to my pal Shane Longino for letting me pick his brain and sharing with the site. He's a stud.

My impulsive and collective nature will probably lead me to buy another issue or two but I might be discovering that this book isn't for me (curious how many fans like me feel the same or different). It isn't for a lack of trying on the creative team though; the humor and “fun” is obviously intentional and Jim Lee isn't holding back, I'm sure for some this is the best series out right now and I can understand why. The New 52 was about a fresh start and maybe DC is going in the opposite direction than I expected and making Justice League for kids again, in which case I applaud them, I just might not be buying it.

This was far from a bad issue, I just couldn't help but feel a little underwhelmed. Makes me wonder if Batman R.I.P. at this point is better left as it was.

Outside of this being the the final issue, it bares no significance and is sure to be quickly forgotten about. Shouldn't be the case with our next Batman issue though!

Batman and Robin #26 Review August 11, 2011 DC Comics Reviews 1 comment Tweet In the final issue of Batman and Robin before the title is renumbered Dick and Damian share their last adventure as the dynamic duo.Batman and Robin #26Dick, Damian, and Nightrunner " the Batman of France, ala Batman Incorporated " join forces to take down a group of new villains who have set free the inmates ofLe Jardin Noir (the Black Garden, essentially France's version of Arkham Asylum). The villains have a unique set of abilities, making their capture anything but an easy task. Fortunately Batman packed his riot foam and everything work out.Although technically this title isn't going anywhere as it's a part of the new 52 this is the final issue of it's current run in what is soon to be the "old" DC Universe, and for a title that paved the way for so much earlier in it's numbering I expected something much different. Certainly not what is e

I don't mean to be the back-seat driving comic book fan that the internet is full of; I was excited for this issue, anxious to read Winick back writing Jason Todd and eager to watch Red Hood battle it out with Batman and Robin, all of which we could very well get in the next issue, but I'm going to bag and board this and I honestly can't imagine a moment where I would pull it out again.Finally: was it just me or was there an Arresdeted Development quote (ala Tobias Funke) in there from Jason Todd when he said ""how are you?" Maybe it's just me.