I won't give anything away (does he catch the killer?!!!) but I will say this is a good one. I'm excited for what's coming in Batman's world, as I have learned to never doubt Mr. Snyder. This issue should back that up. Read Full Review

This issue is amazing. It is great seeing the Dark Knight getting back to what he does best and it certainly helps that Matteo Scalera was here this month to dazzle us with his art. What more do you want from a Batman comic? Read Full Review

Zero Year had some hits and misses along the way, but I think it's always a good proposition to have the main Bat title telling stories in the present. Read Full Review

With Batman #34 Gerry Duggan and Mateo Scalera have created a beautifully illustrated, tight detective story that reminded me of what I love about the character. This comic is the antithesis of what Synder has done with Batman for over a year now and is arguably better than all of "Zero Year". At least when I drop the title next month, the last Batman comic I buy for a while will have been a good one. Read Full Review

Batman #34 is a one-shot snuggled in between Zero Year and Futures End. Don't write it off, though, because Gerry Duggan and Matteo Scalera do a good job of telling a moody detective story that feels important. I really enjoyed it and recommend it. Read Full Review

Batman is back in the present and is on the hunt for an unknown killer. Anytime we get to see Batman hit the streets and use his skills to track down a threat is a treat. Scott Snyder is joined by Gerry Duggan and Matteo Scalera in bringing us this story focused on a single killer. Those that have complained about the longer story arcs should rejoice in seeing Batman get to the bottom of this mystery. Scalera's art perfectly fits the story and definitely leaves us wanting more from him. Despite the story being a self-contained one, you get a sense that there is something else going on. Don't miss out on this one. Read Full Review

Gerry Duggan's star keeps on rising and he is firing on all cylinders regardless of what topic and character he is undertaking. If you enjoyed his take on Batman with this issue be sure to check out his upcoming Arkham Manor that is one of the few new titles in the Batman stable that has recently been announced by DC Comics. If this story is any indicator of what to expect in Arkham Manor than sign me up! Read Full Review

“Batman” #34 is a solid bridge issue that builds anticipation for “Arkham Manor” and catches up the series with the status quo of the Batman universe. It's not forgettable but it's also not the greatest “Batman” issue ever. It is a solid detective story that builds up anticipation for the next, and hopefully big, Batman series “Arkham Manor”. I recommend this to any fan of the series or anyone wanting to jump in, as this is a perfect entry point. Read Full Review

Batman #34 serves as a great return to the current timeline. It not only presents a well told, self-contained story, but mayintroduce Batmanreaders to three great comics talents as well. Whenever the regular Batman team decides it is time to move on, editors would be wise to consider the fine work here when seeking a new creative team. Read Full Review

"Batman" #34 makes me hopeful for "Arkham Manor" later this year; Duggan's got some good ideas, and I like this way for him to get introduced to the "Batman" family of readers. Regardless of the new series, though, this issue works well. It's a nice way to give Snyder and Capullo a bit of a break, and I don't think readers will be disappointed with this guest creative team. Read Full Review

Snyder, who typically goes for “epic” storytelling, reels himself in for a oneshot that makes your skin crawl. Featuring a villain so simple in nature he could actually be real, you're left feeling insecure about those noises outside your bedroom window. Read Full Review

The art is by Matteo Scalera, who has been just killing it on Image's Black Science book. Batman is a good fit for him. The best description I cam give you is that it's as if Batman the Animated Series suddenly became a Vertigo book. IfI have a complaint it's that the art is perhaps a touch graphic for such a mainstream book. Kids read Batman, and showing the corpses of women being buried is maybe a touch too far. I'm not squeamish at all, but keeping the audience in mind is important. It's a beautiful issue, nonetheless. Read Full Review

It's easy to be disappointed at the prospect of a Batman issue without Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo at the helm. And while this issue doesn't always read like the Batman we know, it doesn't come across as a pointless filler issue either. Between the unique new villain and Scalera's gorgeous imagery, this is still a worthwhile addition to Snyder's overarching saga. Read Full Review

This one and done welcome Gerry Duggan in seamlessly with a creepy story. Read Full Review

What really keeps this issue from being typical filler is Matteo Scalera's wonderfully visceral artwork. Bringing the sharp ramshackle style we have come to know and love in Rick Remender's Black Science over at Image Comics. Scalera's Batman, and his Gotham City, is a thing to behold, indeed. In fact, as much as I love Capullo's Batman, I would be more than okay with Scalera sticking around a bit longer. But Capullo's art and Scott Snyder's words will be back after next month's Future's End sideline, for a brand new adventure. But in the meantime, Batman #34 is a solid bridge to the future of the title. Read Full Review

With Endgame being the next big arc for Snyder, it sounds like it's going to be a game-changer. Hopefully, it will set up a possiblity for more one-off stories from the team just like this one. It showcases why Batman is who he is. Even during massive events, Batman can never forget to help the invisible, the meek. Read Full Review

Overall, this is a nice issue that takes a break from all the long arcs. Aside from the Futures End tie-in next month, Batman will be entering yet another story arc in October. While Scott Snyder always manages to give us great story arcs, it's still nice to have a one-shot story every once in a while. Read Full Review

Overall, it's easy to get caught up in the notion that Batman is perfect, and this story's ending reminds us about his flawed humanity making it a solid read. Read Full Review

Great single story. The only things that bugged me a bit were how differently Batman and Bullock's relationship are here than they are in Detective. But I liked this better, as they don't really like each other, but they respect one another and will work together. Also, Batman goes to Arkham. It's weird to think that he went there, in the midst of Eternal and didn't help out Batwing & Corrigan. HE WAS RIGHT THERE. Read Full Review

Batman #34 is a great standalone issue that brings us backto the present day and gives us a Batman we are very familiar with. It is definetly not a pointless filler issue but instead an issue that can really make our skin crawl. I recommend it if you enjoy watching Batman deal with the unheralded scum of Gotham City, instead of his more colorful villains. Read Full Review

The issue is succinct. Snyder's stories tend to meander and go all over the place, but this issue was so self contained. It would definitely be a purchase for people who want their perfect collections. Furthermore, people who couldn't get a chance to jump into Zero Year could easily pick up this great one-shot for a read. I liked the issue as a whole and would recommend that you get it. Read Full Review

Blessed are the meek,for they shall inherit the earth. Read Full Review

In all, this issue is a decent attempt to fill the void between arcs, but feels as though it should have been placed among the other Batman-related titles. The art is phenomenal, but the story feels somewhat heavy-handed, and being a huge Batman fan I am looking forward to the return of Snyder and Capullo. Read Full Review

Ultimately, Batman #34 is a good tale that comes at a bad time. With the epic Zero Year having finished its 12 issue run, and a major cross-company event streaming through every title next month, Duggans done-in-one feels like it doesnt have the legs it needs to make an impact. Nevertheless, the visual design is a fun diversion, and worth checking into for the month at hand. Read Full Review

As much as I have love Scott Snyder's epic take on Batman, I really look forward to issues like #34. Of course readers respond to huge, sprawling stories and I love it just as much as the next guy, but there is something about seeing a writer take a step back and let someone else take a crack at an issue that couldn't be further from what came before it. Gerry Duggan, Matteo Scalera and Lee Loughridge present us a tightly plotted, done-in-one story that feels right at home sat next to the blockbusters and weekly tales. Batman #34 doesn't blow any doors off of anything nor does it offer some new game changing bit of characterization. It simply is, and what it is is a pretty good Batman story. Read Full Review

I have no real complaints about this comic. It's a solid, enjoyable Batman story with a few neat little bits here and there. That's kind of what we all want from Batman. Read Full Review

Snyder tackles some societal issues here, and does it well. He's not preachy, he doesn't get all holier-than-thou. He makes some good observations, and shows that even Batman isn't perfect about some things. Read Full Review

All points considered, this story still has all the components necessary to be successful. It’s a good comic that doesn’t try to be anything more than what it is: a straightforward, detective story in which Batman quickly catches the criminal. Between following “Zero Year” and the fact that Duggan simply tries to do too much in one issue, this issue fails to make waves, serving only as a placeholder to move on into “5 Years Later” and then “Endgame.” Read Full Review

I guess I just don't understand this turn to dark, morbid stories that DC is pursuing. A few years ago this would have been a Vertigo title (page one shows a pet cat that has been drowned, for example). Read Full Review

Now this is more like the Snyder Batman I like.

This is a self contained detective story that has Batman tracking a serial killer with some great character moments. It's not that I don't love the big sprawling stories we usually get from Scott Snyder , but this had that classic feel of the Batman stories I grew up with. At times Batman tends to be overused in the DCU for the sake of selling a book but if this any indication of what to expect from Gerry Duggan in "Arkham Manor" it'll be on my pull list.

A simple done-in-one entry but masterfully handled. Duggan fares well as a fill-in artist and Snyder is such a talented writer as usual, it makes you want to cry.

By now we are used to these issues spacing out different story-lines by the core artists of the series (Snyder and Capullo) and we're also used to admit that they are really well made indeed. "Batman" #34 confirms this penchant: while the story (by Snyder and Duggan) is pretty good and the writing by Gerry Duggan sounds a lot like the main author's, Matteo Scalera steals the scene here with his fantastic pencils. His ability is in making this anonymous (if you read it you know what I mean) killer as terrifying as his famous "predecessor"... The final page is adorned with a very creepy drawing, which concludes very well the one shot.

A generic, good issue... The sad part is, surrounded by great issues, the good issue feels more like a filler than it should. You always get that feeling that Gerry Duggan is good, just not as good as Scott Snyder, Matteo Scalera is good, just not as good as Greg Capullo.
It's a simple done-in-one mystery which is based more on the philosophy of the villain than the actual detective work, and you may not get everything, cuz the resolution feels kinda convenient.
Highlight of the issue is certain decisions made by Batman that make you go like "That's why I love that guy!"

I didn't go the Batman Eternal route, so it was nice to get a story set in the present in the actual Batman title. I'm made to realize that I'm pretty out of the loop. Gordon's in Blackgate for murder? Well...okay I guess. The conceit was interesting, that there is a villain who, unlike most of Gotham's maniacs, appreciates anonymity. And I liked that Snyder knocked out this little tale in a single issue. That said, the pacing seemed a little odd to me. Like the beats seemed a little too compressed or something. One-offs are hard to do effectively, but Snyder gets close enough for my taste. Duggan's art was appropriately dark and gritty for the tale. I'm not a big fan of his Bruce--looks like a thin 50 year old man. The tentacles on the Batmobile also seemed a little bizarre. But overall competent design, panel-work and storytelling. more