It's a home run all around. Read Full Review

Batman #136 is a blast, an emotional punch in the heart, and a jolting revelation that, even when the drama ends, it's really only just beginning to sink in. Read Full Review

Batman #136 is an excellent recalibration of expectations for the current run, building off the high-concept adventures to dig into introspective reflection and character-driven tensions. Zdarskys script returns inward as Bruce tries to reestablish his place in Gotham, and fails to reintegrate with the Batfamily. Paired with Ortegas art, which not only thrives with the emotional focus but also helps to bridge the backup stories and ongoing plotlines from Catwoman, the issue is a tour-de-force of character work blending with spectacle. As the book is preparing to take a break for Knight Terrors, this issue offers an opportunity to peek into the upcoming story while contextualizing in-universes all of the high-octane action. Read Full Review

Overall, Zdarsky hits a home run in this week's Batman #136 by setting the stage for Zur as a possible villain. However, what makes Zur a unique villain is that its Bruce fighting himself literally. Not an alternate version of himself or some clone. Its Batman literally fighting himself. Its almost as if we get the dueling personalities that the Hulk deals with without the internal connections. Moreover, the bigger question remains as to how Batman can fight himself. Wouldnt he know every move his alter ego would try to anticipate in order to counter? Readers, this is going to get intense fast and I cant wait to see where this leads. So far, Zdarsky has proven his worth since hes taken over Batman. I cant recommend this title enough and find myself looking forward to Batman each month just like I use too many years ago. Let me know what you think, have a great week, and God Bless! Read Full Review

Bruce and Selina finally meet after the recent events for both of them, and some unpleasant truths come out that set the two of them on opposite paths. This is some of the less compelling stuff Zdarsky has written, and I'm expecting the crossover to lack some of his signature madness. That being said, everything that surrounds it is still VERY good. Read Full Review

Batman #136 is a nice transitional issue bridging one epic arc with a bold new one. It absorbs all the events of the previous saga and forges an exciting new path. Where the endgame takes us remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain, it's going to be essential reading. Read Full Review

He reunites with Catwoman for a great scene. The true complexity (and perhaps eventual doomed nature) of their relationship is on full display. Chip Zdarsky's writing is sharp, grounding their convo, and all of these far-out situations, in gritty reality. Read Full Review

This was a very solid interlude from the Multiverse saga to the opening act of the Batman/Catwoman War and worth checking out. Read Full Review

Ortega delivers some fantastic visuals throughout the issue. The art is dark and ominous at times as well as light and engaging at others and both work perfectly for the tone of the story. Read Full Review

Batman #136 does a fantastic job utilizing everything Bruce Wayne has been through the last year to get into what Bruce Wayne's Dawn Of DC status quo will be. Whether it's age, mental health, or strain from all the big event battles he's been through, Bruce is of the same as he was before. This creates an ominous cloud around the direction of Batman as he is tested in unknown ways. That all creates even greater intrigue to find out what Chip Zdarsky and company have planned next. Read Full Review

Batman #136 is a tightly-written issue allowing readers to catch up on all the antics of the last two story arcs. Given the pace up until this point, this issue feels like a good change of pace, but it appears there's always the calm before the storm. Read Full Review

Batman #136 gets the one-handed Batman settled back into life in Gotham as he discovers who's who and what's what since Failsafe banished him to an alternate universe. Zdarrsky's plot movement, pacing, and dialog are top-tier, and Ortega's first crack at art on Zdarsky's Batman is impressive. Read Full Review

I'm happy to see the book set in an interesting direction. I hope this leads to some bigger and better things. Read Full Review

I don't think we've ever seen Batman like this before: burnt out. It's a really neat exploration of the character, and I'm very eager to see where all of this goes. Read Full Review

Batman #136 is an epilogue that hits all the notes it's expected to and nothing more. Read Full Review

: The different scenes don't connect well and Batman doesn't accomplish much of anything. The story feels uninspired, Batman and Catwoman's conflict feels forced, and the art is pretty inconsistent, especially when Batman's proportions are all over the map, from panel to panel. Like I said in my intro, don't buy this book. It's not up to par and it's way too expensive. Read Full Review

The events of the previous two arcs have really left their mark on Bruce, and I really like the introspective Batman we get in this issue. It appears Zur-En-Arrh is being set up for a larger villainous role, but even without Zur in his head we see that Batman can be his own worst enemy by hiding his mental well-being. The idea that Batman cannot show weakness seems like something Bruce would truly believe, and it works really well. This series is in very good hands—I just wish it wasn’t going on a two month break for Knight Terrors!

I thought that this was a good way to continue things after the past two arcs without jumping into another 6-issue arc right out of the gate. This acts almost as a prelude to the upcoming Batman and Catwoman crossover (Gotham War), and I thought the stuff with Bruce and Selina was well-written. I thought Bruce being updated on what's been going on in Gotham since he left could have had a little more spent on it, but it's not necessary by any means. Bruce trying to deflect his friends and family checking on him throughout the issue, only for them to end up having a big family dinner with him was so heartfelt and was my favorite part of this issue. Plus, the stuff with Zur-En-Arrh was pretty good in the main story AND the backup. I'm not sure how I feel about Corona's art in said backup, but Ortega's art in the main story was absolutely fantastic. more

I liked it.

This was a welcome return after the alt-universe storyline. I like the idea of Batman at war with himself.

Criticisms that the art didn’t fit are fair. I thought it was decent it just didn’t fit a Batman book. Would’ve looked better on a younger superhero book.

After the recent multiverse story arc, it feels good to have Batman back in Gotham going out on patrol. I’ve missed that. I hope we get more of a back to basics Batman fighting crime in his city. It was good to see Batman catching up with Tim, Oracle and some of the other members of the extended Bat-Family. I was surprised by how easily Cobblepot junior resisted and then overpowered Batman. Recent Batman writers seem to enjoy making Bruce struggle, making him vulnerable. Well, apart from when they have him skydiving safely from the Moon to Earth.


I have a video review of this issue on my YouTube channel: Wakizashi's Teahouse

Apart from selinas dialoges which was written so harshly this was a very good issue i have seen this type of writing for selina in catwoman book and now this i hope it pays off in the end and bat and cat really go back to each other otherwise i wont know what to tell about this selina characterisation

Back to a win with this issue on Batman. Score would have been higher but just think it's completely out of character for batman to be on his knees simping and begging for Selina to give him a chance.

At last a good issue.

we're getting a crossover next... boring

as much as I like Batman and Chip Zdarsky, thus issue was just a little break in the story after all the multiversal shenanigans. It's not bad, but for me it's not as memorable. Plus, the art is okay.

meh, not bad, just that

This issue was so forgettable that I had forgotten that I had read it. I was surprised that they even addressed Catwoman being an escaped convict, but then Batman acts completely out of character and says, "You don't belong there because you killed Valmont to save me." He would never say that. He would offer his lawyers, but he would definitely give her the option of giving up on her own, or him taking her back to prison. He would never play favorites and turn a blind eye to it. Just like he did with Wonder Woman when she killed Max Lord. Then he comes home to party and he envisions them all on fire. I think Chip has lost his damn mind and doesn't know this character at all.

This is the point of Zdarsky's run where you should jump off. It's not just that the writing declines in quality, Zdarsky begins contradicting and rewriting his own story to fit the new path, one that becomes bloated with poor attempts at redefining the Batman Mythos. Abandon all hope ye who enter.

This issue is supposed to set up the new status quo, but it was more tell than show. We are told that all the sidekicks asked Bruce how he was feeling, but we never see them talk to Bruce, or their reaction to his absence or return.

We do see that. Bruce has a magic hand that does everything his real hand did, so no angst there.we see a little Bruce at war with himself, but it is all old hat. We also see Bruce and Selina talk, but for the life of me I can’t say what that scene is supposed to be about or how it serves the story.

The art was there, neither bad or great. Your mileage may vary. All I can say is that this issue exists. It really doesn’t set anything in motion, except for maybe more Bruce is scared of losing his found family. But this family has all the makings of props, not characters with their own sparks of divine fire.

Not a good issue. Or I could be wrong. more

Decent setup for a potential interesting storyline to come, and Ortega's art is great. However it really feels like Marvel and DC are trying to throw their love interests under the bus so everyone hates them. Selina's dialogue feels extremely forced and unnatural. "You lied and me and my family almost died." "Haha wow! You got problems, Bruce." *jumps away*

wtf??