The Brave and the Mold, I still laugh at that, is dark, funny, and at times compelling. Being that it is a single shot, we get a completely contained story here and from start, to finish it is quite satisfying. Read Full Review

Batman #23 is a landmark issue and another victorious collaboration between King and Gerads. It's surprisingly both heartfelt and a gut punch to your emotions for two characters that are shown as larger than life entities. Just like the “Rooftops” arc by the pair, “The Brave and the Mold” takes Batman to an emotional plateau we don't usually see and with Gerads art we're given plenty to look over on multiple reads. This issue is a winner across the board. Read Full Review

Batman #23 is a triumphant one-shot from one of the greatest comic-duos in the industry. All the strengths of Tom King’s thoughtful character study and Mitch Gerads’ emotional storytelling merge into what is likely to be a contender for issue of the year. It does not matter if you have never heard of either creator. It does not matter if you have not read a single Batman comic. Go to a store and buy this. Read Full Review

Id been waiting months to read this issue, and what a payoff! Swamp Thing is one of my favorite characters, and teaming him with Batman usually makes for one of the best odd couple pairs in comics. This issue continues that great tradition with one of the best team-ups between the two I have ever read. This is pretty much a perfect done in one issue of comic book storytelling, and a master class in capturing the essence of a character. Read on for 11 reasons Batman #23 is without a doubt a must read this week! Read Full Review

This is a story about fathers and sons, vengeance and justice, life and death, and its unquestionably one of the best single issues of a Batman comic Ive read in a long, long time. This is the Batman I want to see, this is the Swamp Thing I want to see, and this is the creative partnership I want to see working together time and time again. A fantastic issue from two creators who seem custom-made to collaborate with one another, and one deserving of my highest possible recommendation. Read Full Review

While it might be a bit odd to see no follow-up to the Watchmen stuff here, for the most part that stuff had little bearing on Kings run compared to what happens here. While it might be odd to say that an issue featuring Swamp Thing is more important to the context of Kings run overall, it does make for an effective study in how people who suffered great loss can react completely differently. If youre looking for a more introspective take on one of the best superheroes right now, in a line thats already putting out plenty of great takes, youre in for a time. Read Full Review

Batman #23 was perhaps the best single issue of Tom King's run so far, and that is saying quite a lot since he has had some really good issues. I absolutely love when Batman and Swamp Thing team-up and when left in good hands, those characters can work very well together. This issue peals back so many layers in only a few pages, and this is true talent at work. Read Full Review

King may not hit a home run every issue on his run, but when he does they are spectacular grand slam at the bottom of the ninth style hits. This is another one that's going to be considered one of the definitive issues of his run. Read Full Review

Dark in all the best ways and willing to let certain heroes be scary again, Batman #23 is a triumph that could have been a world-class team-up flop. Tom King and Mitch Gerads took what worked from their working relationship and translated it perfectly into the main line of DC Comics and in doing so, delivered what could be one of the better team-ups Batman has been involved with. You don't often associate one-off hero pairings with haunting visuals and uncompromising character moments, but after Batman #23, you just might. Read Full Review

Batman #23 is an accomplishment not only for King's Batman run, but for his oeuvre Read Full Review

Even if you're not currently reading Batman you should pick up this issue! It's a lot of fun, there's some classic Batman detective work, Swampthing is great and the art is magnificent. Read Full Review

Batman #23 is just a fantastic, emotional and inspired issue, and once again shows you don't need four or six issues to tell a story that will be completely satisfying. The issue masterfully takes both characters on a journey, and the result is an affecting tale that distills substantial differences between each of them. And because it's such a well-constructed story with a definite and powerful arc, Batman #23 once again proves that the skillfully executed and affecting done-in-one comic book tale is really a delicate and rare art. Read Full Review

King' is the first run of Batman that I started with issue #1 in the present instead of having to play catchup or missing altogether. If this pace and quality keeps up, this may end up being my Batman series. That's saying quite a lot. Read Full Review

With Batman #23, Tom King and Mitch Gerads further cement their status as one of the greatest creative teams currently working in comics. This issue offers a captivating blend of moody horror and zany humor, while the creators make the most of the surprisingly resonant bond between Bruce Wayne and Alec Holland. Its's enough to make you wonder why DC has kept Swamp Thing out of the spotlight for the past year. Read Full Review

Batman continues to be a book to pick up in this Rebirth era, it is full of twists and turns, and as evident even when not a huge arc is going on its still very interesting if not even better as it is not constrained by having to tie a ton of loose ends and is a fitting tribute to late Bernie Wrightson. Read Full Review

After the breakneck pace of The Button it was nice to have a breather in this story that, while fast paced, played out simply and naturally over its course. Were gearing up for what appears to be another larger than life Batman story. Ill continue to be hopeful for Tom Kings work, but I cant help but feel like these smaller stories are where his talents are best used. Read Full Review

This story has a lot going on, but even though many of the elements are quite disparate from one another, I found them to fit together quite beautifully. While there is nothing here that's relevant to the overall story currently being told in the pages of Batman, this was a wonderful little one-and-done that was succinct and to the point: providing action, detective work, humor, references, and thought-provoking subject matter all within 20 brief pages. Read Full Review

A short but impactful story, Tom King is able to spin a well crafted narrative despite the seemingly simple plot. A nice interlude from The Button and the aftermath of Bane that is coming, I couldn't have pictured a better story to be the buffer. With only 23 pages you find yourself truly invested in both Swamp Thing and Batman, individually and as a team. Great read, I very much hope to see these two together once again someday. Read Full Review

Batman #23 is a must read for comic fans that have ever wondered “how annoyed would Alfred be if Swamp Thing visited Wayne Manor?”. The book delivers that answer and many more as it dives deeper into the inner workings of the mind of Swamp Thing. There are plenty of great ‘Batman being Batman' moments throughout the book, so don't worry that this issue is all Swamp Thing. It is an insightful look in how grief drives people to do things, and that not every person will experience grief in the same way. Read Full Review

This is a great comic book, the best issue of King's run, and the best Bat-comic I've had the pleasure of reading in quite some time. Read Full Review

A well-written and well-illustrated short tale about a team up between Swamp Thing and Batman that sheds light on them both. Read Full Review

Mitch Gerads' circa-1939 artwork boosts a nostalgic comic that writer Tom King struggles to balance between past and present styles. Read Full Review

Despite a truncated ending, “The Brave and the Mold” was brief, amusing story with plenty of action, beautiful art, and funny bits to enjoy. Read Full Review

Batman #23 teams the Dark Knight up with Swamp Thing, and while issue could have utilized their individual skills a bit better, it's entertaining. If you need to skip an issue of Batman, this is it. Read Full Review

Despite a truncated ending, "The Brave and the Mold" was brief, amusing story with plenty of action, beautiful art, and funny bits to enjoy. Read Full Review

Overall I thought Batman #23 was an entertaining read. As I stated before, it's always good seeing Batman work so well with other heroes, and as always"he calls the shots. Mitch Gerads does a wonderful job of giving a film noir type look to the book itself. Each page shows the grit and grime of Gotham and I enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to the next issue as we find Swamp Thing leaving an angered Batman questioning his next move. Read Full Review

Despite Tom King's desire to genre hop and show off his obscure knowledge of the characters, Batman #23 still remains a good read for fans of Swamp Thing and the Dark Knight. Read Full Review

On paper, this issue should be a sure fire hit.  Batman and Swamp Thing? Batman and Swamp Thing! Unfortunately, Tom King gives us a Batman who also seems more concerned for his own philosophy on life and death than anything else and is just not good at being Batman.  Mitch Gerads art is good, but this issue felt like an Annual story than a standalone issue. Read Full Review

This issue is best Batman Rebith issue.

Kite Man! Hell Yeah!

This one shot is a perfect example of what Tom King is capable of when he is at his best. If you are enjoying the current Batman run, then this is a must-buy. If you are not following, but you want to know what this Batman run is all about, then this is a great issue for you to dive right in to and get a taste. Any fan of Batman, Swamp Thing, or fans of superhero comic books in general should add this beauty to their collection.

Pretty much a perfect comic. Great story and art, thematic depth and the issue felt longer than it was. Sometimes you don't need endless monologues to get into characters' souls.

Tom King knows how to write a one-shot issue! A near perfect team-up issue amongst Swamp Thing and Batman. The pacing was great, the artwork stellar. After the Bane and the Button story arcs, it was nice to have a one-off issue where we could settle in a bit. But Tom King let's us know that he'll still bring his A-game for these as well.

About as good as it gets for a single issue story. Sublime storytelling and art. Highly recommended

A very powerful and moving dialogue within a one-shot that most people would usually consider unnecessary. This is one of the best Batman issues by Tom King to date and I hope that they continue to get better whenever he decides to do something different.

Full of memorable moments, visually and in the dialogue, that will stick with me. Gerards always delivers, and King is having a lot of fun in this issue. Great turn on the parental storyline.

Where is Swamp Thing's Rebirth? Swamp Thing was one of the few titles that was consistently good, proving that not everything during the New 52 era was all bad. Snyder went for a more horror comic approach which is fitting but it wasn't until Charles Soule took over when I really became involved with the story which turned into more of a saga than what Snyder was doing. This guest appearance in Batman, only makes me wish that Swamp Thing got the Rebirth treatment. Zatanna is another one on my list as well as Martian Manhunter. Justice League Dark members should have more of a presence in the Rebirth universe methinks..

This issue reminded me why I love Tom King's Batman. It was very poetic and captured the unlikely pairing of Batman and Swamp Thing very well. A great one shot.

Fantastic issue. Moving and nicely paced.

Nice pacing and a crazy, cool ending. Batman and Swamp Thing are an unlikely pair and it's not surprising why. Now I'm wondering if I need to jump back into this series, I've only read the first nine issues but then came back for the Flash crossover. It seems to be far better than it was when I left.

While this is just a filler one shot it's a fantastic issue. It has the perfect mix of a dark murder mystery with plenty of intrigue and even a little bit of humor sprinkled in. Then it leaves you wanting so much more with its dramatic ending! It's kinda funny I'm not a big fan of King's "poetic" take on Batman but it worked really well for this issue. The art oozes gritty noir and really fits this story well. This whole Batman run has been so hit or miss for me I love certain issues and hate others hopefully we can get some consistency going forward. But really enjoyed this issue!

A one-and-done tale is refreshing! The art was wonderful. It was a thought provoking effort to interpret this Worldview of The Green through Alec. Shades of an A.I. Worldview through Marvel's The Vision but that was 12 issues of mindframe growth and this was noticably squeezed -a bit... inadequately(?)- into 1. In the end how is Swampy's showing any different from a supervillain Batman would forever pledge to hunt down? He killed a man against the Law for his terra-ist beliefs!

We need more storys like this.
Best Tom King issue in this series.

King and Gerards are one hell of a duo. I don't thing there's been a bad issue they have made together. This is just another example of it. Can't wait for their new book.

A more poetic and different story, narrated with Tom King's majestic story-telling and the dialogues are emotive and interesting. Also, Swamp Thing's presence is quite enjoyable and the team-up is really fun. And Mitch Gerads' art is still so elegant and beautiful.

SCORE: 7.9

Nice story dont know much about swamp thing but the ending felt a bit out of character.

Mitch Gerads needs to be on a monthly Swamp Thing book ASAP! Some of the panels were just fantastic. Good one shot.

Amusing but this one didn’t do a whole lot for me. It was decent

Not sure what all the fuss is about with this issue. As much as I really enjoyed the art which was fantastic, this issue really did not excite me. The story was ok and very basic. Someone is found dead, team up ensues, minor plot twist at end. I look forward to the upcoming Joker's arc.

I don't get high review. As a Team up It's ok, but ,,strangest Team-up", Batsy and Swampy too well get along.

SKIP.