Batman #52

Writer: Tom King Artist: Lee Weeks Publisher: DC Comics Release Date: August 1, 2018 Cover Price: $3.99 Critic Reviews: 35 User Reviews: 78
8.6Critic Rating
8.3User Rating

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"Cold Days" continues! The jury in the Mr. Freeze trial is hopelessly deadlocked because one man won't vote guilty-and that man is Bruce Wayne. Freeze's defense is that Batman used excessive force, making his arrest illegal, and Bruce is the one man who actually knows for sure what went down between Batman and his ice-cold nemesis. And if Bruce is right, that means everything he's devoted himself to as the Caped Crusader is a lie; he is hurting more than helping. With Dick Grayson putting the Batsuit back on to keep Gotham City safe while Bruce is sequestered, could this be the out Bruce needs to discard the cape and cowl forever?
The Ei more

  • 10
    ComicBook.com - Nicole Drum Aug 1, 2018

    Tom King's writing is giving Bruce an introspection one wouldn't have expected after Selina left him at the altar and it might be one of the finest chapters in the Caped Crusader's story yet. Read Full Review

  • 10
    Pop Culture Uncovered - Eric Mitchell Aug 1, 2018

    I couldn't find anything wrong with this book. Tom King and Lee Weeks knock it out of the park. Read Full Review

  • 10
    Lyles Movie Files - Jeffrey Lyles Aug 1, 2018

    Lee Weeks was such a great choice for this arc. Weeks' has a very dramatic storytelling style that works for extended conversational moments with the occasional action page. The star of the issue though was Elizabeth Breitweiser, who did some incredible work here particularly in the Mr. Freeze vs. Batman sequences. Breitweiser crafted a very unique way of showcasing Freeze's power. This arc is exactly the kind of story King's run needed at this point. It's character focused and is a very smart dissection of the man under the cowl as Bruce starts to assess reasons why his relationship with Catwoman ultimately failed. Read Full Review

  • 10
    Newsarama - David Pepose Aug 1, 2018

    The jury may be out on Mr. Freeze's innocence, but as far as Batman #52 is concerned, it would be a travesty of justice to pass this book up. Read Full Review

  • 10
    Comic Crusaders - John Aguilera Aug 1, 2018

    Tom King has crafted an incredible story. The visuals by Weeks and Breitweiser are masterful. Every part of this book is top-notch and I cannot wait to see where this goes. This is an absolute must-read for any fan of Batman or comics in general. 5 out of 5 stars. Read Full Review

  • 10
    DC Comics News - Steven Brown Aug 2, 2018

    Batman #52 is a great read and I can't wait to see how this story plays out. At first when I started reading this book I initially thought that Freeze was guilty myself, but by the end of this issue, you'll have your doubts too. Although we start to think that Freeze is innocent, we still don't have another suspect either, and there's only a handful of people with access to freeze technology like Mr. Freeze has. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next issue! Read Full Review

  • 10
    Comicosity - Jay Barrett Aug 1, 2018

    The book is a beautiful disaster. King and Lee capture what may prove to be the most trying time in Batmans publication history using the mundane banality of jury duty. They progress both the most pressing conflict of Bruces fragile mental state and Kings overall end game with this current run. This is a cant-miss arc in Kings character defining run on Batman. Read Full Review

  • 10
    Infinite Earths - J.D. Jr. Aug 1, 2018

    A deep, soul searching narrative that explores the fascinating relationship between hero and foe. Read Full Review

  • 9.6
    You Don't Read Comics - Christopher Holden Aug 8, 2018

    Progressing Cold Days, Batman #52 is an engaging glimpse into the emotional composition of Bruce Wayne, structured around a compelling procedural. Continuing his 12 Angry Men homage, Tom King provides a thought-provoking issue which captivates the reader and leaves them wanting more, as it explores the effectiveness and failings of Batmans brand of justice. Read Full Review

  • 9.6
    Forces Of Geek - Lenny Schwartz Aug 1, 2018

    The way King and Weeks go back and forth in time to show Batman fighting Freeze mixed with the jury's deliberations is amazing. This is a fantastic issue that pushes and challenges the reader and rewards them for their effort. Well done, yet again. Read Full Review

  • 9.5
    On Comics Ground - Travis Tucker Aug 2, 2018

    This issue was amazing, even if it has me wondering how "heroic" Batman is, I find myself lost in the story and compelled to learn more of what's to come. This is some uncharted territory for Batman, a zone that King has proven time and time again that he is comfortable in. Read Full Review

  • 9.5
    AIPT - Russ Whiting Aug 1, 2018

    Any interaction between Bruce and the jurors is entertaining, but the scenes where Bruce gets to know them during deliberation breaks, like one with Fred, formerly from Metropolis, are poignant and as well " which only further reinforces the air of authenticity which propels the narrative. Read Full Review

  • 9.5
    Geek Dad - Ray Goldfield Aug 1, 2018

    I wish we had seen a bit of Dick as Batman again this issue, but this is one of the most compelling issues of this Batman run, and Batman is barely in it. Read Full Review

  • 9.2
    Black Nerd Problems - Keith Reid-Cleveland Aug 1, 2018

    It'll be interesting to see Bruce navigate his feelings without straight up saying the words, “I'm Batman” and make sure that the justice system doesn't put an innocent man in prison on circumstantial evidence. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    All-Comic - Joshua Hilgenberg Aug 1, 2018

    Batman #52 is exhilarating. The callback to older Batman stories is great for older readers, but the step away from wedding build up means it's an opportunity for new readers, too. Every creator on this book is a rockstar. Buy this issue, buy the last issue, and buy every issue of Cold Days. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    GWW - Christopher Rodriguez Jul 31, 2018

    To use baseball terminology: Tom King and Lee Weeks are batting 1.000 together. Everything they've released has been a cut above the rest. We should take time to recognize that they seemingly bring the best out of each other, it's been a joy to read their work. This courtroom drama is the breath of fresh air that we needed following the heartbreaking #50 issue. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    Dark Knight News - Eric Lee Aug 2, 2018

    After some missteps with storylines like "The Best Man", King appears to be firing on all cylinders. His writing style seems to be better suited for these non-traditional, personal stories more. Here, King wields all of his storytelling tricks to maximum effect to create a dense, satisfying narrative. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    The Super Powered Fancast - Deron Generally Aug 1, 2018

    Week's art is perfect for this particular story. Using the film noir, gritty style to the visuals really punctuates the mystery aspects of the story and adds an additional outside element that contrasts with Bruce in the jury room. A thoroughly interesting issue that ends on an interesting note as well. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    Comicsverse - Maite Molina Aug 1, 2018

    BATMAN #52 is a worthy follow-up to its predecessor, one that maintains captivating drama, unexpected twists, and a new look at Batman himself. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    The Brazen Bull - Charlie Chipman Aug 1, 2018

    It's Bruce Wayne vs. Batman here in Batman (2016-) #52; Bruce Wayne continues to make his case against his darker half, the Dark Knight, and as he does, it becomes obvious that he is a changed man. Batman (2016-) #52 is another intense chapter in what has proven to be a stunning Batman run. Read Full Review

  • 8.8
    Word Of The Nerd - Brent Jackson Aug 1, 2018

    Batman #52 is another great issue in this series. Tom King continues to weave a tale that on paper soundslike it should not work, but somehow it does so well. Lee Weeks andElizabeth Breitweiser continue to deliver some incredibleartwork, filling Batman #52 with some wonderful scenes. I also get an almost nostalgic vibe of Batman the Animated series from these past two issues. From a combination of the artwork and the structure of the storyline, it feels like this story would fit perfectly well in that world. Read Full Review

  • 8.7
    IGN - Jesse Schedeen Aug 1, 2018

    Batman #52 is a visually stunning and methodically executed look at the troubled psyche of Bruce Wayne. Read Full Review

  • 8.5
    Graphic Policy - Brett Aug 1, 2018

    Having been on a jury, the arc is hitting me a bit more than I'd expect without that experience. Like Wayne and those around him, the role is a tough one as you decide the fate of an individual and possibly condemn them to death. Luckily, the guilt in mine wasn't in doubt just if it was an pre-determined act. Still, this issue, and the last, have gotten me to think about the decisions we made and whether we debated everything properly. It's a fascinating piece of work that shows that even without the cowl, Batman works at an entertaining and amazing level. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Batman-News - Elena Carrillo Aug 2, 2018

    King teeters close to derailing this story with a Bruce Wayne pity party just at the height of the action, but if you can just keep all the wheels on the track as you're reading, this is a train well-worth taking so far: solid and interesting detective work (after the fact of the investigation), a room full of interesting characters full of presumptions and motivations, and a Batman who's more man than Bat just now, and throwing all his cards on the table. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Comic Watch - Justin Cooper Aug 15, 2018

    A good detective story, that speaks to the hearts and characters of any Batman fan. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Big Comic Page - Dave MacPhail Aug 3, 2018

    Tom King and his rotating creative team continue to delight and entrance with yet another deconstruction of the world's greatest detective and his methods of apprehending his foes. We are shown a slightly out of control Batman who could be making the wrong decisions and we really get to feel Bruce's struggle against himself. King is taking great pleasure in exploring the methods of the Bat as well as public opinion of Gothams shadowy hero and I cant wait until the next issue to see how this story unfolds. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Comic Bastards - Cat Wyatt Jul 31, 2018

    This is one of those plots that really makes you sit down and think. There are so many potential reasons and reactions to everything going on that the truth has become almost perfectly obfuscated. We're left grasping at crumbs. Even the great Bruce Wayne/Batman doesn't know the truth. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Comic Book Corps - Jimmy Folino Aug 1, 2018

    Fascinating parallels between 12 Angry Men and this issue. Loved Weeks' art and how King showed Bruce's investigative and detective skills. A couple of lines of dialogue stood out to me. "This is Gotham Kid, keep the gun" and "Have you seen anyone "talk" to Batman" I also would of loved to see more Dick under the Cowl in this issue. Overall, issue was great. Read Full Review

  • 7.5
    Comic Book Revolution - Kevin Lainez Aug 3, 2018

    Batman #52 is not a perfect issue. There are some minor problems that keep it from reaching that point. But even with those minor problems Tom King still tells a powerful story centered around Bruce Wayne tearing the idea of Batman down while Mr. Freeze is put on trial. It all helps to progress the fascinating narrative King is telling during his Batman run. Having Lee Weeks along to draw the Batman #42 helped elevate this Mr. Freeze story so that the strengths outshine any problems that briefly pop up. Read Full Review

  • 7.0
    Henchman-4-Hire - Sean Ian Mills Aug 4, 2018

    What I hoped would be a thrilling jury room deliberation on the merits of Batman turns out to just be a couple weak arguments. King appears to be saving the really good stuff " hopefully " for a future issue. Read Full Review

  • 7.0
    Bleeding Cool - Joshua Davison Aug 5, 2018

    Batman #52 isnt a bad issue. Its built upon a clever idea, and the dialogue is solid throughout. The slowness and monotony are the books biggest problem, and I cant say that even that sinks the book. Plus, the art is great. Its a decent comic, and I can recommend it. Feel free to pick it up. Read Full Review

  • 6.0
    The Batman Universe - Ian Miller Aug 1, 2018

    A deliberately paced look at Bruce trying to persuade the other jury members that his actions as Batman cause more harm than good. Read Full Review

  • 6.0
    Impulse Gamer - Jeremy Carr Aug 3, 2018

    If you loved the last issue than you will love this one, if you are like me and miss Batman doing Batman things, then this is a pass. Read Full Review

  • 6.0
    Comic Book Bin - Herv St-Louis Aug 1, 2018

    Lee Weeks was at pain to depict the talking heads this issue. Of course, I adore his work but even he has limits when handed a script that kills any form of dynamism. One can tell that King overwrote this script. Even Weeks has to rely on the nine-panel grid scheme to get through this issue. While Weeks can deliver nine-panel grid storytelling like the best of them, using him this way is not the best use of his range. Read Full Review

  • 5.2
    Weird Science - Eric Shea Aug 1, 2018

    Two issues after Bane supposedly broke the Bat and it seems like Bruce is getting his shit together.  Hopefully that means that he'll be getting more interesting stories because while this issue makes more sense to me than what we got previously, it's still pretty dull and I'm just waiting to turn that corner where I can start appreciating Batman as a character again.  I'm a fan of the art this issue, but I'm already pretty bored of jury duty. Read Full Review

  • 10
    Æther Aug 4, 2018

    Integrity, empathy, and a punch to the face, I love kings Batman. Such a smart comic, perfect characterizations, fantastic art, a refreshing read, with an intriguing story. but it tackles some serious issues on violence and its poignant affects on mental health. This is amazing stuff, Tom King continues to impress, I cant get enough.

  • 10
    Ken b Aug 2, 2018

    This was a very good read. Tom king is killing it with this arc !

  • 10
    Dorival Aug 1, 2018

    Damn it! This is getting better issue after issue!

  • 10
    Linkush Aug 1, 2018

    "THIS IS GOTHAM. KEEP THE GUN"
    damn, this is some good stuff.

    + LikeComments (1)
  • 10
    Batman Jones Aug 1, 2018

    Holy man, that was amazing. And that art. And that final panel. A perfect example of how and why when this book is great it's the best thing on the stands. I thought this was solicited as a two-parter but maybe I'm wrong. There is obviously a third part and I, for one, can't wait for it.

  • 9.5
    Steve C Aug 2, 2018

    Awesome story... words and art were both incredible.

  • 9.0
    mrDovydas Aug 18, 2018

    Builds on what happened last issue and gets even better. There's no action, just words. But that's what makes the story work so well.

  • 9.0
    KFuqua Aug 1, 2018

    I have not been a fan of Tom King's run on Batman, but I did really enjoy this issue.

  • 8.5
    Federico Liguori Feb 15, 2023

    This is great! Tell them, Bruce!

  • 8.5
    Full Spread Apr 26, 2019

    Far too much of Tom King's Batman work lets gimmicks and experimentation get in the way. Too often King tries to tie Batman to over-obvious themes. But somehow, with this arc, he examines the grief associated with a fallible Batman in a harrowing, introspective way.

  • 8.5
    auletti Aug 12, 2018

    Batman 52
    Twelve Angry Men is one of my favorite movies. With only twelve men in a room almost the entire movie it is dripping with a level of dialogue, interaction, and intensity rarely seen. Tom King and Lee Weeks attempt that here in the second episode of the Mr. Freeze story arc. Now add Bruce Wayne as the antagonist attempting to persuade the other eleven (yes there are twelve) who have voted Guilty to change their vote seemingly against batman and find Mr. Freeze innocent.
    In issue 51 where Batman catches Mr. Freeze in regards to the deaths of three woman. Bruce Wayne get selected to do Jury Duty and works hard to get selected. He gets asked why he couldn’t get out of it and in true Bruce Wayne fashion states it’s hi more

  • 8.0
    nickogle Aug 2, 2018

    This was overall a good issue. I think I would essentially call it the "12 Angry Men" of Batman comics. And honestly, hearing that out loud, it shouldn't work, but honestly, it does. Easily the best part of the issue is the characterization for Bruce Wayne. Plus the whole "Batman vs. Bruce Wayne," scenario actually goes a lot deeper than one might expect. Like many issues of this run of Batman, Tom King goes deeper into the psyche of Batman and several supporting characters than most other writers. I also liked Lee Weeks' art, he is probably one of the best recurring artists on the Batman run. However I'd be lying if I said Elizabeth Breitweiser's colors are actually better than the penciling. Overall, I think this story arc is one that rea more

  • 8.0
    bucswin611 Aug 1, 2018

    Incredibly detailed and focused, and amazing action sequences by Weeks, but it's definitely a middle chapter in the story's development.

  • 8.0
    MKW69 Aug 1, 2018

    It's good, but this feels cheapened by being after Batman not Marriage. King Hammered down, that Batman is not perfect, and if this would be a example of that, but that Bruce lose control, by himself it would have worked better.

  • 7.5
    Dani Aug 3, 2018

    I found a quote on tumblr from @tterrymcginnis that said Bruce would fight his own reflection if you caught him in the right mood. He was definitely in the mood in this issue. Bruce gave a compelling argument against Batman to the jurors; arguing in defense of Mr. Freeze. It's almost ridiculous at this point. This makes you wonder what is next for Batman; because his mind is definitely not into it.

    The artwork continues to be reminiscent of a Law & Order episode, which I really like. Once again I was less than impressed with how Bruce looked. It was actually distracting in a couple of panels.

    This arc is interesting because it can lead to so many story lines. While I was advocating for some self-reflection, I didn more

  • 7.5
    egonnn244 Aug 2, 2018

    This is a good story.

    It's interesting to see Bruce saying that Batman is not the best there is, that Batman is not infallible. Other members of the jury see just that, but we as readers actually see Bruce saying "I'm not infallible. I can make a mistake". I find it really neat for Batman to own his mistakes and trying to fix them somehow. Usually, he is the stoic guy with all the answers. But now when he's been through some emotional turmoil he made a bad call, just like any ordinary person could have made.

    And Lee Weeks' art is terrific. He's great at portraying emotions on characters faces.

    My only problem with this issue is the little dialogue thing that Tom King sometimes does. That characters (Bruce Wa more

    + LikeComments (2)
  • 7.0
    Afre Aug 2, 2018

    It's pretty good. I hated Batman #50, so as a follow-up to that, this sucks. As a standalone story, this is great. I have so mixed feelings about this.

    At least the art is great.

  • 6.5
    Melkor Jan 1, 2019

    Art is good. But it's so nonsense.

  • 6.5
    Nihilist Aug 1, 2018

    I enjoy the concept behind this story, but let's be real for a moment - 12 Angry Men executed it way better, with more complexity and humanity, 60 years ago. Of coure it would be unfair to compare a comic to a movie, but nonetheless, I feel like this issue didn't have the same tension and stakes as its cinematc competitor. Especially when King resorts to his notorious trick - repetition, whether you like it or not. There's couple of pages that add absolutely nothing to the story - one's we've seen in #50 as well, and also, for the nth time, Bruce brings the tale of his parents' deaths again. We know it, from Miller to Snyder, Johns to Loeb, and King himself, it always comes back in, and I have to say, I think King overused it a bit. Not onl more

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  • 6.0
    Spacey Medicine Mar 5, 2019

    I'm kind of on #TeamJury here. Put up or shut up, Bruce.

  • 3.0
    myconius Aug 1, 2018

    if Victor had gone right to the police
    this would never have happened.

    Bruce isn’t presenting a valid argument.
    even IF Freeze happens to be innocent, he was still in violation of his parole.
    whatever BS reasons Freeze had for suiting up and leaving his house arrest, if he was truly afraid that Batman was coming for him then he should have called the police. how did he think this would turn out for him?
    and if Freeze refuses to name his ‘underground associate’ then he’s pretty much framing himself.

    but if Victor Freeze was truly innocent, then he should have JUST called the police the moment he heard Batman was coming for him.

    Bruce is wasting everyone's time by trying to sway th more

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