The Batman's Grave should be used as a reference point when looking to identify good writing and good art. I often discuss the craft of writing and how it's more than just telling a story, and this book helps make that case. Ellis and Hitch have developed such an incredible piece of work, and I often find myself reading he issue two or three times, soaking in the pages and panels because there's so much that can be mined from it. As always, excellent work all around! Read Full Review

Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch's journey through Gotham City continues as the mystery of the maxi-series begins to unfurl as the creative team works their magic that has been apparent throughout. Read Full Review

I'm surprised this miniseries is still going, what with the Warren Ellis Groom Patrol and DC canceling his Dino-Bat story in Death Metal. I can't really say that I'm happy about it continuing. I had a conversation with a friend about the whole mess when it first happened and I was much more concerned about the new re-release of Transmetropolitan trades and how I may have to get the older, more expensive version of them instead if DC decides to cancel their releases. I've never read Transmetropolitan and I don't even know if I'll like it, and yet that quicker came to mind than what will happen with this series, which I had to be reminded was a thing by this same friend. And I think this issue validates my past self in some ways. I like most of the writing but there is something in it that doesn't work. Gordon, for example, is either complicit in a police execution or the most gullible he's ever been. I don't know which it is supposed to be. And the art... I'll continue to compare the two even if I shouldn't, but Warren Ellis' Moon Knight isn't just very well written. Declan Shalvey draws the hell out of it. And so when Ellis let his art tell the story, it worked so well. Bryan Hitch is nowhere near as good as an artist, but his art is given that same responsibility and it fails nine out of ten times. more

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Br'er Lapin AKA 20-Ish Ceiln - Jul 9, 2020

You can't be talking about me. I haven't liked this book.

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And I'm still reading this series for some reason, despite one big new reason to walk away having come up since the last issue. But here I am, and... well, it's not great. Aside from Bryan Hitch's art, which is always good in the action sequences, Alfred is still really the only good thing about this issue, as has been true of most of this series. Really, this comic would be much better if it dropped everything else in favor of having Alfred say catty things to Batman for 19 pages a month. Otherwise, we've got a Batman who uses torture and is cool with the GCPD murdering suspects in custody (and with Commissioner Gordon turning a blind eye to the killing) despite his specific rationale for going after the villain is that he doesn't approve of killing regardless of guilt of innocence. Could Ellis have possibly written a more ill-timed story? Maybe I'm being unkind and that's actually going somewhere, but if so it would be the first thing in this comic that was. I probly won't be back for #9. more