Wow... Unlike many comics fans, I don't consider Batman to be a favorite character. There are certainly good stories about him, and even some bad ones that I hold dear to my heart. Batman, for me, transcends character, existing more as almost a genre unto himself, a blank slate upon which so many stories, so many different takes can be done. I love Englehart and Rogers, and the laughing fish. I love O'Neil and Adams, and the love-god who Ras admired and Talia loved. I love the fun-loving, square-jawed big brother who slapped Robin heartily on the back as they leapt into their always-non-fatal adventure. I enjoy the old man who snarks that he wears a target because he can't armor his head. They're all good, they're all Batman, and, most of all, THEY'RE ALL VALID. Each is a perfectly legitimate take on the phenomenon of Batman, and each is somebody's favorite. So, when I say that I don't care for Batman comics, it doesn't mean that I don't love me some Batman, and fin Read Full Review

It's going to be a while until we see Bruce again, although with Blackest Night coming up and a Blackest Night: Batman three-parter in the wings, it may be sooner than we think. Until then, Gaiman and Kubert's Detective Comics is a great story, with issue #853 earning 5 out of 5 Stars. Read Full Review

Detective Comics #853 was an absolutely fantastic issue. Gaiman completely blew me away with the story that he delivered in this issue. This is a beautifully written issue that is simply a cut above the writing that you normally get with most comic books. Having said that, Readers who do not prefer meta-textual stories will probably not get that much enjoyment out of this issue. However, I would certainly recommend this issue to any readers who enjoy slower paced, introspective and complex stories. Read Full Review

Without any judgement towards opinions and without any obnoxious posturing, Neil Gaiman has just played peacemaker between angry fans and DC Comics. Some would say that there might not have been a peacemaker needed at all or that there was never any real problem here, but I disagree; this was really needed for fans and publisher alike. I don't know if he meant to serve in this capacity, probably not, but it's a great side product of Gaiman's writing in this instance and I never saw it coming. Loved it! Read Full Review

"Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?" is a marvelous love-letter to the Batman character and a meditation on what makes him so fascinating to so many generations of readers. Even if it isn't the last Bruce Wayne/Batman story ever told – and surely it wont be – it will still stand as one of the definitive Batman tales of all time. If you're a Batman fan, you'll want to reread it multiple times to re-experience its magic. Read Full Review

It's a comic you need to experience to truly appreciate and something that will be talked about and discussed for years to come. Read Full Review

Finally, and to the books credit, Im far happier with the two-part format now that Ive read this concluding chapter. What appeared from the first issue to be a single tale, arbitrarily chopped in half for commercial reasons, has turned out to be two slightly different (yet closely connected) stories, both of which celebrate the rich history and legendary status of the iconic figure that is Batman. It might not be quite the five-bullet experience that I was hoping for from the first issue (although maybe the two of them will read better in one sitting) but it comes close. Read Full Review

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The one thing that Moore's story ultimately brought to the table that I felt was missing here, though, was a sense of wonder. Reading the conclusion to Gaiman's story, I felt satisfied, and pleased. (In some ways it could almost have served for the epilogue to the pre-Crisis Batman back in 1986.) Reading Moore's story, though, makes me want to sit down and re-read it right away. It's an unfair comparison between the two, I know that, and I think with time that extra hope for a little more will go away. Until then, I think that while "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?" might not be a story for the ages, it is a strong, satisfying comic. And that's definitely something to be proud of. Read Full Review

Gaiman pulled off a nice little bit of misdirection in the first part of this story, and it was just based on who he is as a writer. An unseen female figure speaks with the Batman's spirit throughout the story, and it was logical for the reader to assume it might be the cute goth version of Death that Gaiman created as part of the world of Sandman in the 1980s and 1990s. the female figure proves to be someone else, and her appearance and role in the story are just as logical... moreso, really. The best thing about this story is that it's completely unconnected to "Batman R.I.P.," Final Crisis, Blackest Night or any other DC event. Instead, Gaiman's story is about all incarnations of the Batman and how much they differ, but it's also about how each and every take on the Dark Knight is the same in a number of key ways, the most important of which is the drive never to give up no matter how hopeless the situation may be. Gaiman posits there's only one possible ending for the Batman story, Read Full Review

Just as I mentioned in my review for part one in Batman #686, “Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?” is a mere imaginary story. A tale that you are going to forget and fast forward through, and never really consider as a legitimate part of the Batman folklore. Furthermore, it's also just a reminder of how stupid DC is for trying to pass off that Batman is dead or can be killed. My suggestion, enjoy the Neil Gaiman tale, and I guess forgive DC when the dead rise on the Blackest Night. Read Full Review

Unfortunately, the revelation in Final Crisis that Bruce Wayne is still alive (just displaced in time) drained Gaimans homage of the emotional resonance and energy that it otherwise might have had. Read Full Review

I don't know what to tell you. If you love Batman, this will probably resonate with you. Maybe the notion of finding meaning, sans happiness, in just going on and never giving up is enough for you. It's not a bad lesson for this fairy tale, but it's not a very good lesson either. In fact, it's a pretty damn forgettable story all around. Read Full Review

Batmans friends and foes continue to recount his many deaths as the man himself watches with his ghostly companion. Read Full Review

If you liked this review, be sure to check out more of the authors work at Monster In Your Veins Read Full Review