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3.0
Honestly this fell like a block of concrete from a tenth floor. The encounter between the Batmen was completely bland, with a Covid pandemic-like stay-at-home tip that made me laugh at the ridiculous comment between the two. It all felt so stagnant and a Bruce not being Bruce.
Then we have Lucius' situation where he decides in a very macabre game to betray Grifter and Huntress is the only thing that raises this number even though it is leaving the Fox family very badly off, possible breach of trust, perhaps theft (resources, technology together with a cloak that has not shown to have actually earned it, the only thing that leaves good is that he is trying to help people but putting aside the Batclan does not look good or maybe they will fix it in Nightwing in some way) and now justified betrayal or no.
The gaps in the story are not good because they allow us to say a lot about the true reasons. more
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1.5
Aaand eventually the story goes into classic Tamaki territory with cringy dialogue, super boring exposition and huge plotholes. It was a matter of time, as always when it comes to her. Rosenberg's story is not good either.
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4.0
Grifter/Huntress Issue #2. That's what the title SHOULD be, because the Dark Detective story tells us that Bruce knows that there are Magistrate nanodrones everywhere, which we pretty much already KNEW. The Dark Detective plot of the story is about one page of plot. Some handwringing. A currently pointless crossover of Tim Fox as The New Batman having a cameo meeting; hopefully in issue DD Issue 4 there is some point to this, other than to sucker readers to pay $6 for this issue.
But SURPRISE, Grifter/Huntress Issue #2 does have a story, a plot, action, and actually moves the story forward. After lots of boredom about Tim Fox as The New Batman (why, exactly?), we now can clearly surmise WHY Tim Fox became The New Batman. That is the value to buying this issue. They don't actually "tell" you, but you can now "figure it out." Tim Fox's motivation is about betrayal and disgrace by family (at least I sure hope so). That plot has mostly been in Marvel comics, but you see it here and there (not very successfully) in DC Comics: Batgirl Stephanie Brown/brother Cluemaster (Arthur Brown), Batgirl Cassandra Cain and her assassin parents, and the always (boring to me) ex-Robin Damian Wayne and his assassin mother Talia al Ghul/lunatic grandfather Ra's al Ghul. I have always thought Marvel did that type of plot better. But lack of other moral / social motivation (not good) has repeatedly gotten more of the Bat family "motivated" or at least "entangled" on these lines.
So Grifter/Huntress Issue #2 does explain things - and fills in missing motivation for the other Future State The New Batman, regarding Tim Fox's motivation. However, it certainly is outside of "canon" (whatever that means anymore), as Luke Fox (aka the former BatWing) was always described as someone with different level of intelligence, skills, values. Aside from the "aha" moment, there is a sense of disappointment that "is this all they have for the future of The New Batman?" You may wonder why this matters in a DD review, when "The New Batman" literally just makes a cameo. Well, it is the only meaningful part of the comic book. The DD plot line is basically 1-2 pages stretched out over 15.
Always glad to see the Huntress, and Bruce Wayne will of course, always be the only Batman; it is good to see Bruce not dead, not a zombie wearing a Black Lantern ring, and not wandering around with an arm cut off, so it is worth it online, if you can get a discount from 6 to 5 dollars on Comixology. Nothing here you really want to hold on to on paper for future investment.
Grifter/Huntress Issue #2 (Rating 8); DD Issue #3 (why you bought this) (Rating 4)
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6.0
Bruce's story is not bad. The art is nice and the writing solid so it's worth the read. But I don't see myself ever coming back to read it. I have no problems with it, but I don't care enough about it to read it ever again.
And that is my problem with Future State. These stories can be good at best, but not so good I want to read them again.
As for the Grifters -story, I just don't care. About anything in it really. So pass for me.
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4.5
I'm getting really tired with this comic, I swear. Three issues in, and the plot is being unraveled so sluggishly and uneventfully, I begin to think it may not lead anywhere... oh, wait, I take it back, because of course it doesn't. Future State is just a short event, so the least I could expect from it is a bunch of self contained straight-to-the-point mini stories. This one isn't one of them. It's a drag that feels like it intentionally wants to avoid making a point.
Unlike the supplementary story with Grifter, which ends on a strong note and easily overshadows the titular Dark Detective tale. It's good. So much so, I actually care what happens to Cole now. I want to know what happens to him in this timeline, seriously. Where Mariko Tamaki continuously's been failing, Matthew Rosenberg managed to craft a compelling, dynamic narrative which certainly has to be one of Future State's stronger entries. Makes me even sadder to see it being merely an addon to something simply inferior.
Grifter gets my strong recommendation, Dark Detective not at all. It's a waste of time. more
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10
Loved it!
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9.0
Both stories were very good I've really been enjoying the dark detective stories I think they are well written and very interesting. I'd say 9 for the Batman story and 8.5 on the grifter story
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8.5
8,3!
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8.5
I thought the Dark Detective story was pretty good. I'm worried about the pacing at this point. What could issue 4 do to make this story worthwhile? I like how Tamaki writes Bruce, but that only goes so far. The art is great still. The Grifters story was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed how Rosenberg wrote the characters. If you liked the Grifters backup, I suggest you check out the Hawkeye: Freefall miniseries from last year that Matthew Rosenberg did.
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8.5
" Always a new hero to replace the old one. Because it's about a symbol, not a person. Batman is dead. Long live Batman."
- BATMAN (BRUCE WAYNE)
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8.0
The grifter story wasnt too great but I really have been enjoying the main story throughout these 3 issues. Great art and the story is pretty solid.
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7.5
Still really enjoying this one, even if it was a bit weaker than the previous issues. The backup story bumps the score down a bit, but even it was pretty good.
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7.0
A satisfying conclusion to the Grifter jawn, accompanied with the latest inclusion of the chronicles of modern- L.A. - living Bruce Wayne. I want the person to set him up be the daughter of his landlord so bad ! That storyline aside, the big Bruce meets Fox was flat as a pepsi left out for too long. The first couple of issues were explosive but this one was the definitive bridge to what is building up to be a glorious finale.
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Audiomack.com/cvrthebard
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7.0
The meeting between the Batmen was an uneventful let down, but the Grifter backup story had some nice twists.
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4.0
In the first issue, I said that they wrote Bruce Wayne like he was an idiot, if anything this comic is consistent. The beginning wasn't all bad, the mention of how more 'good' could be done if the rich paid taxes is accurate, but the irony of Wayne being the one saying it is not lost on me. I have no idea why the new Batman was in this comic, he served no purpose and drove the story nowhere, which begs the question, where is this story even meant to go? Bruce has devolved into a rogue shell of a man who lives with a mentally disturbed man. He comes across as jealous of the Magistrate for doing a better job than him, and I'm honestly just bored of it all at this point.
That said, Grifter was the saving Grace. He's like Constantine, but only if guns were magic. more
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8.5
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10
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10
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10
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10
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10
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10
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9.5
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9.0
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9.0
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8.5
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8.5
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8.5
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8.5
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8.0
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8.0
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8.0
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7.5
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7.5
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7.5
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7.0
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7.0
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7.0
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7.0
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6.5
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6.0
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5.0
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4.5
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2.0
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1.0