The last few issues have built up to this perfect chapter, wherein the art and writing come together to tell a harrowing tale of violence and torture that, through it all, shows the incredible resilience of the Absolute Man of Steel and his allies. As the action now shifts to Kansas, I can’t wait to see where things go from here, and in the meantime, I’m going to have nightmares about Braniac! more

I feel like Lemire is more in his Animal Man-style comfort zone writing Absolute Flash versus this book. He seems to have difficulty here with pacing, transitions and a giant cast of characters. It’s still good, but it’s not compelling in the way Johns’ first two JSA books were (I won’t bring up his last run). This arc is also going on way too long but I’m hopeful for an exciting wrap-up soon. As for the art, it’s ok, but a little too cartoony for my taste. more

I don’t like the constant renumbering of comics back to issue one … so I was already suspicious of Batman #1 even before I bought it, that being said I liked it. The main drawback is that it fails as a first issue - no explanation as to why Gordon is a 60 year old beat cop, or how Vandal Savage is the new police commissioner. Also it’s clear that Alfred is dead and only appearing in Bruce’s subconscious … so I think some explanation is needed there. They could have dropped the DC KO preview and used those pages to get a lapsed reader up to speed.

I will say Killer Croc was very VERY well done and made for a great one-and-done story. The writing was nice and tight and the art was absolutely beautiful. Outside of the few issues I have already mentioned, this was a solid book and a fun read. While not perfect I will still recommend this new Batman - I am adding it to my pull-list. more

Loving the art from the off. Very vibrant. Pops, if you will. Nice to open a new run with a beloved character from the off and tapping in to precious nostalgia. I am enjoying beat cop Gordon!

Things escalate very quickly and some kind of creature is terrorizing Gotham (how original! I jest).

This Batman doesn't suffer fools . Our first central mystery appears to relate to Killer Kroc. As part of his investigation, Batman gets the scrip on Waylon's recent circumstances from Dr Zeller. A cure for his condition has been found.

Very intriguing! She seems like an interesting new character. She speaks warmly of Croc in a way that counld be construed as romantic. I feel like this is a ruse. I think we'll be seeing more of Dr Zeller.

I like how the equipment Batman is using is Telegraphed. The gear he uses will give us window into the kind of Batman that Fraction intends this to be. I hope this is a continual feature of this run.

He zips through Gotham using a Bat-wing. A sign a flys past reads - "Gotham City - you don't have to be crazy to live here but it helps!"

A nice bit humour, it did make me chuckle. Various TV bits are show beautifully evoking Frank Miller's Gotham.

TV adverts promoting safety armour for normal civilians. GNN news conveying civilian panic. Talk show hosts complaining about unregulated dojos. New casters not buying stats that crime is down, taking pops at sedantry Commissionar Vandal Savage refusing to comment. This is a Gotham in the full swing of chaos. Fraction sets the scene for what is to come - and that's just the intro.

Batman has a very sweet interaction with Killer Croc, I found it very touching .For just a moment, they are just two damaged kids, dropping their guards to find some connection, commonality and ultimately supporting each other. This move from Bruce actually quells Croc's fury, resolving the entire situation. What's more is the scene is in full view of Croc's doctors. A fascinating approach from Bruce. I loved this. Also, AI Alfred is a nice touch. Being able to see Alfred and Bruce interactions is a big plus for this series. The fact that it's only a facsimile of Alfred only adds to the sadness of his loss. This seems to suggest that this Batman will be facing emotional demons head on. Fraction is the kind of writer that should be able to provide such much needed depth to mainline Batman. It has felt very shallow for a long time. There is enough encouraging elements here for me to get excited. Let's go.
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It seems that ever since Grant Morrison and Scott Snyder finished their Batman runs, every writer starts off strong but in the end falls flat. Tom King's run started off strong with his first arcs (The I am Trilogy) but then falls flat at City of Bane. I am one of the minority who personally enjoys James Tynion IV's Batman run, but I think it is very shallow. Joshua Williamson's filler run was not that bad, but it was forgettable. Chip Zdarsky starts off really strong with Failsafe, and while I did enjoy Dark Prisons ending (as that was Chip Zdarsky's true resolution), DC forced him to pad out and it ended flat post Absolute Power. I can tell that Zdarsky told everything he wanted about Zur-En-Arrh and wrapped up everything, but didn't know what to do with Vandal Savage.

My point being is that I was nervous coming into this run, but now I'm excited, and I pray that Matt Fraction run stays consistent. Jorge Jiminez is the definitive Batman artist of the 2020s, and it's like his work keeps on getting better and better. I Love how vibrant and pop this initial issue looks compared to James Tynion IV and Chip Zdarsky. It's very bright and colorful, I like Batman's new suit, and it is so nice to have a blue and gray suit instead of the black and gray suit. This is the exception where the trunks works.

I love AI Alfred, I like how this run really emphasizes Bruce's technology. I like how Matt Fraction doesn't want to deconstruct or break down Batman, but just make him have fun adventures. I like how Bruce talks to Killer Croc and opens up his trauma. I even like how Batman uses technology to solve mystery, similar to Christian Bale's Batman. Overall, while this debut issue isn't as action packed compared to Scott Snyder, Tom King, Joshua Williamson, and Chip Zdarsky. But after seeing Batman getting beat down and question his motivations..... it's nice to see Batman be hopeful for once. more

Close to perfect first issue.

It’s hard to judge based on just one issue, but Fraction’s first Batman outing shines through in a way that we haven’t seen on the main Bat-book in many years. He begins putting down a strong foundation consisting of an interesting supporting cast, a rather exciting new take on the city itself, a new look at an old villain, and a somewhat more thoughtful, humane and inciteful first person narrative than we’re used to seeing. Jimenez’s art has never looked better, and rarely have I seen coloring better utilized in the storytelling. The new costume is a sharp return to the blue and grey Bronze Age look, but with a more electric light blue than we’ve seen before. All in all, a stellar launch that will likely get even better as it goes. I picked up the A cover and the blind bat bag, which I don’t want to open because of the gorgeous blue Bat-symbol. more

HINT: If you read this week’s issue of SUPERMAN, issue 29, and then read this issue of JUSTICE LEAGUE, you’ll find it’s a one-two punch from Waid, Williamson and Mora that throws Superman and the JL into the next great Crisis that’s stemming from Darkseid, his Omega Energy, and his Absolute Legion! I’m rather surprised that DC has under-marketed this event for a change, instead of slapping big cross-over chapter numbering across both books. This issue of JLU is a nail-biter in itself throwing different JLU members in escalating peril, while Superman is himself under siege from the same threat over in his own book. Don’t miss out! The All-In fallout continues!
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Another winning chapter that brings us everything we love about Absolute Diana, both past and present, in ways that far outshine her characterization in her regular monthly DCU title by Tom King. This title has been stellar for almost a full-year so far. Kudos to this creative team as they wrap up the maze storyline next month.

The plot really does thicken, and escalates the stakes, with this issue. Has a bit of a “Yesterday’s Enterprise “ feel going for it, too. With the cliffhanger ending, this feels like it has the makings of the next big DCU crisis, one that will also pull in the Absolute universe! I’m very excited to see what happens next. Williamson and Mora once again prove to be an unbeatable team!

The first arc ends on a perfect cliffhanging note, following a showdown between good and evil that plays out on multiple fronts. The people of the city, the Martian, John, his wife and his son are all waging a war against evil in this finale, and not everyone escapes unscathed. I’m pissed that we have to wait until December for the series to resume!!

The Taylor and Rucka stories were absolutely sensational both with art and writing! I liked the other stories quite a bit as well, considering I’m not a big fan of Watters or Tamaki. I was a bit underwhelmed by this anniversary issue compared to previous milestone centennial issues, where you’d often find additional pin-ups by great artists as well as an occasional essay or two. Still, a really really good read for fans old and new! more

This issue was a fantastic rebound from the clunky art and storytelling of the previous Heat Wave issue. We get an intriguing origin for the Absolute Rogues that improves upon the classic DCU group, and still poses exciting details yet to come. Additionally, there’s new shades presented regarding Wally’s dad: he’s not quite the monster we were led to believe, and he too experiences betrayal. So nice to have this book back on track after the previous blip. more

This saga continues to defy expectations both in the story and the artwork. I think this issue takes Bane’s 1993 origin story and expands and improves upon it in fresh new ways, while advancing the main story in scary and exciting ways as well. All of this leads to a shocking cliffhanger in the last 2 pages. This is Snyder’s magnum opus!

This storyline continues to dazzle and surprise the reader, not only with the great character work being done here, but also the big reveal on the final page, which I expect nobody saw coming!

After 3 consecutive issues where barely anything happened to move the present-day storyline forward, we finally get progress and forward momentum this issue, and quite exciting momentum at that. A nice rebound for the series, and hopefully a sign of things to come.

Gorgeous looking book with exquisite writing. Potential Eisner Award nominee here.

Improves upon the previous issue in the narrative, but the art is wildly inconsistent.

The whole Starbreaker saga has been largely and inexplicably ignored for the past several issues. The attempt at a jump-start here is fairly successful but still too decompressed to make it exciting. Additionally, I am not enjoying the constant cutting back and forth between storylines. It’s good but should be so much better. The art continues to be excellent, however.

This story gets worse with each chapter and is a colossal disappointment by all involved except maybe the colorist and the letterer. As others have pointed out, there are massive contradictions with recent continuity, most of the Bat-family is out of character from recent portrayals, and Batman himself in this issue is completely ineffectual. Nothing he does here matters. Robin saves him and then Batgirl saves his sorry ass before handing him a beat down. He also walks straight into a trap he should’ve been prepared for. His narration is annoying and detracts from the story. The art is a shadow of Jim Lee’s previous work. What a mess! more

This storyline is a huge improvement over the previous one, despite the writer’s ongoing penchant for decompressed storytelling.

Lots to enjoy in this wrap-up to the Elixir storyline, especially the fun chemistry between this goofy and unlikely trio. However, the ending is a bit weird and anticlimactic with the reveal of the criminal mastermind, along with some loose ends that aren’t fully resolved. Would have liked to know why Ra’s got involved with these goons.

Both this issue and the previous one are the best chapters yet. Waid provides a clever twist this issue that I was half-expecting, but not in the way he delivered it. The emergence of Two-Face as a series villain is also a highlight for me. Alfred steals the issue with a perfect, heart-tugging scene. I’m eager to see how Waid wraps things up in the next three issues!

Waid's modern masterpiece.

What a beautifully written Alfred. They really must reverse his death in the main series. His lack of presence in mainline Batman is felt each passing year.

This book is so great! With a great twist for the final act.

Wad pulled off a tricky stunt with this issue: a Bizarro story that is fairly coherent and sensible, and even scary at times. I’m usually not a fan of the Bizarro characters so I had initially approached the issue with trepidation, but thanks to Waid’s script and the gorgeous artwork, I was pleasantly surprised.