If Kings run is supposed to be his Knightfall, then he is doing a terrible job so far. Bruce doesn’t act at all like himself, he is acting like the average guy whining over his girlfriend. And am I he only one, who thinks Banes plan is right out of a CW show?

I think he was referring to Eddie's Venom. Not his.

Fuck yeah! And how about that cover? Absolutely brilliant!!

lol DANG spitting FIRE

Tell 'em why you mad, son....

Wow. You are furious good sir.

i definitely was cranky having staying up late for the special midnight opening. i feel like such an idiot. then after reading all those painful pages upon pages of useless prose just to get to that FLOP ending, i was ready to punch a damn hole in the wall !!!! but what really REEEEEALLY lit me on FIRE was that i ordered SO many of the damn variant covers!!!!!

I know. Every writer does this stupid "Batman is so broken, he cannot be happy. He is just a kid stuck in the past." thing. WHO CARES? King thinks he's soooooo clever. No. He's not.

You literally said nothing. It's like if I just said "your bad and stupid, I dont like you, I hate you, you dont understand anything about me or anyone" it's amazing how so many like a review that has no explanation and so little to say. What a joke, and you call Batman the Emo hahaha well he is and always has been, but you're a bigger one.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the moment we have all been waiting for has finally arrived! May I present you to Æther, the comic book nazi.

You can't say that myconius doesn't have a point, whether you like Kings take on Batman or not. It was a cash grab, especially with the preludes. And I think myconius was saying that King is going overboard with damaged (hence "emo") Batman, which is a story that is unoriginal and said in every since King comic.

TheGeekWonder - you see my point exactly. Batman has moved past this feeling sorry for himself so very long ago. but it seems that nobody has told Tom King this. regardless this was a total shameless cash grab! plain and simple. it was falsely advertised, and many people are livid. especially retailers.

Tom Kings run and story are not a cash grab. Thats all corporate DC bullshit, not Tom Kings fault. I didn't read a single tie-in because I have been suckered by blatant cash grabs enough already, they aren't a part of the lead writers original vision.

Tom King has a point, Batman is damaged, he mopes around in a cave brooding, with childish yet endearing hope's to change the world, hes never really grown up. I've never read a Batman comic that has truly been at its heart and core all about Batmans romantic endeavors to this extent, it is very original and more personal than a Batman comic has ever been. If anything can help batman grow up and get over he traumatic childhood, it would be a good woman.

It was too early to give him his happiness however, we are only half way through!! Now we are going to see batman at his darkest, deeply heartbroken, and wont you be excited... most emo. :P haha it's great stuff. 1/10 though man? Seriously if you dont like it fine but 1/10 makes me think you're just on some carpboy bandwagon. I read eternity girl this year, I know what a 1/10 is.

Æther are you seriously that insecure that you need everyone to love the exact same cartoon books that you do?

fyi - didn't even bother reading a single word you just wrote. your opinion means less than nothing to me.

I didn't ask you to agree, only that you explain yourself in a way I can actually understand.

Fyi- I read everything you write, therefore I have better understanding and critique than you can hope for.

you still talking to yourself?

you must love the sound of your own voice.

Are you still all Emo little boy?

You dont use your voice when you write.

https://mentalhealth.openpathcollective.org/anger-management/free-class/

^ Æther check this site out. it might help you.

You would know.

they are there to help you.

You're the one that cant read opinions that object to your own without becoming a child, fuck off. And you call batman the emo hahaha what are you an SJW now also, cause you're acting like one.

You cant get under my ski. With high school level insults ya punk.

don't be scared. it's ok. just reach out to them and they can help you.

Now you're in grade school.

Preschool next?

breath easy now. in...then out. in...then out.

You're the one talking to yourself, remember you cant read opinion contrary to your own because your a man baby. So yes keep breathing, good job child.

excellent. keep breathing. you're doing ok. just keep breathing.

Well gee, that escalated quickly.

Geez, this troll really likes to comment on other people’s opinions. Do you even write your own review? It was a cash grab. Even the pin-up art, which I liked, was bs. Professing their true love only to pull the rug in the end because of a totally ridiculous reason. Bane orchestrated the whole thing?!? How is Joker hale and hearty standing there? For that matter, how is Catwoman? I do not care for King’s Batman. I’m dropping the series. Last time you’ll see me rate this comic until King is gone.

Just stopping by to say I agree with AEther and also love this issue and Tom King. Don't skewer me. Okay, bye. Also AEther is wrong about Eternity Girl, but that is okay.

Actually, everyone is right. Disregard the previous message. Lets hold hands and sing Hakuna Mutate, it's a wonderful phrase.

I don't wanna go...

There are comments for a reason, you make it sound like I should stay in a bubble with only those who agree with me. That would be foolish and ignorant, I comment on the most popular post I happen to disagree with so I can talk to the majority who dont share my opinion. I find it interesting and enlightening... at least until you stick your fingers in your ears and scream.

Anyways I disagree, the tie-ins were the cash grab... this is a story of batman being played by some of his greatest villains, thier plan was to distract... and break the bat, who better than Bane to lead this jaunting crusade of vengeance against the batman, I ask you? It's batmans love story, and now the bats heart breaks.

Æther sucks

there you go, Æther! just take it easy. steady breaths. breath in……breath out…….breath in……breath out…….breath in……breath out…….

Holy nightmare Batman, some people really don't know how to have a civil discussion on the internet.

I definitely disagree with AEther, sorry I don’t know how to make it look cool, but I also disagree with how the whole discussion seems to have devolved. However, you did call him some sort of carpboy bandwagon, not sure what that means, for giving the issue a 1/10 when you gave it a 10/10. This is the best a comic can get? Almost all of you reviews of Kings work is a 10/10. That makes you seem more like a bandwagon fan than anyone else.

Or you can appreciate the ride for what it is. Nothing about this story is out of character for the last 49 issues. Dial back the hostility. If you don't like the story, don't buy the book. One thing you can't say though, is that Tom King doesn't understand Batman's character. He does understand, but maybe he doesn't tell a story you want to read or maybe he doesn't tell it in a voice you react positively to. The letters in this book are proof of the conflict Bruce and Selina find themselves in.

You can definitely say he doesn’t understand the character. He’s given no indication that he understands anything about Batman that isn’t surface level. He thinks Batman is incompetent, a broken child, and incapable of being happy despite a huge history that shows otherwise.

"Nothing about this story is out of character for the last 49 issues"? if that's what you'd like to believe, then you are entitled to your opinion. in all my years of reading Batman i have never seen Batman portrayed in such a pathetic self-loathing manner. Tom King very much does not understand Batman. he thinks Bruce being Batman is some sort of form of suicide, seeking 'a good death'. that line was taken out of context from TDKR. his writing feels like fan fiction.

Talon1load - that's an excellent analogy of this character King is passing off as Batman. he's very much a broken child, he's very incompetant, and he really seems to enjoy feeling sorry for himself. i can see why people call him Soy-Batman or Low Testosterone Batman.

Well to carp is to complain or find fault continually, typically about trivial matters. Carpboy Bandwagon, the implication should be clear. As for myself, yeah I'm a fanboy for now, but Im always ready and more than willing to jump off a bandwagon if I'm on one. King honestly just hasn't disappointed me, Night of the Monstermen was easily the weakest but I blame Orlando for that mess.

Thus far I enjoy Kings work, its thought provoking, emotionally engaging, deeply knowledgeable and respectful to which he pays a great amount of homage, and he tells it all in a style and voice totally his own, an insightful and unique tale of our beloved dark knight, of the likes I've never read before.

A lot of you act like you have some sort of ownership over the batman character, and in a very pretentious manner protest you know better than others when it comes to batmans character. I imagine most of you think of batman as this flat macho male stereotype of godlike intellect. King focuses on the flaws, and more human needs of batman, nothing of which seems out of character. Besides, when you write for batman, as Grant Morrison has said, "you must write the character as if he is your own".

Also I wouldn't say kings batman is self-loathing so much as he is selfless.

Breath Æther, Breath......

then again .... it probably is very difficult for you to breath when you're so busy kissing Tom King's ass.

Your trite behavior speaks much of your own chatacter.

so from down there, can you tell us what Tom King's been eating?

Kings Batman hasn’t been selfless. He’s been self destructive, which isn’t necessarily out of character but the stupidity behind his behavior is. People have a right to complain about the poor handling of characters that they like. While us giving every issue a 1/10 may make us seem like haters your 10/10 makes you appear like a sycophant. Neither rating is fully genuine or helpful but they do at least average out to what may be a more accurate rating for King’s run which is a 5/10.

And that’s mostly for the art. Lol

Cut it out with the insults guys. You're making me regret building in review comments. I love that you're passionate about comics and want to debate the issues, but let's leave it at that.

myconius, seriously? Come on man, if you're going to write stuff like this maybe consider not writing at all.

I can explain my 10/10 ratings, I recently started reading his Batman during issue 48. I bought the Batman deluxe edition vol 1 (sucks it has the MonsterMen issues) one day, and on the second day I bought all 5 vols of TPB's, and read them all just as fast. It might work better if you can gorge yourself reading these, I dont know. All I know it's been very enjoyable.

It began with Batman facing his own mortality, as we are introduced to a new pair of heros who further remind him of his own humanity. Seeking justice and confronting the transient nature of his being, he puts together a team from Arkham all for an excuse to free Catwoman. Just like in Batman issue 1 from 1940, he unmasks the thief to reveal the most beautiful woman hes known, his hearts desire, and true love... "Lovely Girl, What Eyes!" He proclaimed, after purposely bumping into Robin to let h

He then methodical plans and manipulates Bane on his own turf, leaving him broken and defeated amongst his own men. While simultaneously opening himself up to Catwoman, exposing his vulnerability and finding her faithful. Bane retaliates hastily, a man whom we are shown has struggled in such a similar fashion as the Batman. A dynamic of nature vs. nurture, and how these two boys of alike ilk were shaped into the men they became due to circumstance.

Bane defeated, Batman let's down his guard and proposes to Catwoman. He exposes his history, his darkest secrets, his guilt, and Catwoman accepts and loves him for the man he is. They face trails and tribulations, they are separated, they face the world alone, and love prevails. Preparing for a new life together, trouble finds it's way back into thier lives, sowing seeds of doubt. Seeds of which many strings are attached, manipulated by men of dark hearts to hurt the Bat as never before... and t

... and to yet unknown ends...

So yeah that's what I've gotten out of this story and I enjoyed every moment. He does all this while masterfully playing with the DC colorful cast of characters. I couldn't put it down, issue after issue 10/10 for me. And I still have a few issues 9/10. I find it crazy but intriguing so many can hate it with such a fervent tenacity, that's all. It's a love story for a hero we all love, told in a beautiful and meaningful way.

My first paragraph of my explanation got cut off, but I was just comparing how Batman let Catwoman escape in his first issue with that of King cutting her loose. Hes got a weak spot :P

egon244 - get real. if you had this troll harassing you over a difference of opinion over a cartoon book, i'd like to see how you'd like it.

Æther has just posted 7 comments in a row on my review, and has commented over 25 comments in total. look how much he's harrassed William McKelder over his review of Batman #49. ...is that normal behavior? no! it's not! what he's doing is cyber bullying. believe me if there was a block button i'd have used it after his first condescending comment.

I disagree with your review, complain about it. You then freak out and troll me, now you belittle an art form most of us love. It's more than just some cartoon book, it's a great story. I'm not forcing you to engage me either, and to be honest I haven't even been talking to you, I've been addressing other people... not you myconius.

Just wanted you to expose yourself, and it looks like you did. You had a lot to say...

you are a cyber bully.

Bearwitness to the man myconius the boy wonder who calls someone a nazi, ridicules them, trolls them, and then plays the victim. All I did was ask for an explanation because your review was hollow. Get over it.

cyber bully.

it's too bad this site doesn't offer a block button.

The story you describe does sound intriguing, the problem is that it has been so poorly executed. Batman Rebirth starts right after the New 52 ends where Batman has already faced his mortality and come out stronger. But beyond the broad strokes, the stories are just poorly done. King’s attention to detail is severely lacking. He somehow and for some reason rides the back of a plane while whining about dying. He’s been in way worse situations so that doesn’t make sense.

The entire run is built around wow moments that are not executed well. So your 10/10 shows that you’re not looking at the details and you’ve already said that you don’t care about them anyway but that’s what writing is, it’s the details strung together in an interesting manner to make a coherent story. King fails to do that.

In one of the issues Catwoman and Batman remember different dates in regards to when it was they first met. They are both right, it's just about how you look at it. I thought new 52 was a mess stirred up by Dr. Manhattan. This should be the perfect time to take some creative liberties and tell a fresh familiar story. Throughout comic history artists have picked up the works of others and spun new tales. Familiar characters, similar situations, but slightly divergent.

These writers should have a chance, an excuse, to tell a tale of thier own, would we really want complete copycat writers? People who write in someone else's voice? Telling that other persons story? King is lifting ideas from the stories that he knows will enhance his own, catwoman stories, mostly. This is a new dream.

Also I do care about the details, just not all of them is what I said. Trivial flaws I dont mind, the story here is too engrossing. Why so hard on the Bat, he was just pondering the quality of his death while on that plane, and maybe this time it just got him questioning the quality of his life? Kings Batman is not so invincible, I get it... I guess he's really fucked now.

The meeting on the street memory makes holly a whore and catwoman a dominatrix...very odd to throw that elseworlds into the game.

And aether , my biggest issue with all this "growing up" and pondering life and a good death is that was all resolved by tom king at the end of issue #20 when he spoke to his mom (possibly in heaven) said he no longer fights for his parents, has grown up and is batman to help people who need help. Exact opposite of what we r back to doing now.

And i think people were taken by surprise because tom king didnt set anything up for this issue...never a discussion between the two of how life will change, future plans, etc. Then catwoman leaves after being tricked without giving it a try.

We got a couple sentences between bruce and his son about the whole thing...should have seen it was never planned to happen

Also aether, if you get the chance, look back at solicits of the gift, superfriends and rules of engagement...its obvious there was going to be a different story at one point but tom king is notorious for rewritting things multiple times...and btw, the solicits are written by him while he writes the issues

A democracy is a society in which people have a say in their government and elect their leaders. The opposite is totalitarianism: a totalitarian society is usually ruled by a dictator, and there is very little or no freedom. In totalitarianism, the government controls almost every aspect of life. There is no free speech or freedom of the press: certain religions and ideas may be banned. George Orwell's novel 1984 was a brilliant look at a world of totalitarianism.

Yes in issue 20 like you said we see batman has already grown up. Hes overcome his parents death, hes come out stronger for it. They will always be a part of him, they have been imprinted upon his heart. He will always fight for the people of Gotham no matter. Happy or unhappy, he has greater reason to be the Batman. Catwoman got fooled into thinking she was doing the right thing, she's wants to be the selfless hero like the man she loves, she wants to do the right thing.

A mistake, now the villains take advantage.This sort of heartbroken is new to Batman, hes opened himself up like never before, and is then rejected. This is what he truly wants above all else, a different sort of hurdle. He is vulnerable, unbalanced, and alone, a perfect opportunity for enemies, and for us to be entertained. Hes a smart guy tho, I'm sure everything will work out fine. We already know they grow old together, and he has had love, from the first to the last.

It's cool that his story might evolve or change, taking on a different shape in time. I'm pretty sure he knows what the grand plan is, adapting with time sure. Plenty of time for things to be resolved, I wouldn't worry so much. It's like a 100 issue comic book arc lol.

Dude, nothing about this is new. Batman has gone through this so many times. People keep saying this is something new when it isn’t. Hell, he purposely gave up happiness for his mission in the New 52. He also opened himself to that Ukrainian pianist who died. He’s been through shit like this with Vesper, Silver, Vicki, and so many others that there is literally nothing new to explore with this direction. He’s been left before. This is just lazy writing.

the writing is incredibly lazy. it defies all logic and reason. especially the last panel of this comic. there were no indicators that Gotham Girl would be in league with Bane. Flashpoint Thomas Wayne being among the villains is even more ridiculous. it’s gimmick writing done solely for cheap shock value.

Talon1load - oh yeah! the Ukrainian pianist from Batman The Dark Knight. her death definitely was telegraphed. very predictable. i recently tried re-reading 'Batman: Blind Justice'. that also had yet another disposable love interest that finds out Bruce's identity. as much as i enjoy 'Strange Apparitions' the Silver St. Cloud parts are so cringy.

I couldn't finish new 52 Batman, not my thing. But if it had Batman giving up his happiness, then he is already the selfless Batman King started with, but this time he decides his Batman is gonna take happiness for himself, time and events have changed his thinking and drama ensues.

So Batman has experienced romantic endeavors before, but were they this deeply involved with Catwoman? And played out to this extent? No way. This is special, look how worked up everyone is, how excited we were for this union to take place. This is not just some little heartbreak, this is Batman and Catwoman!! This is literally a 100 issue love story, this is Batmans definitive love story in my mind. We have had our own hearts broken with Batman at this juncture, it should have you engaged.

This is all new. And anything is familiar it was likely ment to be. Try to have some fun with it, we are in the middle of an interesting sort of spiritual successor to the Banes Knightfall story. Sucks if you cant enjoy it.

Their story is deeply involved though. You never really get anything that tells you how they really feel. The entire thing is built around how iconic it is but there is no depth to it. It comes off as extremely forced.

yes. very forced. very contrived. superficial at best.

another thing to consider...when the Doomsday Clock story ends, all of the books will immediately move ahead one year in the continuity (at least since it's been hinted that the ending would have Dr. Manhatten change it entirely). We are already seeing a peek at a very different future DCU in the story. If delays didn't hit, this would have happened around Batman 58-60. It now will be around Batman 75. Saying he has a grand plan of 100 issues might be little too much

I think you’re reaching with that logic.

i dunno .... i just get the feeling that we'll be seeing yet another DC reboot somewhere down the line.

reach?...the books shift ahead a year next august (around batman #75)...that is stated fact. It was supposed to happen in December originally...again stated fact!

But your assertion that they wedding was moved to accommodate has no basis on anything other than a date.

i don't think tom king would even worry if his story lines up with Doomsday Clock, when his own stories don't even line up with each other. in issue 49 Catwoman slashes Jokers throat, Catwoman gets shot point blank in the gut with a revolver. now in issue 50, Catwoman is walking around just perfectly fine.

Talon1load, i think u got me wrong. i don't think there was a plan... i think the plan was made up on the fly

Why need for 100 issues if there were no plan?

DC Stuff - well we know they definitely had one thing planned for sure. ..squeeze every last red cent out of their customers pockets.

Ahhh gotcha. Yeah, they are definitely milking everyone.

He said from issue 1 that he wanted 100 issue because it's 100 issues and sounds cool. It started as a joke in an interview! Plus, it's the biggest book in comics, why not want to be on 100 issues!

Also, when he did press for the start of rebirth he said he wanted to be on the book equal time as Scott Snyder and with double shipping that would be 100 issues

And he only reacts like this when he is called on something...like the Batman/wonder woman story in superfriends arc

Let him speak for himself, start at 6:57 or around the 7 min mark. https://youtu.be/31Vd_kItfDc I'll take his word for it, it's all coming together as one big story, it would be strange if it weren't. Events from issue 1 will affect issue 103. He says it himself.

Talon1load - but they decided "why should we stop at just milking customers? let's bamboozle the retailers as well! we'll kick them right in the teeth, and they'll thank us for it."

Aether, you are just a blind follower who has been making every exude for him and will keep doing so. That's fine, but i would guess that nobody cares what you think, they just fight with you because you can't and won't look at anything king does with even an ounce of objectivity. I hope you but 3 issues of each book because sales will be his downfall by #103. And yes, 50 will have big #s but overall the book is selling worse per issue than it has in 7 years and this marriage lie won't help

And that video is from last week and is 100% damage control... Also, if you let him speak for himself, what about week's before that video when he straight up lied on Seth meyers show and said "yes" when he was asked if Batman and catwoman were getting married and talked about how Batman would wear his tux??? My guess is more damage control when mr. Miracle ends in a bunch of nonsense.

I can see objectively, I just happen to disagree, and express my reasoning. I dont really care about sales numbers and so forth, I just want an entertaining story. They were getting married, lots of people say they are going to get married... and they dont. It was an event nonetheless, if you dont want to see how all the puzzle pieces fit... then stop reading.

Not surprised corporate DC promoted and published extra matieral. That's is thier job, to make money, and they just happen to be taking advantage of Tom Kings wedding event. I think it's fun, this stuff happens in real life. People say they are going to have a wedding, all this money is involved, people spend so much time preparing, everyone waiting and watching, but no one can find the bride? Lol and you are all acting like the upset guests... it's just Banes fault.

DC Stuff - you're speaking far too much logic & reason. the mentality of some fans is why movies like BvS was able to sell so well despite having a complete train wreck of a plot. eventually the other shoe has to drop and then a financial disaster like the Justice League movie happens. eventually followers of the hype train grow weary of all the gimmick story-telling and the comic sales will drop. it always happens. and the company will just announce another reboot. sell all new #1's.

Myconius all you do is praise and regurgitate the ideas of whom bias you share. Tom Kings fault for BvS and Justice league? Get this non sequitur junk outta here. Also I would rather it always started at #1 when a new writer gets the job to write a character. Unless someone's previous work was left unfinished.

Hey now, I really liked BvS. Don’t try to tarnish that by associating it with Tom King. Lol

Talon1load - you're right! to be fair, i really enjoyed BvS when i saw it in the theater. i even bought the blu ray as well. but it definitely is a guilty pleasure. i can admittedly see it for all it's flaws. but as you said, it DOES NOT deserve to be lumped in with the filthy mess that is Tom King's Batman. lol