Quinn's Profile

Did I miss something? The entire Joker thing from last issue was forgotten. Now we have Poison Ivy is mayor and Vandal Savage is still commissioner. I am serious, when did Ivy become mayor? What kind of buildup went into that?

Something like a major super villain becoming mayor should be talked about. Bruce/Batman not being able to stop that goes to show just ineffective he is. The vill ains are really winning, and the people of Gotham are really stupid.

Bats spends most of the issue talking to Alan Scott Green Lantern about Savage. The whole thing which took pages would have happened in a single page when I was young and kids stayed off my lawn. When we first see Scott he’s walking through Chinatown and is accosted by a gang of thugs. They are dressed like cliched coolies. Not a good look.

This issue is, again, all set up. Again the writer is going six directions all at once. That may work writing for the trades, but this isn’t a trade. It’s a monthly book and the result is a lot of money spent on an issue where nothing happens.

Also Batman having coffee in a diner not attracting a thousand people taking photos with phones because someone tweeted it just wouldn’t happen in this in this day and age. I wish the writer would realize it’s 2026 and make the appropriate adjustments to his plot. I’ve mentioned this before but it stands.

I will give credit for Savage calling Batman and sidekicks a cult. As written now, he’s not wrong.

Overall the issue is a treadmill going nowhere.

Or I could be wrong.more

I remember a time when a comic book featured a complete story, not just one scene. Fraction and Jimenez waste a whole issue on a conversation that could have taken up four or five pages (and that could have been more interesting). Jimenez knows enough about layout to make it look good, but all those black panels with text could have been put to better use.

A lot of setup for no payoff. Batman talks to Joker in “inescapable” lab. Joker tells Batman someone wants to kill him and calls him Bruce. That’s it. The whole issue could have been condensed into a single page.

The author spends a lot of time trying to make the Joker different. His mind is active and burns calories like no one’s business. He’s different. The last Batman comic author m ade Joker take some sort of training similar to Batman under the same tutor.

Nolan got it right. The Joker just is. Every attempt to give him a back story just diminishes him. It’s like explaining the origins of immortals in Highlander. No explanation will satisfy all, and probably cheese off most.

Also with all the defenses, Joker still manages to turn an Arkham employee. Bruce, do some vetting so this sort of thing doesn’t keep happening. If I can think of that, so should the world’s greatest detective. All this shows is that the female doctor is an idiot. Bruce should also really keep an eye on the doctors and the therapy they do with the Joker. He keeps seducing the female doctors.

Overall, all set up that could have been done in a page. Art was nice. Written for the trades that didn’t move the story forward.

Or I could be wrong.more

Read Brandon's review. I agree with everything he wrote. He beat me to it, and good for him. But don't worry, I have some thoughts of my own. Let's talk about crazy female doctor. She is reviving the Joker's messed up body in a Bacta tank. They communicate and the Joker is playing her. I hope this doesn't blow up in her face.

This seems familiar. Where else have I seen the Joker playing mind games with a pretty female doctor trying to help him? I know I've seen this one before. We also see the mobsters mourning their dead because evil new guy in town hits hard. The space devoted to this advances the story not at all.

Reporter guy takes kid with video to Harvey Bullock and they say there are no honest cops in Gotham. Apparently there are no honest state cops, feds, or reporters. And posting the video on YouTube is not a possibility.

We also see Bruce interact with ghost Alfred. Man needs help.

There is so much going on that each subplot advances half a step. I don't get a real sense of what's going on. There's mob plot, the Tim plot, the Savage plot, the Damian plot, and all are worth a six-story series in and of themselves. Having them happen all at once really dilutes the impact.

I guess Tim is gone from the Bat books. Can't say I am sad. I feel bad for Steph, but now at least we're dealing with only four Robins instead of five. That's something. With one less character to serve, maybe the others will be able to stand out more.

Art was good. Too much is happening at once, so nothing lands. Or I could be wrong.more

The dialogue between Bruce and Annika Zeller has some chemistry, but I don't like her portrayal as a stupid bimbo. She's a doctor FFS. Also, the villain in this issue is some manga character that looks about as stupid as the X-Men's Mutina. If I wanted to read a manga, I'd read a manga.

On the good side, Jorge Jimenez draws great action scenes, the colouring is amazing and the issue ha s a nice flow.more

This isn't a terrible issue but it has the new author creates the bestest love interest ever that will last for eternity (see Carlie Cooper in Spider-man). It never sticks. Bruce takes Doc out on a date not a date to talk instead of just talking at the office which would be simple and logical.

Doc is dressed in a tight skirt and f#ck me pumps, while driving a John Wick movie breaks out. Bruce saves the day and meets a manga character that turns into birds. While climbing a ladder to get away, the premise is laid out - changing identity tech is scary to villains. Robin shows up and calls Bruce father because he doesn't see Doc around the corner. Secret exposed.

Like I said, this isn't a terrible issue, but it has things I don't like. Author pet introduction. Also character spills the beans in a foolish way that depends on unbelievable coincidence. I mean Robin knows enough to track Bruce down and know who birdgirl is, but doesn't see the civilian Bruce is dragging around? That is some silver age Denny O'Neil things happen because plot requires it to happen stuff.

The art was nice, but this issue has some of my pet peeves, so ultimately not a fan.

Or I could be wrong.more

There's a new sheriff in town. By that I mean a new top mobster who has taken over, much to the surprise of the other crime lords and Batman, who learns about by threatening a scared punk, way to stay on top of things Bruce.

Also, Fraction writes a diatribe about the death of the daily newspaper industry. I have news for him, daily newspapers started dying after WW2. Most big cities wer e down to one paper long before the Internet or cable news.

Also Bruce meets a wacky female scientist. I am sure humorous adventures will ensue but she will also play some major role in fraction's long term plan. Her brother will be the masked villain or something like that. I really look forward to a story where the villlain is a complete stranger to the hero.

Also, story elements that should be huge are dropped. The cop shooting, Gordon as a beat cop, Tim Drake and whatever he's up that's the problem. These elements were set up opin previous issues, only to disappear. This story arc is running in Six different directions all at once. The result is not much gets done in any issue. Even writing for the trades, this is real molasses territory.

Good art. Scattershot story. Or I could be wrong.more

Pure and utter garbage,the worst Hush 2 chapter yet! The dialogue and narration is so overcooked, melodramatic and completely absurd throughout the story. The art seems rushed and in some panels it's difficult to tell what's even happening. The characterizations for Damian, Dick, Barbara and Bruce are waay off the mark from their normal pre-Hush 2 portrayals. Characters show up out of nowhere in exactly the perfect spot they need to be. Loeb and Lee and the editors should all be ashamed of themselves. This book is coming off as a total rush job, despite its tardiness, and a cynical and smug cash grab. In 46 years of reading BATMAN, this is one of the worst issues and wastes of time that I've ever read. It's sad and pathetic, because the original Hush storyline was so much fun. This unnecessary sequel has tarnished its memory.more

There is a lot of on the nose monologue and dialogue. Selina asks Bruce if he is five, and he is written as a five year old, all pouty and whiney. It's been so long since the latest Hush issue that I forgot why they were fighting. This issue did nothing to clear up the issues. I guess Alfred never taught them to use their words.

And apparently Hush had a gun that launches scalpels. I me an were bullets not Batman 1966 enough. Hush is now all goofy villain theme and no practicality. And the issues ends with Bats running into the Joker again. Man, I wish I had the Joker's health plan, going from death's door to fighting trim in like three hours. It's been months in real world, but only hours story-wise.

Don't ask me what the Riddler is doing in this story because it seems like it's nothing.

And, again Loeb ignores characters who have grown in importance in the last 20 years. No Cass, no Steph. Damian gets some Bruce monologue analysis telling us his problem, not showing us. Selina has a big speech that says she and Bruce know each other, and she she nails Bruce by calling him childish. She is right because Bruce actually says the Bat family started it. That is just not good writing. Because this issue makes Bruce look like a total tool. And not a cool tool like a hammer, but a useless tool like an awl.

I guess that's the problem. Everything happens to further a plot that ignores 20 years of character action. We have seen five issues now, and the story is basically stuck in neutral. Nothing is happening, just a lot of noise surrounded by decent but not great art.

I am not thrilled. But I could be wrong.more

Great art. But I just don't like the story. The cop shootout last issue gets a flashback where we see a youth recording it on a smart phone. During the issue, we see him him go to a guy at a diner who is a newspaper reporter. It seems the kid also recorded Vandal planting a batarang to frame Batman.

We see Bruce try to visit Tim in the hospital, but he is intercepted by Bernard, who po ints out every time Tim gets together with Bruce he gets hurt. We also see Bruce turn down great profits by not building weapons. Bats also captures Riddler,who can only communicate with riddles. And we learn that Arkham is experimenting on patients - again.

I guess my problems are two-fold. One - it reads like a greatest hits story. We Have seen a lot of these elements before. The arms thing was done in Batman Begins. The Arkham thing has been done in Telltale games. You see where I am going.

Two - the "realistic" elements aren't very real. In this day and age more than one person would have recorded the shootout. Everyone has smart phones. And a police shooting site would be surrounded by 25 tv news crews. There would have been a huge crowd in front of the police tape. Finally, the police photographers would have taken a lot of photos long before Savage ever showed up. Also, the reporter in the diner was reading a physical newspaper. No one does that these days. Also, the kid would have posted the video on YouTube or TikTok or wherever.

By trying to be "real" the story becomes more fake. I get the feeling that Fraction has one foot in 2025 and one foot in 1999. It's really hard to stay up with the latest trends and old timers can easily be left behind.

Finally, Bernard. The kid actually has a point. The problem is "handsome young man who is gay ends up with a lot of bruises every time he goes away on a weekend with billionaire Bruce Wayne" really raises Jeffery Epstein vibes. It really brings up all those bad Batman/Robin are more than friends cartoons. By bringing this up, Fraction creates a situation that can't be handwaved away. We know what is going on, but it makes Bruce look like a real creep, and that isn't a good look. Again you can't have it both ways - brining real world issues but have comic book results.

Also, since when did Batman need a high tech stealth suit to beat up the Riddler? I guess I am just not digging Fraction's Batman. It doesn't bother me the way previous writers' work has. But it just doesn't do anything for me. It just doesn't strike me as good.

Or I could be wrong.more

The art was good. I get what Fraction is doing. Bad cops are bad. But that's what Daredevil is doing on Disney-plus. I also don't buy the premise that Vandal Savage is the police commissioner. That is just a bridge too far.

There is the b-plot where bat boys wash the Batmobile in broad daylight at the manor, I think. Damian is a brat and no one calls him on it. There are so many bat boy s that the overall effect is to dilute any one character.

The A plot is an armed robbery where a guard is killed during a hijacking of baby formula. Apparently one robber never heard of WIC or getting a job or breast feeding or food banks, so he had to steal a whole truck, and would not ever sell most of the formula for cash. But that's me being cynical. Cops show up and a fleeing robber is shot in the back. Cops give arrested rough rides. That's when the paddy wagon is driven in such a manner that the people in the back are tossed around like rag dolls. Happened in Baltimore. An evil practice.

One cops protests, shot are exchanged and one cop dead and one wounded. Tim Robin sees what happens and tries to intervene. Batman is very passive. But Savage has the excuse he needs to declare war on Bats. (See Daredevil on Disney).

And to fair, vigilantes should be stopped. But this is a comic book. Too much realism kills the vibe. A thin line to walk

To be fair to Fraction, he inherited the stupid Savage plot and is stuck with it. He is just playing the cards he was dealt. But by keeping cops corrupt for years, really does show that Gordon and Bats are incompetent. All these years and no progress? Not a good look.

I just wish DC would move beyond Miller Batman. It's 40 yeats old and just played out. Why not do something along the lines of crime is down, what does a sunny Gotham look like? But that's me.

I could be wrong.more

Too early to say anything definitive. But I have worries. One of the reasons Robin was created was to give Batman someone to talk to. Now Bats has an AI holographic Alfred. That doesn't strike me as mentally healthy, especially considering the fact that there are 174,964 Bat family members Bruce can talk with.

This better not be another arc where Bats learns the value of family. Just s aying. Gordon is now a beat cop again. I don't think you can go from commissioner to beat cop. Wouldn't he just retire. A beat cop that's well into his 50s is just a bridge too far for me. Your mileage may vary.

Bats spends most of his time tracking down a child-like Killer Croc, who is regressing because he's is molting or something. It involves dinosaurs and new Batcave trophies, which always struck me as something serial killers do on Dexter.

Bat has new tech, which strikes me as Iron Man, not Batman. There is no detective work and Vandal Savage is creating a goon squad outside regular police channels. Didn't Tynion already do that?

This seems like more of the same to me. Batman is stuck in a holding pattern, where he keeps getting redone but it keeps getting rebooted to a tired status quo that leaves out charm, fun, and originality. Don't have high hopes.

Or I could be wrong.more

Another Batman arc who's premise seems to be: what if we got characters to act like idiot versions of themselves and fight?!

At least Jim Lees art is decent. Loeb still proving he's not read a Batman comic since he's left or he's just hoping the reader hasn't. Everything in this book has either been addressed better prior or is just included for no reason. Why was Bane in this?.....

I feel like I am not this often confused by comics.

But seriously. WTF is going on. Who is this for???

Loeb is a genius, I'll give you that. It takes real talent to make everything feel messy, rushed and too slow at the same time.

Lots of stuff goes on but nothing happens. Despite having Bane, Bats and Robin fighting against him, Hush gets away. So he's in Mary Sue territory. Also Robin recruits Bane despite the fact that Bane killed Alfred to punish Robin. Not cool Damian. Bats also knocks out Bane with one punch. Since when could he do that.

We see Barb mad at Bats and attacks him with invisibilty tech, but i a m not convinced of her motives. The whole Joker bit has been done to death. And we have not been shown why the Riddler is working with Bat family. The Hush 2 story arc is only six issues long and we are four issues into it. Yet the story hasn't gone anywhere. Motives haven't been established and stakes haven't been determined. I suspect that means there will be a lot of tell and no show in the last two issues.

Overall, this a poorly plotted story that contradicts 20 years of story. Characters act out of character.

A poor issue. Or I could be wrong.more

This is a weird issue. So many plot points happen, one would think that the story moves forward. But so many plot points are introduced that they all get the shortshrift. Hush won't let Jason kill Joker. It seems as lame as when Bruce won't let Jason kill Joker. For Pete's sake Jason, grow a pair and just do it. Stop waiting for permission.

Also, Hush can throw a scalpel into a gun bar rel. Meanwhile Riddler makes his play and blows up Gordon. Jason fights Dick, Joker revives and gets the drop on them. Damien arrives to save Batman riding on Bane. Dick Dastardly joins forces with Snidely Whiplash. I might have imagined the last part. But my point is that they are cramming 10 pounds of crap into a five pound bag. It seems Loeb just has too much plot for the allotted number of issues, and it shows.

We see that Hush can make his own villains. So now he defeats the Joker, sets Jason against the Batfamily, develops a master plan and ties the ghost of Alfred onto railroad tracks. That's a lot for a Mary sue villain no one cares about.

The end result is a story that seems mixed up and lost, not well plotted and mysterious. Also the art seems sloppy for Lee. I am not impressed.

Or I could be wrong.more

Damascus steel isn't rare or only forged in a single region of the world. In fact, it's fairly simple and really only adds a special pattern to the metal and can maintain a sharper edge longer. Come on Loeb... A simple Google search would tell you that.
He writes Jason like every awful Red Hood fan, (which is most of them) leaning into the normal equivocating, vaguely authoritarian justifying rhetoric of, "I do what Batman WON'T and that means it's justified," when we've been through this a million times. I don't care if you're now establishing that Jason's brain is more fried than the Lazarus Pit could heal. If Bruce ever thought that for a second in the years since Jason became the Red Hood and reintegrated with the Batfamily, he would have helped him fix it. He HAS helped him fix it. Maybe read a comic that you didn't write Jeph!
Lee's work here still isn't his best but so far is the best in this arc so that's a positive. That being said, I'm not a fan of this new Riddler design. Why does he look like a SWAT officer? It does nothing to really distinguish him as the Riddler. Just a new appearance to sell a toy that no one will buy because everything is overpriced and cheaply made these days. Thank McFarlane for the low DC quality figures.
Tangent aside, this book feels a lot like those aforementioned figures. Poorly sculpted, cheaply made but thrown to the masses in hopes of a quick nostalgic snatch at your wallet. Nothing of lasting substance. If a Robin dies, it's going to be a symbolic death. Jason will cast off the Red Hood mantle, Damian will transition from his position back to Talia, nothing will happen to Dick. I want to be excited. I want to not dog on a book that means a lot to me as a fan but I want and expect better. Everything is derivative of what came before and original ideas in Big Two superhero comics are few and far between when these characters are pushing 100 years old but don't do this. Don't write a sequel 23 years later.
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I don't think Jeph Loeb has read a Batman book in the last 20 years.

Batman Hush 2, is just really OK. It doesn't feel like this should be in continuity. Batman saves the life of The Joker, Red Hood get's pissed and that is pretty much the entire issue. Batman saving the life of his mortal enemy, at the cost of his biggest failure and even calling himself out for it. This is just opening old scars in Batman, and I don't know if it is really needed. I'm still in for the ride on this, and hope that it'll do better in future issues.

I'll be doing a full Lunchbreak reviews on this book ASAP!more