Metal is a hot mess

Very curious to see this story and implications of Jon with Imra. Good art and good story for a once.

Still very solid, but same problems as the first issue. I will say this one was significantly more engaging, but Batman isn't in the issue nearly enough. He has very little dialogue and or stuff to do. I hope the third issue will bring it all home where Bruce is in the spotlight.

it's better than first issue.

It's absolutely insane how I thought this issue was better than the last one but here we are. What another spectacular installment into the epic three-part saga known as "Batman: Three Jokers" by Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok.

Geoff Johns certainly GETS these characters, man. I've seen stuff online of people saying "Johns hates Batman." Huh?? I don't see any hate boner for Batman here. And if there is it's certainly not as obvious as, say, Dan Slott's hate boner towards Mary Jane.

Jason Fabok continues to wow me and rob me of my cash as he continues spectacular usage of the nine-panel layout his overall clean aesthetic to his artwork. He truly shows that he studies Brian Bolland's style and technique and delivered.

(Just like I felt in the first issue, I did not expect to see another flashback of Bruce's parents getting shot again. That's the only spoiler I'll give.)

A few days before release I saw two leaked panels from the book and I was a bit disgusted and thought to myself "why would Johns do that?" But as it always turns out, you should always read the book before judging on a moment so soon. It's like taking a random quote for the Bible and using it as your lifestyle without even knowing the rest of the verses nor understanding the context. And that scene, in particular, my favorite scene of the whole book.

I'm going to wait on the third issue to make a final call, but if the quality of these two issues is any indication of the quality of the third, Three Jokers is about to take the crown for the best Batman/Joker story of all time. more

I have to be honest: I think this series is the weakest among all the mutants ones. Hickman is probably a genius (he creates universes and species with scientific details in this series), but almost all his stories feel... Empty. We read of all these characters (Xavier, Magneto, Apocalypse, Wolverine, Summers family, Jean Grey...) but nothing happens. Flashbacks, metaphors, ideas. I personally think that New Mutants and especially X-Force are definitely more interesting and less bland. more

Sorry this Dark Metal series I just don't like it. I feel like, I don't know how to explain it, there is no consistency.

It is so very clear from this issue that Tynion has been stalling throughout this arc just so all the fireworks go off in #100. And considering how the first arc of this run was just a prelude to this arc, that just makes it even more meandering.

The last issue was fantastic, but this entire arc (#95-100) is only worth reading for the wonderful art of Jorge Jimenez and the colors by Tomeu Morey. #100 will for sure be the last issue I pick up from this run and I will not be going back to it. And I'll only be skimming the issue. more

This entire arc up until now could've been done in 2 issues.
What's even more disappointing is the fact that the previous arc also led up to this.
Will be dropping this book after #100

From the start of this run I’ve been waiting for a Wow moment to happen. still waiting. This whole arc for me has been a mix of existing stories done worse(city of bane, endgame, a little batman R.I.P with
hallucinations)and attempts to make Wow moments but not delivering

Why does joker suddenly care so much about Gotham? Why is their rivalry based on who owns the city? That’s not what comic Joker is about, that’s Heath. You can’t change a character to fit your story without saying why they’re different and showing how they changed. The prelude before this run didn’t say why either

This arc has been a let down, funny moments didn’t land, Harley foreshadowing Joker’s death wasn’t deep. Joker wearing the batsuit was enough to stop me buying this after #100 which we all know will have some fight that’s supposed to make this run good. more

DC seem allergic to having characters face consequences

The series is still really good. King doing what King do best, challenging age-old themes, genres and ideas through a more nuanced and modern lens, similar to what Alan Moore did in his early career. But this issue so far has probably has been the weakest one. The art and contrast styles King, Gerads and Shaner do in this book is top-notch. King's characterization of Alanna and Strange complements the different art styles and approaches.

Alanna is still a relatively intriguing character the clouds the story in suspense and mystery, but she now is also taking time out of Strange's edge in the story. Especially during the Gerads sections of this issue. I want Alanna to be important and integral to the story as well, but not subsiding Adam Strange and his part in the current investigation against him. Though maybe this is intentional by King the more I think about it.

The story was also unnecessarily verbose. Parts of the dialogue didn't need to be here and was honestly just there to take up space. At this point, we are reaching a halfway point. And while the mystery is certainly intriguing, it needs to start peeling back the curtains on this investigation of Strange's daughter. One thing I find too often in comics is that it drags too much and fizzles out by the time something is revealed. Hope this series won't go down that path.
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This entire run was disappointing

I was looking forward to this issue a lot and it partly delivered for me. As a counsellor myself, I enjoy these sort of issues but also have a bit more of a critical view then I might normally. Also, Nova is my favourite character in comics so I like when he treated well!

Art was decent. Nothing special and no problematic. It got the job done.

Regarding the therapy of this issue - not everything needs to be about childhood when it comes to therapy. There was multiple references to Nova needing to get things done by himself. I don’t take issue with this concept in general but what this guy needs is freaking trauma counselling! He clearly has PTSD after being killed who knows how many times in the cancer verse and again in the negative zone recently. Then Peter dies and he feels responsible. Being most recent it does makes sense to give that some focus. Convincing himself that he should have done it alone is the issue, it’s a defence mechanism.
Now writing out an entertaining super hero comic about a counselling session has its challenges and overall I enjoyed what they did. My point is, he needs trauma based counselling, not some Freudian childhood nonsense.

I also didn’t read Empyre (the first time in over 10 years I skipped a Marvel event comic since most of the time I’ve felt let down by them) so I don’t know what the cliff hanger is suppose to mean.

I really don’t mind the other characters not getting much attention. I also have no issues with Hercules and Marvel Boy getting together. Anyone who knows Hercules from Greek myth would know he’s bisexual even though as far as I’m aware this was the first time referenced in comics. Everyone in Greek myth was bisexual! If that bothers you, well, that’s on you.

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I always liked these kind of issues (except when heroes in crisis does it for the entire series). A character being interviewed and replaying the events is fun. It harkens back to Abnett and Lannings early issues on their GotG run. I love that this series has brought back Nova as a leader, he seems to have taken a back seat at Marvel for a couple years now. I also like that it addresses the former romance between Nova and Gamora, which I like and buy a lot more than Star lord and Gamora, movies not withstanding. The slight problem id have with this issue is it just stays in place, nothing really happens, but it's just a slight problem since the characters are written well and the dialogue is fun. more

There is absolutely NOTHING good about this issue. The story sucked. The art was beyond awful and the dialogue was just endless droning on about nothing of interest. Too much of Spoiler. The one and only time I like Steph was when she was Robin for a few issues. Okay I was wrong there is one thing about this issue that was great. Tim is no longer styling a UPS driver costume or calling himself a male duck. Yay!!!!!!!! While I don't really want him to be Robin again, he's to old to be wearing that costume and not coming across as looking either very immature or like a possible future child molester. That custome is better on a much younger character. It would have been nice to have been told why Tim is Robin again and how he feels about it. That is so annoying. Once in awhile it's nice to get into some character depth and growth. more

Tim was Robin for 20 years, he is too old to be the wonder boy, he is already an adult he should have his own identity, be his own hero, one that is already equal to nightwing, red hood and even batman, he is no longer a sidekick, he is no longer a child

I don't know why Superboy Prime was in this at all. Otherwise, I guess this was a fine ending. I lost interest a while back and never really regained it. The next issue will probably be fun because Jeff Loveness is writing it, but then the volume will be over, and I certainly won't miss it or wish it had kept going.

Another Black Label book that's just a harder PG-13. The book is good, but it's not good enough to justify the four year build up. The book isn't really about Bruce. Batman has nothing to do in this story even tho his name is on the book. He reacts to everything, an arc has sort of been set up. You may argue that the Killing Joke had no arc for Bruce, it actually did but even if it didn't that book was practically a book from Joker's perspective. In this Barbara and Jason, especially Jason seems to have taken the leading role. Since we have a trio against the Joker trio, I assume Babs will carry issue 2, and the third issue will almost certinantly be Bruce's issue. What I hope is that we will really go into Bruce's psyche in the third issue. The art is terrific. Everything looks realistic but stylized at the same time. I am not a big fan of the designs however. The new Batman design is heavily based the 89 suit, w I overall think the new suit is kinda whack compared to other suits like the similar suit from Earth One or Doomsday Clock, The belt is too bright and small to compensate for the lack of trunks (which is a good choice to remove). However that is also my ONLY problem with design, it is a big issue but overall who cares, Batman still looks amazing. Red Hood's design is just bad, they should have gone with the original. Batgirl looks perfect, hella sexy as well but not in an overly sexulized manner. the Jokers look amazing. The story is paced very well. The characters act in character. Overall it's a good read but at least as of yet it hasn't lived up to the massive wait more

Nothing new or interesting. This shoulld be done years ago.

It's a fine ending to the arc. That last reveal page doesn't really have me feeling excited though. It's just more eh running through the motions again. What was up with the Black Winter? Thor just ran through him without any real qualms or problems, just stole Galactus' power and dispatched of the Black Winter pretty easily. For an arc that was supposed to be an epic start, it all feels by the numbers and pretty pedestrian, which is strange for both Cates and the Thor character in general, both of whom usually have epicness connected to their names. The redeeming quality of this series so far has been the art, Nic Klein is drawing his heart out and the pages he draws are some of the best art Thor has seen, no faint praise after artists such as Kirby, Coipel, Ribic, Del Mundo, Dauterman, and so much more. I sound super negative but this is by no means a bad series, it still is quite good, just not as good as I was hoping from Donny Cates. more

I'm not a huge fan of Deadpool, but here he was tolerable and occasionally even funny. Overall, the issue is alright. Nothing insultingly bad, but probably not worth the four bucks if you're not a huge Cable fan.

This was fine. There were some cool moments, but ultimately it's not very engaging and it's possibly too quick. Something to note, I find Joker's apprehension towards the Nazis weird, at least how it's presented here. I get why he'd dislike fascism, authoritarianism and totalitarianism, since those adhere to a strict order and require a subservience to a greater power, which I think someone as chaotic and, ahem, "free-spirited" as the Joker may find intolerable. But I don't see him being too concerned with his national identity or being a bigot. But hey, maybe it was all a joke. more