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I'm having a hard time with this so far, I think there is some promise, but hope we get it soon. I'll be putting your review on my podcast, Lunchbreak Reviews.
After the shocking events of the last issue, Batman must make thehardest decision of his life!Guest-starring Nightwing, Batgirl, and Red Hood!
Batman Issue 159 opens old wounds and tries to heal new ones. Loeb explores Batmans morality to its most extreme limit, placing him in charge of keeping the Joker alive. Read Full Review
This book is definitely channeling the original story, for better and worse, but it's a very entertaining read so far. Read Full Review
Overall, Batman #159 is a pivotal issue in the current run. With Jeph Loeb at the helm and the inclusion of key Bat-Family members, it promises a powerful and emotionally charged story that will test the very core of Batman's being. This is a must-read for anyone invested in the Dark Knight's ongoing saga. Read Full Review
Hush 2 is fun so far. Loeb is taking familiar characters and swirling them around together in a fun story, while using the original Hush to inform this sequel. Read Full Review
Batman #159 is a worthy issue. It brings several key characters to the table and promotes the dangerous genius of Hush to the nth degree. His true scheme is yet to be revealed, but the game is truly afoot now. Read Full Review
Batman #159 is a fascinating glimpse in to the psyche of a Batman who appears to be nearing breaking point. Not all of the pieces in the H2SH puzzle are fitting together yet. But the experience of the story, particularly through the iconic artwork of Lee, Williams and Sinclair, is well worth the price of entry. Read Full Review
Hush 2 needs a more compelling reason for existing beyond revisiting what worked so well more than two decades ago. So far it hasnt done enough to validate its existence. Read Full Review
With the interjection of Jason Todd, Hush 2 tries to capture the pain of the Jokers past actions. Unfortunately, the landing doesnt stick. The writing tries forcing Hushs impact too much onto a new pawn. Lees art continues to be the star of the show in this sequel. Unless theres some sort of deeper play happening, there are more faults forming in the foundation. Read Full Review
Batman #159amps up the interpersonal drama when Batman is forced to take unusual measures to save Joker. Jeph Loeb's script is serviceable script is high on tension but short on surprises or Hush, and Jim Lee's art is masterful. Get it for the Jim Lee art, but don't expect to be blown away by the story. Read Full Review
Batman #159 continues the Hush sequel with cinematic flair, thanks to Jim Lee's gorgeous art, but falters when it comes to emotional logic and core character values. While the pieces are in place for a grander narrative, this chapter feels like it's buying time rather than delivering impact. In the collected edition, it might land more strongly, but in isolation, it's a stylish but uneven ride. Read Full Review
As continuity and the chance for something fresh shatters,Batman #159 leaves the much anticipated Hushsequel in a place more intelligible, but somehow even less interesting, than the first issue had. Overall, Jim Lee carries the book artistically enough to warrant a short perusal through the issue, but that is all. Read Full Review
Batman #159 leans too much on telling yet another chapter in the never-ending Batman and Joker narrative. This leads to easily forgetting that this is supposed to be part of the sequel to Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee's Hush story. The only thing that saves this second chapter from being a complete dud is the development involving Nightwing, Oracle, and Riddler. That and Jim Lee's high-quality artwork. But even then, that is not enough to save this from being a disappointing second chapter to the Hush sequel, aka H2sh. Read Full Review
Batman H2SH remains a disappointing and confusing follow-up to the original 2002 storyline. The characters are reduced to their most primitive iterations, and even the art is unexceptional. Read Full Review
Batman #159 is a rehash of every argument Batman and Jason have had over the past twenty years in the worst way. It would be exhausting enough if it were just the same conflict as always, but this is actually a major regression of their relationship to recreate its status quo from when Jason was first resurrected. In order to get to that point, it requires everyone involved to act in absurd ways so that every ounce of melodrama can be squeezed from them. What results is a story that will only upset fans of the characters. Read Full Review
really liked it
This is a great follow up to last month’s Batman #158. The mystery expands and there is some great character work with Bruce Wayne. Loeb brings in characters that can show a different side of Batman like Leslie Thompkins and Jason Todd. He’s unsure around them both and Loeb makes that part of the story. Loeb also continues to uses the pieces of the original “Hush” as he brings other characters in. It’s another fun and exciting comic that captures a classic feel and exposes some of the deficiencies in many contemporary comics.
While this was still far from excellent, I have to say I actually enjoyed this issue, despite a few really terrible story choices. Batman having to use a gun against Jason Todd is the biggest offender. Batman's actions here completely diminish the climax of BATMAN UNDER THE RED HOOD. He didn't need to use a gun against Jason there, and shouldn't require one to overpower him here.
That being said, I did find Batman's dilemma of being conflicted towards saving Joker very interesting, as was the scene with Leslie Thompkins. This issue did give me similar vibes and got me itching to re-read Peter Tomasi's DETECTIVE story where Leslie gets "Jokerized". Anyway...
There are still many areas where the art looks rushed, but ove more
Critics are being a bit harsh. This is ok. I'm not as demanding as some comic readers on here but all this disperate elements here gave me immense deja vu.
Hardly classic Loeb and not even in the same stratosphere as Mark Waid or Scott Snyder.
As a fan of the first issue, I get why this doesn't shine as we would've hoped it would. It doesn't spark, the story isn't mind blowing, the art is just solid... but we're not on the edge of our seat, holding our breath while reaching the end of the issue, need a minute to think it over after its done, craving for more... We wanted this, but they didn't deliver that.
Let me be clear its not bad, but they didn't deliver on their promise.
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!
Disappointing. This issue is riddled with inconsistencies in the characterizations. Not to mention Batman spends 2/3 of the story sitting in chairs, inert. When he becomes active, it’s to have yet another fight with Jason Todd and he shoots him in the head to stop him when he could have stopped him in half a dozen other ways. We get an out of left field plot development with Barbara, Dick and the Riddler in yet another new costume variant and with knowledge of their identities. Finally, we are 1/3 of the way through the story and Hush has barely appeared. Very disappointing. The art, while not spectacular, saves the issue from being purely mediocre.
Something about this story is just.... so stale and lifeless. Like it doesn't have that spark, it's just going through the motions. I really don't lie the fact that Batman would actually shoot a gun, unless it was by any means necessary (like him shooting Darkseid in Final crisis). It's not bad, but it's just.... meh and whatever. The only reason this is not a 5 out of 10 is because current Jim Lee's art is still above most modern comic book artists.
There’s three other current Batman titles that are incredible and accommodating to different tastes. All of which I love.
Then there is this.
I like the full paged art of Batman and Red Hood pointing a gun at one and another.. but, why? lol
It’s clear Loeb hasn’t read a Batman title since the last time he was writing one. So he doesn’t know that this conflict between Bruce and Jason is pretty stale and is only regressing Jason more. The art was also pretty basic especially for Lee. But I don’t really blame him with Loeb not really giving him anything to work with. You can tell Loeb’s heart really isn’t in this and I’m bummed that I’m excited for this to be over only two issues in. I really hope I’m wrong and it turns around. But for now it’s not a tragedy to Batman but it is at best an unnecessary side step.
I don’t think Jeph Loeb has read a Batman book in the last 20 years.
I rate this an “oh, brother.” B takes J to Leslie Thompkins’ clinic. Leslie lives there, talk about dedication to mission. No wonder Bruce is so neurotic. His great inspiration never leaves the office.
So Leslie’s clinic has surgical facilities, but is not open 24/7 - strike one. Leslie and Bruce argue but she saves Joker - strike two. Because Bruce doesn’t trust any other medical family in the world to save Joker, including JLA ones, he brings J to the Batcave, which is apparently sterile enough to offer post-op care - strike three. Strike four is Bruce shooting Jason in the head (flesh wound, not fatal, great shot for a guy who hates guns). This is done because Jason wants to kill the Joker. Bruce gets knocked out aga more
Wow, this is so boring. Everything here is written as if it were the first time it happened: Batman saving the Joker? It's nothing new, he even gave up adrenaline to save the clown when Nightwing killed him. Batman and Jason conflict? Again? The only thing remotely interesting in this comic is the horrible new design of the Riddler..........and why he's working with Batgirl.
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