A quick read that had some emotion to it. It just didn't feel as impactful to me as it was intended.

Im very very late. But this is great. I will be looking to get the entire series

The main story was excellent. Unfortunately, the two bonus stories that were tacked on really dragged the issue down.

That being said, the main story by DWJ was probably one of the best written issues of this entire series. I'm not sure if I enjoyed it as much as issue #1, or possibly even more! The story was graphic in all the best ways, gratuitous, and visually stylish. The ending was emotional and thought provoking. Extremely well done.

The second story felt like it might have had something of quality to say, but felt a bit under-cooked. And some of the art was difficult to tell what was coming across. This was just not successful visual story-telling.

The third story I couldn't even tell what it was attempting to portray. I'm sorry, but this was unreadable.

I'd have much rather DC left out the two back-ups completely and kept the price at $4.99. more

A good ending for an overall great run. Parts of the plot felt rushed but other than that, excellent writing and amazing art. samnee is a beast!

Overall, this was a decent conclusion of the series. Some of the plot points throughout felt like a needless retread of Robin year one. But overall, I’m looking forward to getting this in collected hardcover.

The writing for this series has been decent. But it was the artwork that really made the series shine. This and Batman Dark Patterns have been the best series to come out from DC comics in a long time. But I strongly feel that dark patterns is definitely the better of the two. The series was good. But the art is really what carried it.



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Since jumping on the series, this is probably my most reread issue. I was honestly devastated when it was revealed that Patch had been scratched by one of the infected.

This issue reminded me a bit of issue #12 of The Invisibles “Best Man Fall” by Grant Morrison. Not at how layered it was or loaded with symbolism. But more of the overall structure of having an entire chapter dedicated to a single character that has suffered a grim fate, and we now see their life flash before their eyes in a surreal and psychological fashion.

Patch was a character that quickly made an impact on me, and I was sad to see him exit the story. This issue was a great tribute to honoring his life. As well as play out as a terrifying psychological horror story.

Kudos to Tony, Trish, Tone and colleagues!!! 🐱🐱🐱 more

It’s amazing when a comic book creative team works so well together, that they actually can get you to feel empathy towards, not only the main characters, but also the antagonists as well.

Kudos, Tony, Trish, Tone and colleagues!!! 🐱🐱🐱

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

This issue was a truly wonderful return to form, bringing the series back to the glory of its first story arc. The twist of who the culprit is, I honestly DID NOT SEE coming!!!! Absolutely BRILLIANT!!!

There were so many great moments throughout this issue. I’m not sure which I found more compelling, the interactions between Gordon and Lynns, Gordon and Batman, or (my favorite) Bruce and Alfred.

The scenes with Batman running over the details of the case within his mind were phenomenal. The state in which he cannot see between the present and past were so well done. And the art for all of it was absolutely spectacular!!!

I’m going to be so sad when this series comes to its conclusion. This has absolutely been a joy to read and collect.

And in my honest opinion, if DC Comics was actually serious about doing an actual BOLD reboot…… it SHOULD have been THIS series and creative team to rebuild the main ongoing Batman title. I want more of THIS!!!

Absolutely looking forward to the next and final issue. This series truly deserves a deluxe hardcover collected edition. more

This is the creative team that should be working on Detective Comics.

I really like this issue due to Bruce and Damian's relationship on how Damian feels guilty for them prioritizing being a family over being superheroes. Overall, every single Batman and Robin series have been great and consistent. From Grant Morrison to Peter J Tomasi to Joshua Williamson and now this. It's great to read Batman stories that are consistently high quality

After the first issue, I hoped for better... sadly this batman series is simply not meeting up the quality expectations of a main Batman series.

Sidenote: The art is flawless, as expected from JJ.

But the story, djeeez, it is so so unworthy starting from issue one, continuing in issue two.

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 boys 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

There is nothing here that constitutes this series being justified in getting a re-numbered, newly minted, brand new issue number ONE. The art is the only thing keeping this series alive. Matt Fraction (or Chip Zdarsky 2.0) is delivering some very mid writing that definitely will not bring back many to want to reread this story. I’m having enough of a time wanting to read it now.

I��m also not sure why Batman has (or needs) TWO Robins? People jumping in for the first time are going to be HELLA confused!!!
Again, this is NOT a proper reboot. DC just felt like selling a lot of variant covers and luring in a few new suckers.

I wonder how long it’ll be before DC reboots Batman again?? more

Very good writing and art. The action sequences have been TOP NOTCH throughout. This is definitely a good series to keep up with.

I really like how Bruce and Damian and the relationship as Batman and Robin and father and son are written here. Bruce pointing out the details of their current case while Damian trains was a nice touch. The “she looked suspicious” part was really funny. But it seemed very out of character for Damian. I almost feel like DC is trying to soft reboot the character.


Side note…….
I previously had a lot more written. But writing reviews for this site on your phone is ill advised, as ONE little hiccup and everything you’d spent your time writing simply gets erased!!
When will I learn????!!

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I know we have seen this before, but its nice seeing Bruce and Damian Wayne actually bonding and not fighting each other or be at odds.

This truly is the best Batman comic in a long time. I had no idea Marc Silvestri could write like this. I'm in awe of his art. An Essential Read for Batman fans and comic book fans!

*Please ignore the FAKE low score "reviews" by the same user using multiple accounts.*

Batman used to be an essential buy for me. Not anymore.

I was excited when Zdarsky was announced for this book and I thought his run started really well. More fool me. Jorge Jimenez is wasted on this comic.

I've read all the collected volumes of this series (up to and including volume 6) and I must say that Dan Mora is doing all the heavy lifting here!!!


Waid's writing is just "okay". Nothing amazing, nor anything I'm really looking forward to giving another read. I did however force myself to re-read this first volume not too long ago, to see if it'd be worth continuing with this series. Especially since not all the stories are being drawn by Dan Mora. When they are, it's totally worth staying with just for Mora's artwork. But none of the other artists really make up for Waid's very basic writing here. Again, it's "OKAY", but not something I'd go out of my way to keep spending money on, and nothing that I consider worthy of keeping around to collect dust.

Nezha is a very lackluster villain. He's extremely overpowered, very underdeveloped as far as backstory, and very.... VERY boring!

Such disappointing writing that this absolutely beautiful artwork is unfortunately saddled with. 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 saying. 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

I was initially blinded by the beautiful art by Jimenez, and it is gorgeous! So are the colours by Tomeu Morey. When I reread the story, I felt it was pretty basic overall. Yes, there's always going to be a lot of set-up in a first issue. But there were no major "wow" moments in the writing. The whole give-little-Croccy-a-toy-dinosaur plot felt a bit dumb on first reading, but after a re-read or two I enjoyed the scene more. Especially the heart-to-heart that Bruce has with Waylon. Croc has a few too many teeth, though!

Ghost Alfred will take a bit of getting used to, but I'm not against the idea. I'd rather have the real Alfred, but what can you do? I'll be giving this at least 3 issues, so I'm hoping for better things in the next issue. more

Dark Patterns #10 is off to a promising start. But I thought the same back when I’d first read issue #7, and I was honestly less than charmed by that arc. Hopefully this final arc will fare much better!!

The opening confused me as I’m not sure if this new villain is supposed to be psychic or omnipotent? Because he has 3 effigies each representing the protagonist of the previous arcs.

This series best moments for me are when Bruce is interacting with Gotham mainstays, Alfred as well as James Gordon. The scene with Alfred tending to the severe injuries Bruce sustained during the previous arc, and Alfred's inner monologue was a pleasure to read.

The new villain is quite creepy, but much about him is left ambiguous. As are the new unsettling discoveries about Dr Sereika. So we'll just have to wait and see how this all plays out.

Fingers crossed in hopes for a nice strong finish to this series!!

(side note) AGAIN!!! I had way more written in my review, and all the blasted pop-up adds made the page hiccup, and everything i spent time typing was erased!!! 🤬 more

There are some wonderful father/son moments in this issue. As Well as some great character moments for both Bruce Wayne and Damian.

This new artist is phenomenal!!! I only wish that he had gotten to illustrate the cover instead of the previous artist. The new guy’s art is so much more action packed and dynamic. The entrance of Batman and Robin into this issue is explosive!!! Immediately after having read the issue I had to go back to the beginning just to marvel at the art.

This is definitely a story that has me extremely excited for the next issue!!!



Minor spoiler ………


I really loved the touch of Bruce telling Damian just how proud he was of him. It’s moments like this that really make me fall for comics in the first place. Bruce suggests that he and Damian go to the movies. Damian seems surprised and almost hesitant to utter the words “Monarch Theatre”. But his sheer excitement to enjoy a bonding moment, enjoying going to the movies with his father gets the better of him. As they are approaching Monarch Theatre Damian can sense that his father is nervous. They both are. Bruce reassures him that everything will be fine. Just then there is a poignant moment of Bruce gazing over towards the street light where his parents were murdered.

It’s moments like this that really make me grow fonder and fonder of PKJ’s writing.


Side note……

I previously had a MUCH longer review written.
Thanks to all the damn pop up adds and how buggy this site is being, the page hiccupped and I lost EVERYTHING that I spent my time writing!!!! GRRRR 😖 more

Gratuitous.

I'm not sure how much I buy the premise of replacing everyone with, well, hired goons, but the big switch from the rather bland Grimaldi to actual big name villains has really kicked this comic into overdrive.

it's shocking on how spread out Mark Waid is right now. Justice League unlimited, Worlds Finest, and this. But I genuinely like this series, it's my favorite out of the bunch. I hope this series runs for at least 24 issues.

This story is okay. But it will read much better in trade form, which it clearly seems intended for.

This really doesn’t read all that great in month to month format.

No issue issue in particular from this series really stands out. Everything just feels like one long drawn out single plot. Robin Year One was much more memorable and compelling with its episodic presentation. Each of the four issues was its own theme and had its own distinct tone.

That being said, as before, this is okay. I’ve read worse. If anything, this just makes me want to reread Robin Year One again. more