Batman #150

I loved this issue, and I hope that other writers will take a cue from Zdarsky's direction when portraying Batman in the future. It would be disappointing to see this character development lost and have Batman backslide into the antisocial loner that some writers love to portray. Read Full Review

Zdarzky let this plotline simmer for a while, but he made the outcome count in a big way, and this is and the last issue are the perfect breathers we needed before things hit high-octane again. Read Full Review

Batman #150 celebrates Batman's ability to save the day in a unique way, playing the long game and paying attention. Plus, the backup feels like a healthy tie-in without taking over the whole issue. Read Full Review

Knowledge is power, but at what cost? That is the question posed with this anniversary issue. Zdarsky presents a lost souls quest for relevancy with excellent writing. Cowan, Jimnez and the art team walk readers through the seedy world of Gotham with strong visuals. This leads to a fitting end that is sure to leave a lasting impression on the audience. Read Full Review

Batman #150 is a consistent, interesting attempt to bridge the gap between ongoing story and event tie-in with two separate stories. The standalone story is the strength of the duo thanks to the combined art of Cowan and Jimnez as the team focuses on Gothams common folk and the myth of Batman. The second story sets up the next team-up mission for Batman and Catwoman while establishing a key detail about Wallers plans in Absolute Power. The art from Hawthorne in that issue is stiffer and does less to inspire but remains consistent with previous work. This issue is worth picking up for fans and continued readers of Zdarskys larger run but isnt required reading for Absolute Power. Read Full Review

Cowan and Jimenez deliver fantastic art throughout this issue. Both visual styles complement each other well in both the character moments and the action. Read Full Review

Batman #150 is a beautifully drawn, colored, and written story that encompasses the more compassionate side of Batman. It's refreshing, though a bit undermined by a backup solely included to promote Absolute Power #1. Read Full Review

Batman #150 works very well as a one shot issue and does serve to tie up a loose thread from months ago. The timing of it feels every so slightly unusual as we are now in the midst of the Absolute Power era, but judged on its own merits, it is still a good read. The jump forward into the events of Absolute Power dramatically increases the stakes and we are in for an incredible ride from this point on. Get ready! Read Full Review

A surprising and honest portrait of the Dark Knight in two very different points in his life. One which reminds us of everything he stands for. Another which shows us everything he's lost thanks to the choices he has made. Read Full Review

Batman #150 is a smaller scale story that focuses on a single, low level crook who gets caught up in all the events that have happened over the past couple years. The emotional impact of that narrative is hit or miss, as is its attempts to showcase all the various events from other Gotham-based titles. If nothing else, it acts as a breather as Batman transitions from one blockbuster-style storyline to another. Read Full Review

For an issue that should be a milestone, Batman #150 is surprisingly weak and very out of place as an "Absolute Power Tie-In." Read Full Review

Batman #150 is a time-filling one-shot about a henchmen looking to cash in on Batman's real identity. Zdarsky's attempt at filling the publishing calendar has been done before (and better), and Denys Cowan's art is surprisingly weak. However, the backup ties into Absolute Power with a tidbit of useful information and confirmation that putting Amanda Waller at the heart of the event was a mistake. Read Full Review

All the momentum that was created by the end of the Dark Prisons storyline is completely taken away from this series. Even for how much work Chip Zdarsky makes this side story involving a random character is just that: Random. Read Full Review

Afre

Jul 04, 2024

One of Zdarsky's best.

Jawnyblaze

Jul 09, 2024

Really good side story about a nobody of Gotham. Very well written and plotted, but the art was just horrendous. Knocking a full point for that, but otherwise I really enjoyed it.

Psycamorean

Aug 14, 2024

The main story is genuinely one of Zdarsky's best on the title. It's what I *want* from Zdarsky more than the constant high octane nonsense of Zur and Failsafe. Also, if you're not down with Denys Cowan's art, you shouldn't call yourself a comic book fan tbh.

Screaming Enigma

Oct 11, 2024

Very, very good. I wasn't always into Cowan's art, but I did think it was pretty solid overall and it did fit the great story being told. I'm not typically a fan of the art changing mid-issue, but the way this was laid out made it work and it also helps that Jiménez is fantastic. Hawthorne also did a solid job, as always, with the backup. The main story, itself, is surely what stands out here, as it's a well-written, more grounded story about a criminal in Gotham. That said, the backup was also nice for what it was. It earns the "tie-in" label for this issue, and I think this was the best way to go about it if DC wanted this labelled that way.

sawright20

Jul 07, 2024

Both stories here were good, I always like seeing Batman through other people’s eyes.

daspidaboy

Jul 02, 2024

This was a fine issue. I like the back-up more, but I do like how Chip Zdarsky understands that Batman isnt an edge lord who punches people, but believes the good in people in his own way.

K-23

Jul 31, 2024

It's a shame we have to sacrifice an issue of the current run for a "special milestone" issue that's nothing more in story than an annual would be. The story is basically the another typical generic story that is often found in annuals or milestone issues. That said, at least Zdarsky does a solid job in execution that it was a decent enough read where many of these type of stories lack any substance.

retcon_D

Jul 08, 2024

Retrospectively, this is one of Zdarksy's more solid issues in his run. However, this was a filler issue with practically no implication or setup for future issues, barring the Absolute Power tie-in. Unfortunately, this was more of a miss than a hit for me. This felt like an issue I've read multiple times before.

Smithd33

Jul 03, 2024

The timing for chips run has been off from day one. This issue is fine. But not for this as the first big tie in or anniversary issue.

Quinn

Jul 02, 2024

This issue is fine. Daspidaboy beat me to it when he used that word in his review, so well played, sir. This sort of story has been done several times before. You know, unknown person describes what just happened and how things were going and we see several incidents showing us a point of view from a previously unknown character with the hero coming in at the last minute doing something kind that ties the whole story together, and we see a character moment for the hero. The classic example of this is from the Batman cartoon episode “Old Wounds” where Nightwing explains to new Robin how he and Bruce split. That episode even ends with a Joker henchman Bruce terrorized in front of his son getting a job at Wayne Enterprises and being able to leave the hench life. I was never a fan of Denys Cowan’s art, but that is me. If you like his stuff I won’t argue. I also spent too much time thinking about henchman economics. Real criminal gangs are actually hard to join and getting a job with one isn’t like going to a job center. The fact that police and Batman can’t find Two-Face but unemployed loser dad can isn’t a good look for the forces of law. Also, Dent is an escaped killer. Police don’t have to build a case. What I am saying is that if a small time hench needs to get out of jam dropping a dime on Two-Face or whomever is looking for henches is a good get out of jail card is all I am saying. So points deducted for plot points that have been seen before. Points added for showing Bruce not as a violent psycho, but as someone who wants to help people and not just smash people in the face because he likes the sounds his fist makes when it crushes bone and cartilage. So an issue that was . . .fine. I suspect it is a time killer during DC’s big summer event. We won’t get a sense of what the new status quo will be like until that’s over. Or I could be wrong. more