King didn’t do any good stuff so what would he have to build on?
Batman #88
| Writer | James Tynion IV |
| Artist | Guillem March |
| Cover Price | $3.99 |
The conspiracy that will rock Batman's world continues to unfold as the Dark Knight travels to Arkham Asylum to get answers from the Penguin! What dark secret does he share with The Joker, the Riddler, and...Catwoman? Plus, the plague of assassins descending upon Gotham City in its weakest moments continues! Will this be the moment when Deathstroke finally takes down Batman?!
CRITIC REVIEWS
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10
Comics: The Gathering - Wes Greer
Feb 05, 2020I really can’t speak any higher of this issue. If I could rate it an eleven out of ten, I would in a heartbeat. I am so thrilled with the decisions DC has made of putting this new creative team together and it makes me so happy to get this much excitement from Batman because it has been lacking for some time now. Batman #88 is available now, so please go pick it up ASAP and make it the first issue you read as soon as you get home! Let me know what you guys think of the issue and Tynion and anything else you want to add into my review by going to the comments section below! Until next time, Read Full Review
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10
Lyles Movie Files - Jeffrey Lyles
Feb 05, 2020While the loss of Alfred still stings, Tynion has carved out a unique role for Lucius Fox without making it seem like hes simply replacing Batmans faithful ally.Guillem March is rising to the challenge of handling the art in this arc. He still finds the occasional cheesecake pose for Catwoman and Cheshire, but overall hes capturing the intensity and urgency this storyline demands. Tomeu Moreys colors play out the various settings of this issue from Riddlers computer screen hued lair to the rainy cemetery Catwoman visits. Read Full Review
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10
DC Comics News - Derek McNeil
Feb 05, 2020It looks like Tynion's run on Batman may prove to be as much as a classic as King's was before it. Batman #88 has made it clear that with Tynion and March writing the book, we can expect some superb Batman stories in the months ahead. Read Full Review
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10
Horror DNA - James Ferguson
Feb 16, 2020Batman is embracing darkness like never before. There are many moving parts in the storyline so far as all of these elements begin to build and build. I'm full of anticipation as we see each piece come into place for this giant macabre picture. From the looks of things, we're just getting started. Read Full Review
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9.7
The Brazen Bull - Charlie Chipman
Feb 05, 2020It's been some time since I have been this invested in a Batman story and, I'm sure, the best is still to come. Batman (2016-) #88 is another stunning, must-read issue. Read Full Review
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9.5
The Super Powered Fancast - Deron Generally
Feb 05, 2020Guillem March delivers some beautiful, brutal and dynamic art throughout this issue. The characters and action look amazing and there are some stunning panels that deliver real jolts of potential fear for the characters. Even the reveals are done dramatically in panels filled with gorgeous detail. Read Full Review
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9.0
Geek Dad - Ray Goldfield
Feb 05, 2020Guillem March's art has improved a lot, although he still has elements of the cheesecake style he had on the Sirens " and fans of that series will be very glad to see the last page. Three issues in, I am fully invested in this mystery. Read Full Review
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8.2
Comic Watch - Cody White
Feb 06, 2020Batman #88(Tynion IV, March, Morey, Cowles) continues to develop the mystery of the new (old?) foe, The Developer. Read Full Review
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8.0
Dark Knight News - Max Byrne
Feb 05, 2020A thoroughly entertaining issue and a real page turner, Batman #88 is another very strong entry into Bat-canon. With more rogues than anybody could wish for, the book is fully loaded. Where we go from here remains to be seen and I truly hope that the reveal of The Designer lives up to the build up. Based on what we've had so far, hope springs eternal that it's going to be something very special and well worth investing your time and money in. Read Full Review
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8.0
But Why Tho? - Lizzy Garcia
Feb 05, 2020Batman #88 amps up the pacing of the story arc. A lot happens in this issue, that I don't want to spoil, as Batman and Catwoman's storylines begin to connect. Tynion's excellent storytelling ability is finally coming out in the series as we move past everything that was leftover from King's run. That being said, the stand out winner of the issue is Morey's colors. His ability to create vibrancy while keeping Gotham dingy and dark is impressive. Fans of the Dark Knight who might have left the series should definitely jump back in. Read Full Review
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8.0
ComicBook.com - Nicole Drum
Feb 05, 2020The third issue of James Tynion IV's Batman has arrived and while the previous two issues have been a bit difficult, Tynion genuinely finds his footing in Batman #88. Read Full Review
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8.0
The Batman Universe - Scott Waldyn
Feb 05, 2020This issue is a fast-paced, action-adventure romp thats gorgeous, fun, and exciting to read. It breathes renewed life into Batman in a way we havent seen in awhile, echoing a Dennis ONeil/Norm Breyfogle style in story and art that feels oddly refreshing. Read Full Review
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8.0
Graphic Policy - Brett
Feb 05, 2020Batman #88 is a solid piece of the puzzle. It teases out so much that spells drama's coming but in the end it'll be judged as to how this arc sticks the landing. As a single issue, it's entertaining and can be a starting point for new readers which is impressive a few issues in. It has us wanting to see where this all goes which is a solid accomplishment. To get us to want to read more, then a comic has done its job in entertaining. Read Full Review
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8.0
Henchman-4-Hire - Sean Ian Mills
Feb 08, 2020The mysteries and excitements go up a notch as this story deepens and expands. Read Full Review
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8.0
Critical Blast - RJ Carter
Feb 08, 2020James Tynion IV's sprawling epic, "Their Dark Designs," carries with it echoes of the classic "Hush" storyline, aided by some stunning artwork from Guillem March. It's the kind of story that touches every character in Batman's world, and every rogue in his gallery of villains. Read Full Review
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8.0
Multiversity Comics - Alexander Jones
Feb 10, 2020"Batman" #88 comes out of the shadow of the previous run and proves that Tynion and March can collaborate exceptionally well on DC's flagship series. Read Full Review
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8.0
On Comics Ground - Travis Tucker
Feb 10, 2020Tynion definitely has me really wanting more and more of this arc every issue. This is exactly where Bruce needs to be, and despite my skepticism, I'm growing in excitement with each issue. Read Full Review
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8.0
Outright Geekery - Brian Wayne
Feb 13, 2020DC Comics flagship title is in good hands. Read Full Review
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7.5
GWW - Tad Desai
Feb 05, 2020Although the mystery of who "The Designer" is didn't make much headway, Batman #88 reveals enough to leave readers satisfied with the story progression and includes an action scene involving Batman, Deathstroke and the Penguin with a shocking end. Throw in a surprise villain entrance and a classic Lucius Fox moment and the latest issue of Batman ends up being a solid addition to what has been a great run so far. Read Full Review
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7.0
Monkeys Fighting Robots - Jose "Jody" Cardona
Feb 05, 2020While it continues to promise exciting development for the future, this issue is anything but exciting. Read Full Review
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6.5
Weird Science - Dan Mayhoff
Feb 05, 2020While Batman continues to give us a large exposition dump, Tynion seems to have reigned it in a little bit as we are also treated to some great action scenes and get some of the first twists and turns of the story. Slowly we are getting answers about what's really going on in Gotham and we are getting exciting storytelling in the moments in between. Still plenty of room for improvement but a decent issue and I'm interested in seeing where Tynion will take us. Read Full Review
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6.5
Comic Book Revolution - Kevin Lainez
Feb 10, 2020There are certain aspects where James Tynion is able to excel in Batman #88. The way he portrays Batman, Catwoman, Riddler and Lucius Fox shows why Tynion's has a solid handle on this world. Unfortunately the storyline around the Designer and his plans for Gotham City have left a lot to desired. There are a lot of little problems that combine together to drag the overall interest in Tynion's first story arc on Batman down. Read Full Review
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6.0
AIPT - Arbaz M. Khan
Feb 05, 2020The fascinating aspects of this issue were seeing a clash of intention versus execution. Whilst Tynion has written certain characters to be human beings the art style offers its own bipolar take on Tynion's writing. Read Full Review
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6.0
Batman-News - Joshua McDonald
Feb 05, 2020Tynion and March continue to deliver solid work, but they both seem to be so preoccupied with checking off so many different elements with Batman that I'm not sure if they're completely focused on simply telling a good story. Again, there's plenty to enjoy here, but I can't quite say that it's quality. If I were to compare it to food, I'd say this is more like fast food than a home-cooked meal. Read Full Review
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5.0
Newsarama - Pierce Lydon
Feb 06, 2020While Tom King's run may have leaned heavily into metaphor, it doesn't seem like Tynion has quite found his voice with this run yet, and the result is an adventure that feels like a boilerplate approach rather an essential one. Read Full Review
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5.0
Forces Of Geek - Lenny Schwartz
Feb 07, 2020The story is all over the place and had nothing really special about it. I do like the art but March doesn't get a lot of action to draw except for one extremely abbreviated fight scene. This title needs more life put into it. Read Full Review