Batman: Fear State: Alpha #1

This is a beautifully crafted issue that perfectly captures the tone of each scene. Read Full Review

Beautifully illustrated, expertly executed - an exciting first part to the final act of James Tynion IVs Batman run. While its sad to see Tynion leave, hes definitely going out with a bang. Read Full Review

A great event needs to hook readers from the start, and that usually means some big explosions or other chaos. But James Tynion IV, in his final Bat-story, manages to hook us immediately with a simple conversation between two evil men. Read Full Review

Batman Fear State Alpha #1 is a must-read for anybody who wants to get involved with the Fear State event. As starter portions go, this is real value for money. Read Full Review

Batman: Fear State: Alpha #1 is a fantastic Gotham story. Every one of the creators seems to revel in the creation of fear as the foundations of the plot are set. Multiple different books will spill out of this one, and yet it feels complete and compact. Scarecrow is being cemented and a masterful villain when treated well, and Tynions understanding of characters is fantastic. Fear State is here, and it seems like it will stay. Read Full Review

Batman Fear State Alpha is a good jumping-off point for Tynion's comic event. All the players are on the board, and there are numerous plot threads to develop and resolve. Batman fans, both current and lapsed, have something to connect with within this event. The next few months and multiple titles will tell if they leave satisfied. Read Full Review

Batman: Fear State Alpha is a solid start to the next Batman event. There's an awareness about it all that acknowledges what has come before and works it into the story. It works as a great introduction to the event while really laying things out for long time readers. There's a lot packed into the story and as far things go, a solid start for what's to come. Read Full Review

Tynion and his team do a mighty fine job setting up all of the pieces for Fear State, both big and small. Read Full Review

"Batman: Fear State Alpha" #1 is a sprawling setup for the latest Gotham epic that delivers on intrigue but not much more Read Full Review

Fear State Alpha is a calm before the storm prelude for this big Batman event. It offers useful background information, but most of the important elements will likely be repeated through the opening chapters. Read Full Review

Despite the talent on show, this book is an advert for the coming event, which is going to cover a range of books and characters that I don't really care about, I get that this is the marketing point of a crossover, to get readers to buy all the books. But I do worry, that with DC's focus on a new Batman that Bruce Wayne may be relegated to a lame duck. Hopefully this is not going to be the case as for me, there is only one Batman of present day Gotham City. Read Full Review

While Batman: Fear State: Alpha #1 seems intent to catch everyone up to get them into Fear State, I was bored reading it. I didn't care for the art and hope that this is just a minor detour before getting to the fireworks factory. Read Full Review

Batman: Fear State Alpha #1 got the job done in setting the stage for the latest Batman Family event. Every aspect from the characters involved to various sub-plots are presented here so you can be best informed what the Fear State event will be about. Read Full Review

Considering this is an oversized issue with no action and just multiple scenes of characters talking, I can't recommend this with the highest of praise " especially if you've been keeping up with the Bat-books. Now, if you haven't been reading the Bat-books, then this is the perfect issue to prepare you for what's to come! You also get the pleasure of some of Tynion's best execution concerning dialogue, and incredible art by the talented Ricardo Federici " even if they are kind of wasting his talent here. Read Full Review

As a setup issue, this issue probably needed its own setup issue to give respect to the myriad of plots, characters and McGuffins that the event will bring into play. This issue will fill casual readers with horror at the complexity in which a relatively simple, "bad guy takes over the town" story occurs. Read Full Review

The art of the issue is really the main draw to it with a fresh set of character designs from artist, Ricardo Federici. Read Full Review

Batman: Fear State: Alpha #1 is one long, arduous read that painstakingly sets up everything we can expect from Fear State. It's not the most gripping read, but it shows promise for the upcoming event. Read Full Review

The most intriguing part of the comic is the presence of Harley Quinn (who is trying to restore Poison Ivy's psyche) and Jace Fox, the soon-to-be Batman replacing Bruce Wayne. Generally speaking, this comic mostly feels like it's playing the same tune as last year's "Joker Wars," but with a different instrument. Read Full Review

Fear State Alpha #1 is an issue fighting against itself. On the one hand, it wants to prep readers for Fear State, but at the same time it assumes you are familiar with all the moving pieces. This recap also comes at the expense of long exposition dumps, further working against the issue. If you are looking to get caught up before Fear State starts next week and have no prior knowledge, this might be for you. If you are a current reader, Fear State Alpha #1 is not worth the price of admission. Read Full Review

cincyfan

Sep 04, 2021

Wow!! I'm going to try to convey how much I loved this as efficiently as possible. I personally am a huge batman fan I read and collect every issue of both batman and detective that I can get my hands on I am currently reading multiple errors of both books and for me personally since James tinnion has taken over the book it has been unbelievably great I've seriously just can't say enough I absolutely love how this book incorporates everything that has been happening in such a amazing way I am completely intrigued and drawn into the story it doesn't hurt that scarecrow is one of my favorite villains the writing is phenomenal and once you open the book the artwork is striking it's so great I'm not familiar with this artist but he immediately becomes one of my personal favorites this book is beautiful I mean I don't think I could be more excited about this fear state and honestly one of my biggest fears has come true when learning that tynion is leaving the book I'm just going to try to enjoy this story as much as I can while I can because this run tynion's run is going down is one of my personal favorites already I it just fits what I'm looking for in a Batman book so well it feels like an injustice to give this book a 10 out of 10 it should be 100 out of 10 this book is brilliant I absolutely love it books like this just make my passion and love for reading comic books grow. Thank you to the creative team for this gem more

Toonstrack

Sep 16, 2021

This was a phenomenal issue any way you slice it. Cinematic, gorgeous artwork and meticulous planning by my favorite Bat villain of all time? Whats not to like?

Tempra16v2.0Turbo

Aug 31, 2021

Uma excelente preparação para o que está por vir. Bom texto e arte. Pera, a Rose está fixa com Damian agora? Quer dizer, ela passou por Dick, foi jogada em Tim e Jason(horrivelmente escrita nessas duas) e agora vão pressionar em Damian.

Screaming Enigma

Jul 19, 2023

I thought this was a good issue that officially starts the Fear State event. Tynion's writing here is rock solid and he maintained my interest throughout this issue. Despite this being a good amount of recap, there's enough new information here to make this worth the read. As for Federici's art, I've seen good and bad reviews of it, but I enjoyed it. I thought it fit right in with the theme of this storyline, despite some minor hiccups on certain pages. All things considered, I thought this was a good Alpha issue that establishes where all of the main characters are at before we really delve into Fear State.

DDJamesB

Sep 04, 2021

For a recap issue its pretty solid. I got what I needed out of it to start this event.

Merlyn

Aug 31, 2021

Maybe I'm generous today or maybe Tynion has managed to drop my expectations so low that even a half-decent issue makes me somewhat interested but this was better than his last issues of Batman. I liked Federici's art, he's a great artist. Unfortunately for him the book is set up in such a way that he couldn't shine at his brightest. Office scenes or Oracle's lair won't help him much. But still, it was nice seeing his art again. I enjoyed the first pages of Scarecrow's dialogue with Saint and Batman, it does feel like Tynion is putting some effort to elevate Scarecrow and it kinda works. I still couldn't give one damn about the Unsanity Collective, cringiest name/concept ever, the Harley, Ivy and Gardener (another annoying Tynion character that doesn't add anything to the Batman mythos) bit, the Alleytown bit or Tim Fox but Scarecrow, PK-01 and even Oracle's bits were decent. I'm sure down the line Tynion will make me regret hoping something good will come out from this because he is the type of writer who's not capable of developing a good concept but for now this was ok. more

Robin

Aug 31, 2021

it is average, I mean the recent issues from James Tynion has been information fillers. they are not badly written but they feel like just paragraphs of information for "Fear State" so will se what actually happens next month which is supposed to be fear state. I hope it isn't disappointing since last few months the batman books feel like a setup for this event.

TheKize

Sep 07, 2021

I've been tepid on the direction of Batman under Tynion, but this issue sets up some intriguing threads to be developed in the Fear State event. Scarecrow is being used in an interesting and innovative way, and the concept of an anti-Oracle spreading misinformation in Gotham City sure has potential.

Comics Code Authorities

Oct 01, 2021

I've read worse, I've definitely read better. After reading it though I know all I'm going to follow in this story is the main plot in Batman. It only has a couple of months ahead of it, so that's good, because after over 6 months, I've really grown weary of Tynion's bland storytelling and constant uninteresting characters. The main plot really was the only one that was worth reading. I couldn't really care less about this Ivy/Harley thing or any of the other stuff. I'm not filled with much enthusiasm that what's to come will be any better than what's happened so far, but time will tell I guess.

Loafy Trophy

Sep 02, 2021

I thought Tynion did pretty well here to both recap the events of the past 20-25 issues of Batman while setting the stage for Scarecrow to plunge Gotham into the somewhat clumsily named Fear State. Tynion's Scarecrow is more complex than the traditional "scientist-gone-mad" and the idea that he actually wants what's best for Gotham by pushing it past the breaking point is a well-tread idea, but an interesting one.

egonnn244

Sep 23, 2021

The book would be better if it didn't drag its feet so much.

daspidaboy

Aug 31, 2021

I think this is an issue that you can mostly skip. The art is phenomenal and I DO like how Scarecrow wants Gotham City to go through the same trauma as Batman so it can be better since he noticed how Batman overcame his trauma to be the hero he is today. But I am starting to notice James Tynion IV's expositional dialogue, its like reading a novel. I think this is an issue that people can skip. Thank god Ricardo Federici's art is amazing and makes this issue bearable.

Psycamorean

Sep 27, 2021

I read this before I took my long comic break, so I don't remember specifically what my problems with this issue was beyond a malaise, which I think mostly comes from how boring all this set up was, and my general disinterest in this event as a whole.

Stormwrath

Aug 31, 2021

Terrible writing and art, in the main title Tynions writing is generic, but its not bad, in this issue I have no ideia why it is this bad. Federici art is just weird for me, maybe the colors didnt help

SenpaifenixJäger

Aug 31, 2021

A redundant and boring read. Art is the only decent thing.

BigCliff

Sep 05, 2021

i just didn't care. The art really threw me off.