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Sep 02, 2025
Loving the art from the off. Very vibrant. Pops, if you will. Nice to open a new run with a beloved character from the off and tapping in to precious nostalgia. I am enjoying beat cop Gordon!
Things escalate very quickly and some kind of creature is terrorizing Gotham (how original! I jest).
This Batman doesn't suffer fools . Our first central mystery appears to relate to Killer Kroc. As part of his investigation, Batman gets the scrip on Waylon's recent circumstances from Dr Zeller. A cure for his condition has been found.
Very intriguing! She seems like an interesting new character. She speaks warmly of Croc in a way that counld be construed as romantic. I feel like this is a ruse. I think we'll be seeing more of Dr Zeller.
I like how the equipment Batman is using is Telegraphed. The gear he uses will give us window into the kind of Batman that Fraction intends this to be. I hope this is a continual feature of this run.
He zips through Gotham using a Bat-wing. A sign a flys past reads - "Gotham City - you don't have to be crazy to live here but it helps!"
A nice bit humour, it did make me chuckle. Various TV bits are show beautifully evoking Frank Miller's Gotham.
TV adverts promoting safety armour for normal civilians. GNN news conveying civilian panic. Talk show hosts complaining about unregulated dojos. New casters not buying stats that crime is down, taking pops at sedantry Commissionar Vandal Savage refusing to comment. This is a Gotham in the full swing of chaos. Fraction sets the scene for what is to come - and that's just the intro.
Batman has a very sweet interaction with Killer Croc, I found it very touching .For just a moment, they are just two damaged kids, dropping their guards to find some connection, commonality and ultimately supporting each other. This move from Bruce actually quells Croc's fury, resolving the entire situation. What's more is the scene is in full view of Croc's doctors. A fascinating approach from Bruce. I loved this. Also, AI Alfred is a nice touch. Being able to see Alfred and Bruce interactions is a big plus for this series. The fact that it's only a facsimile of Alfred only adds to the sadness of his loss. This seems to suggest that this Batman will be facing emotional demons head on. Fraction is the kind of writer that should be able to provide such much needed depth to mainline Batman. It has felt very shallow for a long time. There is enough encouraging elements here for me to get excited. Let's go.
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Sep 03, 2025
It seems that ever since Grant Morrison and Scott Snyder finished their Batman runs, every writer starts off strong but in the end falls flat. Tom King's run started off strong with his first arcs (The I am Trilogy) but then falls flat at City of Bane. I am one of the minority who personally enjoys James Tynion IV's Batman run, but I think it is very shallow. Joshua Williamson's filler run was not that bad, but it was forgettable. Chip Zdarsky starts off really strong with Failsafe, and while I did enjoy Dark Prisons ending (as that was Chip Zdarsky's true resolution), DC forced him to pad out and it ended flat post Absolute Power. I can tell that Zdarsky told everything he wanted about Zur-En-Arrh and wrapped up everything, but didn't know
what to do with Vandal Savage.
My point being is that I was nervous coming into this run, but now I'm excited, and I pray that Matt Fraction run stays consistent. Jorge Jiminez is the definitive Batman artist of the 2020s, and it's like his work keeps on getting better and better. I Love how vibrant and pop this initial issue looks compared to James Tynion IV and Chip Zdarsky. It's very bright and colorful, I like Batman's new suit, and it is so nice to have a blue and gray suit instead of the black and gray suit. This is the exception where the trunks works.
I love AI Alfred, I like how this run really emphasizes Bruce's technology. I like how Matt Fraction doesn't want to deconstruct or break down Batman, but just make him have fun adventures. I like how Bruce talks to Killer Croc and opens up his trauma. I even like how Batman uses technology to solve mystery, similar to Christian Bale's Batman. Overall, while this debut issue isn't as action packed compared to Scott Snyder, Tom King, Joshua Williamson, and Chip Zdarsky. But after seeing Batman getting beat down and question his motivations..... it's nice to see Batman be hopeful for once. more
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Sep 03, 2025
Close to perfect first issue.
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Sep 03, 2025
Great start. The whole croc interaction I thought was nice. Alfred(which I guess is AI even tho I can’t see where that’s said) obviously isn’t as good as the real thing but I’ll take what I can get. Gordon going back to being a cop is a solid move, despite I can’t see Vandal letting him come back at all. And of course the art is 10/10.
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Sep 04, 2025
Man, Jorge is A BEAST! The art in the issue is just exquisite! The story was good, I think fraction handles the characterization well. The only downside? It fells short.
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Sep 05, 2025
It's just nice to read a good Batman comic. Thank grodd this isn't related to H2SH.
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Sep 06, 2025
Best looking Batman I’ve seen in a while, and I really liked the story. A great #1!
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Sep 16, 2025
Solid first issue! Love the art that Jimenez always brings to Batman and the Bat Fam. The designs of the characters' new suits, as well as the Batmobile, are all great. I love the character struggle we first see of Batman getting fed up with people not changing. Will this be something that we dive more into? I'd love to see it, and the story of Killer Croc regressing into a man-child and Batman reasoning with him based on his care for children was a beautiful thing to see.
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Sep 03, 2025
Solid start. Beautiful art. The story doesn't give us a whole lot in terms of direction as there really isn't a villain present. It'll likely be a commentary on the current militarization of the police and extra-policing forces that have been deployed. Poignant. I'm for it. What really catches with this issue though is the levity. Batman needs that every once in a while. The color palette is used very well. It was amazing seeing Batman be an actual hero to civilians, and how the little girl lit up when she saw him before engaging Croc. Fraction is solid and I expect good things.
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Sep 03, 2025
It’s hard to judge based on just one issue, but Fraction’s first Batman outing shines through in a way that we haven’t seen on the main Bat-book in many years. He begins putting down a strong foundation consisting of an interesting supporting cast, a rather exciting new take on the city itself, a new look at an old villain, and a somewhat more thoughtful, humane and inciteful first person narrative than we’re used to seeing. Jimenez’s art has never looked better, and rarely have I seen coloring better utilized in the storytelling. The new costume is a sharp return to the blue and grey Bronze Age look, but with a more electric light blue than we’ve seen before. All in all, a stellar launch that will likely get even better as i
t goes. I picked up the A cover and the blind bat bag, which I don’t want to open because of the gorgeous blue Bat-symbol. more
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Sep 04, 2025
Fraction is as sharp on the keys as Jiminez is with the pencils. This is a new, shinier Gotham with a new, shinier Batman. The bat suit is undeniably gorgeous and really works in this new tech heavy backdrop. My only gripe is having Vandal Savage being commissioner but thats not Fraction's fault (thanks Zdarsky). 4/5 Batarangs
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Sep 04, 2025
Whilst not entirely groundbreaking, Fraction's first issue on the Batman title looks very promising in tone, concept and writing style. The return of an episodic format is definitely needed to ground the timeline after the mess that is Hush 2 and the hit-or-miss Zdarsky run.
Establishes a Bruce Wayne struggling to remember why he fights so hard, whilst grappling with an ever-changing Gotham city; one we've never seen depicted in such a way before. The gothic architecture over-run with a brighter aesthetic adds a beautiful contrast and represents Bruce's conflict in choosing to face modernity or remain true to his core beliefs.
Jorge Jimenez also cements his spot as the best comic artist in modern history.
Interested to see where
the series goes next and what Fraction does with Tim Drake. more
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Sep 04, 2025
This is mostly setup for what’s to come, but I like the look and atmosphere of this hyper-dangerous version of Gotham. Jimenez delivers some stylish and dynamic art, especially when it comes to architecture and the Batmobile. The colors complement the lines perfectly.
Personally, I prefer a more old-fashioned Batman with less focus on technological gadgets, but overall, Batman 1 was a strong start.
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Sep 05, 2025
Hm. I liked this quite a bit. I will say that I think this lacked a big hook at the end, as others have already stated. However, there is a lot to like throughout this issue. First and foremost, it's nice to see...actual light on Gotham. I can't remember the last time I saw Gotham depicted in the daytime. Furthermore, I like the blue costume. Is it my favorite? No, as I do prefer black-and-grey on Bruce. However, I can't deny that this new costume looks great and I think it fits the tone Fraction set here. As for the actual story, I thought it was well-done. Slightly underwhelming ending aside, Batman is depicted as more of a superhero than a vigilante, if that makes sense. I really liked that here. I don't need every Batman series to be da
rk and brooding, even if that is the mood/tone I typically enjoy with the character. Vandal's section of the book sets up intriguing stuff as well, and I'm looking forward to how that plays out, as with the run as a whole. Things are looking...bright. more
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Sep 03, 2025
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
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Sep 04, 2025
It's a breath of fresh air - Fraction maybe oughta buy a beer for Loeb for ploughing the road so badly that anything he did to follow would feel like an improvement - but it stands up for itself as a reset of what Batman is at his core: caring, troubled, a family man, a man of the city.
I also like the Alfred AI as a sly commentary on how deeply sub-par Generative "AI" is in real life, lmao
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Sep 04, 2025
A much better start than Chip's. We are already seeing the human side of Bruce that we never saw during the previous run. Of course, we have seen Batman as an outcast and being hunted by the police before. Let's see if Fraction does something different with it. I'm not sure which Robin this is. If anyone knows, let me know.
My Comic Review Channel - https://youtu.be/QS2lcPzlPjo
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Sep 08, 2025
It’s a new day, no rain and a number 1 for Batman.
Matt Fraction takes the reigns on a reset the long-running DC title and uses pieces from Chip Zdarsky’s previous run to fill in the alleys and rooftops of his Blade Runner-esque take on Gotham City’s
Fraction has a knack for deftly weaving small character beats into his scenes that add a weight and relatability to his characterizations. Fraction’s Batman operates in a light grey that matches his suit: Neither teetering on the edge of psychosis or drawn back into the inner recesses of his private turmoil(s), his version of Bruce Wayne’s alter ego come across as resignedly understanding that Gotham City is the way it is. Still, this Batman is getting a little tired of all th
e same ol’ bullshit.
It's a refreshing take and the reason I decided to check back in on a Batman book after decades away.
Jorge Jimenez’s art is a highlight and really compliments the quiet-loud-quiet-loud moments that Fraction provides. Scenes bounce from small character moments to explosive action and Jimenez provides a great mix of stellar action scenes, flowing character interactions, and one or two page-stopping moments (“Strike a little terror into his heart.â€).
The issue isn’t perfect. It’s a #1 and there’s a bit of clunky exposition dialogue of the top to orient new readers (myself included), but Fraction gets past that within a few pages. Artificial Intelligence Alfred is a choice to get used to.
It’s early days and not sure I feel like committing for the long haul but I’ll definitely pick up issue 2 and see where this is headed. more
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Sep 15, 2025
Solid start. I became more invested as it went on. At first Batman seemed a little too flippant, but the sit down with Croc was really nice. I think my hot take here is that I think Jimenez needs to move on. The art here is serviceable but sloppy. It also creates this sense of stagnation to have the same artist across multiple runs now. I don't think the coloring of the suit looks great in his style. I just... want something new.
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Oct 01, 2025
I like everything being laid out but thought Bruce removing the cowl went a little too far. I also didn't love the take of Bruce initially not believing people can change when he clearly does having accepted plenty of redeemed characters into the Bat-family including his own son.
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Oct 02, 2025
An average first issue.
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Oct 05, 2025
Really good for a new #1 of a beloved character. Not a very avid reader of batman, or anything DC for that matter. nor have I really consumed much of him, so this was a great starting point for me. I was turned off by the lack of action and combat, but it is made up for by the deep character building. Batman was clever, sensible, and the tech he showed off was really cool. The pacing was perfect and I got a good sense of what kind of environment Gotham City was as a setting. It wasn’t overly dark or moody, and the set up for the future of this series is very well executed. Overall, i’m looking forward to keeping up with this promising series.
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Oct 03, 2025
A very mixed bag. A Batman so incapable of living without Alfred he's either got a hologram or a hallucination - neither is healthy. Vandal Savage. Those stupid Fraction labels. And in the real world, when you run into people with a car, they get hurt badly. But also a humanistic Batman who tries to actually help and look out for people in need. And that amazing art. I think, maybe, Fraction gets Batman, which is at least a good start. Whether he figures out what to do with him when no one outside Waid has in a while is another story.
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Sep 03, 2025
My summary is that it is OK, but I'm not sure they wanted to publish a batman #1 that is just OK...?
Art is fine, story is slow, the point isn't really there, for now. As this is prob a long ongoing series, they want to build up slowly...ugh
I'm seriously thinking of dropping this series already
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Sep 03, 2025
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
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Sep 18, 2025
Plenty of intrigue, tho feelin lost in an issue #1 plot isn’t the best way to ‘relaunch’ a series.
Stellar art.
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Sep 03, 2025
The art is great and there are some pretty cool moments.
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Sep 03, 2025
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 invol
ves 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
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Sep 07, 2025
DC shamelessly slapping a number 1 on this is disgraceful. It’s nothing but a blatant and misleading marketing stunt.
This is in no way shape or form a proper relaunch/reboot. This just follows the same old story from the last renumbered issue #1. That being said, I had to really slog my way through this comic. I didn’t find the writing even remotely enjoyable. I’m sick and tired of dank and depressing mentally unstable Batman. Especially if this was DC’s great idea of a relaunch.
I also cannot say that I’m a fan of the writing style in general. I just found this to be very uninspired and very mid. Absolute Batman for any faults I may have had with it was a much more compelling story. At least I was hooked enough to get th
rough that comic on my first read. Matt Fraction just reads pretty dull. Even hearing him talk in interviews he just seems very unenthusiastic. Sorry to keep bringing up Scott Snyder. Read any of my past reviews about his work and see I’d been very critical of him at times, but hearing Scott Snyder talk about Batman and you can clearly hear his passion for Batman and his world. Matt Fraction just sounds bored and that really translated to his story.
Jorge Jimenez did all the heavy lifting here. Same as he did with past mediocre writers he’d been straddled with. But even his very polished art cannot save this story from being the typical slop that DC has been hashing out.
I just hope that this unhinged version of Batman doesn’t bleed over into the Batman & Robin series. That book has been decent since launch. This new release, not so much.
Maybe they’ll get it better in their NEXT relaunch Batman issue #1? 😂😂😂 more
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/1.webp "Batman #1")
