A weekend leisure reading review…because sometimes Pastors also need a break from heavy theological reading! Finally a Batman review for some of you fans! I haven’t read any comics for months but got to read this for this long holiday weekend, this has bee a busy season of ministry.
Tom King. Batman, Volume 12: City of Bane Part 1. Burbank, CA: DC Comics, April 14th 2020. 144 pp.
4 out of 5
Purchase: Amazon
Looking for a Batman story to read as a fun read? This is worthwhile. Having been disappointed with some of the recent Batman volumes from the last two years which felt like fillers and the story is presented in a disjointed fashion in this particular volume it seems DC Comics picked up their game and gives us a good story. Here the writer Tom King did a good job with focusing on a plot and the artistic team also delivered. This volume collects Batman issues number 75-79.
The story picks up from volume 10 and 11, after Batman has been hurt in a place far away from his beloved city of Gotham. The story here opens up with a Gotham city that readers will realize is “reversed:” The Riddler and the Joker is part of Gotham PD and there’s an alternative world Batman that isn’t Bruce Wayne but instead behind the mask is Thomas Wayne, the father of Bruce Wayne. This alternative world Batman is a darker Batman who unlike Bruce uses firearms and has no issues of killing. From these opening pages we see something is really wrong in Gotham and it becomes clear as readers progress that Gotham has now become under the control of Batman’s villain Bane, hence the title for this volume: City of Bane.
In the city of Bane no superheroes are allowed. Supervillains patrol the city and readers later find out the way Bane control the villains is through a villain under his control name Psycho-Pirate who changes the minds of these villains to obey Bane. Harnessing the powers of characters like Gotham Girl these villains patrol the street in a draconian matter in their disproportional use of force for minor infractions but we also see what these villains will do to superheroes who try to enter into Gotham City to help or find out what’s going on: they are met with violence and forced out. Yet one of Batman’s sidekick will take the risk to enter Gotham to try to fight Bane and his villains (don’t want to give too much of the story away). While this is going Batman needs to physically recover after being physically and mentally broken and in the second half of the volume we see Catwoman rescue Bruce and there’s an exploration of their relationship as they are hiding out in a nice location to train and prepare for the eventual invasion of Gotham by Catwoman and Batman.
I really like the volume for many things such as the exploration of why Bane would want to control Gotham when he could have exercise his control over other areas and even bigger real estate. Also I thought it was interesting to see some villains who still haven’t been mind-controlled by Bane’s use of Psycho-Pirate who want their freedom and you see their fears and awareness of their weaknesses; fascinating. Still I the part of the story that was bit more strange was the latter half of Baman’s relationship with Catwoman. I think it is worth exploring but it also felt a bit unrealistic they are under-cover in a beach resort area and training in the middle of the day. Also I think there might be more sappy love story than maybe most Batman fans might be looking for. Overall still a well done story that’s better than some of the recent Batman issues and volumes. I give this a four out of five.
Batman, Volume 13: City of Bane Part 2
Tom King. Batman, Volume 13: City of Bane Part 2. Burbank, CA: DC Comics, July 14, 2020. 184 pp.
4 out of 5
Purchase: Amazon
Did you read Batman’s City of Bane Part 1? This picks up the adventure with Batman’s anticipated return to Gotham to fight Bane and his collection of supervillains who have taken over the city. I enjoyed part 1 and was looking forward to this volume to finish this story arc! For the record this volume collects Batman issues number 80-85 and Batman Annual 4.
I love the opening which felt like a movie: but I need to back up and review what happened in the last volume in order for this to make sense: The city of Gotham has been taken over by Bane who have used mind-control to use supervillains as part of Gotham PD to patrol the city in an oppressive matter. In the opening scene to this book two Gotham PD “officers” approached a man to tell him that he’s broken curfew and they asked doesn’t he know extreme pain is going to happen to this anonymous figure for the violation; this man turns out to be Batman in disguise and Batman in revealing his identity overcome these two “officers” who turned out to be the villains Pyg and Two-Face. The first half of the book there’s a lot of revelation that Batman had a secret plan all along to protect Gotham and also have his allies ready for the moment they will take back Gotham again. But as things progress things don’t necessarily work out all the way Batman think it would. Don’t want to give the whole story away but it turns out the most cunning villain in this story that Batman and his team has to face isn’t Bane but someone else. Also there’s a dramatic event that happen to someone close to Batman and there’a wonderful several page scene where the person that is deceased is recalling his perspective of Batman. Thought that was an interesting angle in the story telling and serves as a foil of the man that Batman has to finally fight in the end of the City of Bane story arc. After the “City of Bane” in this book there is as issue of Batman Annual four that tells the story of Batman’s daily battles through the journal of Bruce Wayne’s butler Alfred Pennyworth reflecting on Batman and narrating what he was doing on a particular day and the fights he had to face. A fun short snippet into Batman’s every day battle!
[…] Review of Two Batman Comics Read in November 2020 (Volume 12-13) […]
Glad you were able to finish the SlimJim ☺️. Thanks for your review!
Can Batman be happy? Can he have a happy “normal/typical” non-crimefighting life? Will he give in to his (alternate reality) father’s wish that he have one; taking into account how his father worked hard for Bruce Wayne to be “happy?” His father was a hero in the Flashpoint storyline; even sacrificed himself so that the Flash can change the universe of what we knew as the New 52 one. These are some of the questions, Jim, that Tom King has for the readers in his long run on the Batman and he seems to have wrapped up his storyline well despite certain issues. Well, Bruce Wayne Batman, as he explains it is happily comfortable with his cause. I like it when he and Selina outsmarts Bane and Thomas; Batman lied and Selina has an ace (or an eye) on her sleeves. nice one! As a reversal of fate, Batman could have break Bane’s spine but the writer or the creative cabal behind seems to have left that for a future storyline. The appearance of the Bat-family was a wow although they might have been successful if Dick Grayson (Nightwing was still in amnesia as Ric at that time) and Jason Todd were there. You are right, their training on the beach was unrealistic and people might wonder. Some compared the mustache with glasses of Clark. I appreciate your review that it made me review it again, and for not spoiling the fun and the storyline. Thanks.
Wow you have a good memory! I really really enjoyed how Batman and Selina had a plan that outwitted both Bane and Thomas since in the previous two volumes it looked like Batmn was just getting beat up, or Batmen seems to have lost his mind in seeing a Bane conspiracy when others around him didn’t see the same thing with him eye to eye. That part I thought was really cool and well done by Tom King and the creativity team. You were right that this story really tied up a lot of things and I love the various flashbacks in the comics to past events in past issues, going back in time. Were you surprised with what happened to Alfred the Butler??? Thank you for the reminder to pick this up! Tomorrow I can return to the library the two books, which has been overdue for a week or more. The fine will still be less than if I bought them lol. In your area are there libraries where you can borrow comics?
None that I’m aware of, usually libraries are for serious stuff than comics but I’ll check although there is 90% probability that we don’t have one here in the country. I’ve reviewed again the videos in YouTube just to refresh my memory on those comic issues. Chances are, another writer will resurrect Alfred maybe within the decade with a compelling storyline as some DC characters have also been resurrected after few years or decades like Clark, Bruce, Barry, Hal, Arthur, Diana, Jonn, Oliver, and notorious is Carter Hall and Sheyera, (and so much more because it is comics). The Bats have Jason Todd as an example. They must have a plan on the Bat-family and Bruce Wayne. But for now, Joker will be next threat and the return of Nightwing. So much for the fantasy, I’ll begin listening to sermons.
I enjoyed these two reviews! Lots of interesting, creative twists. It was fun for me to read along. Whenever I read your reviews of the dark, brooding Batman, I have to suspend my memories of Adam West’s ridiculously hokey portrayal in the TV series. That’s my overriding conception of the character.
Lol I read a history of Batman about two years ago which I never reviewed and it talked about fans of Batman comics not liking the silly Batman TV shows…but these days Batman can get quite dark. Well the villains more so I suppose. How has your step been this Thanksgiving weekend? Mine has been low around 2-5 K as I’m taking it easy with a slightly hurt knee from all the massive walks all in one go.
RE: Batman history
I’d love to see a similar LSH history but I know there’s not enough of a fan base to justify it.
RE: Steps
I’m at 6.5K/day avg. this past week. I definitely eased up after the grueling leaf campaign.
FYI, today your LA Chargers are visiting Western New York and the Buffalo Bills. I probably would have been at the game if C-19 hadn’t intervened. No fans in the stadium.
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This is a lot lighter reading than some of the other things you read and review on here lol
Batman is the man!