Review: Batman: Gothic

Pastors also need a break from heavy theological reading!  So here’s a Batman comic book review!  After a long weekend of teaching youth group, teaching systematic theology on Saturday night and sermon prep, I need a break! I haven’t posted one of these once in a while!

 

Grant Morrison.  Batman: Gothic. New York, NY: DC Comics, January 1, 1986. 128 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

Want to read a fun 1980s Batman adventure? If so this story might be for you.  I have to take a break from some of the newer Batman especially with DC Comics trying to bring in political agendas here and there mixed in with some issues that seems to be more fillers than anything worthwhile when all I wanted is just some good old fashion good story of a hero taking on a bad guy as a break from everything political around me.  So while I haven’t read as much comics this year nevertheless I’m glad there’s 80s Batman to enjoy. 

Read Full Post »

Review: Batman: Gotham by Gaslight

Pastors also need a break from heavy theological reading!  So here’s a Batman comic book review!

 

Brian Augustyn.  Batman: Gotham by Gaslight. New York, NY: DC Comics, March 12, 2013. 112 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

Can you imagine Batman being a crime fighting superhero during the Victorian era of the late 1800s?  I think that would be a cool setting for Batman!  And this trade paperback edition definitely did not disappoint!  This is part of DC Comic’s alternative world series they called Elseworlds where they have various characters in different era. Previously I have read a story from the Elseworlds series titled Batman: The Blue, the Grey, and the Bat in which Batman is a hero during the era of the American Civil War.  I enjoyed that story enough that when I heard of this story (Batman: Gotham by Gaslight), I knew I had to read it!  As I researched more about this book I learned that this is the first volume in this series.  Although this Trade Paperback edition was published in 2013 originally the issues that’s collected in this volume was published in 1989.  I started being a fan of Batman comics relatively late compared to most fans (in my late 20s) and have found stories like this one from the 1980s were really enjoyable.

Read Full Post »

Review: Batman: Gates of Gotham

A Pastors also need a break from heavy theological reading!  So here’s a Batman comic book review!

Scott Snyder.  Batman: Gates of Gotham. New York, NY: DC Comics, February 7th 2012. 144 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

There is a rather different feel to this Batman story, in a refreshing kind of way!  Its part-mystery, part-Gothic, part-Steampunk and part-Noir.  And yet it does all that in a way that didn’t feel it was forced or trying to do everything but failing in doing anything.  I appreciate these dimensions to the story of this Batman graphic novel and felt the uniqueness kept me going in reading this (and I haven’t read much comics so far in 2021!).

Read Full Post »

Review: Batman: Noël

A Pastors also need a break from heavy theological reading!  So here’s a Batman comic book review!

Lee Bermejo. Batman: Noël. New York, NY: DC Comics, November 2nd 2011. 112 pp.

4 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

A Batman Christmas story?  Can it be?  Indeed!  I enjoyed this comic book that is a Batman’s version of Charles Dickens’ famous story A Christmas Carol, but modern and updated in the world of Gotham.  I enjoyed it perhaps more than some of the reviewers online and hope some of the people’s negative remark might not turn people away and perhaps my review can add some balance consideration!

Read Full Post »

Review of Two Batman Comics Read in November 2020

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.

Read Full Post »

Review: Batman: Year Two 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition

A weekend leisure reading review…because sometimes Pastors also need a break from heavy theological reading!  For more on blog on comments check out our “Collection of Posts: Superheroes, Comics and Worldview Series.”

 

Mike Barr.  Batman: Year Two 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition. Burbank, CA: DC Comics, November 28th 2017. 176 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

Want to read some fun old school (late 80s/early 90s) Batman adventures?  This title volume might be for you!  Having read some of the recent volumes of Batman from the new Rebirth series I felt I needed a break from things “new” and maybe explore some just good old fashion Batman fight against crime and villain.  I’m happy to say this work delivered!

Read Full Post »

Review of Two Batman Comics Read in September 2020

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’m going to review volume 11 first before volume 10 since volume 11 is way better than volume 10.

(EDITED: If you want to read some old school Batman fun check out our recent review “Review: Batman: Year Two 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition.”

Tom King.  Batman, Volume 11: The Fall and the Fallen. Burbank, CA: DC Comics, January 14th 2020. 144 pp.

4 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

Here’s some more Batman adventures!  As I mentioned in my review of volume 10 the last volume felt like a dreamy filler but here in this volume it picks up from volume 8 after Batman was knocked out in a plot by Bane.  This volume collects Batman issues number 70-74 and Secret Files #2.

Read Full Post »

Weekend Review: Gotham Central, Book 4: Corrigan

Haven’t done a comic review in a while!  A weekend light reading review…because Pastors also need a break from heavy theological reading.

Greg Rucka.  Gotham Central, Book 4: Corrigan. Burbank, CA: DC Comics, March 15th 2011. 224 pp.

4 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

Are you into Batman enough that you are interested in the world of Batman and also its peripheral characters?  Batman of course lives in Gotham City, a city that resembles a lot to New York City.  In this graphic novel (comic) volume Batman moves away from center stage so Gotham City’s police department’s Major Crimes Unit can take the limelight and focus for the readers.  DC Comics got a good team of artists and writers for this Gotham Central series and book four is no different.

Read Full Post »

Review: Batman, Volume 9: The Tyrant Wing

A weekend leisure reading review…because sometimes Pastors also need a break from heavy theological reading!

 

Tom King.  Batman, Volume 9: The Tyrant Wing. Burbank, CA: DC Comics, March 26th 2019. 152 pp.

4 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

Ready for another adventure with Batman?  This title collects Batman comic issue 58 through 60 and also Batman Annual 3 and Batman Secret files 1. While the cover says this is written by Tom King in actually he was the writer for issues 58 to 60 and the rest was written by various other writers.

Read Full Post »

Review: Batman/Deathblow: After the Fire

A weekend leisure reading review…because sometimes Pastors also need a break from heavy theological reading!  So here’s my first comic book of the year!

Mark Waid.  Batman/Deathblow: After the Fire. New York, NY: DC Comics, May 1st 2003. 160 pp.

4 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

I picked this up because of the cover.  Yes I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover but it seems pretty cool.  But I also decided to read this book because who authored it (Brian Azzarello); previously I have read comics that he wrote the story for and I enjoyed them.  I also thought this was worth reading because it introduces to me a character that is new to me: Deathblow.  What did I think of it?

Read Full Post »

Review of Two Batman Comics Read in Fall 2019

A weekend leisure reading review…because sometimes Pastors also need a break from heavy theological reading!  Thought I post on comics after Tom’s recent post on DC comics.

Mark Waid.  Batman in Barcelona: Dragon’s Knight. New York, NY: DC Comics, July 1^st, 2009. 48 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

Usually we read of Batman doing his mission in his beloved city of Gotham.  But what is it like if Batman went to another city to fight one of his villains?  In this one shot story Batman goes to Spain to the city of Barcelona to fight the Killer Croc.  I love the premise that Batman is in Barcelona in another city and where the police doesn’t recognize who Batman is!

Read Full Post »

Review: Batman: 100 Greatest Moments

A weekend leisure reading review…because sometimes Pastors also need a break from heavy theological reading!  Also I haven’t read Batman in a while (February 2019?)!

 

Robert Greenberger.  Batman: 100 Greatest Moments: Highlights from the History of The Dark Knight.  New York, NY: Chartwell Books, October 1st 2019. 303 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

Are you a fan of Batman and you want to read more of Batman but also wonder if you might be missing any big stories about Batman over the years?  This book by Robert Greenberger looks at the hundred greatest moments in comics concerning Batman both past and present.  With a character that has been around for 80 years a book on the top one hundred moments seems helpful and exciting for old and new fans alike!

Read Full Post »

Review: Batman: Private Casebook

A weekend leisure reading review…because sometimes Pastors also need a break from heavy theological reading!

Paul Dini.  Batman: Private Casebook. New York, NY: DC Comics, December 23rd 2008. 160 pp.

4 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

This is another comic book on Batman.  This particular title is a collection of seven short stories or mini-chapters of short stories.  The writer Paul Dini was the producer and screen writer for Batman: The Animated Series and if you enjoyed those cartoons in the 90s you will also enjoy the same feel of short episodes in this book, though the illustrators did vary from story to story.  Overall it was a fun read.

Read Full Post »

Review: Batman: The Dark Prince Charming Book One

The last five nights and days has been long so I’m getting a little breather today from the ministry.  Here’s a fun read review as a mental break.

Enrico Marini.  Batman: The Dark Prince Charming Book One. Burbank, CA: DC Comics, November 6, 2018. 144 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

This is a comic book written and illustrated by a European artist name Enrico Marini.  It is an exciting take on Batman versus Joker from the perspective of an European artist.  I thought Marini did a good job telling this story.

Read Full Post »

Review: Batman: White Knight

A weekend leisure reading review…because sometimes Pastors also need a break from heavy theological reading!

Sean Murphy.  Batman: White Knight. Burbank, CA: DC Comics, October 9th 2018. 232 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

I have been anticipating this story ever since I made my first or second visit to the comic bookstore and I overheard the clerk tell someone about this.  And it did not disappoint!  Which is why I gave this a five out of five.  This volume marks the debut of the publisher DC Comics’s new Black Label imprint which feature well known characters in DC universe in new stand-alone stories without necessarily continuity that affect the stories being told in the regular comics.  I love the originality of Batman: White Knight.  This work collects an eight issue miniseries in which the writer and artist Sean Murphy presents us a scenario of what would happen if the Joker goes sane.  But it was also so much more than that!

Read Full Post »