Review: Batman, Volume 5: Rules of Engagement

Another Batman comic book review, because even Pastors need a break from time to time from heavy theological reading (And I will be reviewing more now that I’ve been back from my trip and getting back to my routine!).

Tom King.  Batman, Volume 5: Rules of Engagement. Burbank, CA: DC Comics, May 1st 2018. 160 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

This is volume five of the Batman’s Detective Comics in the New DC Comics’ Rebirth series/era.  This work collects BATMAN #33-37 and BATMAN ANNUAL #2.  I finished this volume less than a month after it was officially released and I read several other Batman titles during the same time though I enjoyed this more than the other two works with one of them being Batman: Detective Comics, Volume 5: A Lonely Place of Living which came about a few weeks earlier than this volume.

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Review: Batman: Black And White

A light-hearted weekend leisure reading book review…because Pastors also need a break from heavy theological reading!

Mark Chiarello.  Batman: Black And White. New York, NY: DC Comics, September 26th 2007. 240 pp.

4 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

This work is unique in that it is a Batman volume that is in black and white instead of color.  It is also further unique in that it is a collection of various famous, writers, inkers, etc., contributing to this volume.  As the editor mentioned in the beginning it is not easy to get the top contributor in the field to submit something on Batman when they all have their own quirks, deadlines and personalities.  This volume is even more of a challenge as the contributors are “who’s who” of comics.

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Review: Batman: Detective Comics, Volume 5: A Lonely Place of Living

After weeks of serious posts, here’s a light hearted comic book review!  Because Pastors also need a break from heavy reading!

James Tynion IV.  Batman: Detective Comics, Volume 4: Deus Ex Machina. Burbank, CA: DC Comics, April 10th 2018. 144 pp.

4 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

This is volume five of Batman’s Detective Comics.  The volume collects Detective Comics issues # 963-968 and DETECTIVE COMICS ANNUAL #1.

The bulk of this volume is the multiple chapter story “A Lonely Place of Living.” This story started off with Timothy Jackson Drake being alive contrary to what many have thought in previous Batman stories.  Timothy is held in an isolated placed where some mysterious and hidden individual asked him question about his past and how he eventually became Robin.  Whom the mysterious interrogator was turned out to be quite a surprise for Drake.  Drake was able to send out a message to get help only for the alleged Batman that showed up turning out to be the Drake of tomorrow.  Again this was a total surprise for Drake especially since the Drake of tomorrow is more cynical but also more better in his intelligence and combat ability.  As the story progress the Drake of today along with other team members helping Batman has to fight off the Drake of the future from hurting one of their own.  But the fight feature great dialogues that raises the issues of the whole Batman and caped crusaders’ enterprise.  Very well written!  The story also leaves readers wondering of what happened in the future that would result in such a cynical Drake.  It left me as the reader with a lot of questions though it was a compelling storyline that made me want to know more and anticipate future issues and volume that would answer my questions.  But then the volume transition to other stories that did not seem to be related to the rest of the volume that was rather anticlimactic and leaves fan rather confused.  I think it was a rather big letdown and volume five should have ended with the story of “A Lonely Place of Living” instead of smaller stories that felt more like fillers.

NOTE: This book was provided to me free by DC Comics and Net Galley without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

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Review: All Star Batman Volume 3: The First Ally

This work comes out today!  Thanks to DC Comics for the advance review copy!

Scott Snyder. All Star Batman Volume 3: The First Ally. Burbank, CA: DC Comics, March 20th 2018. 176 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

This is volume three of “All-Star Batman” that is a part of DC Comics’ recent “rebirth” reboot.  I enjoyed the storyline for this present work more than the previous two volumes.  It seems the “All-Star Batman” is more fast-paced than other Batman titles which can have its strength and weaknesses but being bored won’t be one of them.  But in volume three the timing was right in my opinion along with a great reoccurring theme and human interest’s angle.  The artwork is great as well.  I give this a rating of five out of five.

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Weekend Review: Gotham Central Book Three: On the Freak Beat

A weekend light reading review…because Pastors also need a break from heavy theological reading.

Greg Rucka and Ed Brubaker.  Gotham Central Book Three: On the Freak Beat. New York, NY: DC Comics, September 15th 2009. 224 pp.

3 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

This is the third volume in the “Gotham Central” series, which feature stories of the police and detectives in the make-believe city of Gotham where many of the Batman stories takes place.  Following several members of the Major Crimes Unit, or MCU for short, we see these men and women also tackling on the “freaks,” who are the supervillains that Batman has to battle (hence the book’s subtitle).

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Review: Batman/The Shadow: The Murder Geniuses

This volume comes out today!

Scott Snyder and Steve Orlando.  Batman/The Shadow: The Murder Geniuses. Burbank, CA: DC Comics, November 28, 2017. 168 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

This is probably my favorite comic in 2017!  I love Batman and I just found out about the Shadow this year; now the two superheroes are together in a story told by a team that include Scott Snyder, a writer who have written some of my favorite Batman stories.

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Reviews: Historical Fiction Comic Books/Graphic Novels read in 2017 Part 2

A long holiday weekend!  Here’s this weekend’s light reading weekend reviews…because Pastors also need a break from heavy theological reading.

To check out part one of historical fiction comics I reviewed this year click here.  Since I read more than I can review there’s also a part three I’ll post sometime in December.

Code Word: Geronimo

Dale A. Dye. Code Word: Geronimo.  San Diego, CA: IDW Publishing, September 20^th, 2011. 88 pp.

4 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

The subtitle of this graphic novel is “The True Story of the Raid Against Osama Bin Laden.”  This is a comic book telling of the hunt for Osama Bin Laden.  The publisher IDW Publishing brought together a very interesting and talented team to tell this story.  For instance this work is written by a former US Marine Captain Dale Dye.  Dye’s biographical background is rather remarkable with his beginning as an enlisted Marine who rose quickly to the rank of Master Sergeant within thirteen years and later became a commissioned officer.  He is a veteran of both Vietnam and Beirut.  I think no doubt his military background helped with the story; I have seen some other military historical theme graphic novels that has less attention to details in its accuracy both in terms of the writing and the artwork than this particular work.  This is also probably the only comic book that I have seen the creators include someone with a PhD.  Julia Dye is mentioned on the cover as having a PhD and her creator biography in the last page mentioned she has a doctorate in anthropology in human conflict and her career specialization is keeping “the Entertainment Industry honest…and helps Hollywood directors capture the realities of warfare.”

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