All of the Bat titles are struggling to find their footing in a world without Bruce Wayne and this title seems to be more lost than the others.

Writer Judd Winick is just not hitting a stride with this storyline. There are pieces that never come together nor hold our attention. War is raging between Two-Face and the Penguin and the greatest causality is us, the reader who bought this crap. Dick Grayson’s internal monologues are ridiculously monotonous. The plot is not much better.

Mark Bagley’s pencils are as inconsonant as the plotting. The hyper action panels fail to provide subtle details to refine the characters. Batman looks like he’s jacked up on Botox, incapable of cracking a frown or smile.

This issue ends with yet another “Batman” demanding of Grayson “Where’s the real Batman?” I am wondering that myself because this Batman is a bore.

1.5 out of 5

“Blackest Night invades Gotham”

Blackest Night: Batman #1 is the first issue of three issues.  This is the first of the mini-series brought out by D.C. to supplement the Blackest Night on-going storylines.  The story starts with the new Batman and Robin investigating the desecration of Bruce Wayne’s grave by the Black Hand.  It seems that the Blackest Night is going to greatly affect the denizens of Gotham but also another of the D.C. Universes heroes: Deadman.  We also get to see several of Batman’s deceased villains return from the grave to cause their own brand of havoc.

I’ll have to say that I can get very leary of books that are brought out to support the big event titles, in this case Blackest Night.  Many times in the past, these books and series fall far short from the quality and interest generated by the main books.  But, I found this issue interesting and having the potential of adding to Blackest Night, instead of diluting it.

This is a solid book that I hope continues to entertain.

4 out of 5

Blackest Night is just around the corner and Geoff Johns gives us our final preparation with this prologue.  Both Lantern titles have been preparing for this major DC event, but this origin story of William Hand, the embodiment of the Black Lantern Corps, is the strongest of all preludes.

Geoff Johns, writing at the top of his game, creates an eerie tale that is richly diabolical.  William Hand was a young boy obsessed with death.  His dad’s profession of mortician was an early fascination for William; so were dead animals.  Johns traces William’s history from his first incarnation as the Black Hand, a laughable B-list villain, to his dark rebirth as the leader of the soon-to-be-established Black Lanterns.  The plot is artfully paced and tightly woven from scene to scene.  Each moment captures the emotions necessary and makes its point well, without filler or gaps.  The foreshadowing for Blackest Night, who will raise and who are those that cheated death, makes you jump out of your seat! Bring on the fight.

Doug Mahnke matches John’s fantastic story with some fancy penciling.  His character’s powerfully emotive faces drive home the horror of this story and the impact of Hand’s decent into darkness.  Mahnke makes commanding use of perspectives, allowing the reader to see events through William Hand’s eyes, i.e. Hand cowering by a tombstone the Green Lanterns battle Atrocitus.  The close-ups of Hand are downright scary; his bloodshot eyes and blank stare are entrancing.  The panels of Hand’s suicide are boldly detailed and surprising for a mainstream DC comic.  Overall, the art is superb.

After reading this, I felt like I just saw a preview for the most kickass movie of the summer.  I can’t wait for the night to turn black!

5 out of 5

Left with an urgent mission from Bruce Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth as their surrogate father, the Outsiders are taking on a potent faction of immortals as the team is still trying to gel.

This story arc has depth and originality.  The villains the Outsiders are facing have gravity to them; they are smart, powerful, organized, resourceful and determined.  Lurking the shadows is a growing threat and converging of some DC bad-asses.  Peter J. Tomasi is writing a tightly structured story and has effectively captured his teams’ personalities.

Pencillers Fernando Pasarin and Jeremy Haun have produced a gritty and detailed book.  I really enjoyed the collateral damage on the streets during the scrap with Deathstroke.  The gore was not overdone, yet suitable for the Outsider, who are the darker arm of Batman.

The Outsiders are actually important and this arc is shaping up to have some major ramifications for the DC universe.  I hope this series keeps delivering.

3.5 out of 5

The Eisner Award winning dynamic duo of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely take on the original dynamic duo in their new series Batman and Robin.  Hoping for a repeat performance with their successful All-Star Superman, Morrison and Quitely have the talent to hit this one out of the park.  The big question is did they accomplish this with issue number one?  The answer…. holy frickin’ yes they did!

Quitely has created a gorgeous book.  He draws with a master’s level of texture and warmth.  His pages are painstakingly meticulous in details.  His panels are a confident balance of exposition and action.  When Batman (Nightwing) and Robin (Damien) clock a villain with a simultaneous punch, I wanted to cheer.  The full-page panel of Batman and Robin descending from the sky onto Gotham’s streets is a print I would buy and hang on my living room wall.  I can’t believe how realistic and unlike anyone else Quietly can even draw their capes!

Grant Morrison wastes no time in pulling the reader into his recreation of these icons.  These characters are written with gusto and no hesitation.  For a first issue, he accomplishes a lot.  Not only has Morrison effectively given the DC Universe the new Batman and Robin, but presents a first glimpse into an intriguing story arc.  Why are criminals being paid in dominoes?  Sounds weird, but that’s what the dynamic duo discover.  Two new villains are introduced, Toad and the sadistic Pyg; who these two are and why they are in Gotham is yet to be revealed, but I am already excited.  Pyg, a masked faced butcher, shows what a bad ass he is on the last two pages.  We get formidable new foes for the new team.

Most importantly, the new Batman and Robin work.  This issue harkened to the good old days, yet embraced the new incarnations of Batman and Robin.  Morrison doesn’t get stuck in either extreme – pretending like nothing happened nor continuing to bemoan Wayne’s death.  Bruce Wayne is gone; Gotham needs her heroes; suit up and deal with it.

Morrison nails the interplay between Alfred, Nightwing (guess I have to call him Batman now) and Damien (I mean Robin).  Alfred is protective of the new team and his dry English wit had returned.  It’s nice to see him truly back after Bruce Wayne’s death.  Damien is an arrogant kid who wants to drive and not ride shotgun to Grayson.  However, his mouth is bigger than his actions.  Morrison conveys a silent understanding that Damien is aware that he needs Alfred and Dick Grayson.  He’s still a little turd that would never admit to this.  But I like that.  Dick Grayson is a good Batman thanks to Grant Morrison.  A balance is achieved between being a strong Batman while still feeling the weight of the cowl.  The emotion is believable without melodrama.  The tissues are put away and Gotham’s criminals should be afraid.

I did not want this issue to end and I’m happy this title is so good.  Batman fans deserve better than they have received recently.  It certainly is fitting that Grant Morrison is the man to put a smile on their faces.  Frank Quietly achieves perfection.  The sun is shining on Gotham.

5 out of 5