Review - Birds of Prey Volume 1

A series of horrific attacks on projects fronted by the charismatic industrialist Nick Devine prompts Oracle to hire Black Canary to investigate. With the terrorist group known as the Green Brotherhood claiming responsibility, Black Canary is charged with finding out why they’ve targeted Devine and stopping them before they can cause any further harm.

Birds of Prey Volume 1 collects Black Canary/Oracle: Birds Of Prey #1, Showcase '96 #3, Birds Of Prey: Manhunt #1-4, Birds Of Prey: Revolution #1, Birds Of Prey: Wolves #1 and Birds Of Prey: Batgirl #1, written by Chuck Dixon and Jordan B. Gorfinkel with art by Gary Frank, Matt Haley and Greg Land.

Birds of Prey Volume 1 chronicles the earliest adventures of the eponymous Birds of Prey, the superhero duo consisting of hacker supreme Oracle and then-former Justice Leaguer Black Canary. The issues collected consist of a variety of mini-series and one-shots that eventually led to the now-iconic ongoing series later made famous by Gail Simone. These initial stories are largely written by veteran Batman scribe Chuck Dixon, with assistance from editor Jordan B. Gorfinkel. Though the narratives vary from story to story, the overall common thread linking these comics is the blossoming friendship between the two lead characters. Through these stories, we’re able to track the evolution of their partnership from its uneasy beginnings to a place of mutual understanding and respect. Specifically, the rigidly logical Oracle learns to accept Black Canary’s impulsiveness and vice versa. It’s an unusual through line for an era that was admittedly light on friendships between women characters.

The quality of the stories themselves varies widely. The opening one-shot, Black Canary/Oracle: Birds of Prey #1, sees Black Canary acting as a bodyguard for businessman Nick Devine while he is being targeted by the Green Brotherhood. It’s an excellent introduction to the duo of Black Canary and Oracle, effectively establishing who they are, where they were at that point in their lives, and gives them a global crisis to address. This storyline presents Black Canary as a down-and-out superhero with mounting bills and a personal life that’s in the toilet. Oracle gives Canary the opportunity to pull herself out of this situation and go back to being the hero she was meant to be. This character work is quite smart and speaks to the resilience of Black Canary. With that said, there are some ickier elements to the story as well. Canary ends up going to impoverished countries, which are primarily populated by people of colour, and it taints the narrative with the whiff of the white saviour trope. We also get Lynx thrown into the mix as an antagonist and the Green Brotherhood are clearly coded as East Asian. As such, it feels like it’s pushing some kind of notion of Yellow Peril. This trend will continue with successive stories in Birds of Prey, especially since we get a lot of Dragon Lady-esque villains and international adventures where Canary is placed in a role of helping impoverished (mostly non-white) nations.

For the most part, the one shots collected in this trade are fairly unremarkable. Revolution sees Black Canary investigating a human trafficking ring based out of Santa Prisca. While the storyline itself tackles a very real problem in the world, it does so by framing white people as the victims at the hands of Latinx-coded individuals. Given that it takes place on Santa Prisca, the fictional island nation that is characterized by the worst stereotypes associated with Latin American countries, it should be expected that the narrative is going to be problematic. Wolves, by contrast, doesn’t even attempt to delve into real world issues. Instead, the entire thrust of the story is that men are trash (which is true) and that both Oracle and Black Canary needed to be convinced of this in order to bond as friends. Black Canary’s ex-husband comes back into her life and attempts to con her into helping him after he steals money from some gangsters. Meanwhile, Oracle gets targeted by a scam artist who seduces her with the intention of burgling her apartment. Wolves fails to feel like its story is of any import due to its day-in-the-life approach and uses men as the catalyst to the cementing of the characters’ friendship. Batgirl is the most engaging one-shot (aside from the opener). In it, Oracle is kidnapped by the illusion-casting villain Spellbinder in an attempt to manipulate her into giving away Batman’s hideout. As a villain, Spellbinder is dynamic and her motivation is quite clear. We also get to see Oracle’s determination and resourcefulness when the time comes to physically take down Spellbinder. However, the story hasn’t aged well particularly due to the evolving language around disabilities. There’s this pervasive obsession with Oracle being disabled in this one-shot. She’s consistently referred to in ways that aren’t appropriate by today’s standards and it’s really uncomfortable to read.

Amidst the one-shots in this volume, there’s a four issue mini-series (Manhunt) that sees Black Canary teaming up with Huntress and Catwoman. Canary forms an alliance with the anti-heroines due to their shared desire to take down the criminal Archer Braun. Canary and Huntress want to ensure that he is brought to justice for his misdeeds against women, while Catwoman is adamant about retrieving the money he owes her from a previous caper. At first glance, this is the kind of story that would appeal to me on every level since it’s starring three of my favourite DC Comics heroines. Unfortunately, the execution of the storyline is all wrong. First of all, the initial impetus for Canary and Huntress chasing down Braun is that he ghosted them after briefly dating them. Even the way they learn that he’s a criminal is pretty flimsy (they recognize his butt on security footage – really?). There’s even an inconsistency that doesn’t quite make sense. Namely, Canary and Huntress act as if they’re meeting each other for the first time even though they’d actually worked together before (in the 1993 series Black Canary #9-12). Manhunt otherwise features a ridiculous amount of incredible action and highlights just how mighty the trifecta of Canary, Huntress and Catwoman can be. I love their dynamic as a group, particularly how they act as a kind of gradient scale of morality. Under a better creative team, this would be an amazing trio whose adventures would be stellar.

Art-wise Birds of Prey Volume 1 is all over the place. The opening one-shot is illustrated by Gary Frank, as are the covers for each subsequent one-shot and the Manhunt mini. His work is absolutely breathtaking. His composition is amazing, the costuming he provides Black Canary with is memorable, and the action sequences practically pop off the page. Matt Haley’s pencils for Manhunt are nearly just as gorgeous as Frank’s. There are plenty of fantastic panels worth remembering, chief among them a rather menacing Lady Shiva grinning while surrounded by flames. I’m also very enamoured with his Catwoman. I love how he draws her hair and the attention to detail on her mask. Beyond that, he seems to really inject a lot of dynamism into her presence and expressions. That said, Haley does include some rather unnecessary butt shots. Greg Land is one of the other artists who handle art chores in this collection. This is from an earlier point in his career, prior to his descent into infamy for his apparent tracing. I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that I really quite enjoy his work here. It’s not noticeably trace from anywhere and the women don’t all look like their waists are little more than toothpicks (they’re still small, but not as bad). Land actually appears to put effort into his art here. The other artists whose work is included are Dick Giordano (Wolves) and Stefano Raffaele (Revolution). Their art is mediocre at best here and doesn’t quite match the quality present in the other issues. Raffaele also has some issues with anatomy and includes unnecessary shots of Canary’s posterior.

Birds of Prey is one of those series that I grew up loving as a kid. I collected back issues like candy and remembered those stories through the lenses of rose-coloured glasses. In reading their earliest adventures via this collection, it’s easy to see the many cracks in the foundation of this series. There are a lot of great ideas present, especially when it comes to the development of Oracle and Black Canary’s friendship. Sadly, there are a lot of questionable elements that drag down the overall quality of the work. It should be a surprise to no one given who wrote these stories. Even from a narrative standpoint, Birds of Prey Volume 1 is inconsistent due to the fact that it is mostly one-shots and has no set artist on board. It’s worth a read for the sake of understanding how the team and series came to be, but there are still far better Birds of Prey trades out there.

RATING: C+

Review: Batman - Cataclysm

After an earthquake destroys Gotham City’s infrastructure and kills thousands, Batman and his allies lead the efforts to find and rescue the remaining survivors. Meanwhile, an opportunistic villain known as Quakemaster has kidnapped a seismologist and is threatening to unleash more tremors should his demands not be met. While Batman aids the victims of the quake, Robin is dispatched to stop Quakemaster.

Batman: Cataclysm collects Batman #553-554, Detective Comics #719-721, Batman: Shadow Of The Bat #73-74, Nightwing #19-20, Azrael #40, Catwoman #56-57, Robin #52-53, Batman Chronicles #12, Blackgate: Isle Of Men #1, Huntress/Spoiler: Blunt Trauma #1, and Batman: Arkham Asylum: Tales Of Madness #1. It features writing by Chuck Dixon, Alan Grant, Doug Moench, and Devin Grayson, with art by Graham Nolan, Jim Balent, Scott McDaniel, Staz Johnson, and more.

Cataclysm is presented as an 18-part event exploring the aftermath of an earthquake through the perspective of Gotham City’s most iconic heroes (and villains). It is comparable to its predecessor Contagion, which was an impactful crossover storyline that dealt with the frustrations and powerlessness of Batman as he was faced with a threat he couldn’t simply toss into Arkham Asylum. However, much of what made Contagion so effective is missing here. Cataclysm is rather episodic and stumbles through its first few chapters as it continually brings the reader back to the moment the earthquake struck. This constant retelling of events, albeit from the perspective of different characters and parts of the city, fails to progress the overall narrative. It also doesn’t help that the major arc of the story, Quakemaster’s kidnapping of Jolene Relazzo, is buried beneath diversionary tie-ins. With Contagion, titles like Azrael and Catwoman were woven into the narrative. Here they’re filler.

Interestingly, some of the best moments come from the filler tie-ins. One of my favourite issues was Huntress/Spoiler: Blunt Trauma, written by Chuck Dixon and illustrated by Eduardo Barreto. In it, Spoiler’s father, the crook Cluemaster, leads a group of Blackgate escapees on a looting spree at the mall. At the same time, Spoiler and Huntress are helping those trapped in the mall. It’s a fantastic one-shot that gives readers an unusual team-up between two heroines who are total opposites. Huntress’ aggressive stance on dealing with criminals ultimately comes into conflict with Spoiler’s more tempered approach. This serves a very important dramatic purpose as it heightens the tension regarding Cluemaster’s fate, which depends upon which of the two he eventually faces off against. Another must-read from this collection is Catwoman #56, written by Devin Grayson and illustrated by Jim Balent. The typically self-serving Catwoman willingly helps to evacuate a building after she is caught inside during the earthquake. It’s an issue packed with an character development that peels away the layers of Catwoman’s character to reveal a vulnerable and altruistic person underneath. It also features the most poignant and emotional moment of this entire event (the specifics of which I won’t spoil here).

Unsurprisingly, Huntress and Catwoman, along with Robin, end up being my favourite characters within this collection. Huntress’ very presence picks at the hypocrisy within Batman’s character. Though he’s admittedly quite heroic and selfless throughout, he’s incredibly condescending towards Huntress when the two cross paths. She’s put in hours of hard work rescuing people and stopping criminals, to which Batman tells her to go home and rest. The context of the situation gives it a misogynistic and hypocritical vibe. Since he fails to provide the same “advice” to Robin or Nightwing, it comes across as him effectively telling Huntress to go back to the kitchen. I love the lip she gives him. Her attitude is refreshing within a cast of characters who are otherwise way too eager to be on Batman’s good side. With regards to Catwoman, despite only appearing twice, those appearances linger long after finishing this trade. As I’ve said in my reviews of Knightfall and Contagion, she has a unique voice as a character and is given a lot of great punchy dialogue. As for Robin, well, he gets brownie points for actually being the only character to do detective work in this storyline to deduce the identity of Quakemaster (which is actually a pretty brilliant reveal, by the way).

Cataclysm isn’t one of the best Batman crossovers out there. It fails to thrill or innovate in the ways that its predecessors did and is largely a slow, meandering storyline that drags over the course of its 18 chapters. There are some bright spots throughout, of which I’ve highlighted a couple. If anything, Cataclysm is really meant for completionists looking to read every modern Batman story. Otherwise, it’s easily skipped and little is missed from it. My suggestion? Read the issues Huntress appears in, Catwoman #56, and the issues of Robin that are included here. Almost everything else is disposable.

RATING: C

Review: Batman - Contagion

When a deadly virus is unleashed on Gotham City, Batman and his allies race against time to find a cure before its citizens can be decimated by the infection. While the police attempt to maintain order in the city, Robin and Catwoman join forces to track down survivors carrying antibodies in order to formulate an antidote. With time running out, it becomes clear that Batman very well be facing the one threat he can’t beat.

Batman: Contagion collects Azrael #15-16, Batman #529, Batman Chronicles #4, Batman: Shadow Of The Bat #48-49, Catwoman #31-35, Detective Comics #695-696, and Robin #27-30, written by Doug Moench, Alan Grant, and Chuck Dixon.

Contagion was the first major Batman event following the commercial and critical success of Knightfall. Unlike its episodic predecessor, it is a tightly plotted crossover that unfolds as a clear and concise arc. It begins with an outbreak of the Ebola Gulf-A virus, which quickly spreads across Gotham City. With the GCPD on the frontlines as it happens, Batman works towards finding a cure before all life in the city is decimated by the virus. It’s a gripping storyline that presents Batman with an enemy that he can’t simply beat up and throw into Arkham Asylum. Much like with Knightfall, he’s pushed to his limits, but this time learns to accept the help of those around him (including his enemies). As such, we get a really great sequence where Batman relies on Poison Ivy to deliver a potential cure to the infected due to her immunity to diseases.

Interestingly, Batman doesn’t actually feel like the star of this crossover. His presence feels muted in comparison to the rather prominent roles Nightwing, Huntress, and the GCPD play in keeping the peace in a city ravaged by a plague. Furthermore, Robin serves as the nucleus of this arc. He’s the one who is tasked with the mission of finding the antibodies to manufacture a cure and who later joins forces with Nightwing and Huntress while Batman is busy with Poison Ivy. The real scene stealer though is Catwoman. With a bounty out on the survivors of the virus, the Feline Fatale is determined to be the one who finds them. This initially puts her into opposition with Robin, but the pair put their differences aside in order to team-up and find the survivors. This subplot is the most well-written and exciting part of Contagion, largely due to how action-heavy it is and since Catwoman’s dialogue is so electric and sassy. The character injects life into an otherwise dour and melancholy crossover.

Batman: Contagion is impressive start to what would become a tetralogy of Batman crossovers from the 1990s. It is a grounded and carefully plotted storyline that is evenly paced throughout. Despite there being a lack of a distinctive (physical) antagonist, Contagion features Batman at a point of apparent hopelessness and gives readers a lot of great action sequences courtesy of Nightwing, Robin, Huntress, Catwoman, and Azrael. My sole complaint regarding this specific collection was the decision to include some of the issues that take place in the aftermath of the main event. The Robin issues are fantastic, but the Batman-focused ones seem out of place and unnecessary. Aside from that, this is essential reading.

RATING: A-

Review: Batman Eternal Volume 3

Having captured Hush, Batman realizes that Gotham City's recent misfortunes have been orchestrated by another mastermind. As Gotham's mysterious antagonist nears his endgame, Batman must rely on rookie hero Bluebird and the rest of the Family to defeat his foe and return order to the city.

Batman Eternal Volume 3 collects Batman Eternal #35-52, conceived by Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV and with scripts by Tynion IV, Tim Seeley, Ray Fawkes, and Kyle Higgins.

In many ways, the concluding handful of Batman Eternal's issues is reminiscent of the iconic Knightfall storyline. Batman's most iconic enemies have been released from Arkham Asylum and are wreaking havoc on Gotham City as part of a mysterious mastermind's plan to defeat and humiliate Batman. What helps to set Batman Eternal apart is its utilization of the Batman Family, which goes to show how far Batman has come in his ability to trust others. As a result of this, we get to see some really great showdowns between the Batman Family and the rogues of Gotham. As a Batgirl fan, I'm especially happy about the fact that the male members of the Batman Family require help taking down their targets whereas Batgirl is able to do so solo. She's just that good. Beyond that, what makes the conclusion of Batman Eternal so memorable and distinct is its double twists during the reveal of the true mastermind behind all of Gotham City's tragedies. The revelation is absolutely brilliant as it really is a character that no one would have suspected, thus providing an unpredictable ending to what would otherwise be a fairly standard Batman story arc.

In my review of the previous volume in this series, I detailed my affection for the character development that became central to the narrative once the convoluted subplots were resolved. This collection continues this trend in spades. By this point, Catwoman has fully taken control of Gotham City as its new kingpin and she rather hilariously had Killer Croc as her enforcer. As I've said before, it's a really smart move for her character and it opens up a lot of great avenues for her to grow. What is also great about this is that it alters her dynamic with Batman and maintains an edge her character had been losing. Another standout character is Harper Row, who finally makes her debut as the vigilante Bluebird. Decked out in one of the coolest costumes we've seen in the 2010s, she makes quite the impression as she helps to rescue Spoiler from Catwoman and aids in the defeat of the Mad Hatter and Mister Freeze. Of course, what I like best is the interactions she has with the other characters. From her flirtations with Red Robin to her friendly rivalry with Spoiler, she comes across as a multi-dimensional character who fits in remarkably well within the Batman Family. Needless to say, she's an excellent edition to their team.

There's very little to nitpick about Batman Eternal Volume 3. The payoff that the conclusions offers us far outweighs the messy subplots that dragged down the quality of the first volume in this series. This collection shows how a storyline can build and improve despite having a weak foundation. The personalities and decisions made in this volume are all on point, particularly with standouts like Catwoman, Spoiler, and Bluebird. The ultimate reveal is really great and the writers manage to pull off at least a couple twists that will leave any reader impressed. While the art of this trade is handled by a rotating assortment of artists, it's much higher in quality. Of those who contributed pencils to this volume, Joe Quinones, David Lafuente, and Juan Ferreyra are my favourites due to their colourful and dynamic styles that offer a kinetic energy to the narrative and characters. Overall, Batman Eternal is worthy of being regarded as a great storyline in spite of its faults and should be read by any fan of Gotham City's Dark Knight and his costumed allies.

RATING: B+

Review: Batman Eternal Volume 2

With Jim Gordon behind bars and Alfred Pennyworth recovering from an injury, Batman must enlist the aid of SAS operative Julia Pennyworth to track down the villain Hush. Meanwhile, Spoiler continues her crusade against her father Cluemaster and Catwoman is targeted by the gang lord Louis Ferryman after she interferes with his operations.

Batman Eternal Volume 2 collects Batman Eternal #22-34, conceived by Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV. It features scripts by James Tynion IV, Ray Fawkes, Tim Seeley, and Kyle Higgins, with art by such artists as Fernando Pasarin, Jason Fabok, and Dustin Nguyen.

Just as with the previous collection, volume two of Batman Eternal is densely plotted with an oversized cast and numerous subplots. Thankfully, it's been refocused to concentrate on three central narratives - Batman's pursuit of Hush, Spoiler's actions against her father, and Catwoman's involvement with Gotham's criminal underworld. However, it does also tie up the loose ends of plots from the previous collection as well. 

Of the primary storylines presented here, the bulk of the action is concerned with Batman and Julia's burgeoning partnership as they work in unison to uncover the truth about the recent events in Gotham City. Batman believes it to be the work of his old foe Hush, which leads him on a hunt across the city. The most engaging aspect to this narrative is the dynamic between Batman and Julia, as well as the overall development of her character. As an operative of SAS, she's used to working in the field and seems out of place working behind the computers in the Batcave. Even still, her ability to adapt and fill the role her father once filled is quite remarkable. Similarly, there's quite a bit of development done with Catwoman as well. The purpose of her inclusion in this particular chunk of Batman Eternal is to shift her character from independent thief to queen of Gotham's underworld. It's a bold new direction for the Feline Fatale that works really well and that I find to be absolutely brilliant. 

While the story has been streamlined, the art in this collection is inconsistent. Since Batman Eternal employs a variety of artists to provide the pencils for the series, it creates an uneven tone that lacks a uniform aesthetic. There's a lot of lacklustre art, particularly early on, that is muddy and lacks dynamism. However, there are some artists whose work stands out tremendously. Javier Garron, Meghan Hetrick, and Jason Fabok all contribute memorable art that shows just how magnetic the series could be visually.

Batman Eternal Volume 2 is an improvement over the previous collection, which was admittedly quite stuffed. The emphasis placed on character development is refreshing from the more action-oriented issues that preceded this volume. The storylines presented here are still quite involved and requires a working knowledge of the Batman mythos, especially since there are some lesser known characters who appear here. Fans of Spoiler and Catwoman are sure to enjoy this trade, though those who enjoyed Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee's Hush are likely to find this to be an unfavourable rehash of it.

RATING: B-

Review: Batman - Knightfall Volume 3, Knightsend

Having recovered from the injuries Bane inflicted on him, Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham City in order to reclaim his city and his mantle as the Batman. He seeks out the help of the assassin Lady Shiva, who he hopes will get him back into fighting shape. However, it soon becomes clear that the mistress of martial arts is hell-bent on forcing Bruce to break his no-kill rule.

Then, Dick Grayson takes up the mantle of the Batman at the behest of his former mentor. In his new role, he must learn to work alongside the current Robin and contend with the menace of his nemesis Two-Face.

Batman Knightfall Volume 3: Knightsend collects Batman #509-510, 512-514, Batman: Shadow of the Bat #29-30, 32-34, Detective Comics #676-677, 679-681, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #62-63, Catwoman #12, 13, Robin #9, 11-13 and material from Showcase ’94 #10.

After the mediocre Knightquest arc, Knightsend comes across as a breath of fresh air with Bruce Wayne finally returning to his rightful role as Batman. It’s a breezy read that begins with Bruce enlisting the aid of Lady Shiva in order to re-gain his martial arts prowess. She cleverly arranges a test for him, which ultimately pushes Bruce to his limits. The use of Lady Shiva in this arc is brilliant and helps to showcase just how badass she is, while also proving that the Dark Knight is not flawless and the best martial artist out there. Her presence is also meant to compare with that of the man wearing the cape and cowl at that time. Both Lady Shiva and Jean-Paul Valley feel it is necessary to kill one’s enemies, which contrasts sharply against Bruce Wayne’s morality. This creates tension in the narrative as the reader wonders if Lady Shiva will be successful in her mission to force Bruce to kill (spoiler – she’s not).

When we finally get to the meat of Knightsend – the final showdown between Bruce Wayne and Jean-Paul Valley – we’re given an explosive sequence of events that begin above the streets of Gotham City and ends in the darkness of the Batcave. It’s a relentless series of action scenes that include a helicopter crash and plenty of fisticuffs. Bruce’s determination to reclaim his mantle is evident, as is his dedication to helping Jean-Paul see the error of his ways. It adds depth to the conflict as it’s clear that Bruce isn’t fighting just another one of his lunatic rogues – he feels responsibility for Jean-Paul’s actions. This section is further supplemented with a subplot involving Catwoman’s pursuit of an experimental electronic device that is supposed to help paralyzed individuals to walk. The individual issues of Catwoman are perhaps some of the most enjoyable in this collection, largely due to writer Jo Duffy’s humorous dialogue and Catwoman’s quippy attitude. It also helps to break up some of the melodrama of the testosterone fest that is Bruce Wayne vs. Jean-Paul Valley. It’s worth mentioning that Robin and Nightwing are also present during all of this – though neither seems particularly useful. Additionally, the end of the conflict is resolved in an anti-climactic fashion. Jean-Paul literally sees the light and miraculously decides to stop fighting Bruce. It feels a little like lazy writing, especially given how intense Jean-Paul was about being Batman.

The Knightfall saga is concluded with an epilogue of sorts with the twelve-part Prodigal storyline. Bruce sets out to re-evaluate his role as Batman, thus asking Dick to fill-in for him in the meantime. It’s a largely forgettable arc that is overflowing with filler content, though the writers do attempt to remedy this by including a subplot of Two-Face being released from prison and then setting up a major anarchic scheme. It’s evident from the get-go that Prodigal is meant to be the clean-up for Knightfall, given how many villains were still at large by its conclusion. Dick and Tim thus are responsible for capturing Killer Croc, the Ventriloquist, the Tallyman, Ratcatcher and, of course, Two-Face. While this arc was fairly dry, the Robin issues are enjoyable. There’s a great supporting cast, as well as an overall sense of direction that helps to ground this otherwise superfluous storyline.

If there’s one thing to be said about Batman Knightfall Volume 3: Knightsend it’s that it wraps up the Knightfall saga neatly and cohesively. It’s entertaining, particularly its first half, and makes good usage of characters like Lady Shiva and Catwoman (both of whom are standouts in this collection). Knightsend is certainly superior to Prodigal, largely due to Bruce Wayne being back as Batman and the sheer insanity that was his drawn out battle with Jean-Paul Valley. Outside of Prodigal, Knightsend is also atypical for its lack of Batman villains. This works in its favour and helps to keep the focus on the conflict that will determine who will become the one, true Batman.

RATING: B-

Review: Batman - Knightfall Volume 2, Knightquest

With Bane finally off the streets, Jean-Paul Valley turns his attention to the seedy underbelly of Gotham City. As the new Batman, he hopes to cleanse the city of its criminal elements in a way Bruce Wayne never dared. He must face off against the Joker, Catwoman and two Clayfaces, but his real challenge may very well be apprehending the unhinged serial killer known as Abattoir.

Batman: Knightfall Volume 2 – Knightquest collects Detective Comics #667-675, Batman: Shadow of the Bat #19-20, 24-28, Batman #501-508, Catwoman #6-7 and Robin #7. It features writing by Chuck Dixon, Jo Duffy, Alan Grant and Doug Moench.

Knightquest was the banner used for the series of stories that occurred immediately after the critically-acclaimed Knightfall crossover. It was split up into two parts – the first, dubbed “The Crusade,” followed Jean-Paul Valley’s nightly quest to rid Gotham City of criminals and the second, called “The Search,” detailed Bruce Wayne’s attempt to rescue Jack Drake and Shondra Kinsolving. This trade paperback only collects the issues under the banner of “The Crusade.” The decision to focus on this particular set of stories is odd and makes it difficult for the reader to fully engage in the material. Jean-Paul Valley is wholly unlikeable and there are so few interesting villains here that it makes it difficult to engage in the narrative. For example, much of “The Crusade” focuses on the new Batman’s search for the serial killer Abattoir. It’s an interesting concept, but is continually interrupted by a series of Z-list villains who show up and require Batman’s attention. The exclusion of “The Search” is puzzling, especially since Bruce Wayne is absent for nearly this entire trade and then re-appears towards the end with passing references to what happened while he was away. At nearly 700 pages, this hefty trade really could have stood to have included those arguably very crucial issues.

For the most part, Knightquest is a forgettable mess of stories that lack excitement and that fail to re-capture the tension that pervaded Knightfall. The point of this particular storyline seems to be the descent of Jean-Paul Valley into moral corruption. The goal is to get him to that point where he’s willing to kill and does so without remorse. Unfortunately, we have to suffer through issue upon issue of stories with varying qualities of enjoyment and the character he eventually kills is one that no one will particularly miss. That said, there was an interesting internal conflict that permeated throughout this collection. Jean-Paul has visions of his father and Saint-Dumas duking it out for control over his thoughts, acting essentially as the figurative devil and angel on his shoulder.

While the majority of the stories within Knightquest are nothing to write home about, there is a four issue arc that crosses over with Catwoman that is stands above everything else as being entertaining and engaging. In it, Catwoman must prevent a group of terrorists from getting their hands on a dangerous chemical that kills and destroys everything in its path instantaneously. In an interesting turn of events, Batman suspects her of foul play and believes that she’ll fence the chemical to terrorists (despite the insistence of the GCPD that it’s entirely against her MO). Batman nearly ruins Catwoman’s entire plan, but she manages to persuade him to team up with her to stop the terrorists. The reason this storyline works so well is that the writers give readers someone to contrast Jean-Paul’s Batman against and someone to root for. In Catwoman we see how an anti-hero should be written. She operates outside the law and does many things that are illegal, but there are certain things she will not tolerate (terrorism being one of them). Where Jean-Paul’s Batman is grim and monotone, Catwoman is vibrant and charismatic. She cracks jokes and has witty repartee with just about every character that crosses her path. These issues are also packed with fantastic action sequences. Notably, we see the new Batman chase Catwoman from the docks to a warehouse where we see Catwoman rather epically knock a humongous gargoyle over in an attempt to squash her opponent. Of course, these issues entirely point towards the reason why Catwoman was such a fixture in the early-‘90s and why it was one of the best books DC Comics had been publishing. She’s literally one of the only enjoyable aspects of Knightquest.

Overall, Knightquest is a disappointing collection of stories. Jean-Paul Valley makes for a rather uninteresting protagonist and the writers do very little to make readers relate to him. His adventures as Batman are severely lacking in conflicts against notable villains and the exclusion of “The Search” issues really hinders the overall reading experience presented here. While the four-part crossover with Catwoman is a major standout and a Renee Montoya-focused Mr. Freeze one-off is brilliant, the rest of the stories here are mediocre at best. Of course, I’m not entirely convinced that the writers were fully committed to Jean-Paul as Batman and the point of “The Crusade” may very well have been to prove why Bruce Wayne is and probably always should be Batman.

RATING: C+

Review: Batman Eternal Volume 1

After cornering a criminal in the train tunnels beneath Gotham City, Commissioner Gordon appears to shoot the unarmed man. Now stripped of his rank and facing a criminal trial, Gordon is sent to Blackgate. It’s up to the Dark Knight and the newly transferred Police Lieutenant Jason Bard to prove Gordon’s innocence. Meanwhile, a turf war is brewing between Penguin and the mobster Carmine Falcone.

Batman Eternal Volume 1 collects Batman: Eternal #1-21, written by Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Ray Fawkes, Tim Seeley and John Layman.

Batman: Eternal is an expansive series with an impressively large cast, which makes it feel like a modern update on the classic Batman Family series from the 1970s mixed with Gotham Central. It’s a title that is complex and focuses on the interwoven narratives of the most iconic Gotham City-based characters. From Spoiler to Red Hood, just about every fan-favourite Gothamite shows up and contributes a little something to the story. This is both a pro and a con. It’s great because you’re getting to see a wide range of diverse characters in one place, but is disappointing because some feel misused or fail to contribute anything substantial to the narrative. An example of this would be Catwoman. She shows up early on and is featured rather prominently in the first quarter of the story, but disappears for the rest. Something similar can be said for Spoiler. Eternal was hotly anticipated for re-introducing her to the DC Universe, but her origins are shoehorned into the book and a lot of time passes between the scenes featuring the character.

The narrative quality of Batman: Eternal is varied. There’s a lot to love, but just as much to dislike. My biggest issue was the overabundance of subplots, which also ties into the massive cast. The main plot seems to be that of Commissioner Gordon’s unjust imprisonment and the investigation to prove his innocence. This includes Batman’s alliance with Jason Bard, as well as Batgirl going rogue and being intercepted by Batwoman and Red Hood while following a lead in South America. These are the two most noteworthy and character building plots. In fact, the scenes with Batgirl and her allies are perhaps my favourite. Red Hood’s explanation of Batgirl’s motives shows tremendous depth for both characters, as do the exchanges he has with her after she turns against him. 

Then there’s Falcone and Penguin’s turf war, Red Robin’s trip to Japan, the origins of fan-favourite Spoiler, Alfred tending to his injured daughter Julia, and Batwing’s team-up with Jim Corrigan to investigate the underground. Some of these subplots are better than others, but for the most part they all feel unnecessary. While it’s evident that each one is hinting at something bigger to come, there’s zero pay off due to a lackluster cliffhanger. If you don’t give your readers some sense of closure or direction after having them read 21 issues of a series, then why should they keep reading?

Batman: Eternal is at its core a companion series to Scott Snyder’s run on Batman. There are many moments of brilliance, but these are often dimmed by a meandering narrative that goes nowhere for over 20 issues. Overall, the quality of the dialogue is above average and the potpourri of art styles functions quite well for this type of vignette-style storytelling. This book is a mixed bag. For fans of Stephanie Brown, it serves as her much awaited return to comics. Sadly, you have to drudge through a bunch of other stories to even get to it. The same can be said for just about every character or plot. I really want to like Batman: Eternal because it features a lot of characters I love and many of the storylines have potential. Unfortunately, the execution is messy and by the end of the first volume I had to wrack my brain to even remember every subplot. If you’re intending to pick this one up, be ready to take notes so you can keep track of everything.

RATING: C+

Review: Forever Evil

In the wake of a war that nearly tore the Justice Leagues apart, Earth’s greatest heroes have disappeared and have been replaced by their evil counterparts from another world. With no good guys around to stop this anti-Justice League, it’s up to Lex Luthor and his fellow villains to ensure that Earth does not succumb to the dictatorial reign of the Crime Syndicate.

Forever Evil collects the six issue mini-series of the same name, written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by David Finch.

Forever Evil reads like the antithesis to its predecessor Trinity War. Where the latter was a multi-book crossover involving a large internal conflict between dozens of characters, Forever Evil is a rather intimate self-contained six issue story with a small cast and traditional good vs evil style narrative. The twist here, of course, is that the good guys are actually our Earth’s villains. Though this isn’t the first time we’ve seen a villain-centric mini-series from DC Comics and while this series owes much to Grant Morrison’s JLA: Earth 2, Geoff Johns manages to keep things fresh and exciting by focusing with pinpoint-like precision on his characters and driving the plot forward.

I’ve never been much of a fan of Lex Luthor as a character or even as a villain. Most writers depict him within this caricature-like lens of him being a maniacal and obsessive genius whose entire raison d’être is to destroy Superman. With Lex as the lead protagonist in Forever Evil, I was prepared to find myself glazing over much of the series with vague disinterest. Instead, I was surprised to find that Geoff Johns had made Lex a multi-dimensional character that was likeable and relatable. Much of this obviously had to do with the fact that there was no Superman around for him to obsess over, but it was also due to Johns allowing Lex to embrace his humanity and to show a wider spectrum of emotions. For example, Lex’s parental affection for Bizarro was touching and created an interesting dimension to both characters.

Another standout character from Forever Evil is Catwoman. Johns’ tone for the Feline Fatale is absolutely purrfection. He captures her voice in all of her dialogue, nailing the dynamic chemistry between her and Batman. She’s sassy, funny, but also loyal and smart. In a story where Batman is the only legitimate good guy, Catwoman proves to be an interesting partner for him and is the support system that he’s desperately in need of. As a Catwoman fan, I couldn’t be more pleased with how well she was treated throughout Forever Evil. She was consistently zipped up and was never used as a device to emotionally torture Batman, plus she got all the funny punchlines.

Still, Forever Evil had its share of issues. Besides Catwoman, there aren’t really many women in this story who are all that noteworthy. Atomica and Superwoman come close, but both are tragically overshadowed by their male colleagues in the Crime Syndicate. Similarly, Lex Luthor’s rebellion against the Syndicate lacks any female representation. Surely, Cheetah or Killer Frost could have been added to the roster instead of Captain Cold or even Black Manta (though that would mean sacrificing a few rather badass panels of both inflicting serious damage against Syndicate members). Furthermore, David Finch’s art looks disappointingly unfinished and his baby-faced characters lack expressiveness that’s required in the comic book medium.

Forever Evil is proof as to why DC Comics’ villains are so popular. Johns does an amazing job fleshing out his cast, allowing them to grow in their atypical roles as protagonists here. The focused narrative helps lock the reader into the story and keep them invested in the characters. Though not quite as epic in scale as most of Johns’ other events, this proves to be a nice change of pace.

RATING: B+

Review: Injustice - Gods Among Us Vol. 1

When the Joker manipulates Superman into murdering his wife Lois Lane and their unborn child, the Man of Steel vows to rid the world of villainy for good. This quest leads Superman astray as he veers away from heroism and towards tyranny, while his one-time ally Batman builds a rebellion to stop him.

Injustice: Gods Among Us chronicles the events leading up to the bestselling video game of the same name. Written by Tom Taylor, this collection caters to both fans of the seminal fighting game and of the comics.

When Injustice: Gods Among Us hit shelves in the spring of 2013, it opened to rave reviews and proved that DC Comics' pantheon of superheroes make for compelling video game fighters. The narrative used in the games explored a reality where Superman goes off the rails and becomes the dictatorial ruler of Earth. Sadly, this plot is not unfamiliar to longtime fans. We've seen it before in the cartoon Justice League, with the character Ultraman and it also borrowed from the iconic Kingdom Come. That's why it must have been a daunting task for Tom Taylor to come along and write a compelling story that doesn't feel reductive of what's been done before.

While the individual elements of the story may not be wholly original, Taylor's emotional approach to the material gives the reader the ability to sympathize with the characters. The death of Lois Lane and the destruction of Metropolis hits Superman hard, so hard that it should be enough to affect the reader. It's not difficult to feel the same emotions Superman is feeling, particularly his rage towards the Joker. That's why his murder of the Joker is both terrifying and satisfying. We're seeing the degradation of Superman through an event that many have called for over the years. After all, how many have died at the hands of the Joker? This is what makes Taylor's writing so compelling. He's determined to lead with characterization and works well within the themes woven into the material.

While it's easy to sympathize with Superman, Taylor's approach to all of the characters isn't as worthy of praise. His characterization of Wonder Woman as a hyper-aggressive bloodthirsty warrior who seems eager to push Superman towards tyranny is as confusing as it is distasteful. Fans of the Amazing Amazon will be left scratching their head and wondering why such a usually pleasant heroine is now a hair's width away from being a supervillain. She is perhaps at her most unlikeable during a sequence in which she attacks Aquaman (mostly) unprovoked.

Wonder Woman is not the only flaw in Taylor's writing. There are a lot of characters present and not all of them add something extra to the story. The Justice League come across as fairly generic as they mindlessly go along with Superman's plans, though Taylor does eventually redeem himself with the Flash during a rather memorable sequence in which he realizes what's gone wrong. At the same time, I'd be lying if I said it wasn't actually pretty great to see cameos from characters that never appeared in the games. Notably, we see Cheetah, Batwoman, Black Lightning, Huntress and Black Canary.

Injustice: Gods Among Us is just as much about the degradation of Superman as it is about how some of Earth's heroes rise to the occasion of fighting oppression, even when that oppression comes from Earth's greatest heroes. It should be no surprise that Batman is posited as the hero of the story, but what is surprising is just how well Catwoman comes across. Her dialogue with Superman points out some serious flaws with his view on crime, while her alliance with Batman is handled really well. Another character that Taylor helped to shine was Harley Quinn. Though she does very little within the narrative, her dialogue is punchy and zany, which is perfect for her persona.

For fans of Injustice: Gods Among Us, this collection will be a treat as it fills in the blanks rather well when it comes to what is left out during the game's story mode. Taylor's writing is on point, despite his questionable characterization of Wonder Woman, and the art is gorgeous at its most consistent. Even those with only a little working knowledge of these characters will be able to follow the story, making this graphic novel extremely accessible to newer readers, especially those who are only familiar with DC Comics' adaptations.

RATING: B+