Reviews (3)

A great retelling of Batman's origin
Batman is a character I've always enjoyed, but I've only recently started getting into the Batman comics.After reading Frank Miller's exceptional "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns" graphic novel, I really wanted to acquire more Batman comics that depicted the characters in a similar manner:as deep, well-thought-out characters that you really feel emotionally attached to by the end of the story.The problem was that, being new to comics, I was tossed into a sea of nearly endless Batman comics, and I didn't really know where to begin.

Well, where better to start than at the very beginning?

Batman: Year One is the story of Batman's first year in Gotham City after returning from training abroad, making it the perfect book for someone unfamiliar with Batman's origins, or just looking for a fresh take on the classic story.But the book is as much about the origins of Jim Gordon, who will later become the famed police commissioner of Gotham City, as it is about Batman's beginning.The story hinges on Gordon's attempts to clean up a police force that is corrupt to its very core, and his encounters with the Batman that finally lead up to a climactic confrontation that brings both men together in their fight against crime.

Firse of all, the packaging and presentation of the story is top-notch.The book is hard bound and comes with a very nice partial sleeve that makes it look very classy.The cover itself depicts a simple black and white drawing of Batman that is quite effective for portraying what the book is about.Each chapter of the story opens with the origin comic book cover from each issue, and they are very vivid and clean.There are many extras, from an amusing illustrated afterword by the artist, David Mazzuccelli, and many pages of preliminary and promotional artwork.In the end, I felt that some of these features could have probably been dropped in favor of a slightly lower price tag, but they are nice additions that give the book a more "deluxe edition" feel.

The artwork in the story is very good.I really like David Mazzuccelli's style.He's really not entirely different from Miller himself in that his artwork isn't terribly elaborate, but is supremely effective in telling a story.Mazzuccelli really has a strength when it comes to facial expressions.You can really see how the characters feel by the looks on their faces, particularly in the more emotional spots of the book.The backgrounds and characters are beautiful, though, and the colors are very nice and vivid.The artwork brilliantly aids in telling the dark story of Batman's birth and Gordon's struggles.

The storyline is nothing short of superb as well.I've held Frank Miller in high regard ever since reading "The Dark Knight Returns", and this book is written in a very similar style.You can tell that Miller really likes using internal monologues to convey the thoughts and feelings of the characters, and they are very effective and give the story a depth that other comics don't have.The story progresses logically and is very readable.It's a great retelling of the familiar story of Batman's beginning infused with an almost literary style.

Miller is an expert at characterization.I was amazed at how much depth and likeability he could give even minor characters.A character that I found myself sympathizing with and surprisingly liking is Gordon's wife Barbara.With only powerful artwork and a few lines, I felt that she was portrayed very powerfully and believably, making her a great character that further enhances the personality and depth of Gordon.You can tell that Miller really likes Jim Gordon, as he is given more characterization than anyone else in the story.I really felt connected to the character by the end of the story, because he is so remarkably human, and not totally unlike myself.He makes mistakes, but he is in the end a good person, and I think this is what makes him so appealing, perhaps even more than Batman himself.This is not to say that the characterization of Batman is lacking in the story; quite the contrary, in fact. Bruce Wayne is also portrayed as a man who has his fair share of problems that he is trying to overcome in his never-ending fight to purge Gotham of corruption.The deep characterizations are what really make this book shine.

The only gripe I have with the storyline and characterizations is a subplot involving Catwoman in the story.While she is brilliantly portrayed, I ended up feeling as if her role in the story didn't have much meaning other than to set her up as a potential romantic interest of Batman in the future as well as a recognized rogue and thief.But her actions have relatively little bearing on where the story goes.The subplot is still enjoyable, and in the end it doesn't detract from the overall greatness of the storyline.

Some may be disappointed by the utter lack of classic Batman villains in the story.There is no Joker, no Two-Face, no Riddler, no Scarecrow, no one.Instead, Batman fights criminals that don't seem very different from the ones we find in real life.He is combating thugs and the corruption at the heart of the Gotham City:the politicians and police officers that are on the take and are part of the problem instead of the solution.I felt this gave the comic more credibility, but some will undoubtedly be disappointed that Batman isn't fighting one of his famous and colorful enemies.In fact, the only mention of one such villain in the entire book is in the very last panel on the very last page of the very last chapter.

The only major problem I have with the overall graphic novel is that it is short.The story itself is only around ninety pages.But they are a great ninety pages, and you won't be disappointed with them.But you will be left wishing that the story wouldn't end, making the length of the story the comic's greatest shortcoming.

This graphic novel is definitely a must-have for Batman fanatics, and I would heartily recommend it to people who are new to the world of Batman.After all, what better way is there to get into the world of the Dark Knight than by reading the story of where it all began?

Finally a fitting publication for this great story
When this miniseries first came out back in the eighties it left everyone breathless. David Mazzucchelli's art is some of the finest I've ever seen. It moves like a motion picture yet every stillis ready to be framed (nice homage to the famous Hopper painting on the side: Gorden and Sgt. Essen having a late night coffee in a cafe called ... Hopper)
Frank Miller tells a story right from the beginning of the Batman saga. Bruce Wayne and Lieutenant Gordon discover they are both fighting on the same side to clean Gotham from the human filth. The only way to survive in the mess is as a team. They become friends.
On top of the fantastic graphic novel this book includes over 40 pages of sketches, layouts and script pages. Every Batman fan should have it, what do I say, this is one for you. Buy it. You won't be disappointed, I swear.

batman is awesome
This is one of the best pieces on Batman I have ever read. It really has some awesome action and great character development of Bruce Wayne and Lt. Gordon. This is right up there with "The Dark Knight Returns" and I personally think its better. Thank you Frank Miller. You are awesome. ... Read more

Reviews (77)

The Magus of Oz
Alan Moore is a great literary figure who happens to write comic books, graphic novels and lyrics for rock bands. He is a hidden jewel of a writer who has produced, over the last two decades, provocative and important work that draws together popular culture, art, magick and the occult, philosophy, fairy tales and mythology, psychology, surrealism, science fiction, pulp fiction and cosmic prophecy into one harmonious whole that is flavored by that Holy Grail of every writer: an original voice.

V FOR VENDETTA has a long and painful history (it's initial run in England was aborted before all ten issues could be produced) but I first heard of it in 1987 when it started to be printed by D.C. Comics. I hadn't gone near comic books in over fifteen years and I was afraid of starting all up again, but someone had lent me a copy of SWAMP THING with the demand that I read it. "But it's SWAMP THING!" I protested, feeling uneasy about spending my time reading about a radioactive sludge monster who fights villians. Yet, it was a SWAMP TIHNG written by Alan Moore, and it was full of sublime prose, elegant ideas, sensuality, psychedelic revelations and gnosticism. I was blown away, so when the first issue of VENDETTA came out, I snapped it up. For 10 glorious months I read each installment as it came out and by the time number 10 had come, I was reshaping all my thoughts about literature, about story telling, about politics, society, culture, magick.

Part Orwell's 1984, part Phantom of the Opera, part Batman in Dark Knight mode, V FOR VENDETTA tells the story of an England under the rule of a fascist government and the journey of a young girl from street prostitute to rebel leader. V. himself is a poetic twist on the Beast from Beauty & the Beast, or Eric from Phantom of the Opera, a masked anarchist who moves about the fascist reign of terror with the ease of a neutrino unaffected by gravity. Possible the result of a bizarre medical experiment in a concentration camp, V. is now determined to bring down the government and free the minds and bodies of the masses suffering under its own psychological oppression. Fusing ideas from Wilhelm Reich, Aleister Crowley, George Orwell and even the Batman comic book, Moore has created his own Dark Knight, a far more mysterious and morally problematic one. He carries upon his shoulders the weight of the world, attempting to bring light and hope to the darkness prisons where men and women are beaten and tortured for being homosexual, to the medical labs of the prison camps where Mengele-like doctors are operating without inhibition on dehumanized prisoners.

V FOR VENDETTA raises the bar on the literary value of comic books, taking the genre of Batman and Spider-man and elevating it above the level of fist-fights, action sequences and costumed villians into the realm of a modern-day political and magickal myth. And towards the end when Evey the heroine watches the crowds in the street riot and destroy each other, she says, "Is this your anarchy, V?" and V replies, "No, this is Chaos"...in that one little moment, V. has made a distinction that is too subtle for most writers, far less the writers of comic books.

Frightening and powerful
In the early 1980's, Alan Moore (Watchmen, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, From Hell, chances are if you're reading this you know the list) began this chilling work. In an alternate world, it's 1997, and America and the Soviets have nuked each other to extinction. England is left, now under a fascist regime, and everything seems to be under control, until a mysterious terrorist, wearing a Guy Fawkes mask and calling himself V, begins picking off government officials and destroying buildings and monuments. Moore's storytelling is nothing short of chilling; from the basic element of the loss of freedom to a totalitarian government to just who really fights for good (is it V or the government?), V For Vendetta is nearly unforgettable. That combined with David Lloyd's ultra eerie washed out color art make this one of the most chilling works in the world of comics you'll ever likely find. It's not as profound or as important as Moore's Watchmen or his Swamp Thing run, but this is still worth reading.

No superheroes in a comic? Gee, what a concept. . .
A vision of a totalitarian future of Britian cut off from contact with the rest of the world (which may no longer exist), this story is very indiciative of the time when Alan Moore started it, the early 1980s. It's a bleak view of the future from the British culture that gave us punk rock and Max Headroom. Compared to them, this is somewhat optimistic. However, it's also obvious that Moore didn't finish the story soon after he started it, instead returning to it years later (sometime during his work on DC's _The Watchmen_). There is a change in the outlook and a bit of a rushed feel towards the end.

There are two protagonists in this story: the vigilante, a terrorist who takes on the totalitarian government while dressed as Guy Fawkes, and the girl he saves from government thugs and then mentors. But Moore follows the lives of a number of characters, from party officials to cheap thugs, and views this world through their eyes. The characterizations of these people making their lives in an oppressive regime is realistic. The change of views is also a nice parallel to the story's all-seeing computer and camera system that the vigilante hacks into and slowly takes control of.

Moore doesn't make the vigilante, known as V, impossibly pure. In fact, V's manipulation of the somewhat innocent wife of a party official, Rose, is harsh. He justifies his cruel manipulations as necessary to create a natural outcome of anarchy. And he seems to place art above people at times -- a truly complex character.

This is not Moore's most mature work, but there is an energy and imagination here that is excellent, and the pacing works well. Others' comparissons to Orwell's work and even _Lord of the Flies_ are well earned. Although I disagree with some of the politics Moore champions, I think the internal logic of the story is sound, as are most of the characters' motives and actions. Moore presents what kind of people really make up a despotic state.

The art is also not up to modern standards, instead confined to the format of the British magazine it was originally serialed in. That's best viewed as an amusing artifact.

Without a doubt, this book shows its age -- as much as _1984_, _Animal Farm_, and other politically-oriented fables do. Times change, but futuristic stories are more about the times they're written in than the future. And this is a fable with a definite (political) moral -- despite the rest of the story's subtlety and shadings.

Strange that Alan Moore would write this...
Many of the themes here seem strange coming from Alan Moore, frankly. Other reviewers have called the work "Orwellian", but actually, it's closer to a British version of Ayn Rand, as the story is closer thematically to "Anthem" and even parts of "Atlas Shrugged" than "1984".

And that seems odd to me. Alan Moore definitely does not seem to be the Ayn Rand type, and I'm sure he's not a fan of her economic beliefs or even her rational philosphy, but he's borrowing directly from the absolutist nature of her heroes (V is as sure of himself as John Galt ever was) and he's painting a portrait of the nature of freedom that closely matches Rand's (tying freedom together with identity, ala "Anthem").

Anyway, "V for Vendetta" is dated in that the story takes place in a "future" time that we are already well past, but the story itself is timeless in ways that WATCHMEN can never be. Whereas WATCHMEN plays with comics conventions and now shows the age of those very industy trends, VENDETTA took a different approach, trying to be it's own entity. As such, it still stands alone as a unique and inventive story.

Recommended.

Still holds up, mostly..
Just re-read 'V for Vendetta' again, to see what I thought of it after all these years. Putting aside all of the book's political, scientific and socialogical naivites (some of which Moore himself points out in the introduction and afterward), this story is shockingly effective, if a bit heavy handed, and yes, depressing.

In re-reading it, V comes off as less than a character and more as the polemic abstract that Moore intended. Yes, V's drive toward anarchy is little hard to swallow, and being asked to sympathise with a terrorist in light of today's world is difficult ( which is the main obstacle I see in this story ever making it to the movie screen, that, and the overriding British-ness of the story, which I understand is integral and which I appreciate. Too much would be lost in transplanting this to an American setting).

Also, there are some unexplained plot holes: one being just how does V gain access to the fate computer? Without being detected?

That said, the first third of this book is still impossible to put down, really great stuff (aside from some character stumbles: V spouts quotes and exposites and it comes off as intially awkward), as the authorities unravel why V may doing what he's doing, but I really enjoyed the middle section this time, which chronicles Evey out on her own. The scene where she is captured and confined is still harrowing and mind-blowing.

All in all, I see this as a very personal and well-crafted story by Alan Moore, although people always want to compare it to Watchmen in terms of quality and realism. Bear in mind that it was serialized in its initial run and created over seven years. David Lloyd's artwork, while at times muddy (I still have trouble telling who's who in the last third), is also often brilliantly rendered, cinematic, and very effective. He has a way with a panel or facial expression that is attuned perfectly to the emotions conveyed by the story. Moore wrote at the time that he would not finish the story's run with any other artist, and one can see why.

Again, as Moore explains the book's evolution in the afterward, this is the work of younger, hungry and sometimes naive artists. As a comic work I find it moving, magnificent and compelling. ... Read more

Reviews (248)

"...a multilayered epic sporting a fantastic script..."
I just recently got into graphic novels, but so far have read books from the SANDMAN series, The MAUS books, and of course, THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS. Needless to say, I've been sucked into the genre by these amazing stories, and I'm simply going down the list of highly acclaimed cult classics. Of course, when I got to WATCHMEN, I was skeptical. I'd heard of Batman and Sandman, but who the Watchmen? Sounded kind of obscure, and fraknly, a bit phony. Of course, after reading countless positive reviews claiming this book to be one of the absolute best in the history of comic literature, I had to pick it up. Right off the bat, I could tell there was something special about this one, which maybe wasn't so noticeable in the others I'd read.

The story starts out simple enough, with the murder of a "superhero," called The Comedian. He was evidently a member of a team, but only one of his former comrades, Rorschach seems to care about his death in the slightest. The others all remember him as a bad, immoral man, and therefore, a terrible hero. At first, you'll be wondering why the others don't grieve for him as Rorschach does, but as you see what foul deeds he committed, you'll start arguing the other way. Why is it that Rorschach is scouring the streets, searching for clues as to who may have killed The Comedian? Why is Rorschach the only one who cares about the ex-superhero's falling?

In this book, much like in THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, superheroes are not seen simply as idols and virtual gods through the eyes of the public. They're seen as a rebellious vigilante who disregard the police and take matters into their own hands. This is the story of an alternate 1985 where the world is rapidly turning into a hell which humans are creating for themselves, where superheroes struggling for internal-order are hated and ridiculed for their valiant actions. The superheroes themselves aren't all that important here--they simply represent the steriotypical masked figures in tights; a group of "normal" citizens fighting to change matters which may very well be out of their control. Alan Moore masterfully creates a multilayered epic sporting a fantastic script, filled with controversial dialogue and an interesting plot which changes the way people think about superheroes and comic books in general.

Rorschach's search for truth, along with the reader's search for explanation is explored through a series of flashbacks, side-stories and subplots. The 417 page graphic novel is split into 12 chapters, each with little tidbits in-between, providing some interesting background information on the characters. WATCHMEN is kind of a mini-series of comic-books, and was entirely original. The characters had never appeared in any other comic before, and never appeared in another again. When compared to THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, I say that WATCHMEN is slightly superior. While THE DARK KNIGHT was an exciting and moving tale of Batman's aging and eventual returning to the superhero life, where he was needed most, it was very short (about half the length of WATCHMEN) and left open ends, which were covered in some not-as-good sequels. WATCHMEN is simply a great solo-story which requires no background information or further reading, and boasts a strong, recurring theme: "Who watches the watchmen?" Compared to other graphic novels, ranging mainly from 100-200 pages, WATCHMEN is significantly longer, not only giving you more of a bang for your buck, but increasing the amount of pleasure you'll experience from reading this book.

My only real gripe about this book is to do with the art. Don't get me wrong--It's amazing stuff, filled with vivid colors that you wouldn't expect to see in such a dark story--but the action sequences leave something to be desired. Compared to THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, filled with tons of cool blurs, lines and other cinematic goodies you'd expect to make a comic book feel more animated, WATCHMEN is severely lacking in that department. If you try to see the book as a cartoon, like many of us do, it will look like a poorly animated one. Or, simply a series of stills, which is what a comic book is, but almost all comics successfully create the illusion of animation and movement within their pages. Nevertheless, the art is still amazing to look at, it will just require more imagination to see the characters moving.

If I were you, I wouldn't read any other reviews or check any futher into this great graphic novel. If you do, you might back out, thinking that it sounds too corny or not your type of book. Some people are turned off by the whole superhero idea, but Watchmen basically handles it in the most intimate and unconventional manner, bringing a whole new light to those imaginary masked-defenders of the Earth. If you enjoyed THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, this should be right up your alley, delivering more of what the former excelled in. If you aren't into comic books, then you should probably just head over to your nearest book store and read the first 10 pages or whatever. Chances are, you'll find that you love this and then you can buy it on the spot.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes (Who watches the watchmen?)
Comic books superheroes are basically fascist vigilantes, with Superman and his dedication to truth, justice and the American way being the exception that proves the rule. Both "Watchmen" and "The Dark Knight Returns," the two greatest examples of graphic storytelling, deal explicitly with the underlying fear the ordinary citizenry have of the demi-gods they worship. The one inherent advantage that "Watchman" has over Frank Miller's classic tale is that it requires no knowledge of the existing mythos of its characters because Dr. Manhattan, Ozymandias, Rorschach, Nite Owl, Silk Spectre, the Comedian and the rest of the former members of the Crimebusters.

The brainchild of writer Alan Moore ("Swamp Thing," "V for Vendetta," "From Hell") and artist Dave Gibbons ("Rogue Trooper," "Doctor Who," "Green Lantern"), "Watchmen" was originally published by DC Comics in twelve issues in 1986-87. Moore and Gibbons won the Best Writer/Artist combination award at the 1987 Jack Kirby Comics Industry Awards ceremony. The central story in "Watchmen" is quite simple: apparently someone is killing off or discrediting the former Crimebusters. The remaining members end up coming together to discover the who and the why behind it all, and the payoff to the mystery is most satisfactory. But what makes "Watchmen" so special is the breadth and depth of both the characters and their respective subplots: Dr. Manhattan dealing with his responsibility to humanity given his god-like powers; Nite Owl having trouble leaving his secret identity behind; Rorschach being examined by a psychiatrist. Each chapter offers a specific focus on one of the characters, yet advances the overall narrative.

Beyond that the intricate narrative, Moore and Gibbons offer two additional levels to the story. First, each chapter is followed by a "non-comic" section that develops more of the backstories, such as numerous excerpts from Hollis Mason's autobiography "Under the Hood" or Professor Mitlon Glass' "Dr. Manhattan: Super-Powers and the Superpowers," an interview with Adrian Veidt, or reports from the police files of Walter Joseph Kovacs. Second, almost every issue has scenes from "Tales of the Black Freighter," a comic-book being read by a kid near a newsstand, which offers an allegorical perspective on the main plot line.

"Watchmen" certainly nudged the comics industry in the right direction towards greater sophistication and intelligence, although a full appreciation of its significance is always going to be lost on the bean counters. The Book Club Edition of "Watchmen" offers the teaser: "He's America's ultimate weapon . . . and he's about to desert to Mars." As a representation of the work as a whole that description is simply stupid, especially since it is followed by a glowing recommendation by Harlan Ellison that concludes "anyone who misses this milestone event in the genre of the fantastic is a myopic dope." If you ever spent time reading and enjoying any superhero comic book, you will appreciate what you find in "Watchmen."

awesome, baby
Yes, this is an graphic novel, but every page carries every ounce of narrative density and depth that you'd expect from a more text-heavy tome. Frankly, there's so much to say about this work that I hardly know where to begin, so I won't. Instead, I'll just heartily recommend it to everyone--not just my comic geek friends. In fact, I would especially recommend it to friends of mine who don't read comics or graphic novels because they think those things are (a). just for kids or (b). not as satisfying as a more traditionally formatted read.

It has its flaws, but WATCHMEN is still excellent
WATCHMEN is by no means perfect. I thought it was when I read it a year ago, but I have revisited it a week ago.

I'm not a huge fan of American comics (although I read Japanese comics regularly), but WATCHMEN is definitely the best that I've read. The art is very blunt, and says what it wants to clearly. This isn't the most beautiful piece of artwork in the world, but it's very good.

For the record, I agree with what some of the people are saying about clichés and having some things repeated over and over again. Some of that does get tedious and a bit boring after a while, but that can also be said about some of my other favorite comic books that I read.

The sex stuff was a bit out there. Laurie isn't the brightest bulb and seems to be sex with two legs. Personally, I don't see why she and her mother had to be like that, and that should have been easily emitted. Oh well. Alan Moore's choice, I suppose...

The violence was tasteful, though.

The political viewpoints are very interesting. I, myself, am very interested in politics, and want to major in political science when I get into college (as well as English). Personally, I think that this is very relevant to what's going on in the world right now, with America slowly crumbling, morals deteriorating (with the exception of gay marriages in Massachusetts), and trying to fix countries that want to be left alone. With the war on terror, a lot of the cold war themes are appropriate for this time. A fair amount of what Alan Moore says is true in his socio-political comments, both about what's going on in our country and our interaction with other countries. The symbolism is sometimes a little subtle, and you'd have to read it over and over again to get all of the tiny little points.

Rorschach is probably one of the most rounded characters I've ever read in a comic book. He's endlessly fascinating, and I really like him. He's my favorite comic book character, and is up there in my favorite fictional characters of all time.

I'm not trying to give anything away, but I think that this story is very sad in its aspect that it says clearly that most human beings, whether they are famous or the most despicable things on the planets, die quietly without a fight.

While, as mentioned before, some of the events in this novel are not very plausible (Dr. Manhattan, Rorschach's psychiatrist becoming depressed because of what Rorschach told him, etc.), this is a comic book. It's not supposed to be completely realistic. They make a simple statement through pictures put to words. That is the point of comics, in my opinion.

I liked the plot. It was all right, although I don't think it compares with Shakespeare or Twain. A more realistic comparison is with Robert Cormier, who writes for young adults with similar themes. Pick up something by him if you read this, you'd probably like that, too. (We All Fall Down is excellent.)

I really liked some of the information at the end of some of the chapters (chapter six, especially), but some of it was just okay.

I didn't really like the ending, but, in a way, it was fitting. It was good, but it was definitely not my favorite part of the book.

In short:

+: Rorschach, art, politics, symbolism, characters in general, tasteful violence, overall themes of the book

In between: plot, ending text, last chapter, plausibility

-: sex, clichés, (although I didn't mention it) language

I don't see why you shouldn't read it, but don't expect it to be perfect. I think how much you like it depends from person to person. If you tend to get easily bored, don't read it. If you haven't ever read comic books before, give it a try. If you are a regular to comics, try it, and ditch it if you think it's overrated by the third chapter. I'm not going to say you aren't going to be disappointed, but I wasn't.

I love this comic despite its faults, and I think it should be read over and over again. It is still a classic, and has not let go of any of its power.

What if costumed superheroes really existed?
That is the simple question that Watchmen poses and is one of the many clever conceits that Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons employ throughout the 12-issue mini-series that is collected in this fine trade paperback.

Moore and Gibbons present a world not unlike ours. An alternate reality where the United States won Vietnam (thanks to Dr. Manhattan--the book's only Superman) and as a result Nixon stayed President. Dirgibles instead of airplanes can be seen in the sky, there are electric powered cars and a popular fast food chain of Indian restaurants known as Gunga Diner are everywhere.

In this world, superheroes have been outlawed because the police felt that their jobs were threatened and so only Government sanctioned costumed heroes can legally operate. That doesn't stop Rorschach, a masked vigilante from plying his trade.

Why am I going into all this detail? Because Watchmen is all about the details. Moore and Gibbons vividly draw us into this world through the most minute details, often populating the backgrounds of panels so that they only become obvious upon multiple readings.

What is so astounding about Watchmen is that it works on so many levels. Superficially, it's a murder mystery. However, it also asks many big questions like, who makes the world? Who is responible? Is everything planned out or is it all up to chance?

Watchmen is also a marvel of technique. Moore and Gibbons employ all sorts of film techniques (zoom ins, close-ups, revolving "the camera" around somebody, lighting effects, etc) and also several techniques of rhythm. For example, look closely at the panel layout for Chapter 5: Feaful Symmetry. The panel layout on the first page is exactly the same as the last page and so on until the center pages which mirror each other perfectly. Or all of the smiley face images that pop up throughout the various chapters. This is only a taste of what is going on in this book. It really is an astounding work.

There is a reason why Watchmen is so highly regarded. It is an amazing accomplishment and one that takes the costumed superhero genre seriously. If you haven't ever read this book before then I strongly recommend checking it out. If you aren't a huge fan of comic books, this one will change your mind. It proves that comics aren't just for kids. Not any more. ... Read more

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The Killing Joke, one of my favorite Batman stories ever, stirred a bit of controversy because the story involves the Joker brutally, pointlessly shooting Commissioner Gordon's daughter in the spine. This is a no-holds-barred take on a truly insane criminal mind, masterfully written by British comics writer Alan Moore. The art by Brian Bolland is so appealing that his depiction of the Joker became a standard and was imitated by many artists to follow. ... Read more

Reviews (83)

Moody and Tragic story of the Joker and Batman
A comic nearing perfection in both its graphic and story construction. The art, empasising sickly greens, oranges and reds (especially during Gordon's torture sequence) works brilliantly at evoking a sense of the deranged and desperate mind of the Joker. That this tale is only one brutal cycle in the continuing, and perhaps endless, Joker/Batman confrontation is made all-too clear by the same, full-page panel of rain falling in muddy water being shown at both the beginning and the end. The story itself is also spectacular, from Batman's initial attampt to reason with his archnemesis ("There once were two guys in a lunatic asylum...")Joker's merciless attack and humiliation of Barbara Gordon, to Joker's hideous claim that the only difference between him and the rest of the world is "one bad day." One of the most bizarre and horrifying moments in Batman history must be achieved in the two foes final confrontation...that one brief moment when the Joker turns-halfway to Batman...is he considering accepting the Dark Night's help?...to the final scene when both men laugh uncontollably in the killing rain; a single moment when the both the Batman and Joker get the same Joke: that they are together, forever, until they destroy each other. Perhaps this is the "Killing Joke" of the title?

More than just a comic - True Literature
This is the most in-depth Batman comic I have ever read, and has become my favourite Batman story of all time. The story deals with Joker escaping, paralyzing Barbara Gordon, kidnapping Commissoner Gordon, and trying to prove that any man can go crazy in a single, bad day. As Batman hunts the Joker, the reader is treated to the Joker's origin story, and sees how thin the line is that seperates Batman from the Joker.

I won't try to get into the psychological aspects of this story -suffice it to say that other reviews have covered it throughly and any attempt on my part would only make me look foolish. However, I will say that the most chilling part about this book is how, if you replace Batman and the Joker with two everyday people, the events still feel horribly real. This is not escapist reading as all comic books have been labeled, in fact, this is the book to show people who don't believe that powerful stories can be told in this medium. Both Batman and the Joker had a single bad day - so why didn't Batman go insane like the Joker did? The reader wants to know the fine line that seperates these two characters, partly so they can realize how close to crossing that line they are in their own lives. The art is truly amazing -detailed, moody, and brilliantly inked - the scenes in the Joker's funhouse scare the reader as much as they scare Gordon. The flashbacks are also impressively tied into the present, with similiar situations bookending each scene. The story begins and ends on the same note, like a vicious, never-ending cycle. Plus, you know you have something special when, after all the vicious, sadistic things the Joker has done, you still feel sorry for him.

"The Killing Joke" is a true masterpiece, and earns its place as one of the best comics of all time, and a true work of fiction.

The Worst Alan Moore Work - Even He Says So!
As you can see from nearly every other review here, this work is generally considered a classic - if not one of the all-time best Batman stories, up there with those Frank Miller ones. I disagree. And I disagree reluctantly because Alan Moore's writing is actually very clever and Brian Bolland's artwork is simply gorgeous. Why? Simple. I disagree with nearly everything about Alan Moore's "Batman". Frank Miller mentioned something like that in an interview also. Even Alan Moore has stated countless times that this is his weakest work. But fans still clamour after this book...

Five reasons I dislike this book:

[1] Batman is totally wrong. It seemed like the pet-peeve of every cynical Brit writer in the 80s and 90s to portray Batman as equally insane compared to his foes [check out Grant Morrison's "Arkham Asylum" for more of the same].

[2] The hopeless ending. Agreed, this book has the Joker at his most evil and the book ends with Batman and Joker laughing in the rain?

[3] The level of *sick* shocks in this book. From Barbara Gordon's crippling to Jim Gordon's "circus" experience. This was written at a period where shocking violence in comics is considered a prerequisite in crafting a "mature" work. Granted, I actually prefer Barbara as Oracle than the cheesy Batgirl but I absolutely detest the way Alan Moore did it in this book.

[4] The totally unnecessary "origin" of Joker. Joker is one of those characters in comics who really can do without an origin. He is a sicko, and that's all you need to know. We do not need to see him from a more compassionate perspective by having a "tragic origin".

[5] The use of "Watchmen-transitions". Alan Moore is justly famous for the use of clever transitions between panels. But in this book, we have transitions such as a poster of a fat woman freak in a circus leading to the next panel of Joker's pregnant wife. Where's the catch? This is the real problem of the whole work - clever but ultimately pointless.

Inside The Mind Of The Killer Clown Of Gotham
The Killing Joke, first published in the late 1980's is an atypical Batman story and yet, remains, one of the best ever written. Back in print since the 90's I was happy to relive the tale after losing my original copy of the book.

As regular readers and followers of the Batman mythology already know, the Joker, is the Dark Knight's most well known and popular adversary. Talented comic book scribe Alan Moore broke with tradition. He decided this story would not just be about the Joker having some demented plan and our hero has to find a way to foil those plans, rather, he chose to examine what makes the villian tick. The story has Joker shooting and crippling Barbra Gordon, then kiddnaping her father Police Commissioner James Gordon taunting him, to see if a man can truly go insane within a short period of time. While the Joker awaits the inevitable confrontation with Batman, he allows himself to reflect on his early days, and thus, the reader learns his origin. The book focuses less on typical "superhero action" and more on the psychology of these characters. Mr Moore weaves his story with such effortless ease that it never gets bogged down. It's all about the choices that a person makes and how much these two mortal foes really do mirror each other.

The artistic talents of Brian Bolland and John Higgins really shine in the book. Their rendition of The Joker is quite spectacular and among the best ever produced in a Bat story...Really. The "dynamic duo (sorry I couldn't help myself)" set a standard for the way Joker is now drawn today. Batman doesn't look too bad either. The artwork is a nice mix of subtlty and some broad strokes-matching the story perfectly.

I have read a lot of Batman stories over the years, The Killing Joke may not be what you would expect for these icons, but it is worth reading for sure. It is one of the best. The book has 48 pages

a story you will go back to, time and again
I brought this as a 1st addition when it came out and it's one of the few stories i've re-read time and time again. It's a story of two men who take different paths when their lives hit bottom but find they have a lot in common. I loved seeing the Jokers' life before he turned to crime and evil though he is, you see the events that turn him into the man he is now (with a small contribution from batman - read and find out). Reading this comic is what made is difficult from me to enjoy the first batman movie. Well, how could the joker have killed batman's parents if they are roughly the same age and batman was there when he changed? Read this great comic-novel and enjoy it much as I did, you won't be sorry. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Wake up, sir. We're here." It's a simple enough opening line--althoughnot many would have guessed back in 1991 thatthis would lead to one of the most popular and critically acclaimed comics of the second half of the century.

In Preludes and Nocturnes, Neil Gaiman weaves the story of a man interested in capturing the physical manifestation of Death but who instead captures the King of Dreams. By Gaiman's own admission there's a lot in this first collection that is awkward and ungainly--which is not to say there are not frequent moments of greatness here. The chapter "24 Hours" is worth the price of the book alone; it stands as one of the most chilling examples of horror in comics. And let's not underestimate Gaiman's achievement of personifying Death as a perky, overly cheery, cute goth girl! All in all, I greatly prefer the roguish breaking of new ground in this book to the often dull precision of the concluding volumes of the Sandman series. --Jim Pascoe ... Read more

Reviews (73)

Sandman
I love this series and am slowly acquiring all the books in it. It's fairly expensive, but, if you like the Sandman series, it's a lot cheaper than buying each individual comic. This book isn't the best in the series, but it's still very good. It's not like most comic books. There's no superhero intent on defeating an evil supervillain for the good of mankind. A group of magicians want to capture Death but instead capture Dream. He stays caged for decades, and, when he finally escapes, he has to find his tools (a bag of sand, his helm, and his Dreamstone).

This first book relies too much on guest appearances made by DC characters, but Gaiman does manage to move beyond that by the eighth issue, "The Sound of Her Wings". I really enjoyed that issue, which has the first appearance of Death. She's the reason I started reading the Sandman series. I'd read The High Cost of Living, and I loved the idea that Death could be a perky goth girl who you could really get to like. Mike Dringenberg, who does the pencils for the eighth issue, does an excellent version of Sandman and Death. I don't really like Sam Keith's version of Sandman that much, but his depictions of horrific things, like Hell, are wonderful. I also liked "Dream a Little Dream of Me", in which Dream has to find his bag of sand and is getting help from John Constantine, and "24 Hours", in which Doctor Destiny has Dream's Dreamstone and is driving the world mad. I consider both of those issues to be top horror. It's definitely worth it to get this book.

Wonderful Book - Incredible series
It's a little sad after reading the Sandman books because you know you will never quite recapture the same feeling of going through such a great story for the first time when you pick them again. And trust me, you will be rereading these.

But the flip side of that is once you have read the series and go back, you see how fully realized Neil Gaiman's vision is. What seems like almost arbitrary bits of exposition are the seeds of future story arcs. "Season of Mists" the fourth book in the series, being just one example.

The main story begins when a necromancer who, intending to capture Death, captures her little brother Dream instead. He and his son keep him locked up for the better part of the 20th century. Once "Sandman" breaks out, he must restore his dream kingdom and reclaim his talismans of power. That takes him to London, Hell and a 24hr diner outside of Gotham.

What I love particularly about this series is that it is esoteric without being pretentious. This is what happens when someone who is remarkably well read is also a comic fan. Gaiman manages to invoke The Old Testament, William Faulkner, old DC Comic mythos, Shakespeare, Bobby Darin, Victorian Literature and Greek Tragedy, makes it relevant to the story, and then makes the concepts comprehensible to a fifteen year old. And that's just in this volume. I say the last because that's how old I was when I started to read these. At the risk of sounding overzealous, it has since challenged me to become as well read as the author.

I've read other reviews arguing that this is not the best one. I disagree only because I know that each volume speaks differently to different people. My humble advice is to start with this one and read them in order the way the author wrote them. I have bought this particular volume three times over the years due to lending it out to friends and not getting it back. Treasure this as well, enjoy and don't lend them out!

Dream a little dream of me
You can't begin to learn about the depth and intense storylines graphic novels conjure up without first paying homage to this, the granddaddy of them all. "The Sandman" series, reinvented and reinterpreted by author Neil Gaiman, took an existing mediocre superhero and transformed him into an otherworldly god. The success of the series is undeniable, and it has the unique additional factor of being equally interested to both men and women. A rarity in comics, I assure you. I had never really read any Sandman before, so I decided to begin at the very beginning. With "Preludes and Nocturnes", you meet the hero of this series naked in a glass container. My kind of show!

With his siblings Death, Destiny, Despair, Desire and others, Dream is one of the Endless that rule at the edges of humanity. In a makeshift ceremony, a cult attempting to capture Death herself find that they have instead captured Morpheus/ the King of Dreams/ the Sandman/ etc. After 75 years, Dream finds a way to escape his captivity, only to find that things have gone horribly wrong in his absence. Three of his tools in which he kept much of his magic have gone missing. Worse still, his very kingdom has disintegrated. To restore it, Dream much locate his items and defeat a villain that wants to use Dream's power to destroy humanity itself.

Oh it's definitely a disturbing tale. No question. There are elements in this story that will haunt you long after you put the book down. Oddly, Dream's visit to Hell is probably one of the tamer tales. Still, it's well written. There's nothing like a good quest tale to keep the reader wanting more. The final chapter in this series introduces the reader to Death, Dream's somewhat punk rock sister. Funny fact: Death's a big fan of Mary Poppins. Who knew? Drawing in elements of everything from Alice in Wonderland to 1950s and 60s pop songs that discuss dreams, dreaming, and the sandman (of which I think there may have been roughly 4 billion) as well as Shakespeare, ancient Celtic myth, and even the original Cain and Abel story, Gaiman goes wild. Remarkably, he does all of this and yet never looses his grip on the tale he's telling. Things are never so wild that they get completely out of hand.

The art in this book is created by the fingers of three meticulous artists. Of them, I had a hard time deciding which I liked best. I'm not an able reviewer of graphic artists, so I can't say who did which story and what style goes with whom. What I can say is that as the stories continue, Dream himself grows and changes. Though he retains his essential look, he goes from contemptuous to thin and drawn to Robert Smith. The last story in the collection, "The Sound of Her Wings" is probably the weakest of the book. While it's wonderful to see Death so perky and mischievous, I was disappointed by the story's hero suddenly looking so much like the lead singer of The Cure. Instead of the Endless master of night and dreams, we have a pouting teenaged kid. Go figure.

Just the same, this is an excellent starter graphic novel. For the person uncertain as to whether or not accept this art form as actual "literature" (and it's going to be many many years before this mindset becomes standard) this book may not convince them wholeheartedly, but it will at least give them something to think about. A great dark tale with a great dark sexy hero. No wonder the ladies like him so.

Whatever you do, don't buy this book...
... at least not if you're only getting started in comics. I say this because the Sandman series is among the finest comics you will ever find.

In fact, "comic" is too small a word. So is "graphic novel," which is most often used by adults who are trying not to feel silly about reading comics. Sandman is one of those rare comics that transcend the medium. This is no mere comic book.

This is fiction, with artwork. This is visual storytelling, a modern descendent of humanity's earliest art forms. Don't let the "comic book" label fool you. This is a full-fledged book.

The entire 10 volume Sandman series centers around Morpheus, the Dream King. One of The Endless, he is one of seven eternal beings who are the embodiments of abstracts. Dream's older sister Death makes an appearance in the final chapter in this volume.

Other reviewers have criticized this volume for not being very representative of the series on the whole, and that is true. But this volume is a supremely important one becuase it lays the groundwork for everything that follows.

Not only that, it's very entertaining in it's own right. Chapters like A Hope In Hell, The Sound of Her Wings, or 24 Hours are extraordinary examples of comics at their best. Any one of those stories makes this volume worth owning, but you get all three of them, plus five more chapters as well.

If you already read comics, then by all means buy this book (and the other nine volumes, too). But if you're just getting started in comics, you should seriously think about starting somewhere else.

Because once you've read Sandman, you're going to be spending a lot of time in a mostly fruitless search for more books that are as good as this series.

Seriously. It's that good. 10 out of 10

Good series, slow start
I'm a late-comer to the Sandman series, but it's become one of my favorites. I read these collections of the original comics out of order, as I encounter them, and started with some of the later collections.

That's why I found this Sandman such a surprise. I really didn't like it that much. I think it suffered from two big problems. First was a problem of the comics business: there's nearly no such thing as a new series. The big publishers, at least when Sandman first came out, felt the need to graft new characters onto old story lines, perhaps to spark initial sales. Sandman really didn't benefit from that surgery.

Second and more understandable is that a new series, esp. something so different from DC's usual, needs a little time to find itself. The good news is that, by the end of this collection, the Sandman story line really did seem to come into its own. The last piece in this book, 'The Sound of Her Wings,' is the Sandman I've come to enjoy. I'm just worried that new readers might be disappointed by this book and not come back to the later, better work.

This isn't bad by any means, it's just a fitful start to an exceptional series. After this, it just gets better. ... Read more

Reviews (199)

Batman at his best
I've always been a fan of Batman, but I've never been in to comic books that much. Recently I stumbled on to Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, and I was really impressed. The four book saga, now combined into a graphic novel, tells the story of an aging Batman who has been retired for 10 years. Still tortured by the death of his parents, and by the growing rampant crime in the streets of Gotham, Bruce Wayne once again unleashes the Batman on Gotham's underworld. However, Batman finds himself returning into a world where super heroes are unwanted and have all but vanished.

Miller's portrayal of an overly polictically correct world with little room for Batman, is compelling and original. The book's dark portrayal of a brooding, violent, Batman who has lost his faith in the justice system's ability to rehabilitate criminals set the stage for the modern portrayal of Batman in both comics and film. In my opinion, this is a story of Batman the way he should be portrayed, as the tortured punisher of evil not the friendly neighborhood super hero. We can leave that to Superman, and if you've ever wanted to see Superman get brought down a few pegs, this is the book for you.

The artwork is gritty, intriguing and fits in perfectly with the story. This book inspired me to check out more graphic novels, and works by Frank Miller.

a comic book work unlike any other
I've been a comic book reader for many years, and to this day I cannot recall another single work of comic book art that is quite so brilliant as Frank Miller's Dark Knight. Certainly Cerebus, Sandman, Cages and From Hell are to be lauded for their genuine genius, but Dark Knight remains my all-time favourite creation. Frank Miller has written a gripping story of tragic heroism and bitter social commentary. His Batman is truly a larger-than-life, tormented hero, brilliantly conceived with his many flaws and perverse obsessions intact. Miller plays with the comic book universe beautifully, realising a world wherein the so-called "super-hero" does exist, and exploring the ramifications of this fact. Batman's final confrontation with Superman at the end of this graphic novel is bar-none the most cunningly conceived battle in comic book history. It is achingly poignant to see the two old warriors confront one another at last: Superman with his compromised good-guy! agenda and Batman with his twisted, demoniac fixation. Batman loathes the figure that Superman has become, while Clark Kent pities the poor, lost soul who has sacrificed his very existence for that which he pursues with a vengeance. "You Bruce, with your obsession..." Miller has created in Dark Knight a vividly real and passionately affecting tale of Heroes and Madmen, riveting from start to finish.

The Best Laid Graphic Novels of Mice and Men Often Go Astray
"In MY opinion..." Ankurpanchbudhe said in his list. Well I know for a fact that this is not a graphic novel, -- Ankurpanchbudhe's opinion is stupid -- and so is Ankurpanchbudhe. I'm going to write a criticism of the review that Ankurpanchebudhe started his list with. It never pleases me more than when someone calls a reprint collection in a thick softcover comic book form all in one a graphic novel. I bet if you went to a book store and looked at the "graphic novel" section and got a price guide that you would not find any graphic novels there at all. It's kind of like what we called a oneshot back when I lived in California. Kids that thought they were comic collectors would throw around the word oneshot because it made them sound smart. I got a oneshot! You got a oneshot? I have a oneshot! They have a oneshot. He has a oneshot. She has a oneshot. We have a oneshot. Everbody has a one shot. They would say. Longshot. Deadshot. Shattershot. Bloodshot. Sunspot. Blindspot. Grimlock. Shotshot. (Wouldn't that make a great super hero? Two shots on his name? Put him in a comic book and you could make a million!) Just because it has the word "shot" in it doesn't mean it's good. Don't call something a graphic novel unless you look it up in the price guide and it says GN next to it. Buy this book for what it is and you'll be a lot happier. One of these days I'm going to finish a list that has all of the things that Ankurpanchbudhe's list has criticising each criticisim blow-by-blow. None of the things on Ankurpanchbudhe's list is a graphic novel.

Best graphic novel ever done, period.
Best character (Batman), best writing, cool drawings, and, importantly, Miller does not deviate from the legend like most other comic (and Hollywood) writers seem to have a proclivity for doing. Just watch the recently released "Troy" movie to see how little regard the average writer has in keeping the mythology intact (Hector does NOT kill Meneleus in the texts, Achilles was NOT in the Trojan horse with Odysseus in the texts). Jeph Loeb, in the critically acclaimed "A Superman for All Seasons," tells us that Lex Luthor did not grow up with Clark Kent in Smallville. Why would anyone weed that out of the legend? This is a major peeve of mine. Show some respect for the legend, for Crissakes. Ironically, Loeb now produces the "Smallville" TV series, which is entirely based on the fact that the two rivals were childhood friends before their falling out.

This is the brilliance of "The Dark Night Returns." Miller completely respects the legend, while creating something entirely new at the same time.

poisonous
I'm a pretty big fan of comics; but I got something of a late start, with Sandman about 7 years ago. So there's a lot of stuff I just haven't got around to reading. I'd heard of Frank Miller, naturally -- he's one of the "big names" that you hear about, if you make even a cursory exploration into comics -- but for one reason or another I hadn't actually read any of his stuff. Without knowing anything about his work, there was something about him that didn't appeal to me, viscerally. But I was nosing around the comics section at the library the other day, and I saw his Dark Knight Returns; and it's supposed to be this seminal work, and I thought, "Hey! Finally I'll get to read some Frank Miller!"

My conclusion? Frank Miller is a fine writer, but has absolutely *no business writing superheroes.* He comes from that self-satisfied stratum of hipster, who thinks that if you aren't injecting Politics and Current Events into your art, then it's not Real Art. And it's not even well thought out politics, either. I read as much as I could. You get used to reading leftist politics, when you enjoy things like comics and fantasy and science-fiction, so I figured I could just tune it out and focus on the story. The last straw, though, was when he trots out the old saw of portraying Reagan (this was written in the '80s) as an aw-shucks idiot who is sumultaneously a somnambulist bungler and a sinister mastermind. And maybe another time I would have been able to ignore it. But I think it was just too fresh, too soon.

So I picked up the other comic I got from the library: a volume of Kurt Busiek's Astro City. What a breath of fresh air, after reading Miller's poison! The more I read, the more I just fell in love. I mean, he has superheroes who fight for god.. and they *aren't* jokes. They aren't the bad guys! How novel is that? Busiek takes superheroes seriously. He takes good and evil seriously, while still leaving room for humor, for human frailty, for both despair and hope, for real emotion. This is what superheroes are supposed to be.

So that's my endorsement for Kurt Busiek. He reminds me quite a lot of Gaiman, in the way that he constructs his stories. If you're interested in comics at all, you need to read Astro City. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Planetary 3
Solid installment of Ellis' _Planetary_ series. The threads begin to come together even more tightly, but remain loose enough for continued mystery as the series continues.

rare 21st century gem
Beautifully drawn and conceived.Ellis takes us on stunning walks of levity and gravity, fantasy and gritty realism.One cannot help but wonder how much is imagained and how much is based on fact.He's found the line where pop-culture and reality collide ... some of his best work, certainly, and perhaps the first great comic book to define life in te 21st century.

A word to the wise, though ... don't pick this volume up if you haven't read the first two ... you'll be missing out.

Warren Ellis is strange and a terrible writer.
The writings of Warren Ellis, well they promote drugs, paranoia, inmature dialoge between men and women, and commentey by aman who clearly hates himself and the world around him. As this load of garbage shows.DC Comics should have nothing to do with this quack's wriings, and speaking as someone who works in the publishing field as both editor andwriter.I would not give the man's scripts one passing thought, They are not worth it.

Planetary: Leaving the 20th Century
In this 3rd installment of Planetary (collecting issues 13-18), Ellis and Cassaday take their X-Files-on-steroids creation through a familiar landscape of comicbook/literary/pop culture - including take-offs on the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Thor, kung fu flick 'Crouching Tiger/Hidden Dragon', Tarzan, and Jules Verne's sci-fi classic 'From the Earth to the Moon'.


Warren Ellis rivals Alan Moore aned Neil Gaiman as a writer who commands repeated readings as the war between Planetary and the Syndicate(X-Files)-like 'Four' (who are themselves evil send-ups of Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four) escalates. John Cassaday's art is consistently breathtaking and more than equalls Ellis' strong writing.


Do read the first 2 Planetary graphic novels first ('All Over the World' and 'The Fourth Man') before continuing here and beyond. The good news is there is more to come.


Also recommended: Planetary:Crossing Worlds (excellent short stories outside of regular continuity); Alan Moore and Kevin O'neil's 'League of Extraordinary Gentlemen' (both Vol. I & II are great). ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Beautiful Book!! A Tribute To The Dark Knight!!!
I just recently received this book,and I can tell you it is well worth having. True, there are definitely some covers that are missing (in my opinion all of Jim Lee's covers should have been here from the Hush series. OUTSTANDING!!!) A beautifully done book to add to your Batman collection. This book does not cover all of Batman's many comic book covers, but this was not to be expected. Instead they point out some of his most daring and bold covers. Batman has had the benefit of being drawn by some of the greatest comic book artist ever. I beleive you will find it truly amazing how each one has their own distinctive style on creating the Dark Knight. So make sure you own this one. You won't be sorry. Hey, maybe they'll make a volume 2.

It's about time, for someone like Batman
Well first, it's Batman; that might be enough reason to buy it, even for the price. (I'm a collector anyway, so what's some bucks?) Anyway, it features a number of cool and "forgotten" covers done over the 65+ years of Batman being in comics. I was even surprised some of the covers of War Games got in, really nice. There are some well-written commentaries too, by artists and editors and the like, and what cover they picked.

The cover of the book itself is great. I thought it was just a hardbound book; it turns out, the dust jacket reveals some more to it. I was in awe when I opened it, well done.

My only rant, not all of the covers I wished to be there was not there. Well, that's how it is. Tec#700 and Strange Apparitons, I think, should've been in the list. Well, all in all if you have the money and would really have something to keep for a number of years, get this. Well, if not, I hope you can browse through it when you get a chance. It would be great.

... Read more

Reviews (50)

Solid, but ultimately disappointing, Batman murder mystery
This graphic novel gathers together all 13 issues of "Batman: The Long Halloween", written and drawn, respectively, by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. The story revolves around Carmine "The Roman" Falcone, the ruthless head of Gotham's fiercest gangster empire. The Roman is responsible for countless murders, hijackings, and crimes throughout Gotham, but authorities have never been able to convict him (most of the graft-ridden city is either on his payroll or bribable). Batman, along with a young Captain Gordon and headstrong District Attorney Harvey Dent, is determined to rid Gotham of Falcone's corruption, but he soon learns that a mysterious figure may have already beaten him to the punch: a serial killer, known only as "Holiday", is currently on the loose in Gotham and preying on members of Falcone's extended "family". Batman, Gordon, and Dent now face a combined problem: bringing Falcone to justice, while also ending Holiday's deadly spree.

One of "The Long Halloween"'s primary goals is to provide backstory on Gotham's crime lord past, and this is where the novel truly shines. Readers finally get to see the crime organizations that controlled much of Gotham in the early days (this dark past was hinted at in other Batman stories, but it's more fully explored here). In addition, "The Long Halloween" contains a fascinating retelling of Harvey Dent's past, which will be warmly welcomed by fans of this sometimes morally-dubious friend of Batman's. Unfortunately, readers hoping for a significant glimpse into Batman's own psyche will be sorely disappointed; Batman remains a cipher throughout most of the novel, speaking always in a terse, stacatto rhythm and providing little in the way of a glimpse into his mind's inner workings.

While "The Long Halloween" is competently written, it suffers from a lack of originality and a workman-like narrative drive. The ideas explored here (Italian gangsters and serial killers) are mildly intriguing within the larger context of Gotham, but Loeb doesn't infuse them with many new twists, so they remain tired cliches in this story. Also, in an attempt to give an "epic" feel to this saga, Loeb introduces many of Batman's most infamous foes into the mix (The Joker, The Riddler, The Scarecrow, and The Mad Hatter are just some of the villains on display here). However, the characters are introduced and then dispatched so quickly by Batman, that they don't provide any real sense of drama (in fact, at times, they almost seem to be there for comic relief, which doesn't seem quite right). I think this story would have benefitted from focusing on a much smaller handful of villains, rather than the scattershot approach it takes.

I similarly found the ending of the story and the mystery to be somewhat unsatisfying, although I acknowledge that this is a matter of individual tastes. While it's interesting to see Batman (and Gordon and Dent) involved in such a bizarre murder mystery, the story doesn't play fair with the standard "rules" of the genre--some may say this makes for a breath of fresh air in the Batman universe (and the mystery genre itself), but I think it amounts to a bit of a cheat for trusting readers. In the end, it's difficult to tell just how ambiguous Loeb intended certain elements of the mystery to be; in fact, there's a convincing argument to be made that some of the ambiguity is merely due to sloppy storytelling. Gotham and the larger Batman universe provide fertile ground for this style of mystery, but "The Long Halloween" ultimately fails to deliver on that promise.

Fantastic early-career Batman story
Long Halloween works on so many levels. I went into this book knowing how it was going to end and it still captivated me. It is both a murder mystery and a story of a fall from grace. The main plotline-the mystery of the identity of a serial killer who murders members of the Falcone and Maroni crime families every major holiday-almost takes a back seat to the tragic transformation of Harvey Dent, who starts out as Batman and Captain Gordon's partner and friend and becomes one of their greatest foes by the end of the story. This series ranks alongside the Killing Joke as an important piece of Batman continuity as well as examining Batman's relationship with his enemies. Loeb's writing is good minimalism, packing so much power into so little dialouge. Tim Sale's artwork is just beautiful. He is one of the most talented pencilers ever, and breaths new visual life to several Batman characters. The series is lenghty but it is also fast paced and can be read in a relatively short amount of time. The pacing of the artwork is near-perfect, save for the unsettling abundance of splash pages. This series also well balances Batman's foes between pyschologically and physically deformed supercriminals and regular human gansters. After reading this and the first issue of its follow-up Dark Victory, one can only wonder why team Long Halloween does not work on a regular Batman title.

My favorite Batman book, part 1
This is the book that got me back into graphic novels/comics. A lush, noir-esque story with great twists and turns as well as a new take on a classic villian that retains the basic origin while expanding it slightly.

It's set early in Batman's career, before Robin and before his role was clear in the eyes of police. The only person who believes in him and what he's doing is Jim Gordon, at this point only a lieutenant in the police force.

Fantastic art and a brilliantly written story. Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale have quickly become my favorite tandem in graphic novels. Brilliant work! Brilliant!

Great Two-Face Story, Terrible Batman Story!
Here's another offering from the kings of retro, Jeph Loeb (writer) and Tim Sale (artist), reexamining Batman during his mythical "Year One" period. If you believe the intro to this volume, this story was meant to be a sequel to Frank Miller's classic retelling of the Dark Knight's early days in "Batman: Year One" (1986/7). As a story, this work is pretty weak in many areas; as a sequel, is simply falls short of the tight, mature storytelling of Frank Miller's original.

The story centers on the Roman family (originally introduced in "Batman: Year One"), a serial killer who offs people in creative ways during holiday seasons and the trio out to stop the crimes - Batman, Jim Gordon and Harvey Dent. Tim Sale is especially suitable for a work like this - his moody, atmospheric and splash-pages art are truly a sight to behold. You feel yourself being sucked into Batman's Gotham. My primary complaint is with Jeph Loeb's writing. Like my previous review of "Superman for All Seasons", my views of the man's writing hasn't changed. I like HOW he writes - I just dislike WHAT he writes! He's a great scripter, providing witty, timely and simply apt dialogues and caption boxes that the whole thing read very smoothly even though it runs into 300+ pages. The problem is with his insipid plotting. He should have someone else plot his tales and script over them. For example, in order to maintain the novelty of "holiday-themed killings", the story is stretched across THIRTEEN months and countless murders - and finally Batman catches the killer (but we are told that he got the wrong guy). And this is the "World's Greatest Detective"? Meanwhile, Batman consults a Hannibal-Lecter-like Calendar Man who is incapacitated in prison but seemingly knows the identity of the killer (?!?). See the problem? Batman, Gordon and Harvey are supposedly super-cops and they run around like madmen without a clue to the killer and you have this locked-up guy knowing the truth behind everything? Granted, Loeb was trying to set up a "Silence of the Lambs" scene with Calendar Man but therein lies the weakness of the whole thing. It is a scene set up for its own sake and doesn't contribute anything to the STORY. We live in times wherein comic writers are a lot more influenced by TV and movies than literature. And Loeb, former screenwriter, epitomize this new breed of writers who set up cool scenes, writes clever dialogue, provides the atmosphere with the right artistic collaboration but ultimately delivers something very hollow and shallow. "The Long Halloween" is often compared to the pulp classics of Chandler and Hammett. I disagree vehemently. Loeb and Sale gave us "mood" and "cool scenes" but ultimately the story is without gusto, the characters lack the machismo and grit of true noirish anti-heroes, and though the atmosphere is there, it lacks the tight, all-encompassing claustrophobia of the great noirish works.

The only redeeming factor in this work is the retelling of Two-Face's origin. Loeb is especially great in the quiet "character" moments and here, the tragic story of Harvey Dent's transformation into Two-Face is beautifully retold. But Loeb's strength is often his most-glaring fault at the same time. For example the book begins with a full-page drawing of a grim-looking Bruce Wayne muttering, "I believe in Gotham City" - a scene I found to be laughably out-of-character for the flamboyant playboy persona of Bruce Wayne! This kinds of out-of-character scenes abound throughout the story. All in all, this story should have been better written by a more gritty writer like Greg Rucka or Ed Brubaker (both of them have written far better Batman stories than Loeb here).

My favorite Batman book, part 1
This is the book that got me back into comics! I've been a Batman fan for years but these two guys reeled me in to the comics.

This story takes place early in Batman's career. How early? No Robin, Harvey is still "Apollo" Harvey Dent, and James Gordon is still married to his wife. It's essentialy a murder mystery involving the Falcone crime family, back when there were REAL criminals running Gotham as opposed to the classic Bond-villians-on-acid criminals! Members of this family are being hit and the killer leaves macabe souveniers related to the holiday on which the murder occurs. Everyone is suspect, the conclusion is startling; everything I love in film noir murder mystery!

The art is more realistic than other Batman books. My only quip is the way catwoman was designed. They reached the design apex on the animated series. But in this book she has large eye holes, large ears, and whiskers in a attempt to make her more cat-like. Selina Kyle is WONDERFULLY done! The best drawn character is the Joker, he's my favorite anyway!

This is my favorite book because it's back to the essentials: Batman kicks the crap out of criminals, no supernatural stuff, and a great emotional comples for our hero! Bravo! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

With one magic word!
"Shazam Archives Vol. 3" continues the fine tradition of the DC Archives collection. The Shazam Archives do not reprint any particular series in chronological order, but rather collects excellent examples of the character and writing from several comic series.

This volume collects the story "Ghosts of the Deep" from "America's Greatest Comics #1," "Captain Marvel Adventures #2," "Captain Marvel Adventures #3," "Whiz Comics #21," with the first appearance of the Lt. Marvels, "Whiz Comics #22," "Whiz Comics #23," "Whiz Comics #24," and the covers of "Captain Marvel Thrillbook #1" and "X-Mas Comics #1."

Most of the stories highlight CC Beck's work, although George Tuska contributes a few stories. They are all fine examples of the Good Captain, showing his charm and appeal. The printing quality is excellent, and the stories have never looked better.

Keep 'em coming DC! A great book, and I am looking forward to "Shazam Archives vol. 4." ... Read more

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You may have heard somewhere that Neil Gaiman's Sandman series consistedof cool, hip, edgy, smart comic books. And you may have thought, "What the helldoes that mean?" Enter A Game of You to confound the issue even more, while at the same time standing as a fine example of such a description. This is not an easy book. The characters are dense and unique, while their observations are, as always with Gaiman, refreshingly familiar. Then there's the plot, which grinds along like a coffee mill, in the process breaking down the two worlds of this series, that of the dream and that of the dreamer. Gaiman pushes these worlds to their very extremes--one is a fantasy world with talking animals, a missing princess, and a mysterious villain called the Cuckoo; the other is an urban microcosm inhabited by a drag queen, a punk lesbian couple, and a New York doll named Barbie. In almost every way this book sits at 180 degrees from the earlier four vol