Batman Year 100
Here's something a little more arty. I don't know much about writer/artist Paul pope, but his art on first glance was what turned me off initially picking this book up. I later got a recommendation from a friend and it turned out to be something really cool. It's not your normal Batman. Set 100 years from Batman first appearance, acknowledging 1939, Batman is once again a myth.
The art is acquired taste, but the colours really help it come alive, even if Batman sometimes looks like elastic man in his pyjamas. However, this isn't Bruce Wayne. Bruce Wayne is long gone. James Gordon is in fact the original Gordon's great grand son. Batman is a forgotten myth of a superhero past, and now they have video evidence of his existence when he is believed to have killed a cop. Now the SWAT team are out to cover their asses and blame Batman for the death. But there's much more too it. Why was Batman there? This ties to a doomsday virus that could kill everyone if Batman doesn't stop it and clear his name first.
Robin is in it too, but more of a tech head mechanic. Could this Batman be bloodline relative of Bruce Wayne? Or someone who has been past down the mantle? It's never clear and never has to be.
Only faults is that this Batman sometimes wears false monster teeth to scare people into thinking he is a monster. Also some of the dialogue can be confusing or hard to follow. So can the plot. It's the kind of book you have to take slow, take a breath and just soak it all in to really appreciate it. However, I'd still only recommend it to people who are familiar with Batman and maybe people who like a good gritty graphic novel.
RATING:
Batman Story - 7/10
Continuity - N.A./10
Art - 8/10
Badassness - 7/10
OVERALL - 7.5/10
The art is acquired taste, but the colours really help it come alive, even if Batman sometimes looks like elastic man in his pyjamas. However, this isn't Bruce Wayne. Bruce Wayne is long gone. James Gordon is in fact the original Gordon's great grand son. Batman is a forgotten myth of a superhero past, and now they have video evidence of his existence when he is believed to have killed a cop. Now the SWAT team are out to cover their asses and blame Batman for the death. But there's much more too it. Why was Batman there? This ties to a doomsday virus that could kill everyone if Batman doesn't stop it and clear his name first.
Robin is in it too, but more of a tech head mechanic. Could this Batman be bloodline relative of Bruce Wayne? Or someone who has been past down the mantle? It's never clear and never has to be.
Only faults is that this Batman sometimes wears false monster teeth to scare people into thinking he is a monster. Also some of the dialogue can be confusing or hard to follow. So can the plot. It's the kind of book you have to take slow, take a breath and just soak it all in to really appreciate it. However, I'd still only recommend it to people who are familiar with Batman and maybe people who like a good gritty graphic novel.
RATING:
Batman Story - 7/10
Continuity - N.A./10
Art - 8/10
Badassness - 7/10
OVERALL - 7.5/10