BATMAN: VOL 4 PDF, EPUB, EBOOK

Jason Fabok,John Layman | 256 pages | 08 Jul 2014 | DC Comics | 9781401246334 | English | United States : Detective Comics, Volume 4: The by John Layman

She decides to be a hero without being a "superhero". Meaning she'll save people but give the cops full credit and act like she was never there. The rest of the volume focuses mostly on Azurla or however spell his dumbass name and also Batman and going to the past and speaking of how they were once friends and the se This is probably the weakest arc in detective comics so far. The rest of the volume focuses mostly on Azurla or however spell his dumbass name and also Batman and Zatanna going to the past and speaking of how they were once friends and the secrets it all holds. The ending comes down to a big battle that finally reveals some secrets to Batman that he needed to know. Good: As always the art is pretty good. I had no issues here, especially the fight scenes becoming better and better. I also enjoyed Batman and Zatanna conversations throughout all this. I liked the first issue as well with Stephanie to get a whole issue of her. Last but not least the ending sets up some exciting future things to come. Bad: Azareal or whatever is so lame. I'm sorry, he just is. I feel no pity for him in this arc, and I feel no attachment, and sadly this whole volume really focuses on him. So it's the least appealing in terms of what came before. I also think they could do so much more with the cast here where's previous volumes used them well they felt like plot devices here. Overall this arc was around a 2. It's not as good as volume but I believe we'll get back to greatness now that a certain someone seems to be returning. A 3 out of 5 right now! View all 3 comments. Dec 26, Artemy rated it really liked it Shelves: dc , comics. Dec 25, Chad rated it really liked it. While the book mainly focuses on Azrael and the Rebirth version of the Order of St. Dumas, there are a lot of great character moments which I think are the strength of the book. The scenes between Batman and Zatanna are gold, I'd love to see more. Cassandra and reciting Shakespeare was very interesting, especially so since Cassandra barely talks. Clayface is quickly turning into one of my favorite characters in the book. I hope he doesn't revert to his former villainous self anytime soo While the book mainly focuses on Azrael and the Rebirth version of the Order of St. I hope he doesn't revert to his former villainous self anytime soon. Finally we get a solo issue featuring Spoiler and her new mission. I found it interesting. Alvaro Martinez's art is quite good and it was nice to have the same artist on the entire story. Received an advance copy from Dc and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This volume was truly wonderful! Surprisingly, I really liked the storyline between Ascalon and Azrael. Jean Paul has really grown on me as a character and his relationship with Luke is awesome! I can't believe Luke made him a suit without telling Jean Paul about it! I really love how supporting they are of each other. I also enjoyed Zatanna in this one! She's a character I haven't read much of but I always love when she shows up. She was even more powerful than I expected and this volume su Wow! She was even more powerful than I expected and this volume surprised me quite a bit. It was interesting that Batman truly took a backseat for this volume. Unfortunately Clay Face and Cass are pretty much just here to fight and that's about it. Presumably because Cass' arc took place last volume and they still haven't gone that far into an arc with Clay Face. I'm sure that's coming. This is the one series I'll keep reading as we go further into this year because Super Sons and were cancelled and those were the only DC books I had on my pull list. I've been trade waiting Detective Comics and I wish I'd started when it was just starting out so I didn't have to wait for the next trade. Feb 07, Scott rated it liked it. Then I get to Vol. Additionally, the Clayface scenes with Cassandra Cain practici 3. Additionally, the Clayface scenes with Cassandra Cain practicing Shakespeare! Victoria October hinting of future possibilities? The volume concludes with an amusing and brisk 'Spoiler' short story also featuring Harvey Bullock. Dec 10, Chris Lemmerman rated it it was amazing Shelves: comics-and-manga-read. Dumas returns with a vengeance. Meanwhile, Batman and Zatanna look for proof about the fate of Red , and what they find may shatter Bruce's world to pieces. I've made it no secret that I love this run of Detective Comics, and this arc is no different. The character explorations, particularly those of Bruce and Zatanna, are really well done, and considering Azrael was originally very much a product of the 90's, he feels like a much more well-formed character now. The two disparate storylines dovetail really well together at the end, and set up the next arc perfectly; Tynion IV has structured these stories so well that they flow seamlessly, building on everything that came before even some pre-Rebirth stuff too. There's also a Spoiler-focused issue included here that shows us what Steph's been up to since she left the team Spoiler: it's not a good idea , and this again sets up some stuff that will come to a head in the issues that follow. All of the main story issues in this volume are drawn by Alvaro Martinez, which is an achievement in itself since the book came out fortnightly, but does an amazing job. There's a good reason he was paired with Eddy Barrows on the earlier issues of the book, because their styles are very similar, and Martinez really gets time to shine in this one. Carmen Carnero takes the Spoiler issue and will draw the next two too , and while they pale next to Martinez, they've got a solid style too. I'm running out of ways to say I like this book. Just read it already. Dec 25, Stephen Hamilton rated it really liked it. It features a cameo appearance from Zatanna, brought in by Batman to help him with another matter, with a few flashbacks to add texture to their relationship. I do enjoy the evolving friendship between Clayface and Orphan though. The penultimate issue ends with a couple of revelations that tie into the ongoing arc. My favourite issue, however, was the standalone Spoiler issue at the end of the volume. May 11, Adam Spanos rated it liked it Shelves: dc , superhero-comics , rebirth , batman. This book features a five-part arc and a solo story featuring Stephanie Brown. The five-part arc has two elements. First is a story focusing on Jean-Paul Valley Azrael , the cultic order of Saint Dumas is back to mess with him and perhaps introduce an AI version of Azrael who is not subject to doubts. The B plot of the story involves and Zatara reminiscing over old times while Bruce seeks access to all-knowing relic. The B plot is the better plot by far. Zatara and her magical world a This book features a five-part arc and a solo story featuring Stephanie Brown. Zatara and her magical world are beautifully drawn and we get some insight into Bruce's character and past. It's nice to see. The Jean-Paul Valley plot is far less enjoyable. It's hard to get into him as a character. The story attempts profundity but mostly offers up cliches on issues of faith and philosophy. It's not horrible. There's some action that's not bad to look at, but this part didn't impress me. The one part story with Stephanie Brown is mixed for me. It's nice to see her in a solo adventure, and she does a good job taking on the criminal. But, I find her lack of self-awareness annoying. Superheroes are problematic. She is not a superhero. She is dressing up in a costume to fight crime and is not an authorized agent of the law, but she is not a vigilante superhero. I get that her reaction is partially due to the apparent loss of in Vol. Jan 25, RG rated it really liked it. While the book focuses on Azrael its still a fun read. Probably not as strong as the previous volumes though. Jul 19, Ryan Stewart rated it really liked it Shelves: read-graphic-novels-comics-manga. Probably a 3. I loved a lot about this. The Bruce-Zatanna dynamic is great. The supporting Bat-family cast takes a bit of a backseat compared to the first three volumes, but they all have good moments. As is the Probably a 3. Dec 21, Rory Wilding rated it liked it. Since the beginning of the run, Tynion has been setting up an ongoing storyline around the Bat-family that looms in the background during the individual arcs. Please click here for my full review. Aug 05, Ivy rated it it was amazing Shelves: superheroes , supervillains , i-own , villains , published-in , assassins , assassins-mercenaries-etc , batman-bat-family , dc-comics , batman. Wonder what happened to his brother, Ascalon. Glad to see Zatanna. Also glad that the team finally learned that Tim is still alive. Is Mister Valley the one that kidnapped Tim? What is the organization? Hope Spoiler and Azrael will do well as partners. Feb 03, Will Robinson Jr. Another fun romp into . James Tynion IV continues to work some magic with the Detective comics series. Ironically this volume of the series finds the Bat family coming face to face with the supernatural and magic. This book features a guest appearance from the magic mistress of the DC Universe, Zatanna. I still have fond memories of her appearance on the Batman the Animated Series of the 90s. Tynion takes readers back to Bruce's early days of training to become Batman. In the book we Another fun romp into Gotham city. The other arc we follow here sees Azreal aka Jean Paul Valley being hunted by a new younger servant of his former church, Absalon. It was a great change of pace from the last volume and the focus on Jean Paul gives the creative team to dive into the supernatural. There is a great stinging surprise for our heroes at the end of the is arc that sets in motion our first steps towards the DC comics events Dark Nights:Metal and Doomsday Clock. The stakes are pretty high in this adventure and it is exciting to see how well Tynion and the other DC comics writers have planted the seeds for the exciting things to come for the larger DC universe. The artwork was consistently good and really love the cover pictures as well. This series continues to be a must read for all superhero comics readers. Aug 28, Ma'Belle rated it it was amazing Shelves: comics-graphic-novels , superheroes , queer-characters , dc. Dumas are working great as focused character development within the team. Plus, Zatana stars in much of this volume and it's wonderful seeing her in action, and looking at her early history as a teenager in an 4. Plus, Zatana stars in much of this volume and it's wonderful seeing her in action, and looking at her early history as a teenager in an intimate crush-relationship with Bruce Wayne. We even get to see Bruce's first encounter with Ra's Al Ghul! I want to know more about the furry little guy named Nomoz, and how exactly he was involved in the methodical conditioning of Jean-Paul as Azreal years ago. Feb 04, Blindzider rated it liked it Shelves: comics. This book is just on the verge of being 4 stars for me. Tynion has been building the supporting characters, while in the background a bigger threat is coming. Batman senses it but doesn't know what it is and this volume brings the reader one step closer, promising to reveal everything next. The story also features a wonderful and personal meeting between Bruce and Zatanna, solidifying their past This book is just on the verge of being 4 stars for me. The story also features a wonderful and personal meeting between Bruce and Zatanna, solidifying their past relationship. That was really the highlight for me since Batman is rarely the focus of this book. Looking forward to seeing the "big picture". Sep 29, Joe rated it really liked it Shelves: favorites , batman. Back Story Part Two : So, as I told you all in the preface for my review of Volume 3, there is a similar feeling going on for me. Long story short, as much as I'm a sucker for a good Ra's al Ghul story, I am totally invested when presented with a solid story featuring Zatanna, with or without Bats! There was a quite a bit in this volume. We were presented with more of where the League of Shadows fits in post-"Rebirth", as well as more on Azrael who I still care little for as a character , and a Back Story Part Two : So, as I told you all in the preface for my review of Volume 3, there is a similar feeling going on for me. We were presented with more of where the League of Shadows fits in post-"Rebirth", as well as more on Azrael who I still care little for as a character , and a sub-plot involving Zatanna and her relationship with Bats. Oh, and at the end, there is a certain someone who shall remain nameless else it becomes a Spoiler, but is totally cool and kinda expected, but cool all the same! Fortunately, there was only Spoiler-centric issue, and that was the last issue in this volume. I am hoping Tynion resolves this, as I think she is a good character, but there is only so far you can go with the angst-y, "I don't need Batman" character plotline. Just sayin'.. A plot element I found of particular interest was that there seemed to be a little somethin' somethin' 'tween Bruce and Zatanna. Not necessarily anything of a sexual nature, but I definitely felt there was feelings between the two of them. Damn, this guy is on fire! I can't understand why so many others whine about Tynion. All the characters and settings were quite, quite good, totally emulating the feeling that this volume was presenting. Also, their renderings of Zee? Fine, fine, fine! Great job, gentleman, great job! So, that's it. I can't recommend this volume of 'TEC enough, but then again, I am also biased as I am all about a good Zatanna story. And, yup, that's definitely what this was! Oct 10, Wing Kee rated it liked it. Hey so we get cross publisher pollination! World: The art is fine. I like the darkness but as with the last arc I'm still not really feeling the character emotions come out of the art. The world building is solid, we get a new version of St. Dumas and it's different that's for sure. The pieces we get for this story are fairly self contained to John Paul until the end which I liked, the dive into character origins I mean. Story: As I said for the last arc, I want this team book to take tur Hey so we get cross publisher pollination! Story: As I said for the last arc, I want this team book to take turns and give each team member their time in the sun and this is what we get it's still very surface emotions but we do get it. The Spoiler story I enjoyed but still not feeling the character on this run and I'll talk about that below. The pacing for the main arc was good. I liked the dive into John Paul and the villain was a good idea, it got a bit wonky in the end and the magic stuff is still kinda sometimes used as a deus ex which annoys but overall I enjoyed it. Not memorable but it was enjoyable as I read it. The changes to the lore of St. Dumas is interesting Characters: Spoiler first, I am at the same time annoyed and enjoying the character. I like her drive, not her wonky motivation. I like her skill but she's also not green enough to be Spoiler. Jean Paul is whatever, was never a big fan of him as Azbats before so this new take is better. The Mark Spektor thing is pollination from Marvel and I'm kinda okay with it cause this is suppose to be about Jean fighting his beliefs and a physical manifestation was kinda fun. And yes Rookie is Tony Starks robot in the films. It was enjoyable, good not great but I do like the character focus. Wish it was deeper and less actiony. Onward to the next book! Product Details. Inspired by Your Browsing History. Buy other books like Batman: Detective Comics Vol. Batman Beyond Vol. : Nevermore. Young Justice Vol. Brian Michael Bendis. Superman vs. Tabloid Edition. Gerry Conway. The Art of Halo Infinite. Batman: War Games Book One. Andersen Gabrych. 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Brett Booth Illustrator ,. Chris Burnham Illustrator ,. Scot Eaton Illustrator ,. Sandu Florea Illustrator ,. Francesco Francavilla Illustrator ,. Rob Hunter Illustrator ,. Henrik Jonsson Illustrator ,. Szymon Kudranski Illustrator ,. Alex Maleev Illustrator ,. Jason Masters Illustrator ,. Dustin Nguyen Illustrator ,. Jaime Mendoza Illustrator ,. Norm Rapmund Illustrator ,. Derlis Santacruz Illustrator ,. Cameron Stewart Goodreads Author Illustrator. The Caped Crusader is challenged by the mystery of the in a special tale celebrating the th issue published of Detective Comics! Collecting : Detective Comics and Annual 2. Get A Copy. Hardcover , pages. More Details Original Title. Other Editions 9. Friend Reviews. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Batman , please sign up. Lists with This Book. Community Reviews. Showing Average rating 3. Rating details. More filters. Sort order. View 2 comments. Apr 16, Sam Quixote rated it liked it. Shoe-horned in? Yup and yup! Awful writing, John Layman. This book also includes the conclusion to the decent Emperor storyline started in the previous volume. Remember her? Detective Comics, Volume 4: The Wrath is an ok Batman book at best and definitely no must-read for anyone. This is one of the better New 52 comics I've come across. Jason Fabok's artwork is very good and Layman's plot is better than some of the dreck that's been masquerading as "good" in the "newer" DC line-up. This one is a story not only of Batman and his conflict with Wrath, but also about Kirk Langstrom Man-Bat and his struggles with his serum. There are a few different story arcs in this volume- from the Emperor Penguin story, which wasn't that good, to the Wrath story which was better. The who This is one of the better New 52 comics I've come across. The whole Kirk Langstrom and his marital conflict is also a decent story. I won't spoil any of the plots-but suffice it to say, for the most part, they are good. The fascination with d-list heroes yes white trash hero- Harper.. I am talking about YOU seems to have abated and I wasn't forced to deal with all the "subsidiary" dark-night wanna-be types that have now infested some of the Batman titles. Batman has also regained some of his intellect and fighting abilities, which had declined precipitously in other titles, to give the writers an excuse to deploy the C and D list heroes to save him. It was trite and annoying. Layman avoids such things by having a Batman that is competent and intelligent. So no need for several Robins, batwomen, 4 or 5 random low quality hero types all under the aegis of "Batman Inc". A nice throwback to the days when Batman was one of the best heroes out there. Just one side note, again I realize that comic writers are typical liberal clones due to their fields of study at whatever third rate institution they matriculated from but seriously do they even realize how stupid they sound? Likely not. Case in point is when Wayne and Caldwell meet on the roof to discuss the buyout offer. Caldwell, displaying an utter lack of any financial sense, cutely ups his offer with a casual "Oh just add another zero to the offer". Oh yeah? You sure? I bet that's even how liberals think that business goes down. But ummm.. See the thing is, as cool as it sounds.. Don't believe me? So for a company the size of Waynetech.. Where did that money come from? How many people will lose their jobs? What about Caldwell's debt to capital ratio by virtue of which stocks get valuation? Oh wait I forgot But hey.. What's in a number anyways, right? Grow the fuck up already. John Layman has yet to disappoint me until his last two issues of this series, that is, but I digress and his second collected volume for Detective Comics is definitely something I can recommend you buy and store in your library. His collaborative work with two spectacular artists, Jason Fabok and Andy Clarke who illustrated his main stories and backup stories respectively, has easily made his run for this series a visual adventure that continues to enhance your enjoyment page after page. In th John Layman has yet to disappoint me until his last two issues of this series, that is, but I digress and his second collected volume for Detective Comics is definitely something I can recommend you buy and store in your library. In the fourth volume entitled Wrath , Batman battles the titular villain who had been targeting and killing the GCPD officers with chilling efficiency based on a decade-old grudge. A striking similarity can be found between Wrath and Batman himself, but it's in their motivation and approach to injustice that ultimately distinguished one from the other. Wrath is driven merely by a thirst for vengeance while Batman is able to rise above his own traumatic experiences and contribute to Gotham as the guardian and crusader for the weak and the oppressed. This story arc is heavily featured for issues Now I have great fun reading this arc because, aside from the great action sequences offered and heftily drawn by Fabok, Layman also imparted a story that serves as a parable on the many ways one man's dangerous quest can consume him. Wrath may as well be what Batman would have become if he allowed his personal vendetta get the best of him. Another material included for this collection is issue 19 which marks the th issue for Detective Comics and features five standalone stories, most notably The which tackled the Man- Bats epidemic as well as the re-imagining of Kirk Langstorm's origin story. I mentioned in my review for the third volume that this story should have been included there since it was Emperor Penguin that spread the bat-serum infection in the first place. However, this story is better suited for this volume after all, and that it's issue 20 the finale for Emperor Penguin story arc that should have been in the last volume. It seemed rather out of place for this volume that focuses more on Wrath and the backup minor arc on the Langstorms. Speaking of which, while the Wrath storyline is going on, we also have Layman crafting the very intimate tale of Kirk Langstorm and his wife Francine who both became addicted to the bat-serum and surrendered to their inner monsters. I've mentioned that this was an arc that surprised me because I didn't expect to like it that much, let alone look forward to it, considering Man-Bat is a B-rated villain I hardly cared for in the canon but Layman was skilled enough to make readers care about his beginnings and struggles in a very Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde fashion. This arc is happening in hindsight while we follow Batman and Wrath and their confrontation primarily, but I personally found myself caring about Kirk Langstorm more than Wrath because he was sympathetic. That's not to say I didn't enjoy Wrath because I did but I never formed a personal connection with him unlike with Langstorm. An issue that I felt was only included for chronological purposes was issue 21about the Shadow Assassin which was an average oneshot and whose only redeeming factor is that Harper Row made a delightful appearance. Other than that, it was forgettable so feel free to skip. Tomasi's two annuals for Batman and Robin. It was less about Batman which actually works and more about Harvey Bullock and this sinister villainess called . I gave that one a perfect rating in my review HERE Overall, Detective Comics Volume 4: WRATH is a better installment than the first collected edition because it features more material and a secondary arc that's just as enjoyable as the main one. The added bonus of the second annual and issue 19 anthology of standalones also helped its content a lot. Nevertheless, this is John Layman at his best for Detective Comics! View all 6 comments. Nov 04, Chris rated it really liked it Shelves: dc-comics. The previous volume of Detective Comics Emperor Penguin was missing the conclusion of its titular storyline. A strange omission, considering DC have packed plenty of content into this volume. Containing five regular issues, an annual and the page special that marked the th overall issue of Detective Comics, The Wrath certainly wont leave readers feeling short changed. The aforementioned special issue focuses on 'The ', an area of Gotham City that falls victim to an outbreak of the Man- The previous volume of Detective Comics Emperor Penguin was missing the conclusion of its titular storyline. The aforementioned special issue focuses on 'The ', an area of Gotham City that falls victim to an outbreak of the Man-Bat virus. This starts an ongoing storyline which retcons the familiar origins of Kirk and Francine Langstrom, but their troubles with the serum at least make for an interesting read. Artist Jason Fabok delivers once again, especially when Emperor Penguin returns for a showdown with Batman. Colourist Jeromy Cox's blood red skies increase the intensity of their confrontation. I enjoyed both this storyline and the character of Ignatius Ogilvy, while the epilogue left me hopeful that we'll see him again someday. After a decent story centered around Harper Row, the Annual issue focuses on Harvey Bullock, with Layman delving deep into his character to create an intriguing tale. One aided by the addition of unsettling new villain, Jane Doe. The two epilogues really hammer home the consequences of her actions. Simon Kudranski's artwork that utilises heavy inks to create shadow was perfect for that particular follow-up. It all leads to the main event, The Wrath. Jason Fabok returns with colourist Emilio Lopez and the first issue of this arc looks simply incredible. Cox's bold palette becomes a distant memory, replaced by a darker and grittier tone that's perfect for kick-starting the cop killer storyline. Although it becomes brighter thanks to colourist Blond, a focus on tech and some rare daytime confrontations for the Dark Knight, it's a decent conclusion to the main narrative. A handful of bonus stories from 'The ' issue are also included, the best of which is a short story focusing on the GCPD. It's great to see individual members of the Gotham police force in the spotlight and it serves as a strong foundation for their involvement in The Wrath, too. Great character building and storytelling. The only real misstep is the issue with Bane talking about the Court Of Owls. The best place for this story would have been Talon Vol. Still, it's hard to complain when there's so much solid reading packed into one volume. Both this and the previous volume are recommended. Oct 13, Jesse A rated it it was ok Shelves: library-it-up , graphic-novels. Did not care for this volume. The art work was uniformly good but the story left me with a headache. Dec 10, Gavin rated it liked it Shelves: comics. It's called the Wrath, but that character isn't really featured for most of the book. This is a very patchy collection of numerous stories. Wrath is actually a super rich industrialist who comes back to Gotham and wants to change things for the better Alfred makes some sly observations about this. Of course he wants to buy , and Bruce doesn't like him at all It ain't a spoiler unless you're legally brain-dead. There's a story about Jane Doe, a psycho who has no skin, and can become anyone sorta looks like a less weird Red Skull if she were a DC Girl anyhoo, she's killing tons of people and there's a storyline with her and Harvey Bullock nice to see Harvey finally getting used again! We see that Dick and Barbara are still not speaking to Bruce after the events of Death of the Family though, having read it all, I'm still not entirely sure why I have ideas, but It's all to set something else up, and Batman has a showdown with him, which is actually a lot more taxing than the one with Wrath. I feel like Emperor Penguin got ripped off here, with the title going to Wrath Not cool dude. Batman gets help in the unlikeliest of places. Anyhoo, John Layman does the best he can, and there's a bit more explanation of things that need it, and it is in no way bad, but it's just very herky jerky, all over, and doesn't flow much at all, it's just a patchwork of interconnected Bat-Drama. A decent read, but non-essential. Then there's a story at the end about Bane, but not by Layman, and I barely read that There's also some very cool artwork by the artist who drew this volume It's good, and I'll keep reading it, but Scott Snyder is on a whole other plain than everyone else in terms of Batman. Sep 30, Lashaan Balasingam Bookidote rated it liked it Shelves: batman , read-in , dc-comics , comic-books. This is quite hard to grade. For a volume entitled "The Wrath", it contained so much more than you'd imagine. A special chapter investigating block and a monstrous outbreak, a singular and random chapter featuring Harper Row, a conclusion to Emperor Penguin's legacy, an origin story for Doctor Langstrom, an apperance by Bane and his newfound nemesis and a short and quick presentation of The Wrath. That's a lot. Wait, let's not forget this volume's annual issue. That story alone deserve This is quite hard to grade. That story alone deserves attention because of how unexpected and fascinating it was. There's probably so many other parts that I've missed, cause I know that by the end of it, I had multiple storylines running through my head. While under the impression that I was starring at some kind of storytelling mosaic, I still thought that some of these stories had such great ideas, but that the execution was off. The Wrath could've so much more if you ask me. That's probably due to how quickly his story was opened and closed. With the things he had planned for Gotham, he had everything in the palm of his hands to deal some nasty damage. It felt wrong that he just let that go and went off on a rampage instead. Although it did clear up some plot holes regarding some of the incidents throughout Gotham, this dude's mission could've been neatly tied up in volume 3. Speaking of which, I did feel like the tempo for all these Batman-centered stories felt wrong. The only true near- perfection tale was a side-story in the annual issue of this volume. A story revolving around Bullock and a villain who could be anyone was definitely fascinating. It was true character analysis, and an adventure that was quite destructive for the famous detective. It would've been marvelous if they had given this story more space to shine. Oh, I did enjoy seeing Batman in a new armor though. That pleased my inner child's imagination. The artwork at times was fine. Enough to keep me hooked to the volume or maybe it's just cause.. However, there were times were I thought the character's had funny poses Bane and company looked really funny; like a stylish pack of hyenas. A full review to come. Ogilvy was turned into something very interesting. Wonder what he's going to do now. Also glad Penguin went back to being in charge. RIP cops. Also wonder if we will see Moi again. Was her master Ra's al Ghul? Feb 20, Chris Lemmerman rated it really liked it Shelves: comics-and-manga-read. Layman, Fabok, and Clarke's Detective Comics continues it's unstoppable run here as we celebrate Detective Comics with an extra-sized main story featuring thousands of Man-Bats as well as the origin of the New 52 Man-Bat, and some little back-up stories that focus on the cops of Gotham City as they deal with the problems these Man-Bats create. Th Layman, Fabok, and Clarke's Detective Comics continues it's unstoppable run here as we celebrate Detective Comics with an extra-sized main story featuring thousands of Man-Bats as well as the origin of the New 52 Man-Bat, and some little back-up stories that focus on the cops of Gotham City as they deal with the problems these Man-Bats create. This new semi-heroic Man-Bat is an interesting take on a classic character, and Andy Clarke's artwork makes things even better. Issues deal with the rest of the Emperor Penguin storyline from the previous volume, bringing Batman and the Penguin face to face with the usurper, and whilst it closes off Ogilvy's storyline for now, he is still present in future issues, bubbling away another plotline in the background that I expect will come to fruition before Layman leaves the title. Annual 2 is collected here, and unlike Annual 1 from Volume 2, this one is great stuff. Although Scot Eaton steps up to pencil instead of Fabok, it tells the story of Jane Doe, a serial killer who steals faces as well as lives, and infiltrates the GCPD until Batman enters the fray. The back-up stories in this Annual again favour the main story, but help set up the final three issue storyline here that features the titular Wrath. He's basically the Anti-Batman, and whilst his secret identity isn't particularly inspiring, the battle scenes across Gotham City as Batman and Wrath face off are spectacular. Oct 27, Logan rated it really liked it. Pretty good! So in this story Batman fights a villain called Wrath, hes also a billionaire playboy so hes batman gone wrong, hes a bit more military style but it was interesting to see him go to head to head with batman, overall i say this was a great story! Mar 20, Dan rated it liked it. Mostly focused on the Man-Bat, and various other lesser known villains. An okay read. This could have been much better. Aug 14, Kyle rated it liked it Shelves: dcu. So John Layman understands Batman. He really does. Or, at any rate, he understands the Batman formula. He gets how his villains are meant to work - perverse reflections of Bruce Wayne. He gets how his stories are meant to go - putting "detective" into "Detective Comics" yet again, a feat somewhat unparalleled when you go back and read Tony S. Daniel's work on the series. The Wrath, though. I didn't hate it? The art is excellent. The action is fine. I particularly enjoy the Manbat sections, in which the villain's origins are turned on their head in ways that really humanize the guy though it does come perilously close to to the tried-and-true Marvel method of just making everyone Dr. Jekly and Mr. Manbat isn't exactly a thrillingly original or compelling character to begin with, so these tweaks to make him more suited to the New 52 are absolutely welcome. It's The Wrath, though. See, I told you Layman understands that Batman villains have to kind of reflect Batman back at himself, right? It's why we get Emperor Penguin. The Emperor Penguin story arc finishes here, by the way. After I complained about how there was an utterly pointless cliffhanger at the end of Volume 3, the conclusion was Penguin and Batman sneak up on him in his mansion and smack him over the face with heavy objects. Not amazing, no, but it was about as expected, so, what are you gonna do. So, The Wrath is this new villain who is a dark reflection of Batman. Makes sense. Layman understands it maybe too much. He maybe is adhering to the formula a little too tightly. The Wrath is a darker Batman. She is not a superhero. She is dressing up in a costume to fight crime and is not an authorized agent of the law, but she is not a vigilante superhero. I get that her reaction is partially due to the apparent loss of Tim Drake in Vol. Jan 25, RG rated it really liked it. While the book focuses on Azrael its still a fun read. Probably not as strong as the previous volumes though. Jul 19, Ryan Stewart rated it really liked it Shelves: read-graphic-novels- comics-manga. Probably a 3. I loved a lot about this. The Bruce-Zatanna dynamic is great. The supporting Bat-family cast takes a bit of a backseat compared to the first three volumes, but they all have good moments. As is the Probably a 3. Dec 21, Rory Wilding rated it liked it. Since the beginning of the run, Tynion has been setting up an ongoing storyline around the Bat-family that looms in the background during the individual arcs. Please click here for my full review. Aug 05, Ivy rated it it was amazing Shelves: superheroes , supervillains , i-own , villains , published-in , assassins , assassins-mercenaries-etc , batman-bat-family , dc-comics , batman. Wonder what happened to his brother, Ascalon. Glad to see Zatanna. Also glad that the team finally learned that Tim is still alive. Is Mister Valley the one that kidnapped Tim? What is the organization? Hope Spoiler and Azrael will do well as partners. Feb 03, Will Robinson Jr. Another fun romp into Gotham city. James Tynion IV continues to work some magic with the Detective comics series. Ironically this volume of the series finds the Bat family coming face to face with the supernatural and magic. This book features a guest appearance from the magic mistress of the DC Universe, Zatanna. I still have fond memories of her appearance on the Batman the Animated Series of the 90s. Tynion takes readers back to Bruce's early days of training to become Batman. In the book we Another fun romp into Gotham city. The other arc we follow here sees Azreal aka Jean Paul Valley being hunted by a new younger servant of his former church, Absalon. It was a great change of pace from the last volume and the focus on Jean Paul gives the creative team to dive into the supernatural. There is a great stinging surprise for our heroes at the end of the is arc that sets in motion our first steps towards the DC comics events Dark Nights:Metal and Doomsday Clock. The stakes are pretty high in this adventure and it is exciting to see how well Tynion and the other DC comics writers have planted the seeds for the exciting things to come for the larger DC universe. The artwork was consistently good and really love the cover pictures as well. This series continues to be a must read for all superhero comics readers. Aug 28, Ma'Belle rated it it was amazing Shelves: comics-graphic-novels , superheroes , queer-characters , dc. Dumas are working great as focused character development within the team. Plus, Zatana stars in much of this volume and it's wonderful seeing her in action, and looking at her early history as a teenager in an 4. Plus, Zatana stars in much of this volume and it's wonderful seeing her in action, and looking at her early history as a teenager in an intimate crush-relationship with Bruce Wayne. We even get to see Bruce's first encounter with Ra's Al Ghul! I want to know more about the furry little guy named Nomoz, and how exactly he was involved in the methodical conditioning of Jean-Paul as Azreal years ago. Feb 04, Blindzider rated it liked it Shelves: comics. This book is just on the verge of being 4 stars for me. Tynion has been building the supporting characters, while in the background a bigger threat is coming. Batman senses it but doesn't know what it is and this volume brings the reader one step closer, promising to reveal everything next. The story also features a wonderful and personal meeting between Bruce and Zatanna, solidifying their past This book is just on the verge of being 4 stars for me. The story also features a wonderful and personal meeting between Bruce and Zatanna, solidifying their past relationship. That was really the highlight for me since Batman is rarely the focus of this book. Looking forward to seeing the "big picture". Sep 29, Joe rated it really liked it Shelves: favorites , batman. Back Story Part Two : So, as I told you all in the preface for my review of Volume 3, there is a similar feeling going on for me. Long story short, as much as I'm a sucker for a good Ra's al Ghul story, I am totally invested when presented with a solid story featuring Zatanna, with or without Bats! There was a quite a bit in this volume. We were presented with more of where the League of Shadows fits in post-"Rebirth", as well as more on Azrael who I still care little for as a character , and a Back Story Part Two : So, as I told you all in the preface for my review of Volume 3, there is a similar feeling going on for me. We were presented with more of where the League of Shadows fits in post-"Rebirth", as well as more on Azrael who I still care little for as a character , and a sub-plot involving Zatanna and her relationship with Bats. Oh, and at the end, there is a certain someone who shall remain nameless else it becomes a Spoiler, but is totally cool and kinda expected, but cool all the same! Fortunately, there was only Spoiler-centric issue, and that was the last issue in this volume. I am hoping Tynion resolves this, as I think she is a good character, but there is only so far you can go with the angst-y, "I don't need Batman" character plotline. Just sayin'.. A plot element I found of particular interest was that there seemed to be a little somethin' somethin' 'tween Bruce and Zatanna. Not necessarily anything of a sexual nature, but I definitely felt there was feelings between the two of them. Damn, this guy is on fire! I can't understand why so many others whine about Tynion. All the characters and settings were quite, quite good, totally emulating the feeling that this volume was presenting. Also, their renderings of Zee? Fine, fine, fine! Great job, gentleman, great job! So, that's it. I can't recommend this volume of 'TEC enough, but then again, I am also biased as I am all about a good Zatanna story. And, yup, that's definitely what this was! Oct 10, Wing Kee rated it liked it. Hey so we get cross publisher pollination! World: The art is fine. I like the darkness but as with the last arc I'm still not really feeling the character emotions come out of the art. The world building is solid, we get a new version of St. Dumas and it's different that's for sure. The pieces we get for this story are fairly self contained to John Paul until the end which I liked, the dive into character origins I mean. Story: As I said for the last arc, I want this team book to take tur Hey so we get cross publisher pollination! Story: As I said for the last arc, I want this team book to take turns and give each team member their time in the sun and this is what we get it's still very surface emotions but we do get it. The Spoiler story I enjoyed but still not feeling the character on this run and I'll talk about that below. The pacing for the main arc was good. I liked the dive into John Paul and the villain was a good idea, it got a bit wonky in the end and the magic stuff is still kinda sometimes used as a deus ex which annoys but overall I enjoyed it. Not memorable but it was enjoyable as I read it. The changes to the lore of St. Dumas is interesting Characters: Spoiler first, I am at the same time annoyed and enjoying the character. I like her drive, not her wonky motivation. I like her skill but she's also not green enough to be Spoiler. Jean Paul is whatever, was never a big fan of him as Azbats before so this new take is better. The Mark Spektor thing is pollination from Marvel and I'm kinda okay with it cause this is suppose to be about Jean fighting his beliefs and a physical manifestation was kinda fun. And yes Rookie is Tony Starks robot in the films. It was enjoyable, good not great but I do like the character focus. Wish it was deeper and less actiony. Onward to the next book! Jan 10, Jimmy rated it really liked it. The volume collects Detective Comics issues In the past I have not really enjoyed Batman working as a team but I think either I am getting used to it or the story for volume four really helped me enjoy it. I must say though that this volume was enjoyable. The bulk of the story in this volume is focus on how Batman and his team have to deal with a threat of a robotic being name Ascalon. Ascalon is sent to Gotham from a secretive group called the Order of St. Dumas that is some kind of brainwashing religious fanatical cult. His mission is to kill members of the Order of St. Dumas which indicate that is some kind of power struggle has occurred within the group. I thought the major theme in the story line for volume four was interesting. I think seeking knowledge is great but omniscience is not something for man. Dumas warrants that implication. The volume also had a brief story of a character name Spoiler. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied. Dec 02, Shannon Appelcline rated it liked it Shelves: comics , comics-dc. Intelligence Azrael fights against St. Dumas with a little help from his friends. The fight itself is overly long and dull, but the arc is saved by two character bits. First, we get Bruce and Zatanna, touching back on knowing each other in their teenage years. It's pretty wonderful though I don't know how you have Zatanna and a backward-speaking memory theft without referring to Identity Crisis , but as ever, who knows what in the world is in DC continuity nowadays. Second, we get l Intelligence Second, we get lots of backstory on Azrael and lots of interactions with his past is this new continuity or classic continuity? The Wrath of Spoiler Oh joy, Stephanie has fallen victim to supervillains-are-caused-by-superheroes disease, one of the dullest and most overused tropes in modern-day superhero comics. Feb 20, Michelle Cristiani rated it really liked it Shelves: graphic-novel-batman. Love this team. It might be my fault because I think I skipped a volume, but I find this story just a little disjointed. I love all the elements, though. I'm a fan of breaking the mold with paneling, but here I had trouble following the panels sometimes. I think this would have worked well with individual comics but doesn't translate as well to paperback form. Jun 16, Terry Mcginnis rated it it was ok. Time for the next arc. Hopefully vol. The dialogue between Bruce and Zatanna is the only good part of this book, as it provides some interesting backstory that is new to Batman canon. Not worth a read, though, not even for Batman purists. Aug 04, Veronica rated it liked it. This volume focuses on Azrael, who I'd honestly never heard of before he started showing up in Tynion's run of Batman Detective Comics Jun 02, Aly rated it really liked it Shelves: comics. This series continues to be seriously enjoyable. Feb 17, Adam Graham rated it liked it. There's some action that's not bad to look at. I have problems with the never really dead of the Batman Comics Universe, especially when they are always the same. That said a good story where the Gotham Vigilantes have to defend from one of their friends. Ho problemi quando i personaggi dell'universo di Batman non rimangono morti, e soprattutto il mio problema peggiora quando a "non morire" sono sempre gli stessi. Detto questo i Vigilanti di Gotham in questo numero devono difendersi da uno dei loro amici. Feb 03, Albert rated it liked it. Batman: Detective Comics, Vol. In the prior tales they were the story of Batwoman and and more recently Orphan. The death of Tim Drake has devastated the Batman team. With the Spoiler angry and petulant the team is left with little recourse to face the upcoming threats. But one comes from a place they are not ready for. The avenging angel is back only this time it is not, Jean Paul Valley. Azrael is called back into action to face another with his same power. But can he do it alone and is the Bat team in any shape to deal with this in the face of Drake's death. Batman must call on an old friend and one time romantic interest to help the team. But what will Zantana's magic and Azrael's mysticism unlock. What secret will they reveal? There has always been something of a sibling rivalry between Detective Comics and the Batman comics and now, with two different writers at the helm, the books seem to be going in a completely different direction from one another. The competition for readers may have ramped up but the stories are vastly different. With the new team created by Batman in Detective Comics, the supporting cast has actually taken a far greater role and that has come with mixed reviews. I however find it refreshing. But with the and Batman storyline in the Batman comics, the Detective Comics line may be being overlooked and that is too bad. With Batman taking a backseat, we are seeing these characters take a stage, with good writing and really good stories, and being worthy of being headliners. Jean Paul Valley has been dealt a rather harsh hand in the Batman universe after he took the mantle and responsibility of being the Batman when Bane broke Bruce Wayne's back. He was quickly cast into the role of a bad guy. An overly violent vigilante in the Batman costume that Tim the wienie ass Drake had issues with. Of course we all thought the Cowl should have gone to but for the moment Jean Paul was cast into the role and it was an unfair trial. But if we were honest about it, the team of Jean Paul as Batman and Damian as Robin would have kicked some serious ass in Gotham. Then there is Zatanna. Is she really a hero in the DC Universe to be taken seriously or is she a poor man's version of Marvel's Dr. For my part I never gave her much thought. To my knowledge DC certainly didn't invest much in the character for me to look into her. But in this storyline we see a character that is very much like Talia Ah Ghul without the blood lust. Just how powerful is she? And if she is capable of what this tale offers, DC you are seriously missing the boat here. Then there is the Spoiler and for my view, at this point, the best thing she did was die. Detective Comics is a very good read but if you were going to kill Tim Drake, who at this point is the fifth most likable Robin, seriously do the the math; keep him dead longer that two storylines. Mar 26, Scott Lee rated it really liked it. Tynion is getting a better feel for Batman and the family with each volume, and this Bat-team book is an intriguing new way of handling Detective Comics that I'm really enjoying. I still dig Bats most as a solo character, and so you can see by my ratings and reviews that Tom King's stellar work on the Flagship title is getting even better reviews from me, but this is good work. I like that while the tone is the same the art style is completely independent of Batman. Too often families of comics Tynion is getting a better feel for Batman and the family with each volume, and this Bat-team book is an intriguing new way of handling Detective Comics that I'm really enjoying. Too often families of comics develop a family style that doesn't serve all titles equally well and they've avoided doing that here. Martinez has a style all his own and it works great throughout capturing both action and character moments equally well. Dumas sends a new killing machine after the Bat family and Gotham. Meanwhile Batman as Bruce Wayne slips into an ultra high- stakes Poker Game at Penguin's Iceberg Casino in order to get a moment with the entertainment--none other than Zatanna. This current time-line Batman bit with Zatanna is paired with a flashback story about a not yet Batman Bruce who has approached Zatara as a part of his training to become the Batman, the character bits that come out of that for Zee and Batman are great. Not memorable but it was enjoyable as I read it. The changes to the lore of St. Dumas is interesting Characters: Spoiler first, I am at the same time annoyed and enjoying the character. I like her drive, not her wonky motivation. I like her skill but she's also not green enough to be Spoiler. Jean Paul is whatever, was never a big fan of him as Azbats before so this new take is better. The Mark Spektor thing is pollination from Marvel and I'm kinda okay with it cause this is suppose to be about Jean fighting his beliefs and a physical manifestation was kinda fun. And yes Rookie is Tony Starks robot in the films. It was enjoyable, good not great but I do like the character focus. Wish it was deeper and less actiony. Onward to the next book! Jan 10, Jimmy rated it really liked it. The volume collects Detective Comics issues In the past I have not really enjoyed Batman working as a team but I think either I am getting used to it or the story for volume four really helped me enjoy it. I must say though that this volume was enjoyable. The bulk of the story in this volume is focus on how Batman and his team have to deal with a threat of a robotic being name Ascalon. Ascalon is sent to Gotham from a secretive group called the Order of St. Dumas that is some kind of brainwashing religious fanatical cult. His mission is to kill members of the Order of St. Dumas which indicate that is some kind of power struggle has occurred within the group. I thought the major theme in the story line for volume four was interesting. I think seeking knowledge is great but omniscience is not something for man. Dumas warrants that implication. The volume also had a brief story of a character name Spoiler. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied. Dec 02, Shannon Appelcline rated it liked it Shelves: comics , comics-dc. Intelligence Azrael fights against St. Dumas with a little help from his friends. The fight itself is overly long and dull, but the arc is saved by two character bits. First, we get Bruce and Zatanna, touching back on knowing each other in their teenage years. It's pretty wonderful though I don't know how you have Zatanna and a backward-speaking memory theft without referring to Identity Crisis , but as ever, who knows what in the world is in DC continuity nowadays. Second, we get l Intelligence Second, we get lots of backstory on Azrael and lots of interactions with his past is this new continuity or classic continuity? The Wrath of Spoiler Oh joy, Stephanie has fallen victim to supervillains-are-caused-by-superheroes disease, one of the dullest and most overused tropes in modern-day superhero comics. Feb 20, Michelle Cristiani rated it really liked it Shelves: graphic-novel-batman. Love this team. It might be my fault because I think I skipped a volume, but I find this story just a little disjointed. I love all the elements, though. I'm a fan of breaking the mold with paneling, but here I had trouble following the panels sometimes. I think this would have worked well with individual comics but doesn't translate as well to paperback form. Jun 16, Terry Mcginnis rated it it was ok. Time for the next arc. Hopefully vol. The dialogue between Bruce and Zatanna is the only good part of this book, as it provides some interesting backstory that is new to Batman canon. Not worth a read, though, not even for Batman purists. Aug 04, Veronica rated it liked it. This volume focuses on Azrael, who I'd honestly never heard of before he started showing up in Tynion's run of Batman Detective Comics Jun 02, Aly rated it really liked it Shelves: comics. This series continues to be seriously enjoyable. Feb 17, Adam Graham rated it liked it. There's some action that's not bad to look at. I have problems with the never really dead of the Batman Comics Universe, especially when they are always the same. That said a good story where the Gotham Vigilantes have to defend from one of their friends. Ho problemi quando i personaggi dell'universo di Batman non rimangono morti, e soprattutto il mio problema peggiora quando a "non morire" sono sempre gli stessi. Detto questo i Vigilanti di Gotham in questo numero devono difendersi da uno dei loro amici. Feb 03, Albert rated it liked it. Batman: Detective Comics, Vol. In the prior tales they were the story of Batwoman and Red Robin and more recently Orphan. The death of Tim Drake has devastated the Batman team. With the Spoiler angry and petulant the team is left with little recourse to face the upcoming threats. But one comes from a place they are not ready for. The avenging angel is back only this time it is not, Jean Paul Valley. Azrael is called back into action to face another with his same power. But can he do it alone and is the Bat team in any shape to deal with this in the face of Drake's death. Batman must call on an old friend and one time romantic interest to help the team. But what will Zantana's magic and Azrael's mysticism unlock. What secret will they reveal? There has always been something of a sibling rivalry between Detective Comics and the Batman comics and now, with two different writers at the helm, the books seem to be going in a completely different direction from one another. The competition for readers may have ramped up but the stories are vastly different. With the new team created by Batman in Detective Comics, the supporting cast has actually taken a far greater role and that has come with mixed reviews. I however find it refreshing. But with the Catwoman and Batman storyline in the Batman comics, the Detective Comics line may be being overlooked and that is too bad. With Batman taking a backseat, we are seeing these characters take a stage, with good writing and really good stories, and being worthy of being headliners. Jean Paul Valley has been dealt a rather harsh hand in the Batman universe after he took the mantle and responsibility of being the Batman when Bane broke Bruce Wayne's back. He was quickly cast into the role of a bad guy. An overly violent vigilante in the Batman costume that Tim the wienie ass Drake had issues with. Of course we all thought the Cowl should have gone to Dick Grayson but for the moment Jean Paul was cast into the role and it was an unfair trial. But if we were honest about it, the team of Jean Paul as Batman and Damian as Robin would have kicked some serious ass in Gotham. Then there is Zatanna. Is she really a hero in the DC Universe to be taken seriously or is she a poor man's version of Marvel's Dr. For my part I never gave her much thought. To my knowledge DC certainly didn't invest much in the character for me to look into her. But in this storyline we see a character that is very much like Talia Ah Ghul without the blood lust. Just how powerful is she? And if she is capable of what this tale offers, DC you are seriously missing the boat here. Then there is the Spoiler and for my view, at this point, the best thing she did was die. Detective Comics is a very good read but if you were going to kill Tim Drake, who at this point is the fifth most likable Robin, seriously do the the math; keep him dead longer that two storylines. Mar 26, Scott Lee rated it really liked it. Tynion is getting a better feel for Batman and the family with each volume, and this Bat-team book is an intriguing new way of handling Detective Comics that I'm really enjoying. I still dig Bats most as a solo character, and so you can see by my ratings and reviews that Tom King's stellar work on the Flagship title is getting even better reviews from me, but this is good work. I like that while the tone is the same the art style is completely independent of Batman. Too often families of comics Tynion is getting a better feel for Batman and the family with each volume, and this Bat-team book is an intriguing new way of handling Detective Comics that I'm really enjoying. Too often families of comics develop a family style that doesn't serve all titles equally well and they've avoided doing that here. Martinez has a style all his own and it works great throughout capturing both action and character moments equally well. Dumas sends a new killing machine after the Bat family and Gotham. Meanwhile Batman as Bruce Wayne slips into an ultra high-stakes Poker Game at Penguin's Iceberg Casino in order to get a moment with the entertainment--none other than Zatanna. This current time-line Batman bit with Zatanna is paired with a flashback story about a not yet Batman Bruce who has approached Zatara as a part of his training to become the Batman, the character bits that come out of that for Zee and Batman are great. Meanwhile at least initially the team has to deal with the St. Dumas madness, and so they handle the action bits through the first few issues. By the time Batman and Zatanna join the fray, the situation has reached a point where it must be a team effort to resolve the problem so there's no Deus Ex Machina moment in which the two Justice League members ride in and save everyone else. Deftly done there by Tynion as that would be the typical easy out. A good story over all and one which plays to the strengths of the varied team members and allows them to grow and prove themselves while delivering character bits for the team member chosen for that development this time around. The final issue of the volume is a Spoiler solo story. Stephanie is more impressive than ever, and told from her perspective it's hard to argue with the points she's making, and given the results impossible to argue with her effectiveness. Still, I have to wonder, after finishing the issue if she doesn't see how her own argument that Batman and co. An interesting conundrum. Jul 21, ManOfLaBook. This graphic novel collects Detective Comics Batman finds out that with more people on his team, there are more targets opportunities for his enemies. Together with Azrael, a former assassin, the team finds themselves as targets for a deadly artificial intelligence known as Ascalon. Batman: Detective Comics Rebirth Vol. Batman Bruce Wayne teams up with Zatanna, the magician, and the reader gets to view a bit of their history. This graphic novel has two parallel story-lines, one dealing with Zatanna, the other with Azrael Jean Paul. As one can see, this book was big on magic and the occult which frankly worked and I thought was an interesting addition to the Rebirth series. The art in this graphic novel was strong, I enjoyed it not as much as the artist enjoyed working on Zatanna , and it certainly enhanced the story and did not distract. This is the first graphic novel which in found Zatanna interesting and would not be against seeing more of this incarnation in future DC books. This is another solid edition to the series. Sadly this is from past experience. Not the Rebirth series though. Related Searches. Batman '66 Meets Wonder Woman '77 1. And why does this caper lead Batman down memory lane-to his childhood fight against actual Nazis?! View Product. Batman: War Games Book One. Tensions escalate and war comes to Gotham City when Batman is drawn into a skirmish Tensions escalate and war comes to Gotham City when Batman is drawn into a skirmish between rival gangs. An expert in the field of cryogenics, Victor Fries led a relatively normal existence. He worked diligently and married a woman named Nora who then became terminally ill. To stop her degenerative disease from taking her life, Victor put her Batman by Neal Adams Book One. Experience all of Neal Adams' legendary Batman work--covers and stories--in chronological order! Batman by Neal Batman by Neal Adams Book One contains Adams' contributions to the Dark Knight's legacy from through , showing the process of introduction, adaption and innovation that the Batman by Neal Adams Book Three. A massive collection of the best of Neal Adams' Batman work. Grant Morrison. Teen Titans: A Celebration of 50 Years. Geoff Johns and Marv Wolfman. Christopher Priest and Adam Glass. Crisis on Infinite Earths Box Set. Marv Wolfman. New Teen Titans Vol. Len Strazewski. Harley Quinn Vol. Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti. : Tales from the Bayou. Michael Fleisher. Related Articles. Looking for More Great Reads? Download Hi Res. LitFlash The eBooks you want at the lowest prices. Read it Forward Read it first. Pass it on! Stay in Touch Sign up. 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I can't believe Luke made him a suit without telling Jean Paul about it! I really love how supporting they are of each other. I also enjoyed Zatanna in this one! She's a character I haven't read much of but I always love when she shows up. She was even more powerful than I expected and this volume su Wow! She was even more powerful than I expected and this volume surprised me quite a bit. It was interesting that Batman truly took a backseat for this volume. Unfortunately Clay Face and Cass are pretty much just here to fight and that's about it. Presumably because Cass' arc took place last volume and they still haven't gone that far into an arc with Clay Face. I'm sure that's coming. This is the one series I'll keep reading as we go further into this year because Super Sons and Batwoman were cancelled and those were the only DC books I had on my pull list. I've been trade waiting Detective Comics and I wish I'd started when it was just starting out so I didn't have to wait for the next trade. Feb 07, Scott rated it liked it. Then I get to Vol. Additionally, the Clayface scenes with Cassandra Cain practici 3. Additionally, the Clayface scenes with Cassandra Cain practicing Shakespeare! Victoria October hinting of future possibilities? The volume concludes with an amusing and brisk 'Spoiler' short story also featuring Harvey Bullock. Dec 10, Chris Lemmerman rated it it was amazing Shelves: comics-and-manga-read. Dumas returns with a vengeance. Meanwhile, Batman and Zatanna look for proof about the fate of Red Robin, and what they find may shatter Bruce's world to pieces. I've made it no secret that I love this run of Detective Comics, and this arc is no different. The character explorations, particularly those of Bruce and Zatanna, are really well done, and considering Azrael was originally very much a product of the 90's, he feels like a much more well-formed character now. The two disparate storylines dovetail really well together at the end, and set up the next arc perfectly; Tynion IV has structured these stories so well that they flow seamlessly, building on everything that came before even some pre-Rebirth stuff too. There's also a Spoiler-focused issue included here that shows us what Steph's been up to since she left the team Spoiler: it's not a good idea , and this again sets up some stuff that will come to a head in the issues that follow. All of the main story issues in this volume are drawn by Alvaro Martinez, which is an achievement in itself since the book came out fortnightly, but does an amazing job. There's a good reason he was paired with Eddy Barrows on the earlier issues of the book, because their styles are very similar, and Martinez really gets time to shine in this one. Carmen Carnero takes the Spoiler issue and will draw the next two too , and while they pale next to Martinez, they've got a solid style too. I'm running out of ways to say I like this book. Just read it already. Dec 25, Stephen Hamilton rated it really liked it. It features a cameo appearance from Zatanna, brought in by Batman to help him with another matter, with a few flashbacks to add texture to their relationship. I do enjoy the evolving friendship between Clayface and Orphan though. The penultimate issue ends with a couple of revelations that tie into the ongoing arc. My favourite issue, however, was the standalone Spoiler issue at the end of the volume. May 11, Adam Spanos rated it liked it Shelves: dc , superhero-comics , rebirth , batman. This book features a five-part arc and a solo story featuring Stephanie Brown. The five-part arc has two elements. First is a story focusing on Jean-Paul Valley Azrael , the cultic order of Saint Dumas is back to mess with him and perhaps introduce an AI version of Azrael who is not subject to doubts. The B plot of the story involves Bruce Wayne and Zatara reminiscing over old times while Bruce seeks access to all-knowing relic. The B plot is the better plot by far. Zatara and her magical world a This book features a five-part arc and a solo story featuring Stephanie Brown. Zatara and her magical world are beautifully drawn and we get some insight into Bruce's character and past. It's nice to see. The Jean-Paul Valley plot is far less enjoyable. It's hard to get into him as a character. The story attempts profundity but mostly offers up cliches on issues of faith and philosophy. It's not horrible. There's some action that's not bad to look at, but this part didn't impress me. The one part story with Stephanie Brown is mixed for me. It's nice to see her in a solo adventure, and she does a good job taking on the criminal. But, I find her lack of self-awareness annoying. Vigilante Superheroes are problematic. She is not a superhero. She is dressing up in a costume to fight crime and is not an authorized agent of the law, but she is not a vigilante superhero. I get that her reaction is partially due to the apparent loss of Tim Drake in Vol. Jan 25, RG rated it really liked it. While the book focuses on Azrael its still a fun read. Probably not as strong as the previous volumes though. Jul 19, Ryan Stewart rated it really liked it Shelves: read-graphic-novels-comics-manga. Probably a 3. I loved a lot about this. The Bruce-Zatanna dynamic is great. The supporting Bat-family cast takes a bit of a backseat compared to the first three volumes, but they all have good moments. As is the Probably a 3. Dec 21, Rory Wilding rated it liked it. Since the beginning of the run, Tynion has been setting up an ongoing storyline around the Bat-family that looms in the background during the individual arcs. Please click here for my full review. Aug 05, Ivy rated it it was amazing Shelves: superheroes , supervillains , i-own , villains , published-in , assassins , assassins-mercenaries-etc , batman-bat-family , dc-comics , batman. Wonder what happened to his brother, Ascalon. Glad to see Zatanna. Also glad that the team finally learned that Tim is still alive. Is Mister Valley the one that kidnapped Tim? What is the organization? Hope Spoiler and Azrael will do well as partners. Feb 03, Will Robinson Jr. Another fun romp into Gotham city. James Tynion IV continues to work some magic with the Detective comics series. Ironically this volume of the series finds the Bat family coming face to face with the supernatural and magic. This book features a guest appearance from the magic mistress of the DC Universe, Zatanna. I still have fond memories of her appearance on the Batman the Animated Series of the 90s. Tynion takes readers back to Bruce's early days of training to become Batman. In the book we Another fun romp into Gotham city. The other arc we follow here sees Azreal aka Jean Paul Valley being hunted by a new younger servant of his former church, Absalon. It was a great change of pace from the last volume and the focus on Jean Paul gives the creative team to dive into the supernatural. There is a great stinging surprise for our heroes at the end of the is arc that sets in motion our first steps towards the DC comics events Dark Nights:Metal and Doomsday Clock. The stakes are pretty high in this adventure and it is exciting to see how well Tynion and the other DC comics writers have planted the seeds for the exciting things to come for the larger DC universe. The artwork was consistently good and really love the cover pictures as well. This series continues to be a must read for all superhero comics readers. Aug 28, Ma'Belle rated it it was amazing Shelves: comics-graphic-novels , superheroes , queer-characters , dc. Dumas are working great as focused character development within the team. Plus, Zatana stars in much of this volume and it's wonderful seeing her in action, and looking at her early history as a teenager in an 4. Plus, Zatana stars in much of this volume and it's wonderful seeing her in action, and looking at her early history as a teenager in an intimate crush-relationship with Bruce Wayne. We even get to see Bruce's first encounter with Ra's Al Ghul! I want to know more about the furry little guy named Nomoz, and how exactly he was involved in the methodical conditioning of Jean-Paul as Azreal years ago. Feb 04, Blindzider rated it liked it Shelves: comics. This book is just on the verge of being 4 stars for me. Tynion has been building the supporting characters, while in the background a bigger threat is coming. Batman senses it but doesn't know what it is and this volume brings the reader one step closer, promising to reveal everything next. The story also features a wonderful and personal meeting between Bruce and Zatanna, solidifying their past This book is just on the verge of being 4 stars for me. The story also features a wonderful and personal meeting between Bruce and Zatanna, solidifying their past relationship. That was really the highlight for me since Batman is rarely the focus of this book. Looking forward to seeing the "big picture". Sep 29, Joe rated it really liked it Shelves: favorites , batman. Back Story Part Two : So, as I told you all in the preface for my review of Volume 3, there is a similar feeling going on for me. Long story short, as much as I'm a sucker for a good Ra's al Ghul story, I am totally invested when presented with a solid story featuring Zatanna, with or without Bats! There was a quite a bit in this volume. We were presented with more of where the League of Shadows fits in post-"Rebirth", as well as more on Azrael who I still care little for as a character , and a Back Story Part Two : So, as I told you all in the preface for my review of Volume 3, there is a similar feeling going on for me. We were presented with more of where the League of Shadows fits in post-"Rebirth", as well as more on Azrael who I still care little for as a character , and a sub-plot involving Zatanna and her relationship with Bats. Oh, and at the end, there is a certain someone who shall remain nameless else it becomes a Spoiler, but is totally cool and kinda expected, but cool all the same! Fortunately, there was only Spoiler-centric issue, and that was the last issue in this volume. I am hoping Tynion resolves this, as I think she is a good character, but there is only so far you can go with the angst-y, "I don't need Batman" character plotline. Just sayin'.. A plot element I found of particular interest was that there seemed to be a little somethin' somethin' 'tween Bruce and Zatanna. Not necessarily anything of a sexual nature, but I definitely felt there was feelings between the two of them. Damn, this guy is on fire! I can't understand why so many others whine about Tynion. All the characters and settings were quite, quite good, totally emulating the feeling that this volume was presenting. Also, their renderings of Zee? Fine, fine, fine! Great job, gentleman, great job! So, that's it. Animal Man by Jeff Lemire Omnibus. DC Universe Presents Vol. Mike W. Justice League Unlimited: Hocus Pocus. Underworld Unleashed: The 25th Anniversary Edition. Grant Morrison. Teen Titans: A Celebration of 50 Years. Geoff Johns and Marv Wolfman. Christopher Priest and Adam Glass. Crisis on Infinite Earths Box Set. Marv Wolfman. New Teen Titans Vol. Len Strazewski. Harley Quinn Vol. Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti. Swamp Thing: Tales from the Bayou. Michael Fleisher. Related Articles. Looking for More Great Reads? Download Hi Res. LitFlash The eBooks you want at the lowest prices. Oh yeah? You sure? I bet that's even how liberals think that business goes down. But ummm.. See the thing is, as cool as it sounds.. Don't believe me? So for a company the size of Waynetech.. Where did that money come from? How many people will lose their jobs? What about Caldwell's debt to capital ratio by virtue of which stocks get valuation? Oh wait I forgot But hey.. What's in a number anyways, right? Grow the fuck up already. John Layman has yet to disappoint me until his last two issues of this series, that is, but I digress and his second collected volume for Detective Comics is definitely something I can recommend you buy and store in your library. His collaborative work with two spectacular artists, Jason Fabok and Andy Clarke who illustrated his main stories and backup stories respectively, has easily made his run for this series a visual adventure that continues to enhance your enjoyment page after page. In th John Layman has yet to disappoint me until his last two issues of this series, that is, but I digress and his second collected volume for Detective Comics is definitely something I can recommend you buy and store in your library. In the fourth volume entitled Wrath , Batman battles the titular villain who had been targeting and killing the GCPD officers with chilling efficiency based on a decade-old grudge. A striking similarity can be found between Wrath and Batman himself, but it's in their motivation and approach to injustice that ultimately distinguished one from the other. Wrath is driven merely by a thirst for vengeance while Batman is able to rise above his own traumatic experiences and contribute to Gotham as the guardian and crusader for the weak and the oppressed. This story arc is heavily featured for issues Now I have great fun reading this arc because, aside from the great action sequences offered and heftily drawn by Fabok, Layman also imparted a story that serves as a parable on the many ways one man's dangerous quest can consume him. Wrath may as well be what Batman would have become if he allowed his personal vendetta get the best of him. Another material included for this collection is issue 19 which marks the th issue for Detective Comics and features five standalone stories, most notably The which tackled the Man-Bats epidemic as well as the re-imagining of Kirk Langstorm's origin story. I mentioned in my review for the third volume that this story should have been included there since it was Emperor Penguin that spread the bat-serum infection in the first place. However, this story is better suited for this volume after all, and that it's issue 20 the finale for Emperor Penguin story arc that should have been in the last volume. It seemed rather out of place for this volume that focuses more on Wrath and the backup minor arc on the Langstorms. Speaking of which, while the Wrath storyline is going on, we also have Layman crafting the very intimate tale of Kirk Langstorm and his wife Francine who both became addicted to the bat-serum and surrendered to their inner monsters. I've mentioned that this was an arc that surprised me because I didn't expect to like it that much, let alone look forward to it, considering Man-Bat is a B-rated villain I hardly cared for in the canon but Layman was skilled enough to make readers care about his beginnings and struggles in a very Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde fashion. This arc is happening in hindsight while we follow Batman and Wrath and their confrontation primarily, but I personally found myself caring about Kirk Langstorm more than Wrath because he was sympathetic. That's not to say I didn't enjoy Wrath because I did but I never formed a personal connection with him unlike with Langstorm. An issue that I felt was only included for chronological purposes was issue 21about the Shadow Assassin which was an average oneshot and whose only redeeming factor is that Harper Row made a delightful appearance. Other than that, it was forgettable so feel free to skip. Tomasi's two annuals for Batman and Robin. It was less about Batman which actually works and more about Harvey Bullock and this sinister villainess called Jane Doe. I gave that one a perfect rating in my review HERE Overall, Detective Comics Volume 4: WRATH is a better installment than the first collected edition because it features more material and a secondary arc that's just as enjoyable as the main one. The added bonus of the second annual and issue 19 anthology of standalones also helped its content a lot. Nevertheless, this is John Layman at his best for Detective Comics! View all 6 comments. Nov 04, Chris rated it really liked it Shelves: dc-comics. The previous volume of Detective Comics Emperor Penguin was missing the conclusion of its titular storyline. A strange omission, considering DC have packed plenty of content into this volume. Containing five regular issues, an annual and the page special that marked the th overall issue of Detective Comics, The Wrath certainly wont leave readers feeling short changed. The aforementioned special issue focuses on 'The ', an area of Gotham City that falls victim to an outbreak of the Man- The previous volume of Detective Comics Emperor Penguin was missing the conclusion of its titular storyline. The aforementioned special issue focuses on 'The ', an area of Gotham City that falls victim to an outbreak of the Man-Bat virus. This starts an ongoing storyline which retcons the familiar origins of Kirk and Francine Langstrom, but their troubles with the serum at least make for an interesting read. Artist Jason Fabok delivers once again, especially when Emperor Penguin returns for a showdown with Batman. Colourist Jeromy Cox's blood red skies increase the intensity of their confrontation. I enjoyed both this storyline and the character of Ignatius Ogilvy, while the epilogue left me hopeful that we'll see him again someday. After a decent story centered around Harper Row, the Annual issue focuses on Harvey Bullock, with Layman delving deep into his character to create an intriguing tale. One aided by the addition of unsettling new villain, Jane Doe. The two epilogues really hammer home the consequences of her actions. Simon Kudranski's artwork that utilises heavy inks to create shadow was perfect for that particular follow-up. It all leads to the main event, The Wrath. Jason Fabok returns with colourist Emilio Lopez and the first issue of this arc looks simply incredible. Cox's bold palette becomes a distant memory, replaced by a darker and grittier tone that's perfect for kick-starting the cop killer storyline. Although it becomes brighter thanks to colourist Blond, a focus on tech and some rare daytime confrontations for the Dark Knight, it's a decent conclusion to the main narrative. A handful of bonus stories from 'The ' issue are also included, the best of which is a short story focusing on the GCPD. It's great to see individual members of the Gotham police force in the spotlight and it serves as a strong foundation for their involvement in The Wrath, too. Great character building and storytelling. The only real misstep is the issue with Bane talking about the Court Of Owls. The best place for this story would have been Talon Vol. Still, it's hard to complain when there's so much solid reading packed into one volume. Both this and the previous volume are recommended. Oct 13, Jesse A rated it it was ok Shelves: library-it-up , graphic-novels. Did not care for this volume. The art work was uniformly good but the story left me with a headache. Dec 10, Gavin rated it liked it Shelves: comics. It's called the Wrath, but that character isn't really featured for most of the book. This is a very patchy collection of numerous stories. Wrath is actually a super rich industrialist who comes back to Gotham and wants to change things for the better Alfred makes some sly observations about this. Of course he wants to buy Wayne Enterprises, and Bruce doesn't like him at all It ain't a spoiler unless you're legally brain- dead. There's a story about Jane Doe, a psycho who has no skin, and can become anyone sorta looks like a less weird Red Skull if she were a DC Girl anyhoo, she's killing tons of people and there's a storyline with her and Harvey Bullock nice to see Harvey finally getting used again! We see that Dick and Barbara are still not speaking to Bruce after the events of Death of the Family though, having read it all, I'm still not entirely sure why I have ideas, but It's all to set something else up, and Batman has a showdown with him, which is actually a lot more taxing than the one with Wrath. I feel like Emperor Penguin got ripped off here, with the title going to Wrath Not cool dude. Batman gets help in the unlikeliest of places. Anyhoo, John Layman does the best he can, and there's a bit more explanation of things that need it, and it is in no way bad, but it's just very herky jerky, all over, and doesn't flow much at all, it's just a patchwork of interconnected Bat-Drama. A decent read, but non-essential. Then there's a story at the end about Bane, but not by Layman, and I barely read that There's also some very cool artwork by the artist who drew this volume It's good, and I'll keep reading it, but Scott Snyder is on a whole other plain than everyone else in terms of Batman. Sep 30, Lashaan Balasingam Bookidote rated it liked it Shelves: batman , read-in , dc-comics , comic-books. This is quite hard to grade. For a volume entitled "The Wrath", it contained so much more than you'd imagine. A special chapter investigating block and a monstrous outbreak, a singular and random chapter featuring Harper Row, a conclusion to Emperor Penguin's legacy, an origin story for Doctor Langstrom, an apperance by Bane and his newfound nemesis and a short and quick presentation of The Wrath. That's a lot. Wait, let's not forget this volume's annual issue. That story alone deserve This is quite hard to grade. That story alone deserves attention because of how unexpected and fascinating it was. There's probably so many other parts that I've missed, cause I know that by the end of it, I had multiple storylines running through my head. While under the impression that I was starring at some kind of storytelling mosaic, I still thought that some of these stories had such great ideas, but that the execution was off. The Wrath could've so much more if you ask me. That's probably due to how quickly his story was opened and closed. With the things he had planned for Gotham, he had everything in the palm of his hands to deal some nasty damage. It felt wrong that he just let that go and went off on a rampage instead. Although it did clear up some plot holes regarding some of the incidents throughout Gotham, this dude's mission could've been neatly tied up in volume 3. Speaking of which, I did feel like the tempo for all these Batman-centered stories felt wrong. The only true near-perfection tale was a side-story in the annual issue of this volume. A story revolving around Bullock and a villain who could be anyone was definitely fascinating. It was true character analysis, and an adventure that was quite destructive for the famous detective. It would've been marvelous if they had given this story more space to shine. Oh, I did enjoy seeing Batman in a new armor though. That pleased my inner child's imagination. The artwork at times was fine. Enough to keep me hooked to the volume or maybe it's just cause.. However, there were times were I thought the character's had funny poses Bane and company looked really funny; like a stylish pack of hyenas. A full review to come. Ogilvy was turned into something very interesting. Wonder what he's going to do now. Also glad Penguin went back to being in charge. RIP cops. Also wonder if we will see Moi again. Was her master Ra's al Ghul? Feb 20, Chris Lemmerman rated it really liked it Shelves: comics-and-manga-read. Layman, Fabok, and Clarke's Detective Comics continues it's unstoppable run here as we celebrate Detective Comics with an extra-sized main story featuring thousands of Man-Bats as well as the origin of the New 52 Man-Bat, and some little back-up stories that focus on the cops of Gotham City as they deal with the problems these Man-Bats create. Th Layman, Fabok, and Clarke's Detective Comics continues it's unstoppable run here as we celebrate Detective Comics with an extra-sized main story featuring thousands of Man-Bats as well as the origin of the New 52 Man-Bat, and some little back-up stories that focus on the cops of Gotham City as they deal with the problems these Man-Bats create. This new semi-heroic Man-Bat is an interesting take on a classic character, and Andy Clarke's artwork makes things even better. Issues deal with the rest of the Emperor Penguin storyline from the previous volume, bringing Batman and the Penguin face to face with the usurper, and whilst it closes off Ogilvy's storyline for now, he is still present in future issues, bubbling away another plotline in the background that I expect will come to fruition before Layman leaves the title. Annual 2 is collected here, and unlike Annual 1 from Volume 2, this one is great stuff. Although Scot Eaton steps up to pencil instead of Fabok, it tells the story of Jane Doe, a serial killer who steals faces as well as lives, and infiltrates the GCPD until Batman enters the fray. The back-up stories in this Annual again favour the main story, but help set up the final three issue storyline here that features the titular Wrath. He's basically the Anti-Batman, and whilst his secret identity isn't particularly inspiring, the battle scenes across Gotham City as Batman and Wrath face off are spectacular. Oct 27, Logan rated it really liked it. Pretty good! So in this story Batman fights a villain called Wrath, hes also a billionaire playboy so hes batman gone wrong, hes a bit more military style but it was interesting to see him go to head to head with batman, overall i say this was a great story! Mar 20, Dan rated it liked it. Mostly focused on the Man-Bat, and various other lesser known villains. An okay read. This could have been much better. Aug 14, Kyle rated it liked it Shelves: dcu. So John Layman understands Batman. He really does. Or, at any rate, he understands the Batman formula. He gets how his villains are meant to work - perverse reflections of Bruce Wayne. He gets how his stories are meant to go - putting "detective" into "Detective Comics" yet again, a feat somewhat unparalleled when you go back and read Tony S. Daniel's work on the series. The Wrath, though. I didn't hate it? The art is excellent. The action is fine.

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