Peter J. Tomasi just accomplished in less than a single issue of his “Mythology” arc all the same angst and drama, questions, fears, and craziness that has been pounded on for the last six months in the Batman title book. And he did it in a way that’s thrilling and heart-wrenching and absolutely crazy-making: by…

I’m going to get my big criticism of Peter J. Tomasi’s first arc out of the way up front and this is it: these issue titles are cracky at best, sorta schlocky at worst thus far. Last issue was “Ring Them Bells” and this issue is “See Paris and Die!” I don’t know if Tomasi…

Peter J. Tomasi kicks off the countdown to issue no. 1000 in the second part of his “Mythology” arc, titled “Ring Them Bells”. And the bells are definitely tolling a death knell, as whoever is targeting Batman by playing on Bruce Wayne’s past demonstrates their deadly intent. We still don’t know much about who this…

Enter Peter J. Tomasi on writing duties for the flagship title, with an arc titled “Mythology” (first issue, “Raze”). Tomasi doesn’t waste time putting his stamp on the world of Gotham by announcing as big and bold as ever that this is a fresh start. And he does so by taking us back to the…

I’ve been rough on James Robinson’s “Deface the Face” arc, but I feel like this finale justifies some of my complaints about the illogical way this story has been paced, unfolded, and delivers information. Because it’s still delivering information only this time it’s mostly out of the mouth of a preacher at Harvey Dent’s funeral.…

James Robinson does like to let his characters talk. Last issue they talked non-stop through the whole book. This issue, called “A Fighting Man”, does a little less talking, but maybe still not enough fighting; we just can’t seem to get away from long ongoing explanations in this story. Here especially you’ll get to read…

Appropriately titled “The Talking Man”, strap yourselves in as James Robinson takes us on the fourth installment of his “Deface the Face” arc chock full of...talking. I guess it’s right there in the title, so we shouldn’t be surprised, but the story grinds to a halt and starts to choke on its own exposition as…

James Robinson’s third offering on this arc introduces “The Conflicted Man”, and it was probably just a matter of time before we got to the “enemy of my enemy is my friend” portion of the program (he even literally uses that expression here). And if you enjoy watching the tango between Batman and Two-Face, you’ll…

James Robinson knows what he wants from Batman and he commits to it from the opening page. Though he touches on Batman’s ongoing girlfriend trauma, he doesn’t dwell (and neither does Batman). Because this is Gotham and someone is being murdered somewhere and the city needs it Knight. In this first installment of "Deface the…

This issue marks the finale of the “On the Outside” arc, which is going to feel pretty strange, I think, because it also serves as the launch point for the next thing coming. That’s not atypical of comic books, but maybe I’m just not feeling like Bryan Hill brought out a very satisfying conclusion to…

Well, this is certainly spiraling out of control. And not in that great way stories can escalate with compounded threats and increasing stakes and high-risk reveals. I literally had to look back on the credits of this issue to see whether Bryan Hill was still writing, because it feels like someone new took this over…

Here there be SPOILERS! For some of you the reveal of the identity of Karma may feel a bit like a letdown, but I’m frankly pumped at the fact that he’s so much of nothing: a street-level villain who’s just managed to make himself dangerous enough to get on Batman’s radar. This is the kind…

Is Bryan Hill writing a Red Hood for the next generation? We’ve got an upstart up-and-comer villain with a fancy necromancer-tech helmet of some sort, and he’s got a personal problem with Batman--and particularly against the people who follow in his footsteps. Sounds like a grudge-match forged in the furnace of some failed wanna-be who…

The cynical side of me says: oh look, a comic book with Black Lightning to help promote the TV show of the same name. Or even more cynical: oh look, DC comics is looking to catch the attention of fans of the TV show and encourage them to buy comics. But neither of those potential…

This may be Michael Moreci’s first venture into writing Batman, but he’s no stranger to DC, having contributed previously to both the Wonder Woman and Nightwing titles. “The Cursing of Gotham City” shows he knows how to fit right in, as it combines some of the longest-standing themes for this character: mystery, terror, and the…

The end is finally here!  Will the BatFamily be able to stop Tim and the Omacs from obliterating all crime in Gotham City as we know it, or, will we return to a nice little status quo with which the next writer will use to launch his story from?  I wonder... Detective Comics #981 is…

With the release of Detective Comics #980, we are only one issue away from the conclusion of James Tynion's stint on Detective Comics.  Will he be able to pull off a memorable finale, or will his work fade into obscurity, only to be remember by hardcore Tynion fans and Batman historians? We've still got two…