VERY FINE/NEAR MINT Written by Neil Gaiman
Art by Andy Kubert & Scott Williams
Cover by Andy Kubert
A “Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?” part 2 of 2! This second part of Neil Gaiman and Andy Kubert’s special collaboration is sure to be a BATMAN story for the ages. This extraordinary tale, told as only Gaiman and Kubert can, explores the intricate relationships between Bruce Wayne and his friends and adversaries and builds toward an exciting and unexpected climax. It’s a classic in the making!
Date Available: 04/22/2009
BONUS REVIEW by Stephen Banas
It’s not often I feel this way, but the wait was worth it for this one. The second half of Neil Gaiman’s awaited arc came to a fantastic conclusion this week. I can only describe the way Gaiman weaves a tale as majestic, because that’s what this was. Between his exceptional writing ability and the absolutely beautiful, flowing and creative layouts from Kubert, I cannot recommend this book enough. This is easily the best book that came out this week, even better than Buck Rogers.
I give it 10 out of 10 Grahams
BONUS REVIEW by Tom Gronkowski - CH
Alan Moore’s “Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow” story arc remains legendary because, among other things, it rooted Superman’s final Silver Age tale in sacrosanct respect for the preceding fifty years of Superman comics. Neil Gaiman on the other hand, has assembled a disjointed collage of the last 80 years of Batdom viewed through whatever Oedipal-acid-faerie-magick-necromancer optic gets the man book deals. Combine that with Andy Kubert’s ridiculously rushed Bob Kane homage/Jim Lee rip-off artwork and you get the crowning achievement in the newly-minted tradition of utterly confusing and unsatisfying Batman books. DC had better get their #&%*together or they’re going to keep piddling away any remaining reading value in the Batman comic franchise.
