Absolute Batman #6 - DC Comics

ABSOLUTE BATMAN No. 6, May 2025

Enthusiastically described by “DC Comics” as concluding with a “larger-than-life story”, this final instalment to Scott Snyder’s opening story arc for “Absolute Batman” must surely have left a few fans somewhat disappointed by just how easily Bruce Wayne’s alter-ego defeated the Black Mask. Indeed, considering just how rich and powerful Roman Sionis is supposed to be, the fact that the Dark Knight simply parachutes down onto yacht to face a single, disco-bopping bodyguard (and a kid) is pretty bemusing; “You think you can stop them? You think you can stop anything that’s coming?”

Furthermore, the city-wide chaos created by the criminal mastermind which now threatens to transform Gotham City into a cesspit of mass murderers, robbers and thieves, is disappointingly largely focused upon Martha Wayne and Mayor Jim Gordon’s face-off against a trio of wannabe Party Animals. Admittedly, the comic does depict one poor citizen being attacked on a tube train. But predominantly, the American author dedicates an incredible amount of this twenty-two page periodical to solely showing the courageous couple desperately trying to talk the low-life down from shooting them dead in the street.

Lastly, a lot of this book’s pace and impact is arguably lost by a string of flashbacks to a time when an adolescent Bruce was looking at pictures in his mother’s photograph album following a bedtime nightmare. This moment is undoubtedly key in the growth of the titular character’s personality and determination to see things through to the end, even an unfavourable one. However, it debatably also gets tiring quite quickly - especially as it continues to run until almost the tale’s last panel, and resultantly keeps pulling the reader straight out from all the adrenalin-fuelled action which is taking place during the present day.

By far this publication’s biggest asset is therefore the artwork of Nick Dragotta, who rather superbly manages to imbue Batman’s battle against the Black Mask with some eye-wateringly violent moments and some truly frenetic-fighting. In addition, the illustrator surprisingly manages to provide Gordon’s aforementioned dialogue-driven stand-off with plenty of palpable suspense, and actually uses the fact that this adventure takes place in a reimagined universe to cause any onlooker to constantly second guess as to whether either Jim, Martha or both will actually die whilst conversing with Sionis' latest recruits.

The regular cover art of "ABSOLUTE BATMAN" #6 by Nick Dragotta & Frank Martin

Absolute Batman #5 - DC Comics

ABSOLUTE BATMAN No. 5, April 2025

Apparently the best-selling comic book in February 2025, few Bat-fans were probably expecting Scott Snyder to pen Bruce Wayne’s alter-ego suffering such as painful-looking smackdown as the one he receives in this particular twenty-page publication. Sure, the young, costumed crime-fighter ultimately manages to survive his severe beating at the hands of Black Mask’s most notorious, heavily-armed followers. But in doing so some bibliophiles might argue that this title’s American author was seriously pushing up against any onlooker’s willing suspension of disbelief as to just how many physical injuries the human body can take; “My god. You actually think you achieved something here, don’t you.?”

Minor quibble aside though, this entire adrenalin-fuelled action sequence does make for a truly marvellous read, with Batman actually appearing to have the upper-hand for most of the fight. Indeed, the impressively armoured vigilante initially seems to anticipate every assault before it occurs – with the one-handed, meat-cleaver wielding maniac who unwittingly impales himself upon the super-hero’s shoulder-spikes whilst charging from behind probably being the best moment of the battle.

In addition, the “broken, beaten and ultimately defeated” Caped Crusader’s subsequent flight also allows this comic’s writer to show Officer Gordon is having her doubts as to whether Batman is a public menace, as well as demonstrate just how strong Roman Sionis’ grip upon the population of Gotham City may actually be. These sub-plots are neatly crowbarred into all the much more pulse-pounding proceedings, and resultantly don’t arguably appear to slow down the periodical’s quite frantic pace one iota. In fact, they just provide this comic’s audience with a necessary breather, before the book delivers its somewhat jaw-dropping conclusion concerning Mayor Jim Gordon and Martha Wayne.

Also adding an incredible amount of tension and vigour to Issue Five of “Absolute Batman” is Nick Dragotta. Of particular note has to be the way the artist holds everyone’s attention with a single, splash-page of the Dark Knight stood out against the metropolis’ skyline, before pencilling a ton of small-sized panels showing him subsequently battering every member of the Party Animals he can get his gloves on. However, such is the “highly acclaimed” illustrator’s ability to quickly establish a scene, that you can additionally almost hear the sigh in Barbara’s voice over her police car’s sirens, as she lowers her hand-gun and refrains from shooting a fleeing “avenger of the night”.

The regular cover art of "ABSOLUTE BATMAN" #5 by Nick Dragotta & Frank Martin

Absolute Batman #4 - DC Comics

ABSOLUTE BATMAN No. 4, March 2025

Fully focused upon establishing just how “Absolute Batman has established himself as an extremely large force to be reckoned with”, Scott Snyder’s storyline for this particular twenty-five page publication probably frustrated a fair few within the comic’s audience. Indeed, for any bibliophiles solely interested in just the Dark Knight’s battle against Roman Sionis’ metropolis-wide criminal organisation, this entire so-called “pivotal” issue could easily be missed out entirely – as regrettably little in the way of the ongoing title’s overarching narrative is actually progressed; “It’s unconventional, but given the extraordinary nature of this case, I’ve granted you that right.”

Instead, this book’s American author pens a hefty flashback to a time when an adolescent Bruce Wayne apparently continually overthinks his entry for the Young Engineers Competition, and later takes his first tentative steps as a pistol-packing Caped Crusader following “the tragic events of his childhood”. Of course, the crime-fighter’s first foray out into Gotham City’s night-time skyline is pretty engrossing, especially as the costumed vigilante is depicted wearing “silicon fangs loaded with paralytic” and pointing a hand-gun. Yet such adrenalin-fuelled sequences soon debatably become lost amidst the suffocating morass of this publication’s word-heavy exposition, rather than simply adding to an already engrossing read.

Sadly, just as unclear and choppily penned is young Bruce’s competition entry, which initially appears to be some sort of animal-influenced bridge that has adjustable pilings and extendable girders. The boy appears to constantly rework the actual design throughout this comic, and rather unconvincingly eventually creates some sort of flying, origami-like bridge which can supposedly “be dropped from a plane and parachute down” to where it is most needed.   

By far this book’s biggest disappointment though surely lies in the layouts of “guest artist Gabriel Walta”, who alongside colorist Frank Martin, arguably provides its proceedings with an inauspicious, almost amateurish look. This substandard ‘style’ seems especially disagreeable to the eye during Batman’s first ever mission, with the lead protagonist appearing strangely awkward and slightly misshapen. Admittedly, things do seem to increasingly improve as the adventure continues. But overall it would seem that the penciller is far better at sketching sedentary figures stood talking, than anyone involved in a little bit of action.

The regular cover art of "ABSOLUTE BATMAN" #4 by Nick Dragotta & Frank Martin

Absolute Batman #3 - DC Comics

ABSOLUTE BATMAN No. 3, April 2025

It’s probably quite easy to see why Issue Three of “Absolute Batman” was the best-selling comic of December 2024 (at least according to the news platform “ICv2.com”), considering just how utterly insane its opening is as both the Dark Knight and Alfred Pennyworth attempt to escape a horde of heavily-armed, homicidal Party Animals on board “a giant, bat-themed dump truck”. In fact, many a reader probably didn’t want the “sweet smell of kerosene” to ever fade, as the unlikely alliance pair together to blast the skull-mask wearing goons to pieces using a variety of electrically charged mini bat-projectiles.

Impressively however, Scott Snyder then manages to keep up with this sense of pace, despite the spotlight turning away from Bruce Wayne’s headlong drive down to Gotham City’s waterfront and turning to Harvey Bullock’s dialogue-driven encounter with Mister Roman Sionis instead. Ordinarily such a meeting might contain some nose-to-nose face-offs so as to suggest the hidden menace behind the Black Mask’s offer for the police officer to support Hill’s election bid to become the metropolis’ next mayor. But on this occasion the villain is perturbingly shown wrestling the former Champ Bibbo Bibowski to the death as they talk; “Don’t worry about him, Commissioner. He’ll be fine. Now, come. Let’s talk about peace.”

Likewise, the American author is able to genuinely ‘sell’ the sheer weight of the mass-murdering megalomaniac’s offer to Batman, who in simply standing down from crime-fighting for a week will receive two hundred million dollars. This almost unfathomable sum of money, as Pennyworth quickly points out, could easily be used to help the Caped Crusader establish himself as Gotham’s primary protector – as well as ensure that the young man’s mother, who has foolishly agreed to be Jim Gordon’s deputy mayor, is kept safe from harm.

Truly excelling at pencilling all this twenty-five page publication’s high octane moments is Nick Dragotta, who does an incredible job of showing just how exhilarating a ride Alfred has standing atop the Bat-dozer. In addition, you can arguably hear the desperate, sweaty smacks on the floor as Sionis and Bibowski grapple with one another, as well as the former title-holder’s desperate taps to signify he surrenders as the astonished man is quite literally choked to death.

Writer: Scott Snyder, Artist: Nick Dragotta, and Colorist: Frank Martin

Absolute Batman #2 - DC Comics

ABSOLUTE BATMAN No. 2, February 2025

Described by “DC Comics” as being something of a ‘rampage’ in its solicitation synopsis, Issue Two of “Absolute Batman” certainly appears to start off well enough with the titular character tackling a truck-load of skull mask-wearing maniacs inside Gotham City’s Aquarium. But once the Dark Knight cleverly outmanoeuvres the numerous Party Animals by dispensing Hydrochloric Acid into the waist-deep water surrounding them, this twenty-four page periodical’s plot debatably gets badly bogged down in a ton of dialogue-driven discussions and childhood flashbacks.

In fact, apart from establishing that Scott Snyder’s “brand-new take” on Bruce Wayne is disconcertingly best buddies with the likes of the Penguin, the Riddler and Two-Face – courtesy of an extraordinary poker game – a fair few Bat-fans will probably find large portions of this publication to be extremely hard-going, especially when it comes to a sedentary stay beside Mayor Jim Gordon’s Hospital room; “What is this world we’ve given them, Mar? When we were their age, we were crazy, sure, thinking we could change it all. But it still felt possible then you know?”

Happily however, this comic does contain some semblance of sense-shattering action towards its end, when Batman teams up with a certain “vigilant MI6 agent” called Alfred Pennyworth, and attempts to evade an ambush by the Black Mask Gang. Surrounded by the whole Gotham City Police Department, this escape bid quickly becomes as exhilarating as its well-penned atmosphere is intense, and only a few bibliophiles will be able to stop themselves gasping in sheer awe when the gigantic Bat-dozer makes a shock appearance.

Similarly as hit or miss as the narrative are debatably Nick Dragotta’s layouts. At times the illustrator and co-creator of “East Of West” is genuinely able to imbue a palpable, pulse-pounding pace into the storytelling by sketching a series of small, punchy panels. However, this technique doesn’t always seem to work, such as during the aforementioned game of cards, and instead can make a scene look incredibly cumbersome and intimidatingly busy – even when it's just covering Bullock unconvincingly suggesting that the Caped Crusader is actually a criminal working in league with the Party Animals.

The regular cover art of "ABSOLUTE BATMAN" #2 by Nick Dragotta & Frank Martin

Absolute Batman #1 - DC Comics

ABSOLUTE BATMAN No. 1, April 2025

It’s probably a safe bet to think that many a reader of this thirty-eight page periodical were somewhat bemused by Scott Snyder’s “version of the Dark Knight that doesn’t have the money, mansion, or butler of his core-line counterpart”. Indeed, the comic’s opening, which depicts Alfred Pennyworth as some sort of top tier, black ops reconnaissance agent conducting a surveillance mission in Gotham City, must have been incredibly disorientating for lifelong Bat-fans - and frankly matters aren’t then helped when it’s revealed that Bruce Wayne is little more than a well-built city engineer whose mother is shockingly still alive.

Fortunately though, for those bibliophiles willing to stay the course with Issue One of “Absolute Batman”, things eventually begin to click into place. Admittedly, much of this acclimatisation doesn’t really occur until halfway through the publication, when the Caped Crusader finally makes his stand against the mass-murdering members of the Party Animals on the steps of the town hall. But even before this the American author has already arguably caught more than enough of his audience’s attention to warrant them finishing the book with plenty of well-penned mystery surrounding the metropolis' latest lunatic; “This hand has killed more people than you can count. Now I’m going to give you once chance. Get the #$%& out of our way.”

By far this narrative’s greatest asset however, has to lie in the utterly engrossing relationship between Pennyworth and Wayne, as the pair trade gun-shots with one another from a mutually respectful distance. This riveting rapport is clearly unlike anything which has previously been printed within a Bat-title, and whilst it does still somewhat smack of Alfred potentially adopting the role of a surrogate father, it also strongly suggests that the pair may well be willing to physically work together in the field against the conurbation’s criminal community, as opposed to their much more familiar master/servant affair.

Similarly bringing his ‘A-game’ to this ‘bold new direction for DC Comics’ mainstay super hero’ is Nick Dragotta. The illustrator certainly seems able to imbue this book with the strong visual vibe of Frank Miller’s legendary 1986 mini-series “The Dark Knight Returns”, whilst simultaneously adding a few embellishments of his own to the mixture – such as a truly disturbing reimaging of the Black Mask. Coupled with the aforementioned pulse-pounding punch-up outside Gotham’s main municipal centre, and the Dark Knight’s occasional clashes with Pennyworth, these prodigiously pencilled layouts clearly show just why this was “undisputedly the best-selling comic of 2024.”

The regular cover art of "ABSOLUTE BATMAN" #1 by Nick Dragotta & Frank Martin

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries [2024] #12 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 12, February 2025

Despite pretty much telegraphing just who is behind the haunting of Gotham City Opera House within its first few pages, as well as quickly establishing that the villain-of-the-piece isn’t really Andrea Beaumont’s much-hyped alter-ego after all, Joseph Torres’ script for Issue Twelve of “The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries” does still contain a pretty good yarn which rather nicely captures much of the flavour of Hanna-Barbera Productions’ animated cartoon stories. In fact, this comic’s twenty-page plot arguably contains all the elements necessary to have made it a memorable televised episode – should its storyline have been submitted to the American production company during the early Seventies.

For openers, the book ensures that all of its fairly large-sized cast contributes to its narrative without resorting to unconvincing contrivances or lacklustre silliness. True, Shaggy Rogers and Scooby-Doo (once again) become the focus of fun when they hungrily scour the building’s concessions stand for popcorn and inadvertently stumble across the fake Phantasm’s hiding place. But this endearingly whimsical set-piece is entirely in keeping with the characters’ usual buffoonery, and actually sets up an intriguing conundrum as to which members of Mystery Incorporated are actually confronting the ‘real’ ghost.

Likewise, there’s some good banter to be had between the Dark Knight and Velma Dinkley, as the pair partner up to ascertain just how the Caped Crusader simply swung straight through their grey-hued foe whilst the villain was stood on the main stage. Of particular note is the sheer joy expressed by the sweater-wearing sceptic as Batman propels them both up to an overhead catwalk using his grapple gun, and the “brains of the group” politely asking the super-hero for permission to proudly proclaim her theory as to who “the person behind the mask” is. 

By far this publication’s biggest strength though arguably lies in the crisp layouts of Dario Brizuela, whose pencilling absolutely nails the likenesses of both the Caped Crusader and Fred Jones’ teenage gang of amateur sleuths. Perfectly coloured by Franco Riesco, the almost suffocating shadows cast by the theatre’s ghost light also add to this yarn’s claustrophobic atmosphere, and helps add an extra element of conviction to the protagonists' surprise whenever they spy the Phantasm lurking in the dimly-lit darkness.

Written by: J. Torres, Drawn by: Dario Brizuela, and Colored by: Franco Riesco

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries [2024] #11 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 11, January 2025

Utterly devoid of Batman – apart from one line explaining that he’s up “in space with the Justice League”, Sholly Fisch’s somewhat sedentary script for “Booked Up” rather surprisingly relies upon the tongue-in-cheek tomfoolery of Shaggy Rogers and Scooby-Doo to provide its readers with any notion of pulse-pounding action. Indeed, the American author even pens the pair supposedly running for their very lives from a harmless novel at the comic’s start – simply so something of moderate interest happens during the twenty-page periodical’s opening quarter; “Are you really still running away from a book?”

Happily however, things do become a little more interesting once Grotesque’s henchmen are (far too) easily apprehended, and Barbara Gordon is able to demonstrate a few of the computer-based skills she has honed as Oracle. Admittedly, the crime-fighter’s ability to just link into the Bat Cave’s computer with her mobile phone may well make many of her deductions a little too conveniently fast for some readers. But these quick-fire revelations as to the criminal behind Gotham City Library’s latest haunting at least provides an otherwise listless yarn with a bit of much needed pace.

Sadly though, once Batgirl’s nemesis is revealed the publication’s already apathetic plot appears to go right out of the window, with Phillipe Rianne’s obsession for “fancy things” degenerating into a need for a mystery writer’s original manuscript simply so the mask-wearing criminal mastermind has “something to read in bed tonight.” This motivation debatably dumbs down an already rather mediocre-calibre thief, and is as convincing as Gordon’s feeble attempt to fool her father into thinking she’s just a humble librarian, despite single-handedly battering her electricity-powered enemy into unconscious with a mere wooden chair.

Somewhat more substantial than this comic’s narrative are David Antón Gomis’ layouts, which at least attempt to imbue Shaggy and Scooby-Doo’s escapades with a bit of dynamism. The illustrator does a fairly good job of bringing this comic’s quite considerably-sized cast to life, especially when it comes to Jim Gordon’s steadfastness in the face of deadly danger. Yet, the artist’s rather strange decision not to pencil any motion lines in his panels, even upon the numerous members of the public racing out of the library in sheer terror, makes many a set-piece appear strangely lethargic and unrealistically languid – as if the figures were somehow running on the spot, rather than moving across the location.

Written by: Sholly Fisch, Drawn by: Puste, and Colored by: Carrie Strachan

DC Vs. Vampires: World War V #10 - DC Comics

DC VS. VAMPIRES: WORLD WAR V No. 10, August 2025

Largely focused upon the exploits of Mister Miracle, as Jack Kirby’s creation ponders whether to surrender himself to Darkseid or not, there’s an almost palpable feeling to this twenty four-page periodical’s plot that Matthew Rosenberg’s mini-series is (finally) approaching its cataclysmic conclusion. Indeed, just the physical presence of Scott Free appears to be enough to bring several of the title’s overarching storylines together – including the up-until-now entirely separate sub-thread of Batman and Green Lantern banding together so as to summon the likes of Constantine and Doctor Fate back from beyond the grave.

Furthermore, Issue Ten of “DC Vs Vampires: World War V” also impressively shows a genuine war weariness to all its considerable cast, both mortal and blood-drinker, with many a character now apparently willing to do just about anything to convince “the tyrannical ruler of the planet Apokolips” to leave the Earth once and for all. This utter exhaustion is particularly startling when seen in the behaviour of Supergirl and Lois Lane, who have both fought tooth and nail to see themselves and their compatriots survive. But are now shown unhappily ‘bending the knee’ in supplication before the super-villain; “I don’t want to either. But it’s a small price to pay, Lois. We can end this here.” 

By far this book’s best moment though actually comes completely left field with the New Gods shockingly switching sides and ambushing Gorilla Grodd’s combined army. Such treachery is as sudden as it is astounding, and should actually make many a reader rather cross at the hypocrisy of a gutless Orion – who infuriatingly even tries to justify his duplicity by claiming an alliance with his mass-murdering father is supposedly in the galaxy’s best interests.

Clearly revelling in all this disheartening deceit and fatigue is Otto Schmidt, whose prodigious pencilling does a first-rate job in depicting the lethargy slowly infecting the planet’s fast-dwindling population. Of particular note has to be the freelance illustrator’s magnificent portrayal of poor, physically depleted Black Alice, whose haunted eyes alone convey all sorts of terrifying tales in the mind’s eye. In addition, the sheer outrage splashed across Kara-El’s face when she realises her cause has been betrayed by her latest allies is absolutely palpable, and it’s easy to see why even the vampire’s most ferocious fighters fear the Kryptonian.

The regular cover art of "DC VS. VAMPIRES: WORLD WAR V" #10 by Otto Schmidt

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries [2024] #10 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 10, December 2024

On paper there’s a good deal of merit behind this comic’s basic premise that Harley Quinn would so want the Joker to own a car which can compete with the Batmobile that she’d start stealing motor parts to build one. But disappointingly, Amanda Deibert’s penmanship simply doesn’t do such a storyline justice, with the “New York Times bestselling” television writer peppering the promising plot with a rather disagreeable incarnation of Shaggy Rogers, some unconvincingly inconsistent secondary characters, and a blatant dig towards men for repeatedly underestimating the “massive intelligence” of women.

In addition, the author debatably handles Batman in an infuriatingly illogical manner by portraying the Dark Knight as being far too busy investigating “a string of robberies” to assist Mystery Incorporated for much of this comic. Of course, such a stance would make perfect sense if the Caped Crusader was attempting to thwart a Gotham City wide crime spree by the likes of the Penguin or Clayface. However, on this occasion he’s dealing with stolen antique car parts, and doesn’t apparently spot the coincidence that Fred Jones’ van was sabotaged so as to force the meddling kids to seek the assistance of “a [auto] repair shop down the road.”

Perhaps this twenty-page periodical’s biggest let down though can be found in the motivation behind the mysterious Geraldine. This so-called Ghost Car has apparently been terrorising the locals for some weeks. Yet it’s eventually revealed to regrettably just be the sentient motor vehicle Quinn has been building as a birthday present for “Mistah J!” Just why Harley would draw such attention to her criminal operation by letting the vehicle repeatedly attempt to murder people is a bit bewildering, as is Quinzel's willingness to upgrade the Mystery Machine in order for the van to dramatically outmanoeuvre her own homicidal handiwork.

Possibly a little more acceptable than this book’s narrative is its layouts (and colours) by Erich Owen. The Ringo Award-winner does a fair job in capturing the television likenesses of Mystery Incorporated, and certainly seems to excel when sketching the fast-paced car chases required for Deibert’s script. Nonetheless, the artist appears to struggle when capturing Batman’s cowled visage, giving the masked vigilante’s a rather comical, quirky-looking jawline.

Written by: Amanda Deibert, Drawn & Coloured by: Erich Owen, and Lettered by: Saida Temofonte

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries [2024] #9 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 9, November 2024

Taking the rather brave decision to relegate the Dark Knight to the side-lines for the entirety of this twenty-page periodical’s plot, Matthew Cody’s narrative for Issue Nine of “The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries” probably still managed to entertain a fair few of its audience, courtesy of a quite endearing appearance by the laughable lawbreaker Kite-Man. Indeed, for those Bat-fans able to take this comic’s silly storyline with a pinch of salt, there’s arguably a fair few laughs to be found within its phenomenally pencilled panels; “Look, I’m a very dangerous villain.”

For starters, “the acclaimed children’s author” pens a wonderful scene featuring the original Caped Crusaders appearing at Gotham City Comic-Con, and being surrounded by all manner of book nerds and cosplayers. Sadly short-lived, this set-piece should genuinely bring a smile to the face of any collector who has stood in line waiting for a guest celebrity to sign some piece of memorabilia for them, whilst simultaneously making them smirk at Batman’s evident discomfort when he’s pressured into saying the line “I am the night” out loud for the attendees.

Similarly as engaging though is also the Missouri-born writer’s handling of Chuck Brown’s flamboyantly inept alter-ego, who rather conveniently converts from committing felonies to thwarting them within the space of this publication. Obviously, so major a reversal in personality in so short a space of time isn’t terribly convincing. But it’s arguably nice to believe that just being in the company of well-meaning “losers” Shaggy Rogers and Scooby-Doo is enough to make the likeable rogue realise that he should be proud of his association with kites, rather than see it as an apparently necessary gimmick with which to commit crime.

Ultimately however, much of this comic’s success relies upon the gobsmackingly good layouts by Dario Brizuela. Sensationally shaded by colorist Franco Riesco, to the point where some scenes appear to have been almost ‘lifted’ straight out of an animated cartoon show, the Argentinian illustrator ensures every character is seen wearing their hearts upon their sleeves – with even the likes of Alfred Pennyworth being visibly hurt by Fred Jones' intimation that these days the elderly butler is only good for causing a distraction, as opposed to being able to actually ‘sneak’ about.

Written by: Matthew Cody, Drawn by: Dario Brizuela, and Colored by: Franco Riesco

DC Vs. Vampires: World War V #9 - DC Comics

DC VS. VAMPIRES: WORLD WAR V No. 9, July 2025

For those readers eagerly anticipating “John Constantine [coming] to the rescue” of Earth’s last surviving super-heroes, as promised by this comic’s solicitation synopsis, Matthew Rosenberg’s script for Issue Nine of “DC Vs Vampires: World War V” must have been a major disappointment. True, the twenty-four page periodical certainly contains its fair share of adrenalin-fuelled, large-scale battle action. But Hellblazer doesn’t even feature in this book, with its American author instead relying upon the likes of the New Gods of New Genesis to try and save Frankenstein’s forces on Dinosaur Island.

Furthermore, Darkseid’s need to take the primeval peninsula seemingly makes no sense whatsoever, with Granny Goodness claiming it’s the only place on the planet from which the tyrant can launch an attack upon Aquaman’s deep-sea domain due to the extra-terrestrials apparently having a limited ability to travel underwater. Considering that the Lord of Apokolips has already ventured from another entirely different dimension, this sudden snag is pretty unpalatable, and strongly suggests that it is simply an unconvincing excuse for the New Yorker to casually cause the parademons to fight somewhere other than the bland-looking wintry wastes of America.

Similarly as off-putting though, is probably this publication’s overinflated cast of characters - thanks to the mini-series’ regulars being joined by all manner of minor crime-fighters, anti-heroes and desperados. The introduction of the Highfather and his band of arrogant deities is debatably bad enough to get a handle on, considering just how bizarre (and dislikeable) their holier-than-thou personalities are. However, Rosenberg soon then ramps things up by a factor of ten by also hurling Detective Chimp and the impressively large Dinosaur Island army at his readers, along with Darkseid’s Deep Six, the Atlantean Vampires and a handful of other never-before-seen costumed vigilantes.

Far more satisfying an experience is the second instalment to “Wildcat: Going The Distance” by Shane McCarthy. Subtly sketched by Fabio Veras, this disturbingly dark conclusion to Ted Grant’s search for his son is incredibly engrossing, and shows a tender side to the “long-time member of the Justice Society of America” which is seldom seen. In addition, the back-up tale still somehow manages to end on something of a high note, despite the former heavyweight boxer losing much of his reason for living in a world where vampires supposedly rule both the night and day.

The regular cover art of "DC VS. VAMPIRES: WORLD WAR V" #9 by Otto Schmidt

From The DC Vault: Death In The Family: Robin Lives! #1 - DC Comics

FROM THE DC VAULT: DEATH IN THE FAMILY: ROBIN LIVES! No. 1, September 2024

Following the infamous events of Issue Four Hundred and Twenty Eight of “Batman” from 1988, but containing an “alternate ending in which Jason Todd survives his brutal encounter with The Joker”, J.M. DeMatteis’ storyline for this four-part mini-series’ opening instalment most likely didn’t live up to its audience’s expectations. Indeed, despite being the thirty-sixth best-selling comic book in July 2024, the American author’s decision to tell his tale through the narration of Doctor Saraswati Dev arguably causes a persistent confusion as to just which text box or word balloon a reader should peruse next.

Furthermore, apart from a brief fracas between the Dark Knight and the Clown Prince of Crime during the twenty-two page periodical’s beginning, and an all-too short tussle concerning Bruce Wayne’s alter-ego and the Scarecrow at its very end, the vast majority of this publication focuses upon Jason Todd’s disagreeable behaviour to all those who dearly love him. Admittedly, any bibliophile familiar with writer Jim Starlin transforming the sidekick into an “increasingly aggressive and reckless” crime-fighter during his stint on the title back in the Eighties, won’t be surprised by such unlikeable behaviour. But such is the boy’s ingratitude towards the likes of Alfred Pennyworth, that his repeated petulance soon becomes tedious and off-putting.

What does appear to work well though, is just how disconcerting the Caped Crusader is penned within this tome. Bob Kane’s co-creation has potentially always walked a somewhat fine line between justified violence and taking a physical beating a bit too far. Yet in this particular comic, the cowled vigilante appears extremely close to losing control, especially when he seems to be willing to risk the Joker drowning in Gotham Harbour, or has to be brought to his senses by a Police Officer whilst mercilessly pummelling Jonathan Crane.

Easily this book’s biggest disappointment however, has got to be the ‘overworked’ line art of Rick Leonardi, which sadly makes a fair few panels, most notably those featuring Batman’s arch-nemesis, rather messy. This style proves particularly confusing during a sequence where the Joker suddenly blasts to safety using some covert jump-jets attached to his waist, and a rather clunky-looking scene set inside Arkham Asylum; “Then I’d suggest, Doctor Stoner, that you’re more delusional than your patients.”

The regular cover art of "FROM THE DC VAULT: DEATH IN THE FAMILY: ROBIN LIVES" #1 by Rick Leonardi & Dave Stewart

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries [2024] #8 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 8, October 2024

Despite featuring easily one of this mini-series’ most annoying secondary cast members - in the guise of Finger Memorial Museum owner, Ally Babble - Sholly Fisch’s start to “Big Trouble” must surely have still proved tantalizing enough for many a bibliophile to have stuck around until the twenty-page periodical’s conclusion. Frustratingly however, this commitment arguably isn’t really worth it, as the American author suddenly turns his story about a thieving giant looming over Gotham City completely upon its head, when he swaps that villain out for the much less impressive felonious trap-maker Eivol Ekdal.

Indeed, many onlookers may well get the feeling that this publication’s plot was thrown together using several elements which on their own simply wouldn’t fill this comic’s sheet space. For example, it’s never explained just why the chef jacket-wearing criminal built such a huge pinball machine in the first place..? True, the gigantic table makes for a thrillingly deadly location in which to trap this title’s considerably-sized central characters, and have them all running away from the arcade game’s hefty metal ball like some second-rate Indiana Jones’. But the motivation behind such a creation, or the other huge household items dotted about the exhibition, is never convincingly explored; “Take this teacup for instance. The mouth of this cup is big enough to dunk a baby hippo.”

Disappointingly, the villain’s explanation as to how he managed to create the illusion of a massively-tall man walking amidst the metropolis’ streets is equally as unimpressive, regardless of Fred Jones’ best attempt to persuade the audience otherwise. The notion that four flying drones could carry the weight of a wrecking ball heavy enough to knock a hole through a building’s brick wall, as well as cause the imprint of a massive foot in a concrete sidewalk, is as utterly preposterous as Batman’s decision to thwart the radio-controlled steel sphere with a ridiculously gargantuan baseball glove.

Perhaps this comic’s saving grace therefore lies within the layouts of Erich Owen, whose pencilling does a tip-top job of imbuing many of the set-pieces with an almost alarming sense of height. The scene of Mystery Incorporated clambering up a conveniently-placed ladder to the top of the aforementioned pinball machine is especially well-drawn. Whilst the Ringo Award-winning cartoonist is also very good at creating an almost animated film-cell quality to his panels, by making his oft-times subtly defined backgrounds contrast quite differently in tone to the sharp, crisp figures in the foreground.

Written by: Sholly Fisch, Darwn and Colored by: Erich Owen, and Lettered by Saida Temofonte

DC Vs. Vampires: World War V #4 - DC Comics

DC VS. VAMPIRES: WORLD WAR V No. 4, January 2025

Despite containing a couple of rather shocking revelations which should genuinely catch this comic’s audience by surprise, Matthew Rosenberg’s palpable pacing problems throughout Issue Four of “DC Vs Vampires: World War V” arguably bury much of their impact. Indeed, this twenty-four page periodical’s plot is so suffocatingly sedentary, that even a pulse-pounding battle between Alfred Pennyworth and Ra's al Ghul is somewhat drowned out amidst all the word-heavy dialogue – and at the time Bruce Wayne’s butler is wielding all the awesome power of a Green Lantern, whilst the dead billionaire’s estranged father-in-law has just been revealed as the new Batman.

Quite possibly one of this book’s other big problems are all the mysterious characters it suddenly introduces throughout the narrative. These shadowy figures are clearly going to be central to this mini-series’ main plot in the long-term. But they simply appear absolutely out of nowhere with little explanation, and supposedly shake the people they encounter to their very core, such as the shrouded old woman who confronts Gorilla Grodd inside his high-rise palace, and informs him that she knows he has lost his formidable psychic abilities since becoming one of the undead.

Likewise, many a bibliophile may well become increasingly confused as to just what Robin’s role within this convoluted storyline now plays, following the death of his mother and rebellious followers. Having previously appeared to be a major thorn in the Vampire Queen’s side, the Dark Knight’s former sidekick first appears to be a pawn in his grandfather’s scheme to become an immortal blood-drinker himself. However, once Alfred intervenes and this opportunity passes, poor Damian is simply penned as a pitiable traitor to his own kind, whose life is now seemingly without any purpose; “I’m sorry, kid. Tell yourself this is a mercy killing if that makes it easier.”

Debatably as uninspired by all these slow-moving shenanigans as many within the publication's audience is Otto Schmidt, predominantly just seems to go through the motions with his pencilling. Fortunately, the illustrator does somewhat up his game throughout the aforementioned fracas between Pennyworth and The Demon's Head, even if it does appear a little odd that the former butler’s formidable Oan energy-fuelled powers are apparently little match for the elderly mastermind’s punches.

The regular cover art of "DC VS. VAMPIRES: WORLD WAR V" #4 by Otto Schmidt

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries [2024] #7 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 7, September 2024

Having revealed the villain of the piece to be the Scarecrow straight from this publication’s ‘get-go’, many a bibliophile will probably have felt Ivan Cohen’s script for Issue Seven of “The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries” spookily read more like an actual serious comic about the Dark Knight’s exploits within Gotham City, as opposed to a children’s tale featuring an animated tongue-in-cheek cartoon franchise owned by the “Warner Brothers”. Indeed, despite Mystery Incorporated answering Commissioner Gordon’s Bat-Signal, much of this twenty-page periodical’s plot focuses upon the Caped Crusader trying to deduce the end goal of Jonathan Crane’s villainous alter-ego, rather than simply throwing a load of juvenile hijinks at the audience in the hope that some of it will garner a guffaw or two.

In addition, the yarn contains an interesting sub-thread which explores whether someone like Shaggy Rogers and his “lifelong companion”, who are seemingly always in a perpetual state of fright, are actually susceptible to the Scarecrow’s infamous fear toxin, or whether the duo are “weirdly immune”. This rather enthralling notion proves to be the key to unlock the murderous Professor of Psychology’s entire plan, whilst simultaneously showing Batman to favour using his brains over brawn whenever he can; “The gas did affect them. But not the same way it affects the rest of us!”

Of course, “Night Of The Scaredy-Bat!” does still contain some overt silliness on the odd occasion, such as when the book covers just what genuinely terrifies the “meddling kids”. Of particular note is poor Fred Jones being pursued by some giant toothbrushes and a jar of floss, due to the ascot tie-wearing sleuth suffering from a phobia of going to the Dentist.

Quite proficiently pencilling all these shenanigans is David Antón Gomis, a.k.a. Puste, who manages to sketch Batman as both a formidable physical specimen, as well as someone who likes to apply his grey matter to a problem when time allows. Furthermore, the artist includes some quite wonderful little touches into the layouts, such as when the Dark Knight liaises with Mystery Incorporated, and brings a tray of donuts for Shaggy and Scooby-Doo to scoff – something the pair impressively achieve within the space of a single panel.

Written by: Ivan Cohen, Drawn by: Puste, and Colored by: Carrie Strachan

The Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries [2024] #6 - DC Comics

THE BATMAN AND SCOOBY-DOO MYSTERIES No. 6, August 2024

Despite the rather enjoyable premise of Mystery Incorporated being used by the master villain of the piece to accidentally commit their nefarious crimes for them, courtesy of the fiend concocting a “sleuthing competition with a huge prize”, the pedestrian pace of Amanda Deibert’s twenty-page plot won’t have arguably excited many of this mini-series’ readers in June 2024. Furthermore, the storyline disappointingly relegates the Dark Knight himself to a rather disagreeable secondary character, who just ‘bookends’ this publication to initially arrest the hapless teenagers, and then later captures the true crook at its end; “Just as I suspected.”

Debatably this narrative’s biggest annoyance though can be found in Velma Dinkley’s holier than thou haughtiness, and the young girl’s obsessive compulsion to solve a riddle - even when it’s abundantly clear to the audience that the knee-high sock-wearing sleuth is being set-up. Such a fixation also requires the “New York Times bestselling comic book writer” to pen many a contrivance so as to let the young girl reach her goal, with the most notable being when the team are allowed to just walk past a national bank’s security unit straight to its central vault, and crack its lock so they can peruse its numerous safety deposit boxes.

Of course, many a bibliophile will need to be mindful that this issue’s more ludicrous sequences were probably written with humour in mind, such as Shaggy Rogers replacing Scooby-Doo at a dog grooming salon whilst the others explore the shop for evidence. But it’s hard to ignore the likes of Fred Jones fortuitously finding a stethoscope in a flower pot right beside the strong room just after he had successfully completed “an online safecracking course this summer while I was bored.”

Disappointingly adding to this overriding feeling of lethargy are Dario Bruizuela’s layouts, which apart from an initial flurry at the start when Daphne Blake is sketched running for her life from a ghost inside Huntingstun Library, generally struggle to add any adrenalin to the periodical’s proceedings. In addition, many of the panels appear disconcertingly empty apart from the figures of the central cast, with the scenes set inside the bank’s safe looking particularly plain and uninteresting.

Written by: Amanda Deibert, Drawn by: Dario Brizuela, and Coloured by: Franco Riesco

Batman #501 - DC Comics

BATMAN [1940] No. 501, November 1993

Apparently “the first issue of Mike Manley's run as penciler and inker on Batman”, this twenty-three page publication’s plot certainly seems to show just how markedly different Jean-Paul Valley’s brutally brusque incarnation of the titular character is compared to Bruce Wayne’s much more intelligent crime-fighter. Indeed, the cape and cowl’s latest incumbent even angrily derides his predecessor’s more mentally acute attitude towards solving investigations by destroying the Bat-cave’s chemical analysis equipment; “I’ve never cared for clues. And detective work bores me.”

Instead, Doug Moench pens an intriguing piece where the Caped Crusader foolishly relies upon his new frightfulness to scare a local mob boss into doing his bidding, and inadvertently brings the majority of Gotham City’s underworld leaders together against him – including a well-armoured assassin who will apparently stop at nothing in order to kill his quarry. This mishandling of Don Mercante proves a terrific example of Azrael’s disagreeable overconfidence, and arguably adds an extra, enticing element of uncertainty as to just how events will actually pan out between the various rival parties.

Of particular note though has to be the appearance of the “self-made perfect assassin” Mekros – who, donned in a somewhat clunky-looking suit of bright armour, initially comes across as a bit too gimmicky a villain to be taken all that seriously. However, by the time the clearly deadly killer has started wading through Santos Verona’s numerous bodyguards with bloody aplomb, this opinion should have changed, and the “former mercenary in covert operations that got interested in the potential of MK-Ultra” can swiftly be seen as being just as savage and vicious as the vigilante he’s being paid one million dollars to mercilessly murder.

Helping the American author sell Batman’s various mis-steps throughout this story is the aforementioned Manley, who pencils a stunning introduction to Mercante’s evil empire inside an Italian diner, courtesy of a sense-shattering, though ultimately unsuccessful, shooting. The Detroit-born artist is also very good at pencilling the pensive attitudes of the various crime family heads as they discuss just how to rid themselves of the Dark Knight, as well as withstand any further moves by Verona’s hired guns to lift him to the very top of the high table.

Writer: Doug Moench, Artist: Mike Manley, and Colorist: Adrienne Roy

Batman #500 - DC Comics [Part Two]

BATMAN [1940] No. 500, October 1993

Essentially comprising of little more than a twenty-eight page slugfest between Jean-Paul Valley and Bane, Doug Moench’s penmanship for his second storyline inside Issue Five Hundred of “Batman”, arguably sees the Dark Knight at his most savagely brutal. Sure, the cape and cowl are no longer worn by Bruce Wayne, so this comic’s audience were probably expecting some things to change. But few readers were surely anticipating such a marked difference in violence between the original Caped Crusader and the utterly merciless machine which the Eagle Award-winner crafts for "Dark Angel II: The Descent".

To begin with, Gotham City’s supposed guardian appears to no longer care for the innocent lives he’s supposedly protecting whilst battling the heavily-muscled Santa Priscan in this book. Indeed, such is the obsession the masked vigilante has for defeating Bane once and for all, that it’s debatable as to whether he is even aware of the hapless commuters on board the out of control locomotive the pair wind up fighting inside; “We’re gonna crash! We’re gonna die! Why doesn’t somebody do something to stop this train?”

Cleverly though, this passenger imperilled predicament does provide the Boy Wonder with a fair bit of welcome spotlight as he bravely attempts to rescue those Gothamites being frantically ferried around the metropolis before their linked carriages fatally fly off the tracks – something which is particularly impressive considering that Tim Drake is hopelessly outmatched when it comes to this narrative’s main event. Furthermore, the young Robin’s role in “Knightfall” appears to significantly change during this situation, with the colourfully-costumed adolescent taking on the role of a strong ‘moral voice’ to Valley’s disconcertingly dark ‘the mission is all no matter what the cost’ attitude.

Equally as enjoyable as the penmanship behind this white-knuckle ride is Mike Manley’s artwork, which does a fantastic job of depicting a frantic Bane suddenly realising that the armoured vigilante before him is far more dangerous than he ever gave him credit for. The super-villain’s fright at being beaten is truly palpable, and the American illustrator genuinely imbues the thickly-muscled criminal with all the fear a bibliophile may well expect from someone who just moments before thought they were utterly invincible.

The regular cover art of "BATMAN" No. 500 by Kelley Jones & Bob LeRose

Batman #500 - DC Comics [Part One]

BATMAN [1940] No. 500, October 1993

Containing the final chapter in the "Knightfall" Saga, and a crucial development in Jean-Paul Valley’s thinking when it comes to being Gotham City’s latest incarnation of the Dark Knight, it’s arguably pretty clear just why the collector's edition of this publication was the seventh best-selling book of 1993 – at least according to “Diamond Comic Distributors”. Indeed, the super-sized periodical’s opening alone makes for a scintillating read as Bruce Wayne’s replacement quite coldly calculates what aspects of the Caped Crusader’s legendary costume is potentially going to cost him his life, and subsequently allows the sinister subconscious “System” to help him redesign it; “The cape becomes a drag on his momentum, a hindrance.”

In addition though, Doug Moench’s script for Issue Five Hundred of “Batman” also begins putting in place an environment which will disconcertingly allow “the Angel of Death” to break so many of the boundaries that his predecessor meticulously put in place, such as Mayor Armand Krol’s willingness to turn a blind eye to the vigilante’s utter ruthlessness. Such decisions are obviously made in complete indifference to Valley’s already obsessive determination to be a better ‘Bat’ than the billionaire who passed him the mantle. Yet will still allow the somewhat inexperienced youth to believe the dark, unrestrained violence he is planning to inflict upon the criminal fraternity is entirely permissible – and quite possibly even endorsed by the metropolis’ more hard-lined politicians.

Similarly as intriguing is debatably the early signs of weakness seen in Bane. Up until this point the super-villain has been depicted as a “super-intelligent world-class fighter and tactical genius” who has always been one step ahead of Wayne’s fight for justice. In fact, the vast majority of Bruce’s recent dilemmas have been solely caused by the mask-wearing Santa Priscan. In “Dark Angel: The Fall” however, Batman’s decision to severely cut him with a handful of throwing blades clearly shakes the Venom-enhanced brute, and results in him desperately seeking another source of his precious steroid before he bleeds out.

Helping to make this storyline stand out even more so are the layouts of Jim Aparo, who does a great job in making Jean-Paul’s Dark Knight appear physically different from the former man behind the cowl, despite their attire being pretty much identical. The New Britain-born artist is especially good at illustrating Valley’s much grimmer jawline, and disturbing sneer whenever he feels someone is being weak in his presence.

The regular cover art of "BATMAN" No. 500 by Kelley Jones & Bob LeRose