Batman’s allies are known for many things. Their brains. Their fighting skills. Their dedication. And while Dr. Leslie Thompkins, the woman who comforted Bruce Wayne the night his parents were killed is lacking in the second of those three attributes, she more than makes up for it in the first and third. Leslie is a…
Batman faces down Red Mask on a journey through the Multiverse, where we see some very familiar cowls in Batman #135, written by Chip Zdarsky, penciled by Mike Hawthorne, Mikel Janin and Jorge Jimenez, inked by Adriano Di Benedetto, Jimenez and Janin, colored by Tomeu Morey and Romulo Fajardo Jr., and lettered by Clayton Cowles….
Wouldn’t it be great to go to school in Gotham City? Well, it probably wouldn’t be scarier than anywhere else. This week, Mrs. Abigale Heartbalm, Esq. stops by, and we talk Gotham Academy and two other school centric Batman related stories. We talk about how Gotham Academy successfully brings manga tropes to Gotham, question how…
Each week, ComicsXF staff offer their recommendations for what to read. New DC books come out Tuesdays, everything else Wednesdays. Matt’s pick: Batman #135/#900: It’s Batman versus Red Mask in a brutal Gotham that’s never known hope and a comic so big it needs two separate issue numbers!. Can the Dark Knight overcome the terrifying…
Batman prepares to make his move to stop the Orghams and their plans for Gotham as Talia finishes telling him about the connection between her family and theirs. The lead story in Detective Comics #1,071 is written by Ram V; penciled by Stefano Raffaele, Ivan Reis and Eduardo Pasarin; inked by Raffaele, Danny Miki, Joe…
Every time Will has complained about how much he hates Hush, Matt or someone else said, “Well, read ‘Heart of Hush.’ That might change how you feel.” And this week he did. And, well, it was the best story of the week, and the best story centered around Hush as the primary antagonist (since the…
Accused of the murder of Simon Stagg, Bruce Wayne has to sit on the sidelines as Superman and Robin try to figure out who really killed him. Metamorpho is on the hunt as well, and an old Justice League nemesis lurks in the shadows in Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #14, written by Mark Waid, drawn by…
From her first appearance, Barbara Gordon was a dynamic and exciting addition to the Batman family. Brilliant, tough and strong willed, Barbara has faced more adversity than most superheroes, dealing with trauma and coming out stronger for it. This episode, we read three stories that trace her evolution from the dominoed dare doll, Batgirl, to…
Daphne has won a chance to perform in a televised talent show in Gotham City, but all the contestants are disappearing! It’s up to Mystery Inc. and contest judge Bruce Wayne, with a little help from his costumed alter ego, to find out who’s behind it in The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries #7, written by…
The Gotham City Police Department, or GCPD for short, has been part of Batman’s world since his first appearance, which also happened to be the first appearance of Commissioner James Gordon. And while the members of the GCPD focused on in the comics have shifted over the years, the presence of it has been a…
Batman comes mask to mask with Red Mask, the man behind this alternate Gotham, and learns the full extent of his plan in Batman #134, written by Chip Zdarsky, penciled by Mike Hawthorne, inked by Adriano Di Benedetto, colored by Tomeu Morey and lettered by Clayton Cowles. In the backup, Tim Drake makes a quick…
Threads begin to come together as Bruce Wayne faces his own mortality and the history of the Orghams is revealed. The lead story in Detective Comics #1,070 is written by Ram V, drawn by Stefano Raffaele, colored by Adriano Lucas and lettered by Ariana Maher. In the backup, a frozen Dr. Mead reflects on the…
There are many great supporting characters in the Batman mythos. Alfred. The myriad Robins and Batgirls. Jim Gordon. Leslie Thompkins. And then, there is Bat-Mite, the 5th Dimensional imp who claims to be Batman’s biggest fan. And he is, in the same way that Annie Wilkes is to Paul Sheldon (that’s a Misery reference for…
Renee Montoya must face the changes she has not been able to make, and her own complacency, while trying to bring fallen officer Danny Ortega in alive in GCPD: The Blue Wall #6, written by John Ridley, drawn by Stefano Raffaele, colored by Brad Anderson and lettered by Ariana Maher. Ra’s al Ghul’s newest plan…
I have been having a hard time saying that this month marks the 40th anniversary of the first appearance of Jason Todd. It just doesn’t seem like to could be that long ago, but it absolutely is. And so, to celebrate the anniversary of the angriest Robin (well, Damian does give him some competition), we’re…