Scott's Take: Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum by W. Maxwell Prince and artist Martin Morazzo

 

Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum by W. Maxwell Prince and artist Martin Morazzo is a Black Label Elseworlds tale. Black Label is supposed to be for more mature Elseworlds tale so this is a non canon adult story, but usually despite the Black Label they are not really that mature. In this case, the Black Label is not really used to its full extent.

 

Superman is dealing with 4 new Kryptonite variants and has the brilliant idea to test them on himself to figure out what kind of threat they represent. Yes, there are safer ways, but this is what he decides to do. Batman goes along with this idea. So, a buddy cop adventure ensues exploring trauma, the damage caused by home (since Kryptonite is made from Krypton), grief, and more. Making things more complicated is that Lex Luthor has his own plans to take advantage of Superman’s idea to do this testing.

 

This is a five issue miniseries with action, comedy, and character exploration. The art is strange and Lois Lane looks the worst she has ever looked in my opinion. Her story arc is dealing with the fact that she is forty and wants kids. Something which, depending on the version of Superman, he can or can’t provide. Somehow, she is drawn more like she is fifty plus. The ending of her story arc is divisive.

 

Also,  I don’t get why Bruce, Alfred, Lex, and Jimmy, look the same as they typically look. If Lois is way older than usual, they should be too. This version of Lex is quirky and never feels like Lex. His version of Superman and Batman are the closest to what one would expect, but they are off too. Supergirl never plays any role in this story which one would expect. Krypto does. I think Krypto might have been the smartest character in the book.

 

The ending sets up the potential for more series, but I am not sure if there will be more. This is a sliver age inspired wacky adventure with an ending that left me with mixed feelings. I don’t know how I feel about the very strange ending.  It is really weird. 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/458LWv3

 

I read this through the DC Universe Infinite app.

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2026

Scott's Take: The Bat-Man: Second Knight by Mike Perkins (Author/Illustrator)

The Bat-Man: Second Knight by Mike Perkins is a follow up to The Bat-Man First Knight and is set in the same universe. The plot synopsis online for the trade is only somewhat accurate in my opinion. The car crash does not involve Batman despite what is stated. There is no cult. I did not realize the guy in purple was supposed to be the monk. I don’t think they even call him that.

 

The actual book is about the Scarecrow and a guy in purple killing people and spreading fear gas across Gotham. Set sometime when Germany is marching across Europe at the beginning of World War II, Batman is attempting to stop the killing. He is also with his very scared girlfriend who is back in town to participate in the premier of her new movie.

 

Lois Lane and Clark Kent are also in town for the premier. It is also not long before they are victimized by Scarecrow’s plan. In the wake of that attack, Clark is quickly able to figure out Bruce has his own secrets. Can they find a way to trust each other and work together to stop the attacks?

 

There is action, horror elements, vivid art, and a classic old school Superman. In this story, Superman is way weaker than he is now. He can’t fly. He just jumps really high. Bruce is more of an average man in this story. Jim Gordon is a veteran of World War 1 and has his own fears to deal with as related to gas attacks. This book gave me a new appreciation for how scary gas attacks are. There is a lot of historical elements drawn in to each character’s backstory.

 

I enjoyed this period piece. I hope the series continues, but there is no word at the time of writing this review in early May if it will.

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3R4bdTq

 

I read this by way of Hoopla through the Dallas Public Library System.

 

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2026

Scott's Take: Batman and Robin: Year One by Mark Waid and Illustrator Chris Samnee

Batman and Robin: Year One by Mark Waid, Illustrator Chris Samnee is a miniseries that is set in the past of the current DC Universe. In this story, Robin (Dick Grayson) and Bruce Wayne are still in the early days of their partnership and do not fully trust or understand each other. Can they become true partners? Is Robin ready to be a hero for Gotham? Can they become a family?  Is Bruce ready to be a father? These major questions are at the heart of their dynamic in this story.

 

The actual plot is way more complicated than the plot synopsis. I can’t explain how without including details that are not in the little plot synopsis snippet. To avoid any chance of spoilers, I would say that this is more of a conspiracy/mystery read with those character beats as part of the ongoing narrative.

 

There are a few villains in this story. The art is pretty good with good character expression. This is a humorous story, overall, with some dark elements and a lot of death.

 

Robin is funny as he is a showman throughout the story. Bruce gets to play the exasperated partner and father figure. Alfred and Bruce Gordon also get to play major roles which is nice since in the present day both are currently benched and not prominent anymore.

 

Mark Waid works best when he can write stories set far away from current time so he really shines here. I very much enjoyed this limited miniseries. I think people who are a fan of the duo will enjoy this read.

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4dbtPrX

 

I read this twelve-issue miniseries as it released on the DC Infinite App.

 

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2026

Scott's Take: Batman: Dark Patterns by Dan Watter and illustrated by Hayden Sherman

 

Batman: Dark Patterns by Dan Watter, illustrated by Hayden Sherman, is a read that I read through Hoopla and the DC Universe Infinite App. This is a twelve-issue miniseries where each of the four separate story arcs contain three issues each. These stories are set in Batman’s early career.

 

These tales are supposed to be grounded street level mysteries which means they are not supposed to have supernatural, space aliens, or other fantastical elements. Yet, there are implications in the read that those elements are, in fact, very much present. The read does not match the plot synopsis marketed with the book. This is a mystery series with some horror elements.

 

My favorite of the four separate story arcs was the second one. The tale was clearly inspired by the movie, The Raid. (A way better movie than the sequel.) In the story arc, Batman has to fight his way through an entire apartment building full of people to solve the mystery at the heart of that story.

 

Overall, I enjoyed this miniseries even if each story arc is a bit rushed. If you are looking for some less fantastical Batman reading than the normal fare, this is a book for you.

 

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/48nIbUA

 

Some of this I read by way of the Hoopla App through the Dallas Public Library System and some by way of the DC Universe Infinite App.

 

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2026

Scott's Take: Batman-Santa Claus: Silent Knight Returns by Jeff Parker (Author) and Lukas Ketner (Illustrator)

 

Batman-Santa Claus: Silent Knight Returns by Jeff Parker (Author) and Lukas Ketner (Illustrator) is the sequel to the first Batman- Santa Claus team up book, Batman – Santa Claus: SilentKnight by Jeff Parker, Illustrator Michele Bandini. I read all five issues on DC Infinite and they have not collected it in trade form yet. This means I did not have access to the variant covers. such as the sexy Santa variant, which is supposed to be scratch and sniff. I am glad I do not. Sexy and Santa is not something I want connected in my mind.

 

In this Christmas tale, the Justice League attempts to stop a magical knight who is sucking the life out of random people. The league is quickly defeated and banished by the knight. Mera, Batman, Superman, and others are forced into a pocket dimension away from the world. Robin (Damian) barely escapes and goes to Zatanna for help. Soon Santa joins them. Along the way other heroes join up to rescue their friends such as Mary Marvel and Mrs. Claus.

 

This action-packed Christmas tale with some minor horror elements is a fun fast read with Fairey and Arthurian mythology. Mrs. Claus as a warrior was not something I expected to read. The art is good and several minor heroes get the spotlight who usually don’t get to appear as much. The main covers are really cool and fun. One such cover has Santa making wood figures of the heroes who join as reinforcements midway through the tale.

 

The Flash (Wally) joins in the fun with his horrible new costume. I know this is a nitpick, but his costume is so bad. Its jarring. I really don’t know how someone got that thing approved. You know it’s bad when its being mocked all the time online.

 

The ending sets up potential further adventures for Santa and the League. One hopes they keep this series going as there is setup for more.

 

As noted in the review, at this time, only the five single issues that make up the read are available at the DC Unlimited app. Scroll down to COMIC SERIES.

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2025

Scott's Take: The Bat-Man 1: First Knight by Dan Jurgens, Illustrator Mike Perkins

The Bat-Man 1: First Knight by Dan Jurgens, illustrated by Mike Perkins, is an eleseworld’s tale set in 1939 where a rookie Batman is dealing with fascism on the rise in his city. The effects of the great depression are still being felt. Someone is targeting city officials for assassination. The assassins are all criminals who were executed by the electric chair, but somehow have come back to life. Who is behind these crimes and how are the dead risen again? It is up to Batman and Jim Gordon to try to stop the violence.

 

This elseworld’s tale is billed as “pulp-influenced noir.” I am not sure it is very noir, but it is very pulp. This is a fun read with art that, for the most part, works. I enjoyed this read, but it does play it very safe. This Batman, for the most part, is not very different than your typical Batman. His personality remains the same which seems a shame. One would think that being raised in the thirties would change his perspective compared to most mainstream Batman’s being born much later. It is only three issues but the issues are oversized. Hopefully, if there is a sequel, more can be done to take advantage of the time period.

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3COrqVu  

 

My reading copy came by way of the Hoopla App through the Dallas Public Library System.

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2024

Scott's Take: Batman: City of Madness by Christian Ward

Batman: City of Madness by Christian Ward, who also illustrated it, is the first book I have read by him. He does a really good job on both aspects. This is another standalone elseworlds Batman book. In this comic, Batman of the surface teams up with The Court Of Owls to stop the Batman Below. Secretly, there is another Gotham city below the main Gotham. This dark mirror world’s Batman has left his city to train a Robin in the above. He seeks to merge these two Gotham into one. Doing that would damage reality for all and cause widespread insanity in both levels. Batman of the surface and the Court of Owls will attempt to stop him.

 

This graphic novel is an atmospheric read featuring a decent number of characters. Several characters play a bigger role than the synopsis implies.  Unfortunately, because it is only three issues, there is not a lot of time to go into much detail in this fast paced read. I am a little disappointed that the Gotham Below is not explored as much as it could be.

 

The art is excellent and depicts the cosmic horror really well. There are several disturbing scenes for some readers in regards to body horror. There is a clear setup for a sequel. That setup causes the read to abruptly end. I hate this trend of teasing a sequel that may not even happen.

 

I enjoyed this read despite its flaws. It really needed a longer time to explore the ideas presented, but it is worth reading. 

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4gv1RIE

 

My reading copy came from Hoopla through the Dallas Public Library System. 

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2024 

Scott's Take: Batman Brave and the Bold Volume 1: The Winning Card by Tom King, illustrated by Mitch Gerads

Batman Brave and the Bold Volume 1: The Winning Card by Tom King, illustrated by Mitch Gerads, is a very good standalone story as long as you understand what you are getting. Unlike most Brave and the Bold titles, this is not a team up title. This is a Batman solo title. Putting under the Brave and the Bold titling is misleading in this reader’s opinion.

 

This is another story telling a different version of the first encounters between Batman and Joker. This is a more horrifying and violent version. The Batman thinks he understands the Joker. By the end of the volume, Batman will learn he was very wrong.

 

Told in a unique manner as panels detailing the Joker’s crimes are placed along panels featuring dark jokes from the Joker. This is a very interesting way to tell a story that would only work in a visual medium like comics. Mitch Gerads is a really talented artist and does an excellent job in his use of shadows and lighting to high parts of the story. His art showcased here is frankly terrifying.

 

Collecting only four issues, this Eisner winning series is very short, but very fun. However, a lot of the points made at the end have been made by other writers utilizing the same arguments. Don’t get me wrong --this is a good Joker vs Batman story. The actual story is really good.  I just wish the arguments made at the end were original. They have been done so many times that I am tired of them.

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4ebnFrr

 

My reading copy came by way of the Hoopla app through the Dallas Public Library System.

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2024

Scott's Take: Catwoman: Lonely City by Cliff Chang

Catwoman: Lonely City by Cliff Chang takes place in one of the many Elseworld Universes. It is set ten years after Batman and Joker died in an event that killed many others. Catwoman, Selina Kyle, was sent to prison and Two Face used that event to become Mayor. Catwoman is now out and seeking to figure out what Orpheus is as that was the last thing Bruce Wayne, Batman, said to her before he died. Because she believes that the answer might be in the Batcave, she is planning a break in to the Batcave.

 

In doing several things before the break in, she becomes a symbol for the people of Gotham who wish to fight back against the tyranny of Two Face who is ruling the city through fear and police brutality.

 

Featuring legendary artist Cliff Chang who is writing this four-issue book, this read is pretty good despite the fact it is a short series.  Cliff Chang’s art is excellent as usual, even though some of his faces could use a little work since some of them look very similar to each other.

 

One wishes more time could have been spent exploring the actual events of Batman’s death. Some of it is explained through flashbacks, but they come across as rushed parts of the book. There is an interesting wrinkle that is not really explored in this book as the Joker remained his usual vicious self, but several of the other villains in Gotham were less bloodthirsty and kinder in this universe. Riddler is claimed to have never killed anyone. In this book, Riddler is clean now after having a cocaine addiction that caused him to battle wits with Batman. He also was married and had a kid. Things like this are not explored enough.

 

I did like how they compensated for Selina being older and how things would be physically harder for her. The art was also very good, as mentioned previously.

 

I enjoyed Catwoman: Lonely City, but it is very rushed. Four issues were not long enough to give this storyline to breathe. This is a Black Label book, so that means that there are darker issues at work here than the normal books. One should graphic death, graphic violence, and a somewhat graphic sex scene. This is not a book for kids and that includes a pretty gruesome death scene that might disturb some adult readers.

 

 

My reading came from the White Rock Hills Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2023

Scott's Take: DC vs Vampires vol 1 by James Tynion

DC vs Vampires vol 1 by James Tynion collects the first six issues of the new elseworld’s series. In this series, the vampires are being led by a new leader and have decided to break the peace between humanity and vampires. The vampires are planning on wiping out most of humanity and leaving the rest as cattle for their hunger. They have infiltrated the supervillain and hero communities. The supervillain community has suffered tremendous losses already. It is up to Batman and Green Arrow to uncover the truth. They both are operating separate investigations in which they attempting to uncover who has been turned while also gathering their closest allies for war.

 

This is a gory violent tale that operates on b-movie horror logic and is quite enjoyable as long as you can turn off your brain a bit. The art is nice and especially horrifying in several scenes. Of course, there is mass death. A decent knowledge of the DC universe is needed for this tale for maximum effect since some characters only get a few pages before dying horribly. I am looking forward to the second volume in the series as well as the collection of tie ins and comics that take place during Volume 1 and Volume 2.

 

 

My read came via the Hoopla app through the Dallas Public Library System.

 

Scott Tipple ©2022

Scott's Take: Batman: The Detective by Tom Taylor

 
Batman: The Detective by Tom Taylor is an Elseworld’s tale that features a much older Batman. After a series of grisly murders in Europe, Batman leaves Gotham and goes overseas to find the culprits who are killing people that Batman has saved. They call themselves “Equilibrium” and must be stopped. Along the way Batman will be joined by some of his European allies.

 

This is an action-packed tale with plenty of violence and character exploration. This version of Batman is older, even more cynical, and worn down by life. If you are a Batman fan who is looking for a tale that takes Batman far away from Gotham, then you should enjoy this. I enjoyed Batman: The Detective by Tom Taylor.

 

 

My reading copy came via the Hoopla App and the Dallas Public Library System.

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2022

Scott's Take: Batman: The Court Of Owls Saga by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo

Batman: The Court Of Owls Saga by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo collects the first 11 issues of the New 52 Batman run by Snyder and Capullo plus bonus material such as a script and sketches. This edition only includes the main issues and not the various tie ins that take place and add to the story. In this book, Batman and company face off against the Court Of Owls. They are a secret society that allegedly controls Gotham though many folks believe they are a myth. Even Batman believed them to not exist and be a myth until he is forced to reconsider as the Court of Owls make their move to take back Gotham city.

While that is the basic plot premise, far more is going on in the read. It is hard to go into much detail without ruining various plot points. One can say that the read is an action-packed tale that utilizes the history of Gotham and the Wayne family to tell a story full of intrigue and suspense. It will take Batman and his allies everything they have to stop the Court of Owls.

The art is amazing and the writing is spectacular. There is plenty of violence and cinematic battles between Batman and the assassins of the Court of Owls. The villains created in this tale are great.

I highly recommend Batman: The Court Of Owls Saga by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo for Batman fans.

 

 

My reading copy came from the Arcadia Park Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.

 

Scott A. Tipple © 2022

Should Be A National Holday

 

Scott's Take: Batman: White Knight by Sean Murphy

 

Batman: White Knight by Sean Murphy is another Batman book that is part of DC Black Label line of books. As such, that means it is a non-canon Elseworlds tale and is intended for adult readers as it will be more violent and features adult content.

 

In this graphic novel, the Joker is cured of his insanity and becomes plain old Jack Napier again. He then decides to call himself the White Knight and embarks on a quest the city of Gotham. He intends to expose the corruption of the wealthy of Gotham, GCPD, and turn the city against the Batman. At least that is the initial premise of this tale, but of course things do not stay that simple for long.

 

Since this is an Elseworlds tale, the author was allowed to create different versions of the Joker and the Batman than commonly depicted by most writers. This Batman is more violent and is clearly a more traumatized Batman then what readers normally get to see. This Joker officially has a less violent reputation and is a more of a redeemable human being than most depictions of the Joker. The author tries to write the Joker as a more heroic character than normal while writing Batman as a loose cannon vigilante.

 

The supporting cast of this tale is rather large and includes various Gotham villains, and heroes. The main characters in this graphic novel are Batman, Harley Quinn, and The Joker. This is an action packed read that raises very philosophical questions about the DC universe and features detailed artwork. Batman: White Knight by Sean Murphy is very good and launched a series of graphic novels that are pretty good too. This series is continued in Batman: Curse of The White Knight.

 

 

My reading copy came from the Lochwood Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2022

Scott's Take: The Next Batman: Second Son by John Ridley

The Next Batman: Second Son by John Ridley collects the twelve-issue digital first series into four physical issues bound together. This read will be confusing for readers that have not read the current Batman run by James Tynion as well as parts of Future State by John Ridley that dealt with the Bat family set five years into a possible future within in the DC universe. The Next Batman: Second Son after the events of Joker War and A-Day, Lucius Fox has become the head of Wayne Enterprises and is now the proud owner of most of Bruce Wayne’s money. Lucius Fox is suffering from the effects of being tortured by Joker’s new girlfriend, Punchline, and is not adjusting well to being the richest person in Gotham. Lucius wants his family together to deal with the changes in his life now and he forces his adult son, Tim Fox, who these days by “Jace” to come home to Gotham and face their past together. Jace Fox has no desire to be back in Gotham or part of the family again. He left everything and everyone behind for reasons that are explained in this read.

For those who do not know, Jace is supposed to become the next Batman in a possible future. This is his origin story on why he chose to become the Batman.

 

This book is part action, part thriller, and part family drama. The Fox family is a highly dysfunctional group of individuals where no one has dealt with their own personal past nor have they dealt with any of the issues between each other. Each one is very broken by his or her past. This is a story about power, privilege, and ignoring your responsibilities. Jace and the rest of the Fox family will need to grow up and come to terms with their own individual demons as well as relationship issues if they truly want to fix things and be a family again.  

 

The Next Batman: Second Son by John Ridley is good as long as you can deal with the fact that pretty much everyone involved in the book thinks they are the good guy and is totally wrong about that fact. This read is pretty hard to follow if you are not caught up with the DC Universe and the current status quo of Batman right now. This origin story is billed as a complete story and it is not. Actually, this just part one and ends with a cliffhanger. The second part is from the same author and currently is just available in yet another digital first series. That series is called I Am Batman and will be collected into a physical book at some point.

 

The Next Batman: Second Son by John Ridley is an interesting read despite those two caveats.

 

The Next Batman: Second Son

John Ridley

https://www.dccomics.com/talent/john-ridley

DC Comics

https://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/the-next-batman-second-son

ISBN# 1779513607

September 2021

Hardback (also available in digital format)

128 Pages 

 

Material came by way of the Forest Green Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2021

Totally Justified

 

Scott's Take: Batman: Last Knight on Earth by Scott Snyder and art by Greg Capullo

Batman: Last Knight on Earth by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo is a DC Black Label title that is an adult orientated tale and not for young kids or sensitive readers of any age. This graphic novel is by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. This creative team created one of the most well-regarded modern runs for a Batman series. They had an incredible decade long run with Scott Snyder writing the stories and Greg Capullo doing the impressive artwork. This book is billed as their last time working together on a Batman graphic novel, so they really pulled out all the stops.

 

Batman wakes up twenty years into the future in Arkham Asylum and quickly figures out things are way different then he remembers. He manages to get outside of the Asylum and ventures off into this broken new world to figure out what has happened to the planet and humanity. His traveling companion, who tells a good portion of the story himself, is Joker who is not all there literally or figuratively. Being decapitated can really screwup your memories and Joker has gaps. Joker was decapitated and had his still alive head stuck in a jar which was then subsequently buried deep in the sand for two decades. Batman and the bodiless Joker in a jar must faces various horrors to uncover the truth about this nightmarish world. They will encounter various heroes and villains and see some things.

 

Batman: Last Night on Earth is a great book featuring amazing art. I highly recommend pretty much any book by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo working together because they do a spectacular job when they combine their talents. This is a very good book, but it is meant as the epic finish to their prior work. While it could be read by itself, the read could be a bit confusing as it is meant for those readers who have been following on the entire series. Because it is designed as their grand finale, the book pretty much features every major hero and villain in the DC universe as well as everyone who is important to Batman whether they are a hero or villain.

 

It is a great read.

 

Batman: Last Night on Earth

Scott Snyder

https://www.dccomics.com/talent/scott-snyder

Greg Capullo

https://www.dccomics.com/talent/greg-capullo

DC Black Label

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Category:DC_Black_Label

April 2020

ISBN# 978-1-4012-9596-0

Hardback (also available in eBook format)

184 Pages 

 

My reading copy came from the Timberglen Branch of the Dallas Public Library System. 

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2020

Scott's Take: Batman: The Court Of Owls by Greg Cox

Batman: The Court Of Owls by Greg Cox is a recently released original novel that acts as quasi-sequel to the Court of Owls debut comics by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. Those comics are highly recommended and started off an acclaimed Batman run by that team during the New 52 which ran for several years as well as numerous other tie-in books. While I recommend the Court of Owls comic series, the first two volumes are the best. However, one does not have to have ever read those volumes since the Court Of Owls and Batman’s history with them is explained in the first few chapters of Batman: The Court Of Owls.  

The Court Of Owls and their fearsome servants, The Talons, are some of the best villains to make their debut in recent years. They are a great addition to Batman’s rogue gallery. For those who do not know, a “rogue’s gallery” is the term used to describe the collection of villains, antagonists, and ne’er-do-wells that work against the superhero. 

The Court of Owls is an evil society of rich people that have controlled Gotham from the shadows since the founding of Gotham. They are the power and force behind everything that happens and they seek to maintain their control of everything in the age of Superheroes and Supervillains. Serving them are their fearsome assassins called Talon’s. These are children that have been trained and brainwashed and raised to do the bidding of the Court of Owls. These now adults have also been augmented with a significant healing factor that allows them to, despite the severity of injury that would kill a normal person within minutes, regenerate what is needed to live and fight again.

The Court has a long history with Gotham and with the Wayne family and therefore things are very personal between the two groups. They pose a serious threat to Batman as well as Bruce Wayne. They know that Bruce Wayne is Batman. They have the numbers, the soldiers, the tech, the resources, and more to match Batman and his team of heroes pound for pound.

In this novel Batman investigates the torture and murder of a college professor by one of the Talons. Why would a fearsome society of evil kill a college professor? What information were they trying to extract from him? What happened and why are just some of the questions in this novel. The professor’s death was also very unusual even for Gotham. He apparently died as a result of being burned from the inside out. It appears that either just after or during torture, he spontaneously combusted. How is that possible? Each answer Batman uncovers raises more questions.

Batman: The Court Of Owls also raises fundamental questions such as is Gotham Batman’s city or the Courts? If the bad guys have controlled Gotham since the founding, can Batman really ever save the city? Will Gotham always belong to the Court of Owls? Can Batman, Alfred, and Nightwing ignore the family history with the Court and focus on how best to deal with the Court of Owls. If members of their families fell to the Court, what chance do they have against the descendants of the Court? This fight is not just about the city, but it is about the legacy of their families and the history of Gotham.

Batman: The Court Of Owls by Greg Cox is a novel that is equal parts action and detective work. A lot of Batman stories ignore the detective aspects of Batman. This novel does not do that and is filled with multiple mysteries at work. The read features Jim Gordon, Alfred, Batgirl, and Nightwing and those characters are also extremely well done. The novel is also filled with less important details that are fun for Batman nerds who enjoy the lesser known parts of Gotham’s history.

I also enjoyed the fact that Batgirl and Nightwing were capable heroes in their own right throughout the novel. In a lot of Batman novels I have read, there is tendency to make the younger heroes appear incompetent or a burden to Batman. This author understands that if they were either then Batman would never have trained them in the first place.

I also enjoyed how Batman cares about the people he saves and how he watches over them throughout their life. This mystery read is a really good book featuring a newer villain that many outside of the comic reading public are not aware exists. Batman: The Court Of Owls by Greg Cox is a great Batman novel and well worth your time.

Batman: The Court Of Owls

Greg Cox

http://www.gregcox-author.com/

Titan Books

https://titanbooks.com/

February 2019

ISBN# 9781785658167

Hardback (also available in digital and paperback formats)

Pages 336 Pages

Material supplied by the Bachman Lake Branch of the Dallas Public Library System.

Scott A. Tipple ©2019