[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writers: Tom Taylor, Marv Wolfman and Michael W. Conrad
Art: Daniele Di Nicuolo, Bruno Redondo and Howard Porter
Colors: Adriano Lucas and Hi-Fi
Letters: Wes Abbott

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

It’s Dick Grayson’s birthday, and after a mission with Tim and Damian he faces a bigger threat…receiving the Key to the CIty of Bludhaven.

Positives

Some have criticized Tom Taylor’s run on Nightwing for not moving fast enough and settling into too many stories that are no more than “look how great Dick Grayson is” plots.  A couple issues ago I commented that it was clear that Taylor had settled in for the  long game with the Heartless storyline.  Taken together, this is a defining run for Nightwing.  Nightwing #113 not only continues to focus on Dick Grayson’s character and relationships, for my money the most significant part of any story, but also throws in some celebration (this SHOULD be issue #300) as well as a tease for what will be a definitive encounter with Heartless in the upcoming “Fallen Grayson” arc which will also be Taylor and Bruno Redondo’s swan song on the title.

Nightwing #113 opens with a fun action sequence with Dick, Tim Drake and Damian Wayne as they work a mission together.  Taylor peppers it with revealing and purposeful dialogue that not only propels the issue, but works the overall characterization of the three as well as supporting characters like Batman and Barbara Gordon.  This sections absolutely sings and is a “how to” balance story and character.

The majority of the issue is similar.  Dick receives the Key to the City from his sister, the mayor, and along the way Taylor makes the character bits stand out.  Not only does Bruce Wayne get a compliment on his parenting from Melinda’s mother, but Dick forces Barbara into the spotlight as he makes sure she is honored for her work as well.  These bits build these characters and the relationships between them.  It seems like a no brainer that Dick and Babs will at the very least be engaged to be married by the end of this run.  It’s a logical conclusion.

Positives Cont’d

Taylor turns over the scripting duties to comic book legend Marv Wolfman for a short sequence (illustrated by Bruno Redondo) that is as much from Marv’s own point of view as it is his in-story stand-in Marv (of Marv and George’s Pizza- George Perez that is).  It serves not only as a tribute to Nightwing/ Dick Grayson, but also to George Perez who passed nearly two years ago.  It’s a special moment that might get you a little misty.  The issue concludes with Heartless commencing the final stage of his plan to take out Dick Grayson.  

The second story by Michael W. Conrad and Howard Porter is a neat “silent” story in the tradition of “Silent Interlude” from G.I. Joe- A Real American Hero #21 and the opening sequence of Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 (1968).  Conrad and Porter present a five minute incident as Nightwing has to get on a train and defuse a bomb.  Slow down with this one in order to experience the excitement and Porter’s art.  Conrad uses a ticking clock throughout to give the reader a sense of the passage of time that is very effective.  Porter, inking himself on this story, appears to be channeling the legendary Gene Colan.  Porter’s linework and use of shadows seems evident of Colan’s influence.  It also serves as an argument that Porter should ink himself.

Negatives

While Di Nicuolo turns in a fine job on most of the art on the main story, Redondo has been missed for a lot of recent issues.  He’s as much a part of the success of this series as writer, Taylor.  It’s a shame the legacy numbering will only appear as an acknowledgement on this issue and won’t be reflected on future issues as the only numbering.  Dick Grayson deserves that.

Verdict

Nightwing #113 is a wonderful set up for the final Taylor/ Redondo arc.  Taylor reinforces the focus on character and relationship (including some not mentioned above), but prepares the reader for what will surely be a massive encounter between Dick and Heartless.  To top it off the issue is rounded out by a well conceived and beautifully illustrated story by Conrad and Porter, respectively.

The post Review: Nightwing #113- Legacy #300 appeared first on DC Comics News.

So sit back, and enjoy!

DCN PODCAST #170

What are we covering this week?

• The Passing of Legendary Artist Joe Giella
  
• Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn & Burning Arkham Asylum Spotted On Set Of Joker: Folie a Deux
• Zack Snyder Announces DC-themed Convention
• James Gunn Debunks Superman Casting Rumor
• Blue Beetle Trailer Coming Soon
• The Flash Official Rating Revealed
• Shazam: Fury Of The Gods Digital Release Date Revealed
  
• Tim Drake’s Robin Costume From Titans Revealed
• Trailer For Titans Season 4, Part 2 Released
• Sweet Tooth Season 2 Trailer Released
• Flash/Arrow Crossover Episode Coming Soon
• DC Reinvents Batman & Joker’s First Encounter In The Brave and The Bold
• New Costumes For Oliver Queen, Connor Hawke, and Arsenal Revealed
• DC Teases The Murder Of A Teen Titan
• Tom King Writing New Penguin Series
• WonderCon Shows Off Dawn Of DC Preview

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The post DCN Podcast #170: First Look At Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn, Zack Snyder Reveals Convention Plans appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Chip Zdarsky

Artists: Mike Hawthorne, Adriano Di Benedetto, Miguel Mendonca

Colours: Tomeu Morey, Roman Stevens

Letters: Clayton Cowles

Reviewed By: Derek McNeil

Summary

Batman #133: Everyone goes insane eventually. And then they belong to the terrifying Red Mask! But Gotham City has a new savior. He strikes from the shadows, exhumes the dead, and is known only as…the Batman. And in our backup story, Tim Drake’s search for Batman continues as he and Superman, Jon Kent, team up to stop the terror of the Toyman!

Positives

There is much that I enjoyed in Chip Zdarsky’s Batman #133, but my absolute favourite part is Bruce’s interaction with the Alfred Pennyworth of this parallel Earth. With Alfred having died in the main DCU, we only get to occasionally Bruce interact with him in flashbacks, hallucinations, or dreams. But this time, Bruce is interacting with a real live Alfred. It may not be the Alfred we know, but he appears to be the same character at heart.

Bruce tells this world’s Alfred,

…I’m from another universe. And the Alfred Pennyworth of my universe… was a kind man who stood up to evil. I’m here to do just that… I’ll do everything in my power to make things right… because an Alfred Pennyworth raised me.”

Something that is sometimes overlooked by many Batman writers is that Alfred was just as much of a father figure to Bruce as Thomas Wayne – if not more. It’s great to see that Zdarsky understands this crucial piece of the Batman mythos. And I like that Bruce gets the chance to express his love and appreciation to Alfred for this upbringing, even if it’s not his Alfred.

Another interesting facet of this story is seeing Bruce re-establishing himself as Batman, but without the benefit of Wayne Industries’ resources. It was somewhat teased that we would see Bruce operate without these resources in the wake of The Joker War. However, his career as Batman seems to have gone mostly unaffected, other than a change of residence.

But now we see that Bruce has had to cobble together a somewhat makeshift costume and weapons. Hawthorne and Di Benedetto have done a great job designing a lower tech Batsuit – possible too good. It looks good enough that it must have been somewhat expensive for Bruce to make. Not millions, but it must have cost at least several hundred at least. How did Bruce manage to accomplish this?

Positives Cont.

Bruce does make an interesting discovery. As far as this world is concerned, their Bruce Wayne was killed years ago. But Bruce discovers that the Bruce Wayne that died is from yet another parallel Earth. This raises some important questions. What universe is this Bruce Wayne from? And what happened to this world’s Bruce? Is he still on this Earth or on another, or is he also dead? Zdarsky has given Bruce quite the intriguing and off-beat mystery to solve.

Bruce’s encounters with the Riddler and Judge Dent show that Batman doesn’t need his fancy gadgets to be Batman. They’re tools that he makes uses of, but Bruce is every bit the badass as ever, even without them. And this world’s villains don’t stand a chance against him.

Batman #133’s backup story continues Tim Drake’s quest to find and bring Bruce back to the main DCU Earth. To this end, he has tracked down Toyman, who created the weapon that sent Bruce to another universe.

Toyman has fled to yet another universe, and Tim aims to bring him back to help figure out where in the Multiverse, Bruce was sent. Importantly, Tim also makes a point of bringing all the victims Toyman abducted to this parallel Earth. Tim’s ultimate aim is to get Bruce back, but helping others takes priority. Just as Bruce learned this from Alfred, Tim learned it from Bruce.

Negatives

I am a bit confused about one thing in the backup story. Tim wears an outfit designed for multiversal travel. It’s quite a striking design from Miguel Mendonca, but it looks nothing like a Robin costume in either design or colours. But Toyman recognizes him immediately on sight as being a Robin. I don’t see how he possibly could have done so.

The only hint of his Robin costume is his mask, which is barely visible under the shaded glass of the helmet’s faceplate. It’s conceivable, if unlikely, that a Batman villain might be familiar enough with Robin to recognize him. But Toyman is a Superman villain. If the story called for Toyman to recognize Tim as a Robin, then the uniform should have somehow marked him as Robin, like the R-symbol or the distinctive red/green/yellow colour scheme.

However, this is a minor issue, and doesn’t really detract from the story. So, I can easily overlook it.

Verdict

Zdarsky’s “The Bat-Man of Gotham City” is proving to be a very thought-provoking storyline. It’s an intriguing examination of how Bruce would fare in a very different version of Gotham. But, Zdarsky shows us that Bruce is up to the challenge. Because being Batman is Bruce’s destiny, regardless of which version of Gotham City he may find himself in.

The post Review: Batman #133 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Chip Zdarsky

Artists: Mike Hawthorne, Adriano Di Benedetto, Miguel Mendonca

Colours: Tomeu Morey, Roman Stevens

Letters: Clayton Cowles

Reviewed By: Derek McNeil

Summary

Batman #132: The mean streets of Gotham City have gotten meaner as the likes of Harvey Dent and Killer Croc roam free, brutalizing the population. Where is Batman and why hasn’t he responded to the cries of a city in peril?! Can Bruce Wayne find the answers before the mysterious Red Mask captures him? And in the backup story, Tim Drake’s hunt for Batman continues. Will Metropolis’s newest Superman, Jon Kent, be able to help the Boy Wonder with this Multiversal mystery, or will they both run afoul of an overpowered Toyman?!

Positives

The conclusion of the Chip Zdarsky’s Failsafe storyline made it appear that Failsafe had killed The Batman. However, Bruce finds himself on another Earth in the Multiverse. Over two issues, we have seen Bruce discovering more about this strange new world. And a fascinating world it is indeed.

Most notably, it seems that this world’s Bruce Wayne is either dead, having had little impact on this world’s Gotham City. There is not Wayne Enterprises. And most striking, this world has never had a Batman.

But most fascinating is the alternate versions of familiar characters. Some of them seem to be mashups of two Earth-0 characters. Judge Dent is a combination of Two-Face, the Joker. And Red Mask appears to be a mix of Red Hood and Black Mask. I suspect that this is not Jason Todd, but this world’s Joker, who was the original Red Hood in the main DCU. Bruce recognizes the man who would be the Joker on his home Earth. And it seems quite possible that this could be Red Mask out of costume.

Also Bruce encounters this world’s Selina Kyle. It’s not revealed if she’s Catwoman on this Earth, but she is just as formidable. I don’t know if Zdarsky consciously intended it, but I find this story reflects Bruce’s first encounter with Selina in Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One. In both cases, Bruce is in disguise, but not in his Batman identity. And in both cases, he finds himself woefully unprepared for the encounter.

Positives Cont.

I also find it noteworthy that this world’s Alfred Pennyworth is still alive and in a relationship with Leslie Thompkins. This is a pairing we have seen before in the DCeased universe. If Alfred is ever brought back from the dead in the DCU, it might be interesting to for this relationship to be explored in the main DCU world.

And there is a moment of mutual recognition between Bruce and Alfred that promises an emotional encounter between them in a later chapter of the story. At least I hope so, as I would be quite disappointed in Zdarsky if this brief encounter doesn’t have a payoff later in the story.

Also, Bruce is helped out by a young girl who calls herself Jewel, but her actual name is Julia. Could she be this world’s version of Alfred’s daughter Julia Pennyworth? Or is it just a coincidence? It could add an interesting wrinkle to the story, but it wouldn’t be detrimental to the story if she isn’t Alfred’s daughter.

But I think the most intriguing and unexpected character Bruce encounters is James Gordon. He appears as a skeleton complete with trench coat, mustache, and signature pipe. And Bruce is the only one who can see or hear him. Is this Commissioner Gordon a recurring hallucination? Or is this world’s James Gordon a supernatural entity that Bruce can see for some unknown reason? I hope Zdarsky reveals what’s going on with this bizarre version of Gordon before wrapping up this storyline.

Positives Cont.

Also, I wonder why Bruce hasn’t encountered any of this world’s versions of the Bat-Family beyond Alfred. With no Batman on this world, it makes sense that they wouldn’t adopt Bat-themed superhero identities. But at least some of them should exist in this Gotham City in their civilian identities. But Bruce so far hasn’t encountered Dick Grayson, Barbara Gordon, Tim Drake, or any of the others. So where are they?

I really like how Zdarsky shows that Bruce is compelled to help the people of this version of Gotham City. He can’t ignore the plight of this world’s Gothamites, so he prioritizes them over his quest to return to his own world. As Bruce narrates:

Every Gotham is my Gotham. I want to go home, but… they need help out of this. To strike fear into the the people who need it”.

So Bruce resolves to become the Batman this world needs so that he can strike fear into the hearts of this Gotham’s criminals. How he will do so without Bruce’s wealth, access to technology, or any superhero allies should prove fascinating. Can Bruce succeed as Batman with his training being his only advantage? Of course he can, he’s the Batman. But it will be fascinating to see how he manages to do so.

In he backup story, Tim Drake continues his quest to find out what actually happened to Bruce. With the help of Superman Jon Kent and Mister Terrific, he determines that Bruce is lost somewhere on a parallel Earth. So, he sets off to follow Bruce into the Multiverse. But will he end up on the same Earth as Bruce?

The world he ends up on doesn’t seem to be the one Bruce is on, but perhaps it’s the same world, just not that Earth’s Gotham City.  But before he can investigate to find out if he’s on the right Earth, he has to contend with the original Toyman. I expect that Tim will be up to dealing with this classic Superman villain. But it will provide an exciting battle. And it will likely take a lighter tone than to balance out the more dramatic and intense events in the main story.

Negatives

I can’t really find any fault with either story. Zdarsky has set up an intriguing story for both Batman and Robin. He clearly knows what he’s doing. And the art in both stories is fantastic. I can’t even find any minor faults to quibble over. Hopefully, the remainder of the storyline will continue to be just as excellent. And the art in both stories is similarly excellent.

Verdict

Batman #132 continues the compelling “The Bat-Man of Gotham” storyline. Zdarsky has set up an intriguing story that is unlike the usual Batman story. If Zdarsky keeps up the same level of quality that he has achieved in the first two chapters, this story will likely be remembered as a classic Batman story.

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The post Review: Batman #132 appeared first on DC Comics News.

The classic Superman villain, under the hand of Chip Zdarsky with art by Miguel Mendonça, begins as a backup story entitled “The Toy Box.” In Batman #131, he is first hinted at during the aftermath of the “Failsafe” plot, featuring Tim Drake and Jon Kent as they try to determine what became of Batman in the Arctic. Although the plot revolves around the weapon used on Batman by the rogue AI, both heroes conclude there is only one man who could tell them about it but is listed as deceased, and it’s followed by a silhouette that is obviously Toyman.

Toyman Holds The Key To Batman’s Whereabouts? How?

In “The Toy Box,” Winslow Schott is revealed to have upgraded his methods by creating entire toy-based worlds for his victims as part of his pursuit of the fun in creating worlds with toys. “Those precious moments when I was a boy creating worlds and battles. Now those worlds are real. Now the toys are everything. And I am their god.” The story concludes with Jon informing Tim that Schott had died by suicide, but left clues behind about the weapon.

This is not the first time Toyman was taken in a dark direction. Created in 1943 by Don Cameron and Ed Dobrotka, Winslow Percival Schott was initially a whimsical, toy-based prankster that abducted children and pestered Superman.  But in the 90s, Schott became a child killer, having murdered Cat Grant’s young son and assumed a shaven head and black suit. This was later retconned to be one of Schott’s lifelike toy robots gone rogue, as he had never harmed a child before.

Here is a synopsis of the upcoming issue:

Batman #132
(W) Chip Zdarsky (A) Mike Hawthorne, Adriano Di Benedetto (CA) Jorge Jimenez  The mean streets of Gotham City have gotten meaner as the likes of Harvey Dent and Killer Croc roam free, brutalizing the population. Where is Batman and why hasn’t he responded to the cries of a city in peril?! Can Bruce Wayne find the answers before the mysterious Red Mask captures him? And in the backup story, Tim Drake’s hunt for Batman continues. Will Metropolis’s newest Superman, Jon Kent, be able to help the Boy Wonder with this Multiversal mystery, or will they both run afoul of an overpowered Toyman?! 

Batman #131 is currently on stands and online.

Official Source – DC Revives Classic Superman Villain for Wild New Batman Story (comicbook.com)

The post Toyman Borrowed From Superman…To Solve Batman’s Disappearance? appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Developer: WB Games Montreal

Publisher: Warner Bros. Games

Platforms: Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows

Voice Cast: Christopher Sean, America Young, Stephan Oyoung, Sloane Morgan Siegel, Gildart Jackson, Michael Antonakos

Reviewer: Derek McNeil

Thanks go to Warner Bros. Games for providing a free copy of Gotham Knights Deluxe Edition.

Summary

Gotham Knights is a brand-new open-world, third-person action RPG featuring the Batman Family, as players step into the roles of Batgirl, Nightwing, Red Hood, and Robin, a new guard of trained DC Superheroes who must rise up as the new protectors of Gotham City in the wake of Batman’s death.

Positives

During the week leading up to its release, Gotham Knights has become a rather divisive game. Details about the game’s specs came to light that did not meet the expectations of many players. Thus, gamers have been divided into those for whom these drawbacks are a minor consideration and those who feel they are unforgivable. And gamers seem split over whether the game is terrific or merely mediocre.

I fall into the former group. I found the game to be addictive, and fun, and I’ve loved nearly every moment of gameplay. There is much to love about this game, and after a week of playing, I am still discovering more things to love about it.

First, I would like to state that I find the basic concept of the game to be a rather daring risk. I would think that just making a Batman game would be almost assured to be a financial success. But WB Montreal made the risky move of making a Batman game without Batman himself, and instead focusing on his former sidekicks. In doing so, they have at least attempted to do something new by shifting the focus onto Batman’s supporting cast.

Positives Cont.

You are able to freely switch between all four characters, each of whom has their own particular playstyle. Nightwing has a very acrobatic style. Robin focuses on stealth and tech. Red Hood is a brick who uses non-lethal guns and some mystical abilities derived from his exposure to a Lazarus Pit. And Barbara is the most Batman-like in fighting style.

As a mediocre gamer, I love it when a game doesn’t punish you for choosing an easier mode. Choosing a lower difficulty setting does not lock you off from earning any achievements or trophies, or from any sections of the game. For even the most lackluster players, choosing the “Very Easy” difficulty option will let you feel like an invincible superhero. But for hardcore gamers who want a challenge, there are more punishing difficulty settings as well.

This isn’t quite the same DCU that we’re familiar with from the comics. The most notable difference is the absence of Damian Wayne from this world’s history. However, there are tons of references that make it clear that much of the DCU exists beyond Gotham. You receive e-mails from Superman, Wonder Woman, Black Canary, Conner Kent, and others. And there are many references in the game world itself. For example, the Monarch Theatre features Brother Power the Geek on the marquee. And watchful players can spot posters for performances by Zatara and Mucous Membrane inside.

Positives Cont.

One reference that I absolutely loved was in the naming of one of Gotham’s boroughs. Luthor’s henchman Otis from Superman: The Movie has finally gotten his wish to have a town named Otisburg in his honor.

And as a nice added touch, there are tributes to Batman creators in landmarks and street names. There are also memorial plaques dedicated to creators that have recently passed. I’ve found one for Neal Adam and another for George Perez. And I’m keeping my eyes out to see if they included ones for Denny O’Neil, John Paul Leon, or others that we’ve recently lost.

I also like that the game is fully playable alone. Gotham Knights doesn’t force you to partner up to complete certain objectives. However, if you enjoy multiplayer, you can drop in and out of other players’ games to help them out or send out an SOS when you need help. Or you can play together with a friend. Personally, I prefer the single-player experience, so I appreciate that I am not limited in any way by the multiplayer features.

Negatives

The major issue that some have taken exception to is that the game only contains one graphics mode, 4K in 30 frames per second. Many new games available on the current console generation also offer a “performance mode” that lowers the resolution but increases the framerate to 60 FPS. They feel that a 60 FPS mode is now a standard for this generation’s games. To compound this, WB only revealed this in the week before release. This left some upset about preordering the game under the assumption that it would have a performance mode.

Personally, I had little difficulty playing the game at 30 FPS. On the other hand, I’ve only had my Xbox Series X for about a month, so I haven’t had much time to become accustomed to 60 FPS yet. But on the whole, the lack of performance mode is not a major drawback for me.

There is also the complaint that WB initially planned to support the previous generation of consoles (Xbox One and PlayStation 4) but then decided to focus on the new generation consoles instead. I can’t say that I blame WB for making this decision. At some point, new games are going to stop supporting the older generation – especially now that consumers are actually able to get the newer consoles.

However, I can also empathize with those still stuck with the previous generation of consoles. If I hadn’t been able to finally get my hands on a Series X, I would definitely be bitter that I was missing out on this game.

Negatives Cont.

On the whole, I didn’t encounter much in the line of graphical glitches or bugs myself, with a couple of exceptions. I did notice that the framerate sometimes drops when riding the Batcycle around town. I found this a bit distracting, but not problematic. It didn’t cause any lasting harm or add any difficulty to the gameplay.

The other was a bit more problematic, as it causes a mission to be failed. There is one type of side mission called “Criminal Stronghold”, where you have to defeat all the criminals in the hideout and rescue a few hostages. However, when this mission takes place in the city’s Planetarium, I found that one of the criminals is non-responsive, and unfortunately completely invincible. But you cannot complete the mission without defeating him, so your own option is to abandon and therefore fail the mission.

Fortunately, that failure has no lasting repercussions outside of the mission itself. And it’s well worth attempting, as you get XP (experience points) for defeating the other enemies, as well as giving access to three chests full of crafting resources. You just don’t get the final reward of XP and resources for completing the mission.

Negatives Cont.

I also have heard a few complaints about the design of Gotham itself. Some players dislike that Gotham City is not the dark gothic city that appears in recent comics, movies, and video games. Instead, it’s a Gotham that looks like most modern cities with a mix of older buildings and several newer towers of glass and steel.

While gothic Gotham has been more common in recent years, I feel that a more modern Gotham is still a valid artistic choice. This game very much evokes the Gotham City in the comics of the 70s that I grew up reading. There were the shinier, newer buildings in the richer parts of the city, but also the older, crumbling buildings in the rougher parts of town – as well as buffer areas with a mix of both. Sure, it’s not quite the Gotham City in most current media, but it’s not an unprecedented interpretation either.

Verdict

Gotham Knights is an absolutely fantastic experience with addicting gameplay. I have enjoyed nearly every moment of gameplay so far. I have enjoyed it so much that it will be one of the few games that have inspired me to launch an immediate second playthrough. While Gotham Knights does have a few rough edges, I suspect that they will be addressed in game patches before too long.

The post Video Game Review: Gotham Knights appeared first on DC Comics News.

DC made some explosive announcements pertaining to The Dark Knight at New York Comic Con 2022. The world of Batman will be expanding in 2023 with two new series, as well as new talent on Detective Comics, and the Riddler miniseries written by Paul Dano, which starts in November 2022.

As announced back in March, as part of DC’s popular Black Label series, Riddler: Year One will delve back into the world of Matt Reeves’ The Batman film, focusing on the backstory of Edward Nashton, aka The Riddler. Fleshing out the creative team besides Dano will be co-writer Ben Abernathy – who also was the master of ceremonies for the DC panel – with art by Stevan Subic, handpicked by Dano himself. With this series, Subic makes his U.S. comics debut. The six-issue arc will follow Edward Nashton’s life and reveal what led this Forensic Accountant to become the dangerous arch-criminal hellbent on avenging his terrible childhood.

Riddler: Year One and What Else?

Tim Drake’s new title, Tim Drake: Robin, will also continue next year. After his last series concluded in 1998. Written by Meghan Fitzmartin (Batman: Urban Legends, DC PRIDE) and penciled by artist Riley Rossmo, Tim has moved out of Wayne Manor and into the Gotham Marina. The book will also continue explore Tim’s relationship with Bernard, as Tim recently came out as bisexual after a lengthy relationship with Stephanie Brown aka Spoiler. As the third Boy Wonder, Tim was the first Robin to receive his own series, spinning out of the events of “Knightfall” in 1993.

The panel then focused on the new Batman Incorporated series, its new creative team consisting of Ed Brisson (Deathstroke, Inc., Batman & Robin Eternal) and John Timms (Superman: Son of Kal-El, Superman). The international team of Batmen will continue to expand its roster with recent characters Ghost-Maker and Clownhunter. During the panel, Brisson expressed how much Grant Morrison’s initial run on the team will continue to be an influence on the stories going forward.

Batman Incorporated emerged in pre-Flashpoint DC after Bruce Wayne had revealed to the world he was the financial backer behind The Dark Knight’s technology, then unveiled a formal plan to expand Batman’s war on crime internationally. The book then focused on Batman recruiting different variants on his Dark Knight persona across the globe. In recent months, post-Joker War, Bruce can no longer fund the team as he is no longer a billionaire, so he has asked Ghost-Maker to take control.

As to the book that started it all for Bat-fans, current Detective Comics team Ram V and Rafael Albuquerque revealed their plan to take the Caped Crusader to bizarre places, as well as reveal more of the history of Gotham. They also intend to involve Two-Face, but not as the main villain of their plot. As a bonus, fans got to go home with a free copy of July’s Detective Comics #1062.

The final announcement of the panel revealed that Batman artist Jorge Jimenez will be stepping away from the book in January. To that end, issues #131 to #134 will be illustrated by artist Mike Hawthorne, going forward.

There are some exciting plans for Batman in 2023!

Official Source – DC Reveals 2023 Batman Plans (comicbook.com)

The post Riddler: Year One By Paul Dano & More Planned For Batman in 2023 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Meghan Fitzmartin

Artist: Laura Braga

Colors: Luis Guerrero

Letters: Pat Brosseau

Reviewed By: Derek McNeil

Summary

Dark Crisis: Young Justice #3: Sins of the old! In response to their lack of gratitude, the world holding Superboy, Impulse, and Tim Drake captive has brought back the three villains who have caused them the most pain to keep them in their place: Deathstroke, Captain Boomerang, and Lex Luthor. Old wounds will open. Wonder Girl and her search team will have to hurry up before there’s no Young Justice left to save!

Positives

Dark Crisis: Young Justice #3 picks up the story with Robin, Superboy, and Impulse coming face-to-face with Deathstroke, Lex Luthor, and Captain Boomerang. Bart is the one to spot the connection between this particular trio of villains. He tells his teammates, “These guys… it’s like they were chosen to hurt us specifically. Deathstroke blew my kneecap off! Captain Boomerang killed Robin’s dad! And Lex… you’ve never gotten over that he’s part of you, Conner….”.

I find it interesting that it’s Bart that realizes this, rather than Robin, who is the detective of the trio. Bart’s teammates tend to see him as somewhat flakey and easily distractible. But they tend to forget that like his mentor Wally West, Bart is strongly intuitive. So, it shouldn’t be surprising that he might clue in to something being off before Tim, despite Tim being generally more observant. In fact, it seems that Bart is more resistant to this world’s temptations than the others.

However, it appears that he is wrong that the choice of villains is meant to hurt them. Rather, I think that the architect of this world is offering them catharsis through a victory over them. But Bart sees through the illusion, as does Tim with a little prodding. But Conner has nearly completely given in to it.

Positives Cont.

After reading the previous issue, I concluded that the Cassie of this world wasn’t really the real Cassie, but either this world’s architect or their agent. “Cassie” confirms this when Conner finally realizes that Bart was right. She tells him, “Don’t make me do this. He’s going to be so mad”. It’s unclear who “he” is, though. Is it Pariah? Considering that this is a Dark Crisis tie-in. And Pariah has put the Justice League into similar false worlds in that storyline. However, I have a suspicion that something else is going on here.

When all three reject the life that this world is offering them, Cassie then informs them “He gave you the chance to accept this world on your own terms. Now he’s gong to make you accept it…by force”. The boys are then faced with the Justice League, Teen Titans, and several other DC heroes, presumably ready for a fight. This looks to be an insurmountable challenge, assuming that these copies are actually as formidable as the originals.

Negatives

The only real issue I have had with this series so far is the characterization of Arrowette and Wonder Girl. They seem to have somehow picked up a deep-seated resentment for the male members of the team that never existed before this series. But since neither Cissie or the real Cassie appear in this chapter, it can’t really be levelled as a negative for this issue.

However, the fact that they don’t put in an appearance is something of a negative. At the very least we should have gotten a quick check-in with the girls, who are as important to the story as the boys. But this is a pretty minor quibble, as I am sure they will figure prominently in the series’ forthcoming issues.

Verdict

As a fan of Peter David’s original Young Justice series, I am loving this return of the team. Fitzmartin and Braga are doing a fine job of tapping the nostalgia for that series, while still creating a new story of their own. I am hoping that this series is leading to a new Young Justice title. Hopefully DC has plans for Young Justice once the dust settles from Dark Crisis.

The post Review: Dark Crisis: Young Justice #3 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Meghan Fitzmartin

Artist: Laura Braga

Colors: Luis Guerrero

Letters: Pat Brosseau

Reviewed By: Derek McNeil

Summary

Dark Crisis: Young Justice #2: Impulse, Superboy, and Tim Drake were just saved by Cassie Sandsmark, Wonder Girl in the strange fantasy word they’re trapped in. And she’s here to help them navigate their retro surroundings. But…Cassie Sandsmark is back on our Earth searching for her friends alongside Red Tornado and the superhero formerly known as Arrowette. Which Cassie is lying and who’s about to get burned?!

Positives

Young Justice: Dark Crisis #2 picks up where last issue left off, with Wonder Girl Cassie Sandsmark showing up to help Robin, Superboy, and Impulse face off against the villain Mighty Endowed. However, it becomes evident that this isn’t the real Cassie. The boys have somehow travelled to a idealized version of the DCU Earth, but the story also shows the real Cassie on Earth-0.

Cassie again tries to enlist Cissie King-Jones, who was formerly the Young Justice member Arrowette. Cissie seems to have some anger aimed at the male members of Young Justice, but gives in to Cassie’s plea for help. But she firmly states, “I’ll help you, but this is the last thing I ever do for Young Justice. She also enlists the help of Red Tornado, who acted as the adult chaperone for Young Justice. It’s great to see him included in this story, as it wouldn’t quite be a Young Justice reunion without him.

After dealing with Mighty Endowed, the boys and the false Cassie travel to the Justice League’s Watchtower on the moon .I found it a bit nostalgic to see League as they appeared in the Grant Morrison JLA era. The boys split up to have a talk with their respective mentors in the League. Each of them is presented with the offer of taking over the role of them mentor – to become Batman, Superman, and The Flash.

The odd thing is that the fake Cassie is present at all three encounters simultaneously, pushing each of them to accept the offer. It seems that this Cassie is someone or something more than just this Earth’s copy of the real Cassie. Could she be the architect of this world in disguise?

Positives Cont.

The encounter between Batman and Tim has caused a bit of a stir on the Internet. Batman’s referring to Tim’s relationship as being “a phase” has been taken out of context to argue that Batman is homophobic. This is inaccurate, as Batman isn’t calling Tim’s bi-sexuality as being a phase, but that his specific relationship with Bernard is a phase. This Batman is pushing for Tim to resume his former relationship with Stephanie Brown.  Why Batman would want this is unclear, but not necessarily due to homophobia. And even if Batman was being homophobic, this still isn’t the real Batman.

I find it interesting that while Robin and Impulse are quickly realizing something is wrong with this world, Superboy is succumbing to its temptations. His recent history makes this somewhat understandable. He was written out of continuity, only surviving because of his being on Gemworld when the Flashpoint changed history. And he returned to find that Jon Kent had taken his role as Superboy and heir apparent to the role of Superman. So, it’s not hard to see that Conner might want to stay on this world where his old life has been fully restored.

The issue ends with the boys finding Cassie captured by a trio of supervillains: Lex Luthor, Captain Boomerang, and Deathstroke. This seems like a odd grouping. Luthor and Deathstroke are major villains, but Boomerang is nowhere near being in their league. But they all have one thing in common. Each of them is the cause of past trauma for each of the boys. Boomerang killed Tim’s father, Deathstroke crippled Impulse, and Conner was horrified to learn that he had been cloned from a mix of Luthor’s and Superman’s DNA.

Negatives

I am somewhat confused as to where Cissie’s anger towards the boys is coming from. She is quite vocal about her dislike for the three of them. She tells Cassie, “I stopped bing a superhero because of the toxicity. Your life revolves around those three boys… But who are you without them?… I didn’t want my decisions to be overshadowed by three privileged idiots who had the whole world handed to them on a platter, while you and I scraped for any attention”.

But none of this was in the original Young Justice comic by Peter David. The boys never overshadowed Cassie in David’s original series. Perhaps Cissie was as bit, but that was more likely to her not being the protégé of a major DC star like the others. And her retirement from Young Justice and the identity of Arrowette was in reaction to her having taken a life. She felt unworthy of continuing as a superheroine after that. There was no indication that she had any problem with any of her teammates when she quit.

Negatives Cont.

I wonder if Cissie’s guilt over that murder has caused her to slide into denial. Has she projected her anger towards the boys, making them scapegoats? Or has Fitzmartin retconned Cissie’s reasons for quitting? If it’s the latter, I can’t say that I like this alteration to the continuity. And while the boys arguably are somewhat privileged, Cassie is no less privileged. And none of them have ever lorded their privilege over their teammates or anyone else.

In short, I am starting to sense that either Fitzmartin has made some significant retcons to the team’s past. Either that, or she is mischaracterizing the girls, especially Cissie. Or perhaps there is more going on that will become clearer as the story progresses.

Verdict

Dark Crisis: Young Justice #2 continues this nostalgic look back at Peter David’s classic series. The original Young Justice series was one of my all-time favourite comics, and Meghan Fitzmartin and Laura Braga have managed to capture much of the feel of that series. This series is proving to be a nostalgic look back while providing an interesting story that will hopefully set up new incarnation of the team for the Infinite Frontier era.

The post Review: Dark Crisis: Young Justice #2 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

writer: Meghan Fitzmartin

Artist: Laura Braga

Colors: Luis Guerrero

Letters: Pat Brosseau

Reviewed By: Derek McNeil

Summary

Dark Crisis: Young Justice #1: Crises have always had devastating impacts on the generation of heroes that make up Young Justice, and Dark Crisis will hit them even harder. Tim Drake, Impulse, and Superboy go missing during the Justice League’s funeral. The only person concerned enough to find them? Cassie Sandsmark, a.k.a Wonder Girl. But…the three boys of Young Justice aren’t on this Earth anymore…they’re on the world of their dreams, one they may never want to leave!

Positives

From the hints we’ve seen in Dark Crisis and its preceding titles, it appears that the Justice League isn’t truly dead, but stuck in false wish-fulfillment realities. We’ve seen that Barry Allen is also trapped in such a reality, and the solicitations for the Worlds Without A Justice League specials seem to imply that the other Leaguers are as well.

Well, with the events depicted in Dark Crisis: Young Justice #1, it seems that the League aren’t the only ones. The three founding members of Young Justice: Robin, Superboy, and Impulse are also abducted to such a world. One which seems to return them to some point during the original Peter David run of Young Justice.

However, it does seem to be a somewhat altered version of that time. Young Justice encountered the villain of this issue, Mighty Endowed, for the first and only time in Young Justice #1. However, the Young Justice seems to be a more established team here than in that first issue. Also, the Cassie Sandsmark Wonder Girl did not appear during that encounter, but rather a few issues later. Her appearance here is in a costume she didn’t wear until much later in the title. So, clearly, this is not just a simple jump back in time as Impulse and Robin hypothesize.

Positives Cont.

However, I suspect that this is the point. It’s not the actual past they have lived through, but an idealized version of that past. It’s meant to ensnare them with the nostalgia it evokes for that era, which this story does a masterful job of evoking. While I would love to see Peter David return to DC to write more Young Justice, this issue is of a similar caliber. Meghan Fitzmartin has really nailed the feeling of that era.

The issue starts in the aftermath of the memorial service for the fallen members of the Justice League. The members of the original Young Justice lineup of the aforementioned heroes plus the former Arrowette find themselves reunited. There’s a feeling that they have drifted too far apart since their team was last together. Also, most of the team are mourning the loss of their mentors.

So, it’s interesting to see that the false reality has returned mentor figures to their lives. Not the ones they just lost: Bruce, Clark, and Barry, but Alfred, Dubbilex, and Max Mercury. While they’re all reliving Young Justice’s heyday, Cassie has to deal with their sudden disappearance. With the world’s heroes dealing with the events of Dark Crisis, she has trouble finding anyone with the time or desire to help her search for them.

Laura Braga has done a tremendous job with the artwork on Dark Crisis: Young Justice #1. I especially love how she gets every detail of the costumes just right in both the present era and the idealized past era. Some of the costume differences she depicts are quite subtle but completely accurate. It’s not just the main characters that she gives this detailed care to. We see Wally West in both his current Flash costume and his Mark Waid-era costume, and both are accurate down to the slightest detail.

Negatives

One thing that confused me a bit is that they refer to the events of the Bendis Young Justice series as if they happened quite a while ago. That title was relatively recent, so in comics time, it should have only been a few months ago. I guess it’s possible that more time has passed than it would otherwise seem.

Also, Cassie’s initial anger and hostility at her teammates seems a bit more intense than I think it should be, but it does serve the purpose of making her feel guilty about feeling that way when they suddenly disappear. Perhaps Cassie has some deeper issues that will be explored as the series continues. So far, something seems a bit off about her emotional state.

Verdict

Young Justice holds a special place in my heart, as my first comic review was for Young Justice #1 for my University’s newspaper. Peter David and Todd Nauck’s series was one of my all-time favorite comics and both Meghan Firzmartin and Laura Braga have done a masterful job of evoking my nostalgia for it. DC should consider tapping them for a Young Justice ongoing series after this Dark Crisis tie-in reaches its conclusion.

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