Batman: Hush (2003) / What is your verdict?

[Jphu8414]

One of my personal favorite Batman stories and the absolute best from Jeph Loeb in my opinion

[oasis1313]

Spoiled by one cringe-worthy sonnet from Bruce to Tim: "Your movements are so VIBRANT!" Gawd. Don't need Ipecac Syrup to make me hurl.

[jump]

My girlfriend was complaining about the art the other day, we were in the pub with a couple of our friends and she points out that Catwoman's shoes are horrible looking and impractical which led to a 4 person debate.

I get that it's good for showing off the Bat-verse but the story itself does nothing for me, I do like how it's one of the few stories that show Bats and Catwoman actually trying to have a relationship rather than just flirting/tension.

[Hellblazer]

Back when I got in to comics, I asked for a list of batman comics that I could read. I started from year one,long halloween, dark victory.......etc and I read the last one which was Hush. To me, it was so hyped by the recommenders that I considered it to be ground-breaking. By the time I got done with the story, It felt like an okay story with great art and lots of cameos.

[LoneNecromancer]

Mediocre, but pretty art and occasional nice moments.

It's essentially Jeph Loeb saying "what if I did the same thing I did in Long Halloween and then again in Dark Victory... but with Jim Lee!?"

[dancj]

Weak story, terrible villain, stiff art.

Nah.

It passed the time just well enough to get a 2 from me.

[Big Geek]

It's like watching a big blockbuster: you know how the movie is going to end and the plot is somewhat cliche in places, but its a fun ride and looks damn good while doing it.

That's my take as well.

It's a very fun popcorn flick in the form of a comic book.

[Lorendiac]

It's essentially Jeph Loeb saying "what if I did the same thing I did in Long Halloween and then again in Dark Victory... but with Jim Lee!?"

I disagree. In TLH and DV, there was a serial killer running loose killing lots and lots of people, month after month, for a year.

"Hush" strikes me as a rather different type of story. I'm having trouble remembering more than one actual death -- poor Harold, suddenly popping up out of thin air just in time to get killed at the end of Part 11. (Near as I can tell, we hadn't even seen Harold in any previous Batman stories for about 5 years before that, so who knew he was even still living in Gotham, much less was a viable suspect for the role of "the inside man who's been bribed to betray Batman's trust"?) Heck, until the final installment of the 12-parter, Batman didn't even know he was supposed to be looking for a mysterious villain who used the alias of "Hush"! That's rather different from the way the question "Who is Holiday?" kept coming up all through "The Long Halloween," and "Who is the Hang Man?" kept coming up all the way through "Dark Victory."

[Kingcrimsonprog]

I disagree. In TLH and DV, there was a serial killer running loose killing lots and lots of people, month after month, for a year.

"Hush" strikes me as a rather different type of story. I'm having trouble remembering more than one actual death -- poor Harold, suddenly popping up out of thin air just in time to get killed at the end of Part 11. (Near as I can tell, we hadn't even seen Harold in any previous Batman stories for about 5 years before that, so who knew he was even still living in Gotham, much less was a viable suspect for the role of "the inside man who's been bribed to betray Batman's trust"?) Heck, until the final installment of the 12-parter, Batman didn't even know he was supposed to be looking for a mysterious villain who used the alias of "Hush"! That's rather different from the way the question "Who is Holiday?" kept coming up all through "The Long Halloween," and "Who is the Hang Man?" kept coming up all the way through "Dark Victory."

Agreed.

TLH/DV are more like "Watch Bruce discover who the killer is"

Hush is more like "Watch the killer mess with Bruce"

[son of booyah]

It's essentially Jeph Loeb saying "what if I did the same thing I did in Long Halloween and then again in Dark Victory... but with Jim Lee!?"

I agree with this, except Hush is a weak attempt to be Long Halloween. That story, while full of plotholes and iffy characterizations, has a great vibe and the art fits it. Hush feels like Loeb sat down with Jim Lee and said "what do you want to draw?" and worked around that. I appreciate it for what it is; if I had to vote based on its importance and accessibility, it would be a 3. But I hated it, and hope I never read it again.

[Mister BoMan]

I liked that it gave The Riddler a big push and after that DC dropped the ball with The Riddler after that. I know they made him a detective, but they should have kept the ball rolling, especially since he knew Batman's secret identity.

[EdwardNigma]

I also loved the Riddler aspect and thought Hush was a great tale.

[Chazro]

I'd stopped reading comix around the whole Azrael/Knightfall period. Years later I'm in a bookstore and I see this comix rack(!) with the 1st issue of the Batman/Hush storyline. The art peaked my interest so I bought it. It was the start of a renewed interest in comix. The story was good, not great. The artwork did it for me. Little touches like graffiti on the wall being the names of old bat-creators. I enjoyed the Nightwing/Grayson/Robin/Jason touches. And it was the source of one of my alltime favorite Batman images; the cover featuring Batman and Nightwing running along a rooftop, Lee nailed that one! Currently I'm on another comix sabbatical, waiting for the next 'great' Batman series to happen, hasn't happened for me yet.

[charliehustle415]

I really enjoyed it, especially as a fun summer blockbuster style read. No ridiculous crossover BS, just pure simple fun Batman. You do have to admit that at least Loeb never wrangled other writers into his arc, that's why I love all of his mini-series they are so self contained and that is so rare these days in comics.

[Carabas]

You do have to admit that at least Loeb never wrangled other writers into his arc, that's why I love all of his mini-series they are so self contained and that is so rare these days in comics.

That's because it was 2002. Can you imagine how huge an event Hush would be today?