Batman #1 REBIRTH Preview

[ABH]

I didn't like this at all (well...I guess the art was nice in places). "Would mother and father have been proud?" is just too cheesy. Batman doesn't have to be dark all the time, but this was too far in the other direction. It read poorly. Perhaps his thoughts would have come off better if they'd been inner monologue instead ("I hope mother & father would have approved...perhaps this is a good way to die" -- something like that).

I'll check out issue 2, but so far I'm not seeing what's so great about King.

Yeah, nice to see I'm not the only one that felt this way.

I'm all for a less-dark, more-light Batman -- that's not the issue. It's the way Batman needed Alfred to co-sign on this ****, at like, the worst time. I agree, an inner-monologue would have been better -- that would have felt more like Batman to me.

[Maxpower00044]

Dug this issue. Like others have said, the way he handles the plane situation was dope. The issue looked real good, which is something I wasn't expecting that much from the Finch issues. Solid start.

[SXVA]

Gotham and Gotham Girl are lame as can be.

I took people's word for it how amazing Tom King is, i mean basically people have been praising him as if he's the next up and coming all-time legend.

Not from what i saw here but of course that can change as things progress.

First complaint. Is there really a need to have the readers go through all the tech gobbledygook. Half the book was numbers. It was like i was reading receipts from my take out orders this week. There's a number of ways in setting up to get around this like a paralleling story where you can show Batman doing his thing without the need for so much focusing words on him, cutting in for a few important clarifications and out and have the other thing in the same shot. For example. Setting up the unfortunately named Gotham and Gotham Girl in these shots paralleling Batman would've been nice so i cared for the characters when they showed up.

Second complaint. Starting off with a long and drawn out saving the world by sacrificing yourself story is probably not the best idea. That kind of thing requires build up to where the reader is invested in this epic final moment. It was done so nonchalantly here that you would've thought Batman was ordering some doughnuts from the shop not about to sacrifice his life for a bunch of random people. "Alfred, i made some letters in case this happened. Go ahead and get them out" ummm okay. I guess the readers were supposed to emotionally connect with the teenager on the plane to put a sympathetic face to it cutting the corners on any actual established buildup? Not sure.

Third complaint: It would've been a great benefit to see the people Batman was talking to more often, if it be in the form of a mini version of them where the chat bubble is to give a distinction to who is talking to whom. Batman might as well been talking to himself through at least 3 of those pages.

Fourth complaint: A nice plot twist was sort of ruined. You would've expected Superman or Green Lantern to come help Batman save the day and then the tricky twist happens where it's Gotham Girl [I'm just gonna call them that], as mentioned before i would've preferred they been established paralleling Batman but if going for the twist... however, since Alfred had already confirmed the Justice League wasn't available there wasn't any anticipation for that to happen and so Gotham Girl swooping in surprising everyone instead had less of an impact in that sense of a twist.

Fifth complaint. No explanation for who and what things are. Marvel for instance makes sure when things are featured to give a little background info and they consistently do it through most issues. This being a first issue, one expects that people will be jumping back into things for this one moreso than the Rebirth special since it's a true #1. I wasn't familiar with who the guy was Batman was talking to that he's training, and my memory is foggy on who KOBRA is to where i could've used a brief reminder.

I think that covers most of it.

On the positive, there was some cool Mission Impossible type of action presented. It would've been better if it was more compact to create speed and not so drawn out but still was fun. The jet pack, Batman slinking down from the rooftop to the alley where the Batmobile is waiting, taking control of the plane. Gordon's line that of course Batman is on the plane was funny.

All in all, if i'm being honest and truthful with how i felt i was letdown by the issue. A lot more negatives than positives. Don't think it was too inspiring. Gotham Girl aren't anything to get excited about in how it was presented. It definitely wasn't anything close to Snyder/Capullo starting things off with Court of Owls.

Hopefully mister Tom King doesn't read this. I don't like to be harsh toward artists it's not something i take pleasure in but i also have to be honest in my feelings and opinions. It's just one persons opinion at the end of the day. I'm sure there are numerous people who enjoyed it and it'll probably sell quite well regardless of what i think. So, what i said isn't anything to take personally just another random person with an opinion.

It is 1 issue, there's much room to progress and improve on it.

[Batman Forever]

I flippin loved this issue, and I love Gotham and Gotham girls designs and the fact that they're superpowered. Ahhhhhhh it feels so good to have a writer I actually like and trust steering the batman ship again.

[Deniz Camp]

I thought this was excellent. I appreciate that King is tailoring his work to the artist. this was big blasting, wide screen, hull-popping action, because that's what Finch does. His work has never looked so good as it does under Bellaire's colors.

And yet it was profoundly human and vulnerable -- something you don't get to say much about Batman. I haven't felt this much for Batman since...well, since he died in Final Crisis we got that two issue coda.

It was really nice. Not perfect for me, but a wonderful way to open the series, a perfect use of Finch, and executed to perfection.

[Prime]

I liked when Batman thought it was Clark who was saving him. Gotham and Gotham girl? Really? They look like Kara and Clark just changed clothes.

[Nite-Wing]

Id love an explanation for who and what gotham and gotham girl are.
Two very strong superman like meta heroes just show up in gotham
Needs a bit of set up
Also gotham girl is a pretty gender put down for gothams sidekick

Maybe call her bowery or something less cheesy

[SonGoku]

I screamed like a little girl when I saw the batmobile. My favorite batmobile of all time. Pretty good issue also.

[napolid]

Gotham and Gotham Girl are lame as can be.

I took people's word for it how amazing Tom King is, i mean basically people have been praising him as if he's the next up and coming all-time legend.

Not from what i saw here but of course that can change as things progress.

First complaint. Is there really a need to have the readers go through all the tech gobbledygook. Half the book was numbers. It was like i was reading receipts from my take out orders this week. There's a number of ways in setting up to get around this like a paralleling story where you can show Batman doing his thing without the need for so much focusing words on him, cutting in for a few important clarifications and out and have the other thing in the same shot. For example. Setting up the unfortunately named Gotham and Gotham Girl in these shots paralleling Batman would've been nice so i cared for the characters when they showed up.

Second complaint. Starting off with a long and drawn out saving the world by sacrificing yourself story is probably not the best idea. That kind of thing requires build up to where the reader is invested in this epic final moment. It was done so nonchalantly here that you would've thought Batman was ordering some doughnuts from the shop not about to sacrifice his life for a bunch of random people. "Alfred, i made some letters in case this happened. Go ahead and get them out" ummm okay. I guess the readers were supposed to emotionally connect with the teenager on the plane to put a sympathetic face to it cutting the corners on any actual established buildup? Not sure.

Third complaint: It would've been a great benefit to see the people Batman was talking to more often, if it be in the form of a mini version of them where the chat bubble is to give a distinction to who is talking to whom. Batman might as well been talking to himself through at least 3 of those pages.

Fourth complaint: A nice plot twist was sort of ruined. You would've expected Superman or Green Lantern to come help Batman save the day and then the tricky twist happens where it's Gotham Girl [I'm just gonna call them that], as mentioned before i would've preferred they been established paralleling Batman but if going for the twist... however, since Alfred had already confirmed the Justice League wasn't available there wasn't any anticipation for that to happen and so Gotham Girl swooping in surprising everyone instead had less of an impact in that sense of a twist.

Fifth complaint. No explanation for who and what things are. Marvel for instance makes sure when things are featured to give a little background info and they consistently do it through most issues. This being a first issue, one expects that people will be jumping back into things for this one moreso than the Rebirth special since it's a true #1. I wasn't familiar with who the guy was Batman was talking to that he's training, and my memory is foggy on who KOBRA is to where i could've used a brief reminder.

I think that covers most of it.

On the positive, there was some cool Mission Impossible type of action presented. It would've been better if it was more compact to create speed and not so drawn out but still was fun. The jet pack, Batman slinking down from the rooftop to the alley where the Batmobile is waiting, taking control of the plane. Gordon's line that of course Batman is on the plane was funny.

All in all, if i'm being honest and truthful with how i felt i was letdown by the issue. A lot more negatives than positives. Don't think it was too inspiring. Gotham Girl aren't anything to get excited about in how it was presented. It definitely wasn't anything close to Snyder/Capullo starting things off with Court of Owls.

Hopefully mister Tom King doesn't read this. I don't like to be harsh toward artists it's not something i take pleasure in but i also have to be honest in my feelings and opinions. It's just one persons opinion at the end of the day. I'm sure there are numerous people who enjoyed it and it'll probably sell quite well regardless of what i think. So, what i said isn't anything to take personally just another random person with an opinion.

It is 1 issue, there's much room to progress and improve on it.

I don't mean to be rude, but each of those 5 complaints would absolutely make the book worse.

[JasonTodd428]

I absolutely loved this issue. Nice solid start with some intriguing plot points and nice character work. I'm looking forward to the next issue and I'm glad not to have to wait a month to get it.

[The Whovian]

This was a very good issue and a great start to a new Batman series. I love how Batman saved the plane and was ready to die going down with the plane. Finch's art was cool.

So, now we know who those two new characters are. But those names? Ugh. "Gotham" and "Gotham Girl"? What kind of names are those? They couldn't think of something better? I get that they want them to somehow be associated as Gotham's superhuman protectors, but they still could have come up with better names than that.

So far, DC is 2 for 2 with this plus Detective. I give them both a solid "A"

[Agent 37]

I absolutely loved this issue. Nice solid start with some intriguing plot points and nice character work. I'm looking forward to the next issue and I'm glad not to have to wait a month to get it.

Same here! I knew King would deliver, and he didn't disappoint IMO. Loved the Dick Grayson reference.

[The Whovian]

I flippin loved this issue, and I love Gotham and Gotham girls designs and the fact that they're superpowered. Ahhhhhhh it feels so good to have a writer I actually like and trust steering the batman ship again.

So you don't think Snyder was a good writer?

[joshuastar]

I smiled when I saw the Finger and Kane towers...with the Finger tower just a liiiiittle bit taller than the Kane tower...

[The Whovian]

Id love an explanation for who and what gotham and gotham girl are.

It's just the first issue. King will flesh them out, this was just their introduction.