Batman: The Ultimate Evil

Batman: Miniseries

by Andrew Vachss

Aiding a social worker in a crusade against child abuse, millionaire playboy Bruce Wayne comes to a shocking revelation about his childhood that compels him to journey to Southeast Asia. Reprint.

Genres: Batman, Fiction, Comics, Crime, Superheroes, Dc Comics, Fantasy

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Andrew Vachss has been a federal investigator in sexually transmitted diseases, a social-services caseworker, a labor organizer, and has directed a maximum-security prison for “aggressive-violent” youth. Now a lawyer in private practice, he represents children and youths exclusively. He is the author of numerous novels, including the Burke series, two collections of short stories, and a wide variety of other material including song lyrics, graphic novels, essays, and a “children’s book for adults.” His books have been translated into twenty languages, and his work has appeared in Parade, Antaeus, Esquire, Playboy, the New York Times, and many other forums. A native New Yorker, he now divides his time between the city of his birth and the Pacific Northwest.

The dedicated Web site for Vachss and his work is
www.vachss.com. That site and this page are managed by volunteers. To contact Mr. Vachss directly, use the "email us" function of vachss.com.

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unquestionably the darkest of the Dark Knight’s missions as he confronts an international organization catering to child sex “tourism” (a despicable euphemism for child molestation and rape). Anyone who has read anything by Andrew Vachss knows that his mission in life is raising awareness of and fighting against child abuse (in all its forms, but particularly sexual abuse). I became a big fan of his after reading Flood, which I found excellent though very disturbing.

Thus, when I saw that Vachss had written a Batman novel (no pictures by the way, this is pure text), I knew the central focus of the plot was likely to be crimes against children. It was and it made for a unique reading experience involving this iconic crime fighter.

PLOT SUMMARY

A chance meeting at a Gotham fundraiser leads to Bruce Wayne accompanying a caseworker for Child Protective Services on her normal rounds. Here Mr. Wayne’s eyes are opened to the premise that “the maltreatment of children is the greatest single contributor to later criminal behavior.” After witnessing brutalities being perpetrated against the most vulnerable segment of Gotham society, often by the victim’s own relatives, Batman relentlessly focuses his one man crusade on tearing down a ring of child pornographers and sexual predators that reaches from Gotham to the fictional country of Udon Khai, where the child sex industry is legal and a primary source of national income.

If there was ever a time when, as a reader, I NEEDED Batman to break his rule against killing bad guys, THIS WAS IT. I won’t spoil the ending, but I found it just about perfect. There is a vicarious anger that builds up while you're reading this story and the final act provides a great sense of relief and satisfaction.

MY THOUGHTS

Technically, this book has some flaws, most stemming from what I took as Vachss’ unfortunate attempt to dumb down “simplify” his writing for a younger audience. One of my cardinal rules for YA literature is that you don’t patronize your audience with your writing or assume an inability to absorb at a higher level. In addition, I got the impression that Vachss is not a Batman aficionado as his portrayal of the Batman, while decent, was not as spot on as I would have liked to see.

Neither of the above flaws were egregious, but normally they would have significantly impacted my rating on the book. However, in this case, I am giving more slack than usual based on what I saw as the real positives of this story and my appreciation for Vachss’ goal.

Thus, despite Vachss’ occasionally clunky prose and his less than perfect understanding of the persona of the Batman, I would still call this a very successful book. I would also certainly call it an important one. There are a lot of well-researched, well written books dealing with the horrendous subject matter address in this story, but I think this novel likely reaches an audience that many of the others wouldn’t. That is a good thing and one that I am happy to support.

In addition, one of the best parts of the book is the 10 page afterword by David Hechler describing the Child Sex Tourism industry and its proponents in the United States. The information included will turn your stomach, but I found it eye-opening and important. Thus, despite some technical flaws and some overly simple prose, this book has a great message and wonderful heart and I'm giving it 4 stars without hesitation.

Highly Recommended!!

[TK421 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like my detective fiction medium-raw, with a side of kickass. BATMAN: THE ULTIMATE EVIL by Andrew Vachss does not disappoint. But, and I am still uncertain how I feel about this, this is not your typical Dark Knight tale. Here, Batman has a vendetta to enact, and the building moments—before this vendetta is carried out—shows a Batman that might not normally act this way. I have no problem with authors revamping a heroic character to meet the needs of a book, but I do have problems if they blatantly change the history of a character to satisfy the story. I’ll get to that in a bit…

I hate giving plot overviews within reviews, but you’ll need to know something about the book if you want to understand my rant. The story goes like this: Batman uncovers a hideous child pornography ring through the help of a Gotham City child welfare officer. He, as Bruce Wayne, goes along with the officer to see all the horrible environs that children of Gotham City have to live in. A fire begins to burn deep inside his being, and in some unlocked portion of his brain, Wayne/Batman begin to subconsciously plan the destruction of all people that hurt children. Enter Alfred, the noble butler. He has seen how Wayne has been transformed while tagging along with the welfare officer and decides the truth needs to come out about Martha Wayne, Bruce’s mother. Martha wasn’t just a “housewife;” she was actually a very well respected “investigative sociologist.” And through her work as an investigative sociologist, she uncovered a nefarious network of child pornography that linked some of Gotham City’s finest to a man, William X. Malady, in a fictitious country called Udon Khai. Here, families sell children into slave networks where men (it said nothing about women) come from all across Europe and the United States to seek sex with virgins, this means children under the age of twelve. This network is tipped off that Martha Wayne has some pretty heavy dirt on the ring, so they decide to have her waxed. Wayne finally understands that the death of his parents wasn’t the sole contributing factor for the creation of Batman; it was merely the final one to make the incarnation of the Dark Knight come to life. Through this realization, the Batman devises a plan to go to Udon Khai and destroy this network and avenge the death of his mother. (I’ll leave the rest of the story for those who want to read this book.)

Now what I hate about the creative license of writer’s for already existing histories of characters: We all know who killed Bruce Wayne’s parents…that’s right, the original Smiley himself, the Joker (in Tim Burton's version which I use as my standard because that is what I know and this is my review...I have been told and appreciate that Joe Chill actually killed Bruce's parents which only helps my argument further. Thanks, Kemper.) Now, I’ve never read the comics, but I think I am correct in my assumption that if this ring of sexual predators organized the hit on Martha Wayne, then, by default, two things need to be addressed: 1) how does the Joker and/or Joe Chill come into play in the overarching Batman history, and 2) how exactly did Martha Wayne finagle her way into a corrupt police/organized crime ring without ever having her husband know about it? I might be reading into this too much, but I find the lack of clarity surrounding these issues troublesome.

Even without these questions answered, there needs to be further clarification. Let’s start with the author. Vachss is a lawyer who specializes in child rights, so I understand where he is coming from regarding the writing of this book. (He has also written some pretty stellar noir books.) But, to me, this story tears the fabric of believability. Would the Batman leave Gotham City and seek out villains for his own personal vendetta? Might this be a bit out of character? I’m not a Batman purist, so I can honestly say I have no idea what I’m talking about.

Also, the story has many moments where the Batman goes on longwinded tirades about the rights of children, and how these rights need to be upheld. I get it. This is important stuff. But would the Batman actually lecture—no, pontificate—about this for pages and pages. I always found the Batman to be a man of few words, unless the Batman is Adam West, but that is a completely different rant.

And finally, there is the issue of homosexuality. Now before the villagers get stakes and pitchforks ready, let me say that my older brother is gay. This bothers me none. He has been in a meaningful relationship, WITH THE SAME PERSON, for almost ten years. Vachss thinks he needs to defend homosexuality from being misconstrued with pedophilia. This defense comes across as nothing more than an incongruity in the storytelling at worse, and a bit of soap-boxing at best. I hope we all know the difference between how couples of the same sex love each other, and the disgusting, perverted, and harmful “love” sexual predators “feel” toward their victims. If this happened only once, I would have overlooked it. But it happens at least four different times. I fail to see how this is important to the story.

Okay, I’ve ranted enough and I’m not even sure if what I wrote makes sense. My final thoughts are this: I enjoyed this story even thought there were elements that I found repulsive, grotesque, evil, and filthy. There is a strong message that Vachss does successfully convey: Our children are important, take care of them, and protect them. Let’s all do that. Let’s take care of our children.

(There is one last thing: There is a scene that describes how a sexual predator can take a “sexual cruise” on a yacht named the Lollypop…really, the friggin’ Lollypop. That’s twisted on so many levels!)

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (for those that like to read about the Batman universe)

[Michael Fierce · Rating 1 out of 5]

The worst Batman-related book or comic book-related product of all time. This is subject matter that is too harsh, completely out-of-place for Batman, and so completely un-Batman-like.

This is subject matter best left elsewhere.

I read this when it first came out because I've always been a huge fan of Batman and back in those days, I tried reading authors that some of my favorite authors liked or recommended.

In this case it was Joe R. Lansdale who said he was a big fan of Andrew Vachss.

After reading this I can't imagine why. His writing is cold, lifeless, and I can't help but think the author wrote this in an early writing period in which he wanted to spotlight his authorial abilities to the world and thus created this downbeat story resulting in a misplaced piece of sensationalist junk.

Luckily, I can only imagine that ALL other books by Andrew Vachss would be far superior to this one.

I would suggest starting elsewhere when/if you are interested in reading something by him.

NOT RECOMMENDED FOR ANYONE WHO LIKES BATMAN OR COMIC BOOKS!!!!!

[Ash Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dude. Mother F**king Batman vs. pederasts. Tell me that's not awesome, I goddamned dare you.

Andrew Vachss is a guilty pleasure for me, his writing is pulpy and generally based on the sort of revenge fantasy that people with PTSD tend to have, but damn if it isn't satisfying every now and again.

[Noah Litle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very interesting read. The writing style was... lacking. In spite of that, I enjoyed this book well enough. The story line could have been better. And the characters were a little melodramatic.
I guess all things considered, the only reason I read this book all the way through was because it was Batman. And I'm always up for Superhero books.

It's mediocrity aside, the subject matter was intense and compelling. If Batman was real, would he really be satisfied fighting common, drug related organized crime? It makes sense that he would go after an evil more compelling, and potentially closer to his heart. Namely, child trafficking. And in spite of all it's short comings, I think Vachss (how is that pronounced, anyway?) handled this heavy theme very well, working it into the story fairly smoothly, and treating it with tact and respect.

I Learned : Batman can cover a multitude of literary sins. lol




... Seriously, though.

[nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought this was a graphic novel when I ordered it from the library and found out it was a novel with no pictures. Somehow it feels like a comic book when you're reading it and it seems true to the character of the Batman. I appreciate that Vachss does a good job weaving together the myth of the Batman with the very real horror of child sex-trafficking. He makes some devastating observations that need to be heard through the eyes of a hero we just might listen to.

[Jason · Rating 2 out of 5]

-Spoilers below-


First things first. I adore the ever loving excrement out of the Dark Knight. A long while back, I picked up two novelizations of previously written comic stories - No Man's Land and Batman: Knightfall (which combined several storylines into one volume, involving the breaking of Batman's back by Bane, the rise and fall of Az-Bats, etc. I loved both those.

So naturally, I found myself interested as I wandered my local bookshop a few days back. I saw this book called Batman: The Ultimate Evil. Pondering to myself, I picked it up and noticed that it's written by a guy with an eye patch. Then I see that the book focuses on a rather sinister subject - child exploitation and sexual slavery. And I do mean it focuses on this, exclusively.

I took it home and looked up the author; I came to find out that he is a lawyer and eternal crusader for kids' rights and stopping child exploitation, both foreign and domestic. Though it has no bearing on this review, he's also an equally staunch advocate of pet and animal rights.

I'm glad to know that there are people like Andrew Vachss (like fax)in the world, working endlessly for such noble goals.

However, as dark and hard hitting and unpleasant a tale you might be able to weave that concerns child rape and exploitation, that does not mean that the story will be of good quality. Furthermore, if the author is clearly not a fan of the character he's writing about, even if he follows the owners' (in this case DC's) strictures, it really shows. And not in a good way.

I'm willing to overlook some of the hokey anachronisms (the book was written in and from the perspective of, 1995) - Batman's computer had a hard drive capacity of maybe 540 gigabytes. What I am unwilling to accept is the blatant shoehorning of the aforementioned child exploitation into every aspect of the story, from Batman's motivation to how it becomes the focus of the story to the detriment of virtually everything else. So that's your main 'villain', the kiddie sex industry? Okay, but give me a little variety. I like a little potato with my meat.

Furthermore, Vachss drastically alters Batman's history. He probably had carte blanche to do it, so whatever. But it still bugs me. Martha Wayne is not only a mild mannered housewife but also a tireless crusader for kiddie rights. She and Thomas were still murdered by Joe Chill (who was under the employee of Gotham child exploiters), but she had been this secret "crime fighter" for years, without even Thomas knowing. (Alfred uses those exact words, giving Bruce the impetus to fight the demon of the story and reveal how much more awesome his mom was). For years, Batman had been cleaning up the garbage in Gotham, but only when he realizes what his mom used to do behind the scenes does he seem to find his 'purpose.' It's an awkward revelation. Oh, and the other rogues? Never even given a mention. And he leaves the country and goes to a thinly-veiled Thailand stand-in to stop the ringleader.

As these things go, the story is trite, predictable and unpleasant (technically, aesthetically, grammatically). It gets those two stars simply because it's a Batman story, and he's not campy. And I applaud Mr. Vachss for trying to bring to light one of the worst crimes ever perpetrated against another human being in a fictionalized setting. But you've done it in other stories that don't involve comic book icons and that are more grounded in the real world. Stick to doing that and leave those who know hoe to tell a good Batman yarn to do so.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting and awkward book; it's a prose fantasy superhero novel featuring Batman on the one hand, yet it tackles a deadly serious theme with clear focus and purpose throughout. I don't think the character was handled very convincingly, but to stay true to the subject matter I don't think it could have been. The writing feels a bit dogmatic at times, as if the reader were being lectured in a faintly patronizing manner. The gist is that Bruce becomes aware of child sex trafficking abuse and is surprised and horrified, and does his best to come to terms and deal with it. It's not a book strictly for comics fans, but is valuable for raising awareness and concern of a real-world, real-crime horror.

[Jake Grogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first Batman novel I've read that wasn't already adapted from a comic, this is a standalone story that focuses on Batman dealing with child abuse and child sex trafficking. It's very, very dark and depressing at times. It shows how a real villain isn't just a thug in a costume, it could be your neighbor across the street. The subject matter is intense, but it's a refreshing break from the more fantastical Batman adventures. This is when Batman is truly at his best in my opinion, fighting against real-life monsters when no one else is willing to. A must-read for fans of not only Batman, but crime fiction in general.

[Eli Roy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am torn on this because I do generally like this interpretation of the Batman mythos. The writing is good, the more realistic version of Gotham is well explored, and there are lots of small details and descriptions I enjoy. However I ultimately feel like such a grotesque subject matter is not done justice by having Batman involved. This book is pretty graphic, and Batman’s role in the story serves only to cheapen the whole affair. I think by taking a more delicate approach this concept could have worked, but honestly I think the subject is just a bit too touchy to make the focus of a Batman story.

[Dr Rashmit Mishra · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title actually does describe the plot as in this tale Batman has to deal with Child trafficking and pedophiles , so yes it really does talk about The Ultimate Evil .

That basic premise is what brings in the ratings , at times the book is too bleak to read and go through , but it all Hits home and it's actually worth a read just to realize how important the subject matter is .

All said however the plot brings in a twist that i wasnt pleased about and even ignoring that the book read as a mess , with Batman acting very un Batman and the whole plot moving in a lot messy confusing pace . The art style didnt help as every thing looked ugly .

Overall it's an awful book, but the subject matter is really important

[Scott Waldyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's not the story or the subject matter that brings me to rate this as I did. In fact, I often appreciate the idea of bringing about social awareness or a call to action inside fiction. I think it helps layer some meaning if done right, leaving readers with something to ponder.

While Batman's 'shock' at discovering all this criminal information may seem a bit hokey, I thought it was well-intended.

With that said, I grade this poorly because of the style - plain and simple. The author is clearly an intelligent fellow with a wide vocabulary. However, he could really use a class on rhetoric. Some of the same sentence openers were repeated again and again and again and again within the same paragraph. Nouns followed this sort of repetition. It drove me nuts. The Batman this. The Batman that. We've got different monikers to break up the monotony, use them. It wasn't just for 'The Batman' either. The whole book long, just this repetitive, drab, dull, plain style.

And yes, I do understand that this book is more of a casual read, something equivalent to the dime-store read. Even for that caliber, it's a bit too plain. Am I reading a book, or am I reading a second grade English paper? I thought the cover said 'novel'.

[Michelle F · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are all sorts of fanciful Superhero stories that flippantly and violently deal with generalized criminal stereotypes, or trumped-up, imaginary other-worldly threats. This novel (and it is a novel, not a comic book or graphic novel,) takes a standard well known hero and pitches him into a battle that is not fanciful, glamorized or alien, and is terrible on any stage it is presented. So terrible that few “heroes” tackle it, perhaps for fear of making its readership uncomfortable.

And child abuse, child slavery, and child prostitution is never a comfortable story.

Vachss chose the best hero for this role. Batman is dark and gritty to start with, but still reaches a wide audience of readers. From his bibliography, Vachss is clearly trying to reach out from as many venues as possible to inspire people to fight this same fight, and that is really respectable.

The book itself isn't very good. The story is over-simplified. The melodrama is over the top. The “winning” of the battle is fanciful to the utmost.

In this case, the complaints don't really matter, though. The battle does, and that makes this a should-read for fans of heroes.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty epic. It went way beyond any other Batman books I've read. It pushed the limits and forced past the reader's comfort zone. Batman has some of the best and most dangerous adventures. This time, he went beyond Gotham's borders and crosses into countries to places unheard of. His endless resources never cease to amaze me. The power of intimidation associated with the legend of the Batman carries over into another culture and adds even more to the vigilante's legend. Recommended to Batman fans who aren't of faint heart.

[Nadine Moger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Batman: The Ultimate Evil is a book written with a purpose not only to entertain, but to educate. Child molesting is a deep and dark subject to write about, but Andrew Vachss did it with conviction and tact. I thoroughly enjoyed it and learned from it.

[Zachary Widger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intensely emotional read. Started reading and could not stop. The Dark Knight fights every kind of crime.

[Cole Baker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Whoo boy. This right here sure is a book. “Batman: The Ultimate Evil” is a novel about Batman taking on…a child sex trafficking ring. Readers watch Batman as he discovers for the first time that child sex crime exists and are forced to read his horrible dialogue throughout. Detectives and social workers reply with paragraphs of statistics. An absolutely awful book written for nobody, 1/5.

First of all, Batman is not Batman in this book. He talks in such a strange way, both as Bruce Wayne and as the Batman. Tons of ellipses and he speaks very softly or in whispers. You know this because the author tells you every time Bruce has dialogue.

Without the Batman’s mythos and fully stuck in a book about child predators, Batman feels more like a parody character sitting in a Law and Order episode than a vigilante. Vachss’ fails to create anything believable around the character, which is doubly harsh when you consider the serious subject matter.

Batman has never heard of child sex crimes in this book. Luckily, pretty much every character in the book is willing to spend pages talking to Batman about it. He’s always so stunned and gripped with emotion - it’s laughable. Vachss’ attempt at an uneducated protagonist (so he can soapbox) is so extreme it makes it feel like Batman was born literally yesterday.

Vachss clearly cares about the subject matter and I agree it’s important. This is probably the worst way to try and teach anyone anything about this subject. Batman is not a good character for systemic sex crime novels - what is he going to do, punch capitalism? It makes the character feel ridiculous. It doesn’t help that Andrew spends a lot more time talking stats than anything else.

Another problem with a novel medium compared to a comic book is the loss of visual pizazz. Andrew attempts to recapture this by brutally describing the looks and details of every piece of equipment Batman has. This starts out kinda interesting but quickly devolves into torture. You will lose your mind when he starts describing probes again.

That small glimmer of light is crushed by flat characters, a boring plot, and a borderline offensive portrayal of real life issues. There’s also a not a small amount of racial insensitivity, with the word “Oriental” making a frequent appearance.

As a Batman fan, this book was literally painful to read. I couldn’t tell you who it was for. The stats assume the reader is 10 but the subject matter is much, much more mature and horrible. 1/5, wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I founded an anti-human trafficking nonprofit in 2020 and I'm surprised it took me this long to find this book. Not only is it a good Batman novel with a view into his hand-to-hand combat, warrior mindset, and tech (albeit, some of the tech is outdated)....it's also a PSA to raise awareness about child trafficking and sex tourism. The one thing that somewhat rubbed me the wrong way (although inventive), was the fact that Bruce Wayne's mom turned out to be assassinated by the pedophile ring she was investigating.

The author, who is a lawyer, includes facts and info about sex tourism and trafficking & sexploitation in the end of the book, so I really appreciate and respect sharing the dark, gritty reality of that industry through a quick page-turning Batman novel. I mean, come on---a human (although seemingly SUPERhuman at times) superhero that many of us grew up watching and reading, who dives deep into, and fights, human trafficking, CHILD trafficking...I was immediately a fan.

Being in the anti-trafficking industry for a few years now, it's a depressing and angry experience, especially knowing it happens everywhere, no matter the socioeconomic status, the neighborhood, race or gender---trafficking and exploitation happens everywhere, and it's been reported in every state in the U.S. It's not just a foreign country's problem. With this book, I get to see the Dark Knight deal with the same thoughts and emotions we go through with combating the issue and the perpetrators involved.

Even if you don't want to get involved in supporting a good cause and just want to read a great Batman book, definitely pick up this one!

[Dev Govindji · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book. Never read a superhero novel before. It was well written. It was an interesting story. Vachss did a good job of choreographing the fighting scenes.

This was a very interesting read. I have never gone the fan fiction rabbit hole before and this was a good entry point. I thoroughly enjoyed Vachss's writing and plot as well as his choreography of each fight scene. Fight scenes are something I find very difficult in my own writings.

However, the downfall of the novel is Vachss's insistence on talking down to the reading by claiming the higher grounds when discussing the various crimes committed in the book. Vachss's narration through a moralistic lens took away from the reader's ability to grasp just how haunting and disturbing the crimes were. Admittedly this a common grievance of mine of the world of pop culture. I am in no way in support of any of the crimes perpetrated in the story, but the obsession with gaining the moralistic higher ground is borderline insulting to readers who are very much capable of discerning good behavior from bad.

This book is a great read for anyone looking for a quick adventure with a classic protagonist - a good entry point to the world of fan fiction.

[Michael J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a comics adaptation of the 1995 novel by writer Andrew Vachss (1942-2021). Vachss was a NYC born, crime fiction writer who also served the federal government as a child protection consultant. He often wrote about child abuse and sex trafficking of children in his novels, based on his work as an attorney for children and youth.

In 1995, DC Comics approached Vachss about writing a print novel featuring Batman. Vachss used the opportunity to create a story about the child sex tourism industry. While at times the story gets a little preachy, it is disturbing and helped point out an overlooked problem of the 1990’s. With the advent of the internet and the Dark Web, I can only imagine how prevalent this issue still remains.

The adaptation is very faithful to the novel, and features some fine expressive art from Cowan. Batman rescues a social worker from a mugging/robbery and later visits her as Bruce Wayne to learn about her work as a crusader against child abuse. He finds a connection to a cause
that was championed by his mother Martha Wayne. Batman’s investigation of the child sex tourism and human trafficking takes him to Southeast Asia where he breaks up a massive criminal organization. NOTE: I read this in the original two-issue comics series.

[J.B. Mathias · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book as terrific as it is horrifying, not for children or the faint of heart. This is not only a socially necessary book that hits all of the right nails on the head but it's also a great Batman story. If Batman were a real person then this is absolutely the fight he would be fighting. It is a tragedy I only learned of this book just now and had to stumble upon it randomly in a used book store. This should be required reading both for Batman fans and for anyone who has the courage to see the world for what it really is. Like the book says...Batman is a myth but the ultimate evil is not.

This was written in 1995 but it is all the more relevant today as the world begins to wake up to the reality that people like Andrew Vachss have been trying to warn us about for decades. Five stars in all possible categories of evaluation.

[Jack Bumby · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a bizarre book. It's well worth a read as a curious relic of the 1990s but don't expect BIFF BANG POW Batman. The Ultimate Evil is child sexual abuse, a very serious topic that Vachss is clearly well educated on - but it's an area that I don't think Batman needed to get involved in. It sort of cheapens it and makes Batman look like an idiot at times, surprised that this sort of abuse could be going on behind closed doors.

The plot is basically 8MM starring Batman. And alongside this, there are some pretty big retcons around Bruce's parents' deaths, which is all included a bit awkwardly. But I like the way Vachss writes Batman as some mythical, all seeing force for good. There's nothing the guy can't do.

I also think the author's intentions were good. I just don't think the subject matter benefits from Batman being involved.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid 3.5 stars. A good book and a decent Batman book. Being already familiar with Vachss' message, it was a bit preachy at times, but I suppose it's safe to assume that not everyone that buys a Batman book is an Andrew Vachss reader. I could have done without the bits about Bruce Wayne's mother, as it seemed unnecessary to the plot and an unnecessary change to the backstory of Bruce Wayne's parents. Oh, and calling Batman the night-rider. That just kept making me think of Kitt. Anyway, this is one of those books that falls halfway between being worth buying/reading. Halfway worth it if you're a Batman fan, halfway worth it if you're a Vachss fan. Maybe not so much if you're neither.

[Erick Casselman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really a Batman novel, sure he is in it. But more as a sideline to the story, or a plot piece to advance the story. It is definitely a novel worth reading if you are unaware of the horrific plight of children and people kidnapped sold into sexual slavery. And touches on the compliancy of western civilization and how they outlaw it in their particular country, but don't do enough to stop the horrific tourist trade that goes with certain countries or areas of the world. But...definitely not a Batman Novel. Worth reading for a rudimentary introduction to the evils that still persist in the world, but don't go in expecting a light novel about Batman and his escapades. Also not recommended for young kids.

[Noah Newton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story captures who Batman is at his core. A broken child, seeking justice and protection for other children. Batman The Ultimate Evil touches on a subject that can be hard to read about, but is important. Vachss did a great job of incorporating real world crime and scourge into the Batman universe. From the emotional toll that weighs on Bruce, to the subconscious desires to let the criminals get what's coming to them, Vachss describes the feelings of real life investigators and social workers who see this far more than it should be happening. I gave this book 5 stars, because this is my first book I've read by Vachss, so I'm not thrown off by an apparent step-down in writing quality. This book has actually made me interested to read what other books he has written.

[Oli Turner]

A powerful and rather harrowing crime novel from andrew vachss featuring batman investigating and fighting the ultimate evil Its a concise novel that reads fast and hits hard. Batman realises he is only fighting criminals and not crime. When he investigates further and seeks the source/origin of the crime matters become much more complex and thought provoking. A really impressive and serious novel that discusses an important issue and simultaneously expands deepens and develops martha wayne and makes the crime more personal to batman. Only downside was the tendency to refer to batman repeatedly as ‘the night-rider’ that didn’t work for me. Interesting essay at the end providing some real world analysis data and commentary.

[Jeffrey Martin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly, I was excited to read this. I had never read a batman book before this... It was bad. I mean really bad. Batman was portrayed as, how can I put it... a moron. The book is around child trafficking, and Batman knows nothing about it. Far too many conversations are him saying.

"So you mean that..." (Batman)
"Yes I mean that."
"But what if you could..."(Batman)
"No, the people who do it are bad"

He was clueless, and shocked to discover child rape occurs... and it felt strange. Aside from that the book was preachy on child prostitution, and slavery... a subject that you really do not need to get preachy about, we are all on board.

[MacKenzie]

Read this book. Although it markets itself as a Batman novel, it does more as a detective novel and talks about topics that are very important that some people may not have read otherwise. The story is very revealing about the state of child molestation in the U.S. and overseas. It is very educational about what CPS does to help children from various homes, and also talks about how even criminals view child predators. This book is a very good introduction to this topic.

P.S. If the aspect of "Batman" is important to you, he does include characters that are in the comics, and conveys Bruce Wayne and Batman accurately.

[Leon Baxter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had recently read Batman:Nightfall. Like this book, it had sat on my bookshelf for literal decades. I really enjoyed Nightfall and was expecting the same for Evil, but it wasn't a normal Batman saga. He didn't battle the same kind of villains as in the other book or the movies or comics.

Bringing light to the child sex industry is aver important and worthy topic, but I think doing it through this vessel was ill-advised. I read the info that followed the book, which prompted me to use the internet to see if anything has changed in 30 years, but I don't think using Batman in this novel was the best choice.

[Mark Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author of the excellent Burke series taking on a Batman novel should've been a surefire winner. And there are some very effective moments. Vachss' trademark short, snappy delivery and impassioned writing are intact. But the didactic message is so heavy-handed that the story is sometimes lost. Also, changing Batman's origin story to make Martha Wayne a sociologist battling child abuse was disconcerting. Still, having Batman fighting real-world evil rather than purse snatchers and bank robbers is a laudable goal. For those wanting more action-packed and successful anti-child abuse fiction, I highly recommend the Burke series.