Batman Beyond: Industrial Revolution

Batman Beyond (2011) #1-8

by Adam Beechen, Dustin Nguyen, Darwyn Cooke

The alliance of Terry McGinnis and Bruce Wayne is stronger than ever after their battles in "Hush Beyond". But now a superpowered criminal has gotten in way over his head - and the whole Justice League has come to Neo-Gotham to hunt him down! Also, there is much unrest at Wayne-Power Industries. Who is starting these riots and more importantly, will Batman be able to stop them?

Collecting BATMAN BEYOND #1-8.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Batman, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics, Science Fiction

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Bee...

Writer Adam Beechen is the author of several comic books, including Robin and Justice League Unlimited . Adam also writes for tv on such shows as Teen Titans, The Batman and is the story editor on HiHi Puffy Ami Yumi for Cartoon Network.

Reviews

[Sam Quixote · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want to like Batman Beyond - the character’s a great design and it’s Batman but in the future! So why is it seemingly so hard to write a good Batman Beyond comic?

Industrial Revolution is a jamboree of stories: an irradiated employee of the Justice League’s Watchtower called Carson Jatts decides to steal some supervillain tech and take over a mall(!); Batman tries to keep old man Grayson’s secret identity as Nightwing from getting out; some industrial action shenanigans take place at Wayne-Powers; and Inque gets an origin story.

Generally, the problems with Batman Beyond stem from a lack of identity. It’s basically the original Batman but in a slightly different setting - it’s still Batman with his usual setup but with a new outfit and a new guy as Bats, the same Justice League heroes but with different people acting as Hawkman, Green Lantern, etc., the same supervillains, and so on, but in Neo-Gotham (the Neo part means it’s the future, y’see!). Where’s the originality to separate this from other Batman titles?

Terry McGinnis is different from Bruce Wayne in that he’s a cheery Batman sans cape - the quips and the fact that he’s a high school student with girl troubles give his character a strong Spider-Man vibe. Not that this is a bad thing but it makes his Batman feel derivative.

More specifically, the first story with Jatts and the Justice League throws up quite a few odd questions like: why does the Justice League Watchtower have civilian employees? Why do the Justice League assemble for a simple hostage-taking scenario - isn’t that a bit small scale for this team?

Jatts steals a wand that transmutes elements. His bones and organs are irradiated from being around so much supervillain tech throughout his career as museum docent (I guess?) at the Watchtower. But given that he can change the elemental structure of anything, couldn’t he cure his own disease instead of go on some futile rampage in a mall? A character even points this out before being silenced for pointing out a major plot hole and it’s not addressed again!

Batman and the Justice League fight each other because they’re idiots and that’s what idiot superheroes do, before deciding to work together and the Jatts storyline ends in a big dumb superhero vs the supervillain of the week fight. I guess that’s a spoiler but really who cares? These stories are so safely by the numbers, they’re instantly forgettable - you’ve read this kind of story a million times before.

I’ve only read two Batman Beyond books (the other being Kyle Higgins’ recent run) but uninspired, completely unengaging stories plagues Terry. Some guy who’s been turned into a glowing green skeleton tries to take over Wayne-Powers. He’s so corny with his monologue explaining his origins and his ridiculous speech about power, he’d be more suited in a Scooby-Doo cartoon, he’s so un-menacing. And Inque - geez, what a miserable origin story for her, eh? None of the stories in this book showed me a reason to care about Terry and his world - it’s depressing, it’s boring, it’s ordinary when it should be exciting and vibrant. Mostly, it’s a missed opportunity.

I could list the similarities Batman Beyond has with other Batman stories and why they only made me prefer Bruce Wayne’s Batman more, but why bother? I don’t know why Adam Beechen, through constantly referring back to the original Batman, wants to compare the two - all I want him to do is write some entertaining story that could only happen in this future world yet instead he produces severely watered down old Batman stories instead. Why?

Ryan Benjamin’s art is like the tv show, the audience of which is probably the target for this comic, which is to say it’s kid-friendly and, suitably given the content, not at all remarkable.

Batman Beyond: Industrial Revolution is competently written and drawn for the most part but the stories amount to so little and leave so small an impression, it’s really not worth bothering with. This book continues to elude the question about Batman Beyond I’ve had for some time now: so what?

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The artwork is similar to the TV show but be warned this is a jumble of tales than all of them being strung together logically.

Terry McGinnes is the new Batman because Bruce Wayne has become too old and the latter gives tech support from afar (the new Batsuit has all types of improvements and upgrades that would put the standard one to shame).

I liked the showdown with the JLA and the face off with a mystery villain the most. The section about Nightwing was the weakest.

Written by Adam Beechen and artwork by Ryan Benjamin, John Stanisci, Rich Perrotta and a host of others.

ARTWORK PRESENTATION: B plus; CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: B; STORY/PLOTTING/EDITING: B minus; WHEN READ: end of December 2012;
OVERALL GRADE: B.

[John Yelverton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't even like the TV show, let alone the new book series.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Re-read.

This was fine. Still feels more like a continuation of the comics continuity rather than the animated series universe but it does have a few more direct references to the series.

[Kelly Lynn Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt the storytelling was much stronger in this issue, and much more in-line with the series. I'm still not a fan of the art here, but it was less of a distraction in this volume because I was more into the story.

[Sylvester · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't understand why they messed up this volume with an apathic storyline, ugly drawings and more Dana Tan. I want to see more Terry, not the Justice League in the future nor Dick Grayson.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

The addition of Batman Beyond to the full DC Universe begins here. This volume opens with a formerly loyal Watchtower employee learning he has a few months to live. Blaming the Justice League for his deteriorating condition, his plans for revenge result in his transformation into the newest Matter Master. With his mother and brother trapped with the villain, Batman must put aside Bruce's animosity towards the League and rescue his family. The volume continues to throw upheavals at young Terry: Dana dumps him, Max is hiding a secret, and Blight has returned for revenge! Dana must also reconcile with her long-incarcerated brother, setting the seeds of the 10,000 clowns storyline. A great continuation of the animated DCU in comic form, collected from digital editions into a worthy volume.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blight Returns!

So, I read this a little bit out of order (I read 10,000 Clowns first; oops), but it was still a great book. I'm a little disappointed that there's no resolution to the Grayson plotline and none for the foreseeable future, but I was overjoyed with the Blight story. I was always disappointed that the TV show left it so open-ended but then never had Blight come back for revenge; talk about a waste of a great villain! But here he comes with a sense of entitlement worthy of a toddler or a 1%er and the radioactive powers to make that mentality more dangerous than it otherwise would be. I also liked the little origin short for Inque; we never do get an origin for her in the show and it's good to see it expanded upon here.

[Des Fox · Rating 2 out of 5]

Everything about this volume was instantly forgettable, from the messy art to the competent, but ineffective storytelling. To its credit, the comic reflects the Batman Beyond television series very well, reading like a handful of episodes, just not particularly good ones. The characters are static, the villains are flavorless revenge stories, and the sci-fi setting is barley illustrated here at all.

Also I guess in the future the Justice League is reduced to dealing with hostage situations in Gotham malls? I get that Matter Master was a Watchtower employee, but it still felt like a stretch to get them there. Ugh. I don't know who this book is for.

[Sam Poole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Playful yet heavy, mired in Bat tradition yet wholly new and accessible. Truly excellent. The art is exactly the kind that appeals to my sensibilities and the characters are deep and entertaining. Themes of industry, sex, trust, relationships, responsibility and age, workers rights and the implications of living in a world of metahumans and superheroes stand out. The last story about Inque gave me veritable chills. Also- LOVE this costume, LOVE the diversity of the cast, LOVE the combination of large story arcs and smaller one-offs. Recommend highly to anyone.

[Wolverina · Rating 2 out of 5]

A shame. Could have been an excellent continuation onto the timmverse stories. Instead we get a mishmash pile of boring tropes set in that world with no cohesion. Even worse is the hamfisted insertion of DCU world continuity over the already established and more enjoyable animated one. Messy.

[Will Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

5/10

I liked this book a lot more than Hush Beyond, 1) because I thought the art composition was better and the action more kinetic 2) the first story is kinda fun, has some stakes, and more effectively shows the pros/cons of Terry and Bruce crime fighting dynamic. The rest of the book sets up some interesting plot lines, but the stories are largely forgettable, and plagued by more bad art. The return of Blight was also a MASSIVE disappointment, with the character always speaking in poorly written monologues and given a drastic redesign that makes him look absolutely horrendous. I'd recommend this over Hush Beyond, but only to die hard fans of the TV show.

[Rizzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a review for this entire era of Batman Beyond comics, from Industrial Revolution all the way to the 2.0 stuff. None of that newer Dan Jurgens trash. Unlike those, this series is actually a followup to the cartoon, and a really great sendoff for the DCAU, wrapping up several minor plot threads that were left hanging, and celebrating the universe as a whole. Not every story is amazing, but it all builds to a big, fun finale that's worthy for any well-versed DCAU fan.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid art and writing in this one. It checked most of my fanboy boxes, but didn’t necessarily wow me. Still, some fun stories and good expansion on familiar characters.

Note that there are a few references to Hush Beyond that I wish I would’ve been clued-in on, but minor enough that I didn’t feel lost.

[Kacei · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ope. I read volumes one and two backwards. The second would have been much more enjoyable had I read this one first. Who woulda thought 😅
While I did enjoy this much more than 10,000 Clowns, I just will never stop struggling with an old man Bruce Wayne or a teenage Batman. I’ve been trying since 1996, so you’d think I’d come to terms. In future news, I’ll probably be reading volume three.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was more of a desperate read because I was in the mood for a new Batman story, but I didn't have any other stories to read. The stories were fun to read, but I didn't really take anything from them. I always like to see how Gotham has changed in this series though which is always fun.

[Ifan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stays true to the show. The last issue, which wasn't really related to the main thread of the other issues, was the most well-written. It's decent as an extension of the animated show but won't make fans of newcomers.

[Gabe · Rating 4 out of 5]

These collected issues feel more like the TV show than the previous comic arc (which felt more like an excuse to make the characters edgier now that they didn't have to be confined to TV guidelines). Good balance of slightly edgy camp, with some Real Deal sad moments.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Could have done a better job with the characters. There are a few inconsistencies with Batman's suit though.

[Wannia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Art: 4/5
Story: 3/5

Felt a bit all over the place, but it was a semi-fun read regardless.

[ISMOTU · Rating 4 out of 5]

More stories set in the world of Batman Beyond. Old foes return with new schemes.

[Sal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid entry in the Terry McGinnis comics. Excellent art. A little shallow in terms of Terry (we're mostly following him on-duty) as well as Neo-Gotham slang.

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Max can do no wrong

[Dean · Rating 1 out of 5]

the first issue was good. the antagonist was sympathetic and well done.
handling super's gear gave him illness.

whenever the story went to Terry I was disappointed and not interested.

[Wing Kee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very solid.

World: The art is good, it fits the TV show but also is stylized enough to be it's own thing. The world building is also solid, building upon the TV series and the books before it. The stage is set for more stories and the changes in the status quo were good as down the road they will lead to better stories.

Story: Solid. The first story with the Matter Master was a but of a yawn but everything else in the arc was good. Industrial Revolution is great and changes things having Wayne where he ends up is great. I would have wanted more time with the Dick story but that's ok. The Inque story was wonderful if a but derivative.

Character: Wayne was solid and there was a little bit of development. Most of it was status quo except Dana but we've not had a lot of time to deal with it. This was not a character arc but it does have enough pieces for good story down the line. DarkCloud, Dana's brother and Dana and Wayne. All paving the way.

Solid.

Onward to the next book!

[Chris Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following the success of Hush Beyond, Batman Beyond returns for an 8 issue run all collected here. It’s a decent collection but not as strong as the mini it followed.

The first 3-part story sees Batman Beyond teaming with the Justice League Beyond (without Superman). The conflict between Batman and the League felt forced and the new Matter Master didn’t do it for me as a villain. I liked seeing the League though, I really like the JLB line up and think there’s a lot of potential there. The tension for Terry with his family and Dana throughout is good too.

There’s then a one-issue Max focus during which Terry is pretending to be Nightwing after Dick Grayson’s past identity leaks to the press. This was fun and I love Dick Grayson Beyond so was great to see him back.

The next three parter Industrial Revolution sees the return of Batman Beyond’s archenemy Blight. It’s great to see Bruce return to the stage of Gotham and bring Wayne Incorporated to heel. It’s great to see Blight. It’s not the most memorable story but I enjoyed it.

The final issue is an Inque focus that didn’t really do anything for me.

Everything collected here is good. Nothing collected here is great though.

[fennie · Rating 3 out of 5]

it's helpful to know what you're getting when you pick up this graphic novel. it's literally just a compilation of several different comic issues with no continuity at all.

that said, some of the stories are incredibly intriguing. i really liked the varying perspectives, especially those of max and inque and the justice league tie in was fun, as well as entertaining with warhawk. i would definitely like to learn more about dana's brother, who was apparently in prison for being a joker. dana's actually a lot cooler in the graphic novel version; in the cartoon, she was inevitably annoyed that terry wasn't around. more than anything else, i think this whetted my appetite for more batman beyond. i've always loved the character from the cartoon days and would love to see some more well-rounded storylines.

not a bad effort, but definitely a read for established fans of batman beyond.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

There has been a good deal of fan support urging the corporate owners of this character not to forget about him and his supporting cast. Really the premise does work. For various reasons Bruce Wayne has found someone from out the "Bat" family to assume the role of Batman in the mid 21st century. I enjoy how Bruce is written as a bit of crotchy old man, and Terry is a typical teenager, pushing against his "parental" authority. Writer Adam Beechen does borrow a little bit from the Spider-Man playbook at Batman (Terry) is a bit angsty. Sales led to the monthly series being canceled, and therefore much of the foreshadowing about what was going to happen to supporting characters (Dana, Max) was not resolved.

[Jeffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of the short-lived 2011 Batman Beyond comic book series, this story gathers two major arcs, the first featuring a Justice League story against a future version of a classic villain, the second bringing back a villain from the animated series as well as providing a couple of deeper dives into some of the female cast in the Batman Beyond future universe.

In general, there is some solid storytelling. The art is okay, but it's of a different style than the animated series so it takes a bit to get used to. In general, the characters do read like slightly older, maturing, versions of the animated series versions, so that works well even when the art doesn't.

I would call this a library volume, though I enjoyed the original animated series greatly.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Batman Beyond has always been a guilty pleasure of mine, and I still dive into it from time to time. When I spotted this at my library, I grabbed it on a whim.

The artwork seemed a bit jarring at first, but I became accustomed to it, and settled into the story. I enjoyed the Blight storyline, as I'd always wondered if he'd survived going down in that submarine. I smirked a bit with the Justice League part, because Batman doesn't often play well with others, no matter which of them is behind the mask.

Not bad at all.