The Batman Strikes! #1: In the Clutches of the Penguin!

The Batman Strikes! #1

by Bill Matheny, Terry Beatty (Ink), Christopher Jones

In this story starring a young Batman who is new to crimefighting, The Penguin pulls a heist that could reveal Bruce Wayne's secret identity and destroy vast portions of the city of Gotham!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Childrens, Superheroes

32 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting something to the atrocities Marvel has been putting out - dumbed down, uninteresting snore fests. Honestly, how can you mess up Spider-man for kids? Still, this was dumbed down, but it wasn't half bad. Good primer for kids, and it connects to the batman show from... the early 2000's? Either way, it's simple enough for them to read, introduces them to reading and comics, builds on what they know and love from the show and the characters they know. Art isn't really my thing, but it's not bad. Over all I was impressed.

[Steven Shinder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of average and then saved by the final scene where Bruce says he keeps expecting his parents to be waiting for him whenever he goes to the cemetery.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here's a Batman comic for young fans. This is based on the WB cartoon series and aimed at youngsters. From a grown-up point of view this is the least "Batman" like series I've read but in an age where comics are no longer for kids, this fits the bill nicely. Batman seems to be in his mid-twenties (it's been 20 years since his parents died) and he is a younger, hipper guy than the dark broody vigilante we are used to. Penguin is the villain here and he's drawn nothing like we are used to seeing him; I kind of liked it but over all the art is very stylized and cartoonish, not what one usually expects for Batman. The story was simple but fun and introduced a new character in this TV universe, GCPD Detective Ellen Yin. Good for the kiddies who want some Batman they can read. This is a reinforced library edition of the first issue of 50 comics. The first 21 are available in digital format.

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this Batman is younger, more muscular, and more emotional that the version most of us are used to seeing, he's still fighting some of the same old villains who are up to their usual tricks. In this case it's the Penguin who is poised to destroy parts of Gotham. I liked the colors used in this graphic novel, but the storyline seemed truncated and didn't satisfy me the way the classic Batmans always did. I think I'll stick to the original ones or maybe even Arkham Asylum.