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Batman: Li'l Gotham (Printed Edition) #13-24
Batman: Li'l Gotham, Vol. 2
The critically acclaimed all-ages series returns in this second volume of L'il Gotham!
During Japan's Month of Waters, Aquaman calls upon the Bat-family to face off against all manor of sea creatures. And when Uncle Sam steals all of the fireworks on Independence Day, Batman must stop him before he can detonate one explosive celebration!
During Japan's Month of Waters, Aquaman calls upon the Bat-family to face off against all manor of sea creatures. And when Uncle Sam steals all of the fireworks on Independence Day, Batman must stop him before he can detonate one explosive celebration!
128 pages, Paperback
First published August 5, 2014
6 people are currently reading
174 people want to read
About the author
Dustin Nguyen
596 books153 followersDustin Nguyen is a comic book writer/artist who has worked for DC Comics and WildStorm since 2000. He has since worked on such titles as Jet with Dan Abnett, Wildcats v3.0 with Joe Casey, Batman with Judd Winick, Manifest Eternity with Scott Lobdell, and the latest revamp of The Authority, The Authority: Revolution, with Ed Brubaker. He was the artist on a six-issue arc of Superman/Batman entitled "Torment", with writer Alan Burnett.
With issue #840, Nguyen became the regular ongoing artist with writer Paul Dini on one of DC's flagship titles, Detective Comics until issue #852. He is now the ongoing artist along with Derek Fridolfs and writer Paul Dini on the series, Batman: Streets of Gotham.
Photo by Luigi Novi.
With issue #840, Nguyen became the regular ongoing artist with writer Paul Dini on one of DC's flagship titles, Detective Comics until issue #852. He is now the ongoing artist along with Derek Fridolfs and writer Paul Dini on the series, Batman: Streets of Gotham.
Photo by Luigi Novi.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
January 20, 2016
The word “seasonal” needs to be somewhere in the title of this series because for whatever reason Li’l Gotham’s mostly centred around public holidays!
I read the first volume a couple years ago and thought it was novel to mix in seasonal comics with chibi versions of Batman and his world. The stories were fun too and I quite liked that first book. The second one though? Not at all. Maybe it’s because writers Dustin Nguyen and Derek Fridolfs have gone the usual sequel route and unimaginatively rehashed the first book’s content or maybe the stories themselves are just that much worse, but yikes, Li’l Gotham Volume 2 stinks!
Joker and the other Bat-villains have a competition to see who can get the most fireworks for their Fourth of July party. Jenna Duffy/The Carpenter tries to build her pooch a house but keeps getting interrupted on Labor Day. Ivy gets sombre about autumn (the leaves is all dying, boohoo!). There’s more Halloween and Thanksgiving stories, neither of which are good (Jerry the turkey, what the hell?!). There’s even a Daylight Savings story ferchrissakes! Awful, all of them! The novelty does not carry over to this second volume at all.
The other stories are even worse. One’s about Damian in a Jaeger suit battling a sea monster alongside Aquaman, Batman and Batgirl; another is Bruce and Selina going on a holiday and fighting campy pirates. Bruce and Damian fight Clay Face at the Gotham Comic Con - cue uninteresting observations about comics conventions! Some stories just don’t make any sense - something about the Bat-family forming a jazz band to play before Penguin?!
Because this is the cutesy version of Batman, Talia and Ra’s Al-Ghul are reframed as the ex-wife and ex-father-in-law that Bruce is on civil terms with, so it was amusing to see Bruce and Damian visiting them and Bruce making frosty conversation with Ra’s. I also liked the scrapbook of memories that closed out the series, sentimental though it was. And while his writing didn’t impress, Nguyen’s artwork is still fantastic - can’t fault that.
Maybe younger Batman readers might get something out of this one but I was a fan of the first book and struggled to make it through this second one. The stories are just so damn flat and boring! Li’l Gotham Volume 2 is one long tedious comic I would recommend no-one bother with. It’s easy to see why DC pulled the plug on the series after this crap effort as Nguyen and Fridolfs had clearly run out of ideas way before the end!
I read the first volume a couple years ago and thought it was novel to mix in seasonal comics with chibi versions of Batman and his world. The stories were fun too and I quite liked that first book. The second one though? Not at all. Maybe it’s because writers Dustin Nguyen and Derek Fridolfs have gone the usual sequel route and unimaginatively rehashed the first book’s content or maybe the stories themselves are just that much worse, but yikes, Li’l Gotham Volume 2 stinks!
Joker and the other Bat-villains have a competition to see who can get the most fireworks for their Fourth of July party. Jenna Duffy/The Carpenter tries to build her pooch a house but keeps getting interrupted on Labor Day. Ivy gets sombre about autumn (the leaves is all dying, boohoo!). There’s more Halloween and Thanksgiving stories, neither of which are good (Jerry the turkey, what the hell?!). There’s even a Daylight Savings story ferchrissakes! Awful, all of them! The novelty does not carry over to this second volume at all.
The other stories are even worse. One’s about Damian in a Jaeger suit battling a sea monster alongside Aquaman, Batman and Batgirl; another is Bruce and Selina going on a holiday and fighting campy pirates. Bruce and Damian fight Clay Face at the Gotham Comic Con - cue uninteresting observations about comics conventions! Some stories just don’t make any sense - something about the Bat-family forming a jazz band to play before Penguin?!
Because this is the cutesy version of Batman, Talia and Ra’s Al-Ghul are reframed as the ex-wife and ex-father-in-law that Bruce is on civil terms with, so it was amusing to see Bruce and Damian visiting them and Bruce making frosty conversation with Ra’s. I also liked the scrapbook of memories that closed out the series, sentimental though it was. And while his writing didn’t impress, Nguyen’s artwork is still fantastic - can’t fault that.
Maybe younger Batman readers might get something out of this one but I was a fan of the first book and struggled to make it through this second one. The stories are just so damn flat and boring! Li’l Gotham Volume 2 is one long tedious comic I would recommend no-one bother with. It’s easy to see why DC pulled the plug on the series after this crap effort as Nguyen and Fridolfs had clearly run out of ideas way before the end!
September 11, 2014
Overall, it's mostly cute and silly, and the art is quite pretty. There are a few stories that are really good. I especially liked the last one, with Alfred showing Damian the Batfamily album, but there were other good stories, too. Like Poison Ivy's seasonal depression, or the Carpenter trying to have a day off. Oh, and Anne? Aquaman guest stars in the first story. Where it is revealed that he sometimes can't communicate with ocean life because... he has an accent. A few of the stories were dull, but overall it was a cute, light read.
August 20, 2018
Mostly fails on the humor. Artwork is good to mediocre. An interesting concept but poor execution.
MY GRADE: C.
MY GRADE: C.
September 12, 2023
2.5 stars
I liked the first volume more, but still, it was fun.
I liked the first volume more, but still, it was fun.
Read
March 24, 2020There’s some fun stories here, but I didn’t like this book as much as the first. I love the art and the meta references were a delight. However, lots of these stories are almost too silly and not as clever or heartwarming as earlier ones. While I think there’s absolutely a place for all-ages Batman comics that don’t take themselves seriously, these are pretty forgettable.
November 25, 2014
The watercolor art is very charming, but the writing is terrible. Almost every frame includes a bad pun or a pointless gag that doesn't add to the story. At times you feel that the stories were created merely as vehicles for the jokes. Not recommended.
August 5, 2017
Dustin Nguyen continues to be an important voice in the Batman universe when the main storyline (unfortunately canon) seems to be making a lot of choices that have removed the core elements of the character and its plethora of sidekicks and villains—which could be enough to allow Gotham to stand on its own without the rest of DC to tell any sort of story—, thus rendering it completely foreign to what I've enjoyed for many years. If anything, my favorite eras of Batman and all the Robins are long gone. I've spoken about my wishes regarding Batman, but I don't think I'll ever see them become true, at least for now, and I think DC right now is better suited for new isolated interpretations that take these nearly-mythological characters and use them to capture multiple experiences while also showing acute understanding of their traits.
This is why I rejoice every time I see Dustin's name on the cover of a Batman comic book, and this volume is the follow-up of one of my favorite "else worlds" story, Li'l Gotham. The art by Nguyen himself is marvelous, and here it soars to new heights. It's a chibi style that fits with the camp that Batman fans should allow themselves to enjoy every now and then.
One of the best parts about Li'l Gotham is that it behaves in many ways like the animated series from the 90s, which remains the best version you'll ever get of the Bat: every "episode" or "issue" that this volume contains, focuses on different characters, which makes it a very dynamic reading, but you do get the feeling that characters are growing. These small vignettes are not only endearing, but filled with references to the entire history of the character and its multiple versions.
The best part is that Dustin Nguyen enters new territory with the second volume by placing Batman and Robin (Damian Wayne) in metafictional situations such as Comic-Con in Gotham; only in Li'l Gotham, indeed. I found this episode quite hilarious and it reminded me why I love comic books so much, it really is our modern mythology but unlike religion, it doesn't bring any harm to the people around us, nor does it instill fear; comic books simply inspire us to be better versions of ourselves and understand the struggles of others. This is particularly true for comics involving Batman and his collection of wonderful characters.
My one complain if there's any is that Li'l Gotham continues to focus too much on Damian Wayne, but I have to admit that this version of him makes me enjoy the character a lot, but I do feel that other Robins are still shortchanged and I would love to see some exclusive episodes with Red Hood or with Red Robin. Moreover, I do feel that the choice of focus in each issue feels more commercial than genuine, that is, as if they focused on characters that are popular with kids right now instead of showcasing better characters. Maybe that's just my inner child complaining because I want my favorites to also play the game. I also didn't love the emphasis on the masculinity of Batman in two issues, which rendered him like a stereotypical macho, while showcasing Catwoman as a stereotypical girl who only loves shopping. Really? Is that something we need to suffer in 2017?
This is why I rejoice every time I see Dustin's name on the cover of a Batman comic book, and this volume is the follow-up of one of my favorite "else worlds" story, Li'l Gotham. The art by Nguyen himself is marvelous, and here it soars to new heights. It's a chibi style that fits with the camp that Batman fans should allow themselves to enjoy every now and then.
One of the best parts about Li'l Gotham is that it behaves in many ways like the animated series from the 90s, which remains the best version you'll ever get of the Bat: every "episode" or "issue" that this volume contains, focuses on different characters, which makes it a very dynamic reading, but you do get the feeling that characters are growing. These small vignettes are not only endearing, but filled with references to the entire history of the character and its multiple versions.
The best part is that Dustin Nguyen enters new territory with the second volume by placing Batman and Robin (Damian Wayne) in metafictional situations such as Comic-Con in Gotham; only in Li'l Gotham, indeed. I found this episode quite hilarious and it reminded me why I love comic books so much, it really is our modern mythology but unlike religion, it doesn't bring any harm to the people around us, nor does it instill fear; comic books simply inspire us to be better versions of ourselves and understand the struggles of others. This is particularly true for comics involving Batman and his collection of wonderful characters.
My one complain if there's any is that Li'l Gotham continues to focus too much on Damian Wayne, but I have to admit that this version of him makes me enjoy the character a lot, but I do feel that other Robins are still shortchanged and I would love to see some exclusive episodes with Red Hood or with Red Robin. Moreover, I do feel that the choice of focus in each issue feels more commercial than genuine, that is, as if they focused on characters that are popular with kids right now instead of showcasing better characters. Maybe that's just my inner child complaining because I want my favorites to also play the game. I also didn't love the emphasis on the masculinity of Batman in two issues, which rendered him like a stereotypical macho, while showcasing Catwoman as a stereotypical girl who only loves shopping. Really? Is that something we need to suffer in 2017?
January 14, 2016
I liked this one even better than the first because of a few reasons:
1) Bruce and Selina are a couple and took a vacation together!
2) Harley, Selina, and Ivy are all best friends and Harley and Selina tried to cheer Ivy up when she was depressed because it was Autumn.
3) Joke and Harley are NOT in an abusive relationship and they are actually SUPER CUTE together!
4) Nightwing and Oracle are also a couple and IT'S DELIGHTFUL.
5) I just skipped the Damian Wayne focused things.
Super super cute.
1) Bruce and Selina are a couple and took a vacation together!
2) Harley, Selina, and Ivy are all best friends and Harley and Selina tried to cheer Ivy up when she was depressed because it was Autumn.
3) Joke and Harley are NOT in an abusive relationship and they are actually SUPER CUTE together!
4) Nightwing and Oracle are also a couple and IT'S DELIGHTFUL.
5) I just skipped the Damian Wayne focused things.
Super super cute.
April 13, 2023
The second volume of the Li'l Gotham series! Nguyen has a way with slice of life comedy, and shows his love of both Batman, but all the characters surrounding him in Gotham.
A light read that will stick with me forever as one of my favorite comic book series.
I don't really have much else to say on this one.
A light read that will stick with me forever as one of my favorite comic book series.
I don't really have much else to say on this one.
August 9, 2018
Batman: Li'l Gotham, Vol. 2 picks up where the previous trade paperback left off, collecting the last six issues (7–12) of the on-going 2009 series.
Each digital chapter focuses the Batman Family celebrating a particular holiday observation or event. This trade paperback opens with the Li'l Batman Family celebrating Minazuki and Independence Day (Batman: Li'l Gotham #7). It is quickly followed by Summer Holidays (Batman: Li'l Gotham #8), Gotham Comicon and Labor Day (Batman: Li'l Gotham #9), Autumnal Equinox and Halloween (Batman: Li'l Gotham #10), All Saints Day (Batman: Li'l Gotham #11), and ending with the most important day of Sandwich Day (Batman: Li'l Gotham #12).
Derek Fridolfs and Dustin Nguyen penned the entire trade paperback and for the most part, it was written rather well. The target audience for this series is for everyone – particularly for children. Therefore, there is not much violence – the traditional Batman villains are more misunderstood than villainous and their so-called crimes are rather goofy, funny, and nonsensical.
Dustin Nguyen does double duty as he penciled the entire trade paperback as well and because he was the only penciler, the artistic flow of the trade paperback flowed exceptionally well. The penciling was done exceptionally well. It has a quality of watercolor like coloring and the character designs are rather cute and almost chibi-like, which is rather apropos to this series.
Overall, the series was an adorable and quick read. I really adore the relationship depicted between the Batman Family in this series. Batman: Li'l Gotham read like a year in the life of the Batman Family and a yearlong advent calendar combined – and what a year it has been. I was sadden to see the series end, but it was logical to end it when it did, considering how the series was written.
All in all, Batman: Li'l Gotham, Vol. 2 is a rather wonderful conclusion for the series and I hope that this will not be the last time we see the Batman: Li'l Gotham series.
Each digital chapter focuses the Batman Family celebrating a particular holiday observation or event. This trade paperback opens with the Li'l Batman Family celebrating Minazuki and Independence Day (Batman: Li'l Gotham #7). It is quickly followed by Summer Holidays (Batman: Li'l Gotham #8), Gotham Comicon and Labor Day (Batman: Li'l Gotham #9), Autumnal Equinox and Halloween (Batman: Li'l Gotham #10), All Saints Day (Batman: Li'l Gotham #11), and ending with the most important day of Sandwich Day (Batman: Li'l Gotham #12).
Derek Fridolfs and Dustin Nguyen penned the entire trade paperback and for the most part, it was written rather well. The target audience for this series is for everyone – particularly for children. Therefore, there is not much violence – the traditional Batman villains are more misunderstood than villainous and their so-called crimes are rather goofy, funny, and nonsensical.
Dustin Nguyen does double duty as he penciled the entire trade paperback as well and because he was the only penciler, the artistic flow of the trade paperback flowed exceptionally well. The penciling was done exceptionally well. It has a quality of watercolor like coloring and the character designs are rather cute and almost chibi-like, which is rather apropos to this series.
Overall, the series was an adorable and quick read. I really adore the relationship depicted between the Batman Family in this series. Batman: Li'l Gotham read like a year in the life of the Batman Family and a yearlong advent calendar combined – and what a year it has been. I was sadden to see the series end, but it was logical to end it when it did, considering how the series was written.
All in all, Batman: Li'l Gotham, Vol. 2 is a rather wonderful conclusion for the series and I hope that this will not be the last time we see the Batman: Li'l Gotham series.
September 18, 2017
I can't help but love this series. It really puts the "family" in Bat Family, and while it's rather cutesy, it is also undeniably enjoyable. It might have some rather out-of-character moments, but the core of it is a pretty decent understanding of the comic book canon--which is what makes so many of the laughs work so well. It does for comic books what "The Lego Batman Movie" did for pop culture. It takes what we love about Batman and softens it a bit, making for a rather sweet look into some what-ifs in the Batman universe.
November 16, 2025
Like I said for Vol. 1, I thought I read this before, but I guess not. I still like the artwork and think this would be good for children to read if they want to get into Batman comics. Damien is kind of annoying, but he is supposed to be 10.
Needs more Scarecrow. There are a variety of villains: from the Joker to the Riddler, Bane to Solomon Grundy, and now Clock King to Condiment King, but I think there are only 2 appearances from Scarecrow in the entire 2 volumes (and both were in Vol. 1)!
Needs more Scarecrow. There are a variety of villains: from the Joker to the Riddler, Bane to Solomon Grundy, and now Clock King to Condiment King, but I think there are only 2 appearances from Scarecrow in the entire 2 volumes (and both were in Vol. 1)!
October 23, 2019
I really like this series. It's super cute and adorable. Entertaining to read. I loved how inclusive of all characters this was. But I must admit I'm disappointed in the lack of all the Batgirls. They were shown in a few of the group images, but never mentioned by name and not included in the stories. To be fair, Babs plays a pretty prominent role in a lot of them, but even though she in her wheelchair, there's no mention of her Oracle persona.
March 14, 2021
Este segundo tramo de Pequeña Gotham recoge las mejores historias de la serie. Las situaciones planteadas por Nguyen y Fridols alcanzan su máximo de divertimiento en estas páginas. Además, aquí tenemos más guiños a historias y rasgos clásicos de Batman y la Batfamilia. El arte de Dustin es maravilloso, como es habitual. En este caso, tiene el añadido de estar representando versiones caricaturizadas de personajes muy presentes en el subconsciente popular.
July 30, 2019
I enjoyed this series. It’s perfect for YA readers. Dustin Nguyen’s art is solid & Derek Fridolfs’ writing gives us a perfect stories for parents to get their kids either to read or a great entry point into comics in general. Each of the comics in this volume are all stand alone issues (#7 to #11).
September 20, 2023
3.5/5
I really liked the art style of this book, it was almost chibi-ish. The stories were cute and short however some of the characters annoyed me or felt like they were done out of character. I think this book is definitely for younger audiences or people who really like Gotham and the Bat-family characters as a more fun vibe rather than serious.
I really liked the art style of this book, it was almost chibi-ish. The stories were cute and short however some of the characters annoyed me or felt like they were done out of character. I think this book is definitely for younger audiences or people who really like Gotham and the Bat-family characters as a more fun vibe rather than serious.
August 27, 2017
The good:
*This is kids oriented.
-More protagonism for Damian.
-More characters in this stories.
-A lot of cameos and easter eggs for Batman Lore.
-The art is gorgeous.
-Funny at times.
The bad:
-The dialogues, some times were very cheesy and corny.
*This is kids oriented.
-More protagonism for Damian.
-More characters in this stories.
-A lot of cameos and easter eggs for Batman Lore.
-The art is gorgeous.
-Funny at times.
The bad:
-The dialogues, some times were very cheesy and corny.
October 3, 2017
Didn't enjoy Volume two of Li'l Gotham as much as volume one, but still a light afternoon read. I'd chalk up to the feelings of sameness among the storylines but it still largely captures the spirit that makes it such a different but enjoyable read.
September 21, 2020
I liked the first volume better but this one had some good stories too. My favorite is the last one (but I do tend to be parcial to stories featuring Alfred so have that in mind).
The art is still amazing, that I can assure you.
The art is still amazing, that I can assure you.
February 19, 2021
At times the storytelling in this series is a little jumpy and hard to follow, but at the end of the day it doesn't really matter. The world of these stories is so charming and enjoyable, and the artwork is so beautiful, that I simply enjoy spending time here.
August 25, 2018
This is so cute!!!!!
March 4, 2019
Cuteness with a sly sense of humor. I laughed out loud at the Bat multi-verse.
May 15, 2019
WE👏🏽LOVE👏🏽A👏🏽FAMILY👏🏽
K.O’d by the batfamily characterization in this 😭❤️
(including the Gordons and Al Ghuls)
Btw, the ivy issue is so beautifully painted😍
K.O’d by the batfamily characterization in this 😭❤️
(including the Gordons and Al Ghuls)
Btw, the ivy issue is so beautifully painted😍
September 2, 2019
Super-cute! I love the story in which Batman and Robin pursue Clayface to Gotham City Comic Con!
October 29, 2021
There was nothing inherently wrong with these stories, I just found them a little boring overall and didn't end up finishing the whole volume.
Read
April 18, 2022El final del 4 de julio con los villanos y los fuegos artificiales fue cute.
5-2-1.5-4.25-5-1.5-3
3.18 de media del volumen, me encantó en de pascua y los días de madre y padre;
5-2-1.5-4.25-5-1.5-3
3.18 de media del volumen, me encantó en de pascua y los días de madre y padre;
April 11, 2023
Adorable. Love the family dynamic between the characters, especially when they show Talia's love for Damian.
July 4, 2023
i really prefer the 1st one!
June 21, 2024
Very cute and fun with wonderful art
September 15, 2020
Damian continues to be the Worst™
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews