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Batman
Batman: The Widening Gyre Vol. 1
As The Dark Knight stalks the night preying upon Gotham City's criminals, Bruce Wayne spends his days getting reacquainted with former girlfriend Silver St. Cloud, who attempts to teach Bruce about trust. Meanwhile Batman has taken on a mysterious new partner in his fight against crime in Gotham City, but will his attempt at trusting someone cause him to be rewarded...or punished?
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
20 people are currently reading
628 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Smith
453 books962 followersKevin Patrick Smith is an American screenwriter, director, as well as a comic book writer, author, and actor. He is also the co-founder, with Scott Mosier, of View Askew Productions and owner of Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash comic and novelty store in Red Bank, New Jersey. He also hosts a weekly podcast with Scott Mosier known as SModcast. He is also known for participating in long, humorous Q&A Sessions that are often filmed for DVD release, beginning with An Evening with Kevin Smith.
His films are often set in his home state of New Jersey, and while not strictly sequential, they do frequently feature crossover plot elements, character references, and a shared canon in what is known by fans as the "View Askewniverse", named after his production company View Askew Productions. He has produced numerous films and television projects, including Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and Clerks II.
His films are often set in his home state of New Jersey, and while not strictly sequential, they do frequently feature crossover plot elements, character references, and a shared canon in what is known by fans as the "View Askewniverse", named after his production company View Askew Productions. He has produced numerous films and television projects, including Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and Clerks II.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
May 14, 2021
1.5 stars
This is the sequel to Batman: Cacophony, which wasn't all that good, but I didn't hate it. The Widening Gyre? Well, a more appropriate name for it would be Batman Goes Stupid.
Unless the majority of this story turns out to be some sort of drug-induced dream sequence, then this is quite possibly one of the dumbest Batman plots I've ever read.
Read it for yourself, if you don't believe me.
This is the sequel to Batman: Cacophony, which wasn't all that good, but I didn't hate it. The Widening Gyre? Well, a more appropriate name for it would be Batman Goes Stupid.
Unless the majority of this story turns out to be some sort of drug-induced dream sequence, then this is quite possibly one of the dumbest Batman plots I've ever read.
Read it for yourself, if you don't believe me.
January 2, 2012
I really want to like this, I really do. In fact, I'm such a Kevin Smith fan that I think it may be the only reason I'm giving this a 3 star rating over a 2 or a 2.5.
In my review of Batman: Cacophony, I stated that I had high hopes for the sequel in which Kevin Smith promised a superior story. Already, my hopes were probably too high. I mean, I love the guy's work! Big fan of his movies and podcasts; I also really enjoyed his Daredevil and Spider-Man runs. So I knew that he probably just wrote a bad arc, it happens.
My main problem with this book is the ending. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the ending. As Kevin wrote in the afterword, there's no one that could have predicted that. My problem with the ending is that it makes the entire novel seem better than it deserves to be. It kind of made me forget about all the strangeness that led up to it.
In a word, Kevin's writing here is just weird. I mean, there's no other way to describe it. Granted, it's not all bad - he wrote a decent scene between Bats and Catwoman. However, it doesn't make up for all the strange "happy" Batman/Bruce Wayne stuff.
I feel like such a heel saying that about the book because I'm a massive fan of Walt's artwork. He's so good here and has steadily improved on what he brought to the table with Cacophony.
Supposedly, this is going to be a 3 part series so I'm hoping that he plans on finishing strong. With the way the ending went, there's no way we're not getting a Batman.
I'm always going to have faith in Smith because he really is better than what most people give him credit for. I know he's capable of writing something excellent in the next collection - SO DON'T LET ME DOWN!
In my review of Batman: Cacophony, I stated that I had high hopes for the sequel in which Kevin Smith promised a superior story. Already, my hopes were probably too high. I mean, I love the guy's work! Big fan of his movies and podcasts; I also really enjoyed his Daredevil and Spider-Man runs. So I knew that he probably just wrote a bad arc, it happens.
My main problem with this book is the ending. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the ending. As Kevin wrote in the afterword, there's no one that could have predicted that. My problem with the ending is that it makes the entire novel seem better than it deserves to be. It kind of made me forget about all the strangeness that led up to it.
In a word, Kevin's writing here is just weird. I mean, there's no other way to describe it. Granted, it's not all bad - he wrote a decent scene between Bats and Catwoman. However, it doesn't make up for all the strange "happy" Batman/Bruce Wayne stuff.
I feel like such a heel saying that about the book because I'm a massive fan of Walt's artwork. He's so good here and has steadily improved on what he brought to the table with Cacophony.
Supposedly, this is going to be a 3 part series so I'm hoping that he plans on finishing strong. With the way the ending went, there's no way we're not getting a Batman.
I'm always going to have faith in Smith because he really is better than what most people give him credit for. I know he's capable of writing something excellent in the next collection - SO DON'T LET ME DOWN!
July 14, 2019
Batman: The Widening Gyre by Kevin Smith and art by Walter Flanagan Is the sequel to Batman: Cacophony, which I really enjoyed and rated 5 stars. This story asks the question of what does it take for Batman to trust in both love and in partnership. In this graphic novel both relationships will be tested. This book features Batman, Nightwing, Robin (Tim Drake), Superman, Aquaman Catwoman, Joker, Poison Ivy, The Demon, Killer Croc, Deadshot, Mr. Freeze, Two-Face and a plethora of D list villains from the history of Batman's Rouges. Baron Blitzkrieg anyone? though he is one over the cooler ones for the new era. This book does have Kevin Smith patented humor which is not all dick and fart jokes, this one is a little bit more mature than Cacophony and thankfully no rape jokes. There's a lot of great moments Catwoman's reaction to aging and getting called a cougar. Robin's callback joke to being a man. Batman not trusting when a person or situation is too perfect, Alfred finding out about Bruce Wayne's sex life and Aquaman rushing to the surface because dolphins reported a woman screaming in the ocean, which was a result of sex.
The Plot: Bruce Wayne meets a woman from his past that seems to perfect, but in his world as Batman too perfect leads to bad, can he let his guard down to find something real. As Batman he meets a new vigilante calling himself Baphomet that helps him time and again, but can he trust this new vigilante, or not. We go through Batman's troubled past with trust issues and when he finally started trusting Robin and his trust issues with Superman. This comic will end in one of the most shocking twist I have ever read in a Batman comic.
What I Liked: The humor and observation that only Kevin Smith could bring to the world of Batman. The brutality and carnage of these villains, especially Mr. Freeze, we see people frozen but also death by shards of ice. Bruce Wayne happy and letting his guard down for a second. The personal tour of Superman's Fortress of Solitude on a date. Baphomet and his secret origin. The hilarious Batman and Aquaman scene. The theme of trust throughout. The Demon as a villain is terrifying and I liked that he brought him from him Green Arrow run. When on the tour of the Fortress of Solitude there's a Dinosaur, and batman has a line about he had one before they were cool to have at your hide out.
What I Disliked: Every female character is sex crazed. There's too many religious minded crimes, it's Batman and I want to escape reality. The romance moves too fas, in regards to feelings. The story arc takes too long too develop. The Book ends at a cliffhanger and says to be continued except so far Kevin Smith has not continued it's been 9 years!
Recommendations: I will recommend Batman fans check this comic out for the questions and conversations that are asked and answered. If you're a fan of Batman: Cacophony then you have to check the sequel! I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars, while I liked the first one better this is a worthwhile read, and I will continue to read any works Kevin Smith.
The Plot: Bruce Wayne meets a woman from his past that seems to perfect, but in his world as Batman too perfect leads to bad, can he let his guard down to find something real. As Batman he meets a new vigilante calling himself Baphomet that helps him time and again, but can he trust this new vigilante, or not. We go through Batman's troubled past with trust issues and when he finally started trusting Robin and his trust issues with Superman. This comic will end in one of the most shocking twist I have ever read in a Batman comic.
What I Liked: The humor and observation that only Kevin Smith could bring to the world of Batman. The brutality and carnage of these villains, especially Mr. Freeze, we see people frozen but also death by shards of ice. Bruce Wayne happy and letting his guard down for a second. The personal tour of Superman's Fortress of Solitude on a date. Baphomet and his secret origin. The hilarious Batman and Aquaman scene. The theme of trust throughout. The Demon as a villain is terrifying and I liked that he brought him from him Green Arrow run. When on the tour of the Fortress of Solitude there's a Dinosaur, and batman has a line about he had one before they were cool to have at your hide out.
What I Disliked: Every female character is sex crazed. There's too many religious minded crimes, it's Batman and I want to escape reality. The romance moves too fas, in regards to feelings. The story arc takes too long too develop. The Book ends at a cliffhanger and says to be continued except so far Kevin Smith has not continued it's been 9 years!
Recommendations: I will recommend Batman fans check this comic out for the questions and conversations that are asked and answered. If you're a fan of Batman: Cacophony then you have to check the sequel! I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars, while I liked the first one better this is a worthwhile read, and I will continue to read any works Kevin Smith.
June 1, 2011
Library copy.
Absolutely horrible Batman story with out of character dialogue that's painful to read aloud. Who talks like this? Try reading the scene in the beginning with Poison Ivy out loud where she's, I guess, talking about wanting Batman's tongue for cunnilingus--it doesn't end there. In typical Smith fashion, it takes her three word balloons to say it, but maybe he was trying to sneak it past the editor by being long winded. Later on there's more sexual innuendos by mention of another character wanting a "Bat in her belfry." I guess DC Comics turns a blind eye at this sort of thing as long as the comics sell. I found the artwork of Poison Ivy and Catwoman particularly sleazy and not at all sexy. I could never understand what Silver could offer Bruce Wayne, a man who has everything, so I didn't like their courtship or romance. In the introduction of Smith's prior Batman book he explained his next Batman book would be better. It's really not. Unfortunately it's not the end of Kevin Smith writing Batman as the book ends on a cliffhanger. Wouldn't it be nice if Smith could write iconic characters and remain true to their spirit? I realize this isn't an all-ages story but it's irresponsible to the characters when you have them doing things, like in the case of this tale, of having Bruce Wayne wanting to retire Batman for love, or peeing in his pants when he first starts out as Batman, which would never happen in a million years. I'm open to the interpretation of the many facets of corporate characters, Batman in particular, but this time I just couldn't suspend my disbelief or disgust.
Absolutely horrible Batman story with out of character dialogue that's painful to read aloud. Who talks like this? Try reading the scene in the beginning with Poison Ivy out loud where she's, I guess, talking about wanting Batman's tongue for cunnilingus--it doesn't end there. In typical Smith fashion, it takes her three word balloons to say it, but maybe he was trying to sneak it past the editor by being long winded. Later on there's more sexual innuendos by mention of another character wanting a "Bat in her belfry." I guess DC Comics turns a blind eye at this sort of thing as long as the comics sell. I found the artwork of Poison Ivy and Catwoman particularly sleazy and not at all sexy. I could never understand what Silver could offer Bruce Wayne, a man who has everything, so I didn't like their courtship or romance. In the introduction of Smith's prior Batman book he explained his next Batman book would be better. It's really not. Unfortunately it's not the end of Kevin Smith writing Batman as the book ends on a cliffhanger. Wouldn't it be nice if Smith could write iconic characters and remain true to their spirit? I realize this isn't an all-ages story but it's irresponsible to the characters when you have them doing things, like in the case of this tale, of having Bruce Wayne wanting to retire Batman for love, or peeing in his pants when he first starts out as Batman, which would never happen in a million years. I'm open to the interpretation of the many facets of corporate characters, Batman in particular, but this time I just couldn't suspend my disbelief or disgust.
August 14, 2012
Kevin Smith and Walt Flannigan team up again for their second Batman mini-series, the longer and more complex "The Widening Gyre."
As Bruce Wayne contemplates if and how he could hand on the Batman mantle to someone else, a new figure arrives in Gotham. Saving Batman's bacon a couple of times, Bruce begins to wonder if might not finally have found his successor. Meanwhile, Silvia St. Cloud returns to Bruce's life and the two rekindle their romance, leading to an eventual proposal by Bruce.
In a lot of ways, this feels like Smith's attempt to tell an end of Batman story. The story allows Bruce to be happy for a while, but as we all know in comics and soap operas, happiness is extremely short lived. This volume ends on a heck of a cliffhanger, though based on what I've seen on-line, it's unlikely we'll get any resolution in the near future.
I have a feeling that reading this all in one collection removed a lot of the frustrations that a month to month reader experienced. For a lot of the story, it's focused on Bruce and his happiness rather than his role as the Dark Knight. I have a feeling that in the second half, we'd see Batman become more prominent and Bruce Wayne fade into the background a bit.
We'll have to wait and see, I guess.
As a Batman novice, I'll admit I wasn't entirely familiar with a lot of the backstory referenced here. But Smith gives us enough details to have things make sense and I'm sure long time readers caught a lot more of the Easter Eggs and references. You don't have to be steeped in Batman lore to enjoy the story, but I expect an extra layer could be added if you know your Bat-history.
As Bruce Wayne contemplates if and how he could hand on the Batman mantle to someone else, a new figure arrives in Gotham. Saving Batman's bacon a couple of times, Bruce begins to wonder if might not finally have found his successor. Meanwhile, Silvia St. Cloud returns to Bruce's life and the two rekindle their romance, leading to an eventual proposal by Bruce.
In a lot of ways, this feels like Smith's attempt to tell an end of Batman story. The story allows Bruce to be happy for a while, but as we all know in comics and soap operas, happiness is extremely short lived. This volume ends on a heck of a cliffhanger, though based on what I've seen on-line, it's unlikely we'll get any resolution in the near future.
I have a feeling that reading this all in one collection removed a lot of the frustrations that a month to month reader experienced. For a lot of the story, it's focused on Bruce and his happiness rather than his role as the Dark Knight. I have a feeling that in the second half, we'd see Batman become more prominent and Bruce Wayne fade into the background a bit.
We'll have to wait and see, I guess.
As a Batman novice, I'll admit I wasn't entirely familiar with a lot of the backstory referenced here. But Smith gives us enough details to have things make sense and I'm sure long time readers caught a lot more of the Easter Eggs and references. You don't have to be steeped in Batman lore to enjoy the story, but I expect an extra layer could be added if you know your Bat-history.
February 14, 2019
This was a odd comic because it basically was telling a current story while keep flipping back to the good old times with the old style Batman, and I felt it clashed pretty hard at times.
The thing with Kevin Smith is when you pick up his book, you're going to get Kevin Smith humor. You don't like that? This won't work for you. With Batman getting a new sidekick he begins to go back in his mind of different heroes he fought with and against. At the same time he's falling in love again and this time the relationship is turning more serious than ever before.
Good: I actually liked Batman fucking smiling. I'm not convinced Bruce needs to always be a mean-tough-brooding guy. He can have fun and smile while still putting on his Batman show. I thought the moments with Robin and Nightwing worked. I actually liked the new sidekick too and the twist at the end was oh shit.
Bad: The twist at the end is oh shit but we will never get a conclusion it looks like, which sucks. I also the love story was done well enough but it came out of nowhere and was rushed through it. The artwork was also kind of wonky.
Overall, fun, but not his best. I believe his Daredevil and especially Green Arrow are far stronger than either of his Batman books. a 3 out of 5.
The thing with Kevin Smith is when you pick up his book, you're going to get Kevin Smith humor. You don't like that? This won't work for you. With Batman getting a new sidekick he begins to go back in his mind of different heroes he fought with and against. At the same time he's falling in love again and this time the relationship is turning more serious than ever before.
Good: I actually liked Batman fucking smiling. I'm not convinced Bruce needs to always be a mean-tough-brooding guy. He can have fun and smile while still putting on his Batman show. I thought the moments with Robin and Nightwing worked. I actually liked the new sidekick too and the twist at the end was oh shit.
Bad: The twist at the end is oh shit but we will never get a conclusion it looks like, which sucks. I also the love story was done well enough but it came out of nowhere and was rushed through it. The artwork was also kind of wonky.
Overall, fun, but not his best. I believe his Daredevil and especially Green Arrow are far stronger than either of his Batman books. a 3 out of 5.
October 27, 2012
Fresh from their first Batman collaboration - "Cacophony" - writer Kevin Smith and artist Walter Flanagan return with their second collection, this time longer than the first, called "The Widening Gyre". A new superhero comes to Gotham wearing a wooden goat mask calling himself "Baphomet" and kicking evil-doer ass, giving Batman the idea that this might be the man he's been looking for to replace him and let Batman retire. Meanwhile Silver St Cloud re-enters Bruce Wayne's life after her husband's death, and the two begin a whirlwind relationship. But who is Baphomet and why has he suddenly appeared to take down Batman's Rogues Gallery?
"Gyre" is a mixed bag for me - there's plenty of action but not a strong enough plot to say this is a great Batman book. For example, there are a lot of old Batman villains that get aired for a few pages before being taken down again - Baron Blitzkrieg, Etrigan, Cornelius Stirk, Black Spider, and Crazy Quilt all get their day in court along with regulars Joker, Mr Freeze, and Poison Ivy. All it really does is show again and again that Baphomet can handle the action and underlines to Batman repeatedly that this guy might be the one to fill his boots when he retires. But seeing one villain after another being beaten up gets a bit boring after a while.
The other main focus is the love story between Silver St Cloud and Bruce Wayne. It's very soap opera-y. They jet to tropical islands, make love on the beach, jet to Aspen and ski, blah blah blah. Wayne gets loved up - how many scenes of him smooching with Silver does the average Batman reader want to see? Then there's Selina Kyle and we really get into Melrose Place territory.
The Baphomet story is the interesting piece of the puzzle, though he de-masks early on and it's nobody from Batman's past that's revelatory. In fact, it's kind of a red herring... but I don't want to spoil it for you. No, despite its humdrum story throughout, "Gyre" is redeemed in the final pages with a real sucker punch of an ending from Smith and makes me want to read the next book in the series.
I quite like Smith's writing so I enjoyed reading the book but I already know one person who didn't like the way Smith humanised Batman by showing him eating a sandwich in between arrests and especially on one page that references "Year One" and Batman's first encounter with incendiaries. But despite being a Batman fan and having read hundreds of comics featuring the guy, it didn't jar me in the way it might - might - a Batman purist.
Flanagan's art is better than his work in "Cacophony"'s and his Batman looks a lot better too - more fierce, menacing, masculine. His drawings of Poison Ivy were awesome too. I know some people disliked his artwork in "Cacophony" but I think it was an overreaction, I mean, he's not Jim Lee but he's not Sam Kieth either.
I guess I was a bit disappointed with the book overall. It felt like there was too much padding and not enough of a substantial story. It felt like the ending was the start of the real story and I would've liked to have skipped a lot of the dross that led up to it and started there instead. That said, it was a decent read and I'm looking forward to a more dynamic "Gyre: Vol 2" from Smith and Flanagan.
"Gyre" is a mixed bag for me - there's plenty of action but not a strong enough plot to say this is a great Batman book. For example, there are a lot of old Batman villains that get aired for a few pages before being taken down again - Baron Blitzkrieg, Etrigan, Cornelius Stirk, Black Spider, and Crazy Quilt all get their day in court along with regulars Joker, Mr Freeze, and Poison Ivy. All it really does is show again and again that Baphomet can handle the action and underlines to Batman repeatedly that this guy might be the one to fill his boots when he retires. But seeing one villain after another being beaten up gets a bit boring after a while.
The other main focus is the love story between Silver St Cloud and Bruce Wayne. It's very soap opera-y. They jet to tropical islands, make love on the beach, jet to Aspen and ski, blah blah blah. Wayne gets loved up - how many scenes of him smooching with Silver does the average Batman reader want to see? Then there's Selina Kyle and we really get into Melrose Place territory.
The Baphomet story is the interesting piece of the puzzle, though he de-masks early on and it's nobody from Batman's past that's revelatory. In fact, it's kind of a red herring... but I don't want to spoil it for you. No, despite its humdrum story throughout, "Gyre" is redeemed in the final pages with a real sucker punch of an ending from Smith and makes me want to read the next book in the series.
I quite like Smith's writing so I enjoyed reading the book but I already know one person who didn't like the way Smith humanised Batman by showing him eating a sandwich in between arrests and especially on one page that references "Year One" and Batman's first encounter with incendiaries. But despite being a Batman fan and having read hundreds of comics featuring the guy, it didn't jar me in the way it might - might - a Batman purist.
Flanagan's art is better than his work in "Cacophony"'s and his Batman looks a lot better too - more fierce, menacing, masculine. His drawings of Poison Ivy were awesome too. I know some people disliked his artwork in "Cacophony" but I think it was an overreaction, I mean, he's not Jim Lee but he's not Sam Kieth either.
I guess I was a bit disappointed with the book overall. It felt like there was too much padding and not enough of a substantial story. It felt like the ending was the start of the real story and I would've liked to have skipped a lot of the dross that led up to it and started there instead. That said, it was a decent read and I'm looking forward to a more dynamic "Gyre: Vol 2" from Smith and Flanagan.
January 24, 2023
This was intended as a twelve issue mini-series, with a break at the middle. Part Two was to be released as BATMAN: BELICOSITY - - and it never happened.
After the break both Smith and Flanagan (manager of Smith’s Secret Stash comic shop in Red Bank, New Jersey) became involved in the COMIC BOOK MEN series for AMC and never returned to the work. (Shades of SPIDER-MAN/BLACK CAT - although Smith eventually finished that one).
That’s a real shame as well as a disservice to Batman fans, as Issue #6 ends on a big cliffhanger.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed this. It’s a more light-hearted version of Batman (in several ways) with many of his long-time foes making appearances (Poison Ivy, Joker, Killer Croc, Mr. Freeze, etc). A new night-time vigilante with a goats-head mask named Baphomet shows up to first bail Batman out of a jam and then assist him on several missions, eventually earning his trust. Having both Nightwing and the new Baphomet on hand frees up a little leisure time for Batman. Bruce Wayne reunites with Silver St. John and their romance rekindles. Catwoman is super-jealous and tries to insert herself back into Batman’s life. At least Bruce Wayne gets to be happy for a couple of issues.
I appreciate the humor here, which was sometimes deemed off-color/crude at the time, but comes off as mild compared to current DC (and others) fare. Walter Flanagan’s art is very good. It would be nice to see more of it, but I suppose he’s happy doing what he’s doing.
I read this in the individual issues. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
After the break both Smith and Flanagan (manager of Smith’s Secret Stash comic shop in Red Bank, New Jersey) became involved in the COMIC BOOK MEN series for AMC and never returned to the work. (Shades of SPIDER-MAN/BLACK CAT - although Smith eventually finished that one).
That’s a real shame as well as a disservice to Batman fans, as Issue #6 ends on a big cliffhanger.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed this. It’s a more light-hearted version of Batman (in several ways) with many of his long-time foes making appearances (Poison Ivy, Joker, Killer Croc, Mr. Freeze, etc). A new night-time vigilante with a goats-head mask named Baphomet shows up to first bail Batman out of a jam and then assist him on several missions, eventually earning his trust. Having both Nightwing and the new Baphomet on hand frees up a little leisure time for Batman. Bruce Wayne reunites with Silver St. John and their romance rekindles. Catwoman is super-jealous and tries to insert herself back into Batman’s life. At least Bruce Wayne gets to be happy for a couple of issues.
I appreciate the humor here, which was sometimes deemed off-color/crude at the time, but comes off as mild compared to current DC (and others) fare. Walter Flanagan’s art is very good. It would be nice to see more of it, but I suppose he’s happy doing what he’s doing.
I read this in the individual issues. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.
February 7, 2012
Kevin Smith was a hero of mine in high school. His intellectual narcissism was something I could relate to, being of that same mind at the time. Coupled with his oft-times sophomoric sense of humor and it seemed like he could do no wrong. I still watch his early movies often and still love them. But I've never read one of his comic books that I'd ever want to re-read.
So,Kevin Smith, stop writing comic books. Please.
You may have grown up on them, you may love them, but you don't write them as if you know and love them. You write them with your own bloated sense of self-interest (the same way you write everything) without regard for the character. The only arcs I'll grant you are those you worked on for Marvel under the Daredevil title. Other than that, your work on Batman has been more comical and farsical than it has been entertaining or enjoyable. It reads like a television episode and has the same camp. The absurdities in this book make it fall into the category of Elseworlds and not the regular continuity. Batman in love, Batman ready to retire, Batman on the beach with a girlfriend? No. And you may say, well, that's Bruce Wayne. Anyone who knows Batman knows that Bruce Wayne isn't real, that its a facade, and that there really is only Batman.
The one thing I'll give this book is that the overall plot could have been brilliant. Would have been brilliant. Smith instead focuses on all the wrong things within the book and fails in almost every aspect.
Coupled with what seems like rushed and amateur art, this book is a real loser.
Grade: D
So,Kevin Smith, stop writing comic books. Please.
You may have grown up on them, you may love them, but you don't write them as if you know and love them. You write them with your own bloated sense of self-interest (the same way you write everything) without regard for the character. The only arcs I'll grant you are those you worked on for Marvel under the Daredevil title. Other than that, your work on Batman has been more comical and farsical than it has been entertaining or enjoyable. It reads like a television episode and has the same camp. The absurdities in this book make it fall into the category of Elseworlds and not the regular continuity. Batman in love, Batman ready to retire, Batman on the beach with a girlfriend? No. And you may say, well, that's Bruce Wayne. Anyone who knows Batman knows that Bruce Wayne isn't real, that its a facade, and that there really is only Batman.
The one thing I'll give this book is that the overall plot could have been brilliant. Would have been brilliant. Smith instead focuses on all the wrong things within the book and fails in almost every aspect.
Coupled with what seems like rushed and amateur art, this book is a real loser.
Grade: D
February 6, 2023
Batman feels a lot less fit for battle here. Other times he defeats guys twice his size by using his wits, but now he too easily meets his match. Not once, but multiple times his fat is pulled out of the fire by supporting characters. Lone wolf, indeed. Then the enemies are often B-listers - even Batman says so - and are only there to keep him from his love interest which receives a lot of focus. Too much focus. Batman is starring in his very own soap opera.
And as I post this I find the best news of all: there is no second volume. Oh, joyous of days. To think I wasted so much time on it. But how will I live with myself not knowing what becomes of the lover boy Batman? Will Silver make it? What about Baphomet's coming beat down at Batman's hands? I guess we will never know. Clearly, I'm not the only one who thought this sucked.
And as I post this I find the best news of all: there is no second volume. Oh, joyous of days. To think I wasted so much time on it. But how will I live with myself not knowing what becomes of the lover boy Batman? Will Silver make it? What about Baphomet's coming beat down at Batman's hands? I guess we will never know. Clearly, I'm not the only one who thought this sucked.
September 21, 2020
I get what Kevin Smith was trying to do here. He wanted to create a genuine event with a slow build to a breathtaking reveal. It might have been doable if he'd been able to produce these six issues on a strict schedule, but he torpedoed his own project by being unreliable. In the end six issues to the reveal proved too much and it never had the impact he hoped for. Coming back to it 10 years on, there's plenty to admire. New characters are introduced, an older, love interest gets revived. It should have been more fun. There are some bum notes being played. Every scene with Catwoman is an embarrassment and the open-door policy on the Batcave doesn't seem like a wise, long-term plan. There's also a scene where Bruce Wayne goes full psycho on his girlfriend which, given his position as the world's greatest detective, seemed less than subtle and a definite red flag for the relationship.
In the end, it's a perfectly fine comic book arc that ends on a cliffhanger because the writer couldn't get his shit together enough to finish the story.
In the end, it's a perfectly fine comic book arc that ends on a cliffhanger because the writer couldn't get his shit together enough to finish the story.
January 2, 2017
Well this was much, much better than Batman: Cacophony. Batman's "voice" sounds much more genuine in this one and it introduces a new hero to Gotham. Part of the story is seeing how Bruce deals with a new capable hero, the rest of the story is how Bruce deals with a true chance at happiness. The remainder is spoiler territory and that is the key to this book. However, the maddening, and frustrating part of this is that it is only the first half of the story, and the second half was never finished. Once again, Kevin Smith fails on his commitments to his comic work in favor or TV/Movie opportunities, ironically he mentions this in the forward of Batman: Cacophony. Gyre is definitely worth a read but when you add in the fact that it's unfinished, I'm not sure I can fully recommend this. It has the makings of a true classic Batman tale, but we will never know until the end is completed.
July 31, 2013
I think it’s hilarious how riled people get over this story. All I heard was how this is the worst of the Batman trade paperbacks. So I obviously had to read it.
First of all, the worst of the Batman I’ve read is Cacophony, Kevin Smith’s other Batman book. On the first page Joker calls an Arkham guard “natch" and from that point on all I heard was Kevin Smith’s voice coming through the pages. I think in Widening Gyre he improved a lot in not upstaging the story with Kevin Smith-ness and demonstrating more maturity across the board.
Second, I think if it had been titled “Batman in Love" or “Bruce Wayne Lets His Guard Down" or “It Turns Out Bruce Is Quite The Skilled Lover" then those who are adamantly against that premise could have avoided reading it. And those who’d dig a trip into the fanfic-esque lighter side would know to check it out. I didn’t mind a softer Bruce Wayne (although in the final chapter it did take it a bit too far) and it was an amusing read.
The Widening Gyre was definitely not the best, but definitely not the worst.
First of all, the worst of the Batman I’ve read is Cacophony, Kevin Smith’s other Batman book. On the first page Joker calls an Arkham guard “natch" and from that point on all I heard was Kevin Smith’s voice coming through the pages. I think in Widening Gyre he improved a lot in not upstaging the story with Kevin Smith-ness and demonstrating more maturity across the board.
Second, I think if it had been titled “Batman in Love" or “Bruce Wayne Lets His Guard Down" or “It Turns Out Bruce Is Quite The Skilled Lover" then those who are adamantly against that premise could have avoided reading it. And those who’d dig a trip into the fanfic-esque lighter side would know to check it out. I didn’t mind a softer Bruce Wayne (although in the final chapter it did take it a bit too far) and it was an amusing read.
The Widening Gyre was definitely not the best, but definitely not the worst.
Read
June 21, 2017Apparently there is a lot, a lot to hate about The Widening Gyre, mostly because it doesn't have an ending, because Bruce Wayne falls in love, and also because Batman talks about peeing in his costume in one part.
And, y'know, not to be that guy who's like, "You're cool with all the women being crazed sexpots and all the guys making gay jokes like it's the 90s, but Batman can't have an actual romance or an unplanned tinkle?"
But yeah.
So the funny thing is that I actually really liked WG. I'm not going to give it a rating because I don't know how to rate a book that not only has no ending, but is entirely reliant on the ending that it's missing. Still, the journey through the book was pretty fun. Smith is still weirdly fixated -- like, really weirdly fixated -- on discussing Batman's sex life through a lot of pretty prepubescent dialogue that, in general, feels out of place. But the arc of WG is complex and interesting. It's essentially a romance, which is hard to write in Batman, but not impossible, and I think Smith does it well. He's able to maintain the central notes of Bruce's character while pushing him into relatively foreign territory, and the build of his affair with returning girlfriend Silver St Cloud feels both rushed (in a heady emotional sense) and well-paced (in the narrative sense).
It helps that WG is six issues of a story in which, for the most part, nothing major happens, and yet its full of beautiful little vignettes of action that keep things moving. I think it could be easily argued that the layers of Easter eggs in these issues are almost a distraction, but I actually appreciated it. I'd always thought that Grant Morrison had cornered the market on recontextualing different Bat-eras into modern continuity, but Smith tackles a bunch of corners that Morrison's run ignored. Besides the obvious references to Dark Detective and Year One, there are updates to villains from Norm Breyfogle's run and the 'New Look' era, as well as believable in-continuity nods to the '66 TV show, The Dark Knight Returns, Saga of the Swamp Thing, and even The Sandman, for Christ's sake.
Arguably, the women in the story don't come off too well, but they still behave within a stone's throw of their usual selves. Like, I was not totally aware that Poison Ivy is a horny nudist or that Catwoman is a lovelorn shrew or that Silver just likes Bruce because he writes down notes on all his cases and writers are so sexy (seriously this scene would make a Stephen King protagonist blush), but like, I don't not see it, you know? And for a Kevin Smith comic, that's something.
Obviously, reading anything Smith writes as an adult is like talking to a twelve year old when you're an adult-- every so often, we're gonna have to pause to talk about boobies and pee-pees, but that doesn't mean that there's nothing of value in between. And the fact that Smith obviously works so hard at the story's layers, AND is willing to let WG essentially be a plot-light, somewhat pensive character piece with fun action and goofy villain cameos -- I mean, seriously, there are worse things is all I'm saying.
And, y'know, not to be that guy who's like, "You're cool with all the women being crazed sexpots and all the guys making gay jokes like it's the 90s, but Batman can't have an actual romance or an unplanned tinkle?"
But yeah.
So the funny thing is that I actually really liked WG. I'm not going to give it a rating because I don't know how to rate a book that not only has no ending, but is entirely reliant on the ending that it's missing. Still, the journey through the book was pretty fun. Smith is still weirdly fixated -- like, really weirdly fixated -- on discussing Batman's sex life through a lot of pretty prepubescent dialogue that, in general, feels out of place. But the arc of WG is complex and interesting. It's essentially a romance, which is hard to write in Batman, but not impossible, and I think Smith does it well. He's able to maintain the central notes of Bruce's character while pushing him into relatively foreign territory, and the build of his affair with returning girlfriend Silver St Cloud feels both rushed (in a heady emotional sense) and well-paced (in the narrative sense).
It helps that WG is six issues of a story in which, for the most part, nothing major happens, and yet its full of beautiful little vignettes of action that keep things moving. I think it could be easily argued that the layers of Easter eggs in these issues are almost a distraction, but I actually appreciated it. I'd always thought that Grant Morrison had cornered the market on recontextualing different Bat-eras into modern continuity, but Smith tackles a bunch of corners that Morrison's run ignored. Besides the obvious references to Dark Detective and Year One, there are updates to villains from Norm Breyfogle's run and the 'New Look' era, as well as believable in-continuity nods to the '66 TV show, The Dark Knight Returns, Saga of the Swamp Thing, and even The Sandman, for Christ's sake.
Arguably, the women in the story don't come off too well, but they still behave within a stone's throw of their usual selves. Like, I was not totally aware that Poison Ivy is a horny nudist or that Catwoman is a lovelorn shrew or that Silver just likes Bruce because he writes down notes on all his cases and writers are so sexy (seriously this scene would make a Stephen King protagonist blush), but like, I don't not see it, you know? And for a Kevin Smith comic, that's something.
Obviously, reading anything Smith writes as an adult is like talking to a twelve year old when you're an adult-- every so often, we're gonna have to pause to talk about boobies and pee-pees, but that doesn't mean that there's nothing of value in between. And the fact that Smith obviously works so hard at the story's layers, AND is willing to let WG essentially be a plot-light, somewhat pensive character piece with fun action and goofy villain cameos -- I mean, seriously, there are worse things is all I'm saying.
September 3, 2020
3.25/5
I'm still chuckling at a lot of the "NOT MY BATMAN!!" reviews on this book. Bats likely has the most longevity and consistency of any DC property but, after 80ish years of books, any fresh take or development is welcome, in my opinion. Kevin Smith's voice can be jarring and doesn't quite fit with the more recent continuity of the (multiple) Batman series on the shelves but I thought his attempt to humanize and deconstruct the myth of the Dark Knight was well-intentioned if not flawlessly executed. There are some odd interactions between characters, some that seemed shoehorned in just because Smith and Flanagan wanted to work with them. This is very much a book written/drawn by fans and that fandom sometimes shoots the narrative in the foot.
*minor spoilers*
Ultimately, I found it to be way better than "Cacophony" across the board but then there's the ending. Without spoiling too much, the ending is simultaneously the best and worst thing about this mini-series. It's perfectly executed - the clues are hiding in plain sight but you never see it coming. It takes a passable Batman story and elevates it to memorable in the course of four panels. It's a showcase of how good Smith can be when he's on his A-game. And then...nothing. No part 2. No development or resolution in a decade, leaving it hanging with a feeling of "welp...I guess that's it".
I'm still chuckling at a lot of the "NOT MY BATMAN!!" reviews on this book. Bats likely has the most longevity and consistency of any DC property but, after 80ish years of books, any fresh take or development is welcome, in my opinion. Kevin Smith's voice can be jarring and doesn't quite fit with the more recent continuity of the (multiple) Batman series on the shelves but I thought his attempt to humanize and deconstruct the myth of the Dark Knight was well-intentioned if not flawlessly executed. There are some odd interactions between characters, some that seemed shoehorned in just because Smith and Flanagan wanted to work with them. This is very much a book written/drawn by fans and that fandom sometimes shoots the narrative in the foot.
*minor spoilers*
Ultimately, I found it to be way better than "Cacophony" across the board but then there's the ending. Without spoiling too much, the ending is simultaneously the best and worst thing about this mini-series. It's perfectly executed - the clues are hiding in plain sight but you never see it coming. It takes a passable Batman story and elevates it to memorable in the course of four panels. It's a showcase of how good Smith can be when he's on his A-game. And then...nothing. No part 2. No development or resolution in a decade, leaving it hanging with a feeling of "welp...I guess that's it".
January 28, 2019
Part of me wants to only give it four stars for ending on a cliffhanger, but...
It's just too darn good...
Thanks, Kev and Walt
It's just too darn good...
Thanks, Kev and Walt
August 21, 2012
I read Kevin Smith's BATMAN: THE WIDENING GYRE mini-series in its "entirety" (You'll find out why I put "entirety" in quotes later.)
First, I'll start with the title. The title is taken from a poem called "The Second Coming" by William Butler Yeats. The poem was written in 1919 in the aftermath of the WWI. While the various manuscript revisions of the poem refer to the Renaissance, French Revolutions, the Irish rebellion, and those of Germany and of Russia, others suggest the text refers to the Russian Revolution of 1917. The poem uses Christian imagery regarding the Apocalypse and second coming as allegory to describe the atmosphere in post-war Europe.
The poem begins:
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.
With that imagery in mind, "the widening gyre" in Batman's case is the appearance of many of his villains all at once. He's bombarded with different villains in each issue. Meanwhile, there are subplots of Bruce Wayne/Batman's romance with Silver St. Cloud (that comes with a lot of jealousy from a famous feline lady), as well as the appearance of a new vigilante in town sporting a goat mask by the name of Baphomet. (You can read about the origins of that name on Wikipedia.)
"The Widening Gyre" was supposed to be released monthly. However, like Kevin Smith's Spider-Man/Black Cat: The Evil That Men Do, there were delays. The six issues were released in October 2009, November 2009, December 2009 (so far so good), and then February 2010, April 2010, and lastly, September 2010. Ouch. Nearly a year for a six-issue mini-series. (Note to Kevin: if you're not going to write them in timely manner, please don't take or ask for the assignments; there are many, MANY other comic writers out there who would LOVE to have the opportunity to write a mini-series. Note to DC and Marvel Comics: don't start printing/releasing Kevin's comics until he's completed all issues of a mini-series.) Luckily, I didn't start reading the issues until I had them all, so it was fairly cohesive for me. Reading this graphic novel will be similar.
I enjoyed Batman facing off against his most popular foes, one after the other. It reminded me somewhat of "The Gauntlet" storyline that just ran through The Amazing Spider-Man series last year. Best of all, though, was the romance developments between Bruce Wayne/Batman and Silver St. Cloud. She's the only non-superhero who could handle being partnered with Bruce Wayne, knowing what he does in his spare time. She's mature, yet fun. Attached, yet not clingy. And she certainly doesn't need the Wayne fortune. It left me wondering, though, if this series was a dream, took place in the distant past, was an Elseworlds story, was a "what if?" type scenario, etc., because this could seriously change Bruce/Batman emotionally, not to mention his relationship with Catwoman.
As I finished reading the sixth/final issue, it ended with a cliffhanger (I won't reveal what) and said to look for Volume Two. WTF? When? 2026? This was supposed to be a six-issue mini-series and now there's more? I want to know what happens, but I don't want to know on Kevin Smith's time schedule. Imagine if Dallas had decided to take a three-year break to reveal Who Shot J.R.? I enjoy Kevin Smith's writing and the stories he comes up with for such superheroes as Batman, Green Arrow, and Spider-Man, but I'm more than a bit frustrated with his lack of dedication, as well as DC and Marvel's acceptance of his flagrant disregard for deadlines. He's not exactly winning over fans. Perhaps the "widening gyre" refers to the gap in time between comic releases?
First, I'll start with the title. The title is taken from a poem called "The Second Coming" by William Butler Yeats. The poem was written in 1919 in the aftermath of the WWI. While the various manuscript revisions of the poem refer to the Renaissance, French Revolutions, the Irish rebellion, and those of Germany and of Russia, others suggest the text refers to the Russian Revolution of 1917. The poem uses Christian imagery regarding the Apocalypse and second coming as allegory to describe the atmosphere in post-war Europe.
The poem begins:
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.
With that imagery in mind, "the widening gyre" in Batman's case is the appearance of many of his villains all at once. He's bombarded with different villains in each issue. Meanwhile, there are subplots of Bruce Wayne/Batman's romance with Silver St. Cloud (that comes with a lot of jealousy from a famous feline lady), as well as the appearance of a new vigilante in town sporting a goat mask by the name of Baphomet. (You can read about the origins of that name on Wikipedia.)
"The Widening Gyre" was supposed to be released monthly. However, like Kevin Smith's Spider-Man/Black Cat: The Evil That Men Do, there were delays. The six issues were released in October 2009, November 2009, December 2009 (so far so good), and then February 2010, April 2010, and lastly, September 2010. Ouch. Nearly a year for a six-issue mini-series. (Note to Kevin: if you're not going to write them in timely manner, please don't take or ask for the assignments; there are many, MANY other comic writers out there who would LOVE to have the opportunity to write a mini-series. Note to DC and Marvel Comics: don't start printing/releasing Kevin's comics until he's completed all issues of a mini-series.) Luckily, I didn't start reading the issues until I had them all, so it was fairly cohesive for me. Reading this graphic novel will be similar.
I enjoyed Batman facing off against his most popular foes, one after the other. It reminded me somewhat of "The Gauntlet" storyline that just ran through The Amazing Spider-Man series last year. Best of all, though, was the romance developments between Bruce Wayne/Batman and Silver St. Cloud. She's the only non-superhero who could handle being partnered with Bruce Wayne, knowing what he does in his spare time. She's mature, yet fun. Attached, yet not clingy. And she certainly doesn't need the Wayne fortune. It left me wondering, though, if this series was a dream, took place in the distant past, was an Elseworlds story, was a "what if?" type scenario, etc., because this could seriously change Bruce/Batman emotionally, not to mention his relationship with Catwoman.
As I finished reading the sixth/final issue, it ended with a cliffhanger (I won't reveal what) and said to look for Volume Two. WTF? When? 2026? This was supposed to be a six-issue mini-series and now there's more? I want to know what happens, but I don't want to know on Kevin Smith's time schedule. Imagine if Dallas had decided to take a three-year break to reveal Who Shot J.R.? I enjoy Kevin Smith's writing and the stories he comes up with for such superheroes as Batman, Green Arrow, and Spider-Man, but I'm more than a bit frustrated with his lack of dedication, as well as DC and Marvel's acceptance of his flagrant disregard for deadlines. He's not exactly winning over fans. Perhaps the "widening gyre" refers to the gap in time between comic releases?
January 14, 2018
I've read a lot of Batman in my time, and there was a lot of garbage, but nothing was as bad as this. not even Neal Adams abysmal "Batman: Odyssey" comes close. I don't want to go into detail why it's trash, i'll just list a few of my "highlights" (Spoilers ahead):
- A classic "Year One"- scene satirized into a Joke about Batman pissing himself
- Batman accusing Silver St. Cloud of being a robot and attacking her
- A new vigilante character who almost immediately becomes Batman's most trusted confidant
- Cannabis jokes/references en masse (of course)
- sleazy looking art
Do i have to continue? Avoid this drivel at all costs, and especially books with Kevin Smith's name on it!
- A classic "Year One"- scene satirized into a Joke about Batman pissing himself
- Batman accusing Silver St. Cloud of being a robot and attacking her
- A new vigilante character who almost immediately becomes Batman's most trusted confidant
- Cannabis jokes/references en masse (of course)
- sleazy looking art
Do i have to continue? Avoid this drivel at all costs, and especially books with Kevin Smith's name on it!
February 16, 2013
After I read Batman:Cacophony, which was Smith's 1st Batman story with Walt Flanagan, it was OK, but I knew that he could do better, and he said the very same himself in his forward. This book is a much better Batman story. A fantastic one in fact, because as much as being a Batman story, it's actually more of a Bruce Wayne story, and a history lesson as well. There are flashbacks to earlier days, allowing for views of Robin/Nightwing/Superman, and many others. Also, there's a whole bunch of other DC characters who show up in this, but never overstay their welcome. The story may seem to start off a little slowly, but then Smith hooks you in, and by the last 3 pages, he just blows your mind, and leaves you on a major cliffhanger. I can't wait to read the next Volume, when it actually comes out. Fantastic work, stands up there with some of the better Batman books, and is definitely a Top 5 Bruce Wayne book.
December 19, 2010
Despite his supposed comic fandom, I'm pretty sure Kevin Smith does not understand Batman. From what I can glean, he did this series as a project so he could get his buddy (who can't draw) some work. To do that, he shoehorned his dick-joke sensibility into Gotham City. Doesn't fit. Apparently, he couldn't figure out that this wasn't supposed to be a Jay and Silent Bob script, and I can't believe DC published it in continuity.
June 27, 2013
Un comic que venía siendo simpático, que no se podía tomar muy en serio, dibujado mal pero no tanto como el tomo anterior (Batman: Cacofonía), que tenía ciertos agujeros argumentales pero aun así estaba bien narrado.
Hasta que llegó el final. Quizás, el final más de mierda que haya leído en un comic de Batman. Y para colmo creo que nunca concluyó. Lo más esquivable que le haya leído a Kevin Smith. Sólo para supercompletistas.
Hasta que llegó el final. Quizás, el final más de mierda que haya leído en un comic de Batman. Y para colmo creo que nunca concluyó. Lo más esquivable que le haya leído a Kevin Smith. Sólo para supercompletistas.
August 3, 2016
After being disappointed by Kevin Smith's first attempt at Batman I found myself drawn into the story of these 6 volumes. I loved the appearance of so many classic heroes and villains. And the ending... oh boy! Now if only Kevin Smith would actually come out with the final 6 volumes instead of leaving us on this cliff hanger for years!!!
December 26, 2010
STill not completely happy about his writing of Batman (the character) Widening Gyre was a thousand times better than Cacophony. It told a compelling, human story about Batman and the Dark Knight/Bruce Wayne dynamic, and gave you a cliff hanger ending that makes you curse out loud and beg for more
August 2, 2012
Please Kevin Smith finish this... I thoroughly enjoy Silent Bob's version of Batman.
October 14, 2023
Well this was dogshit. I only read these two Kevin Smith volumes because I was told they were followups to Englehart's unfinished Dark Detective. This is sort of true. Cacophony was entirely unrelated, being more of a followup to Smith's Green Arrow run. Widening Gyre, while a direct sequel to Cacophony, does indeed pick up the Silver St. Cloud plot thread. But in a cruel joke of the universe, this story too, is FUCKING UNFINISHED. It seems we'll never know what the hell Silver St. Cloud's ultimate fate was. And honestly? Good riddance. She's written completely differently every time she appears. Her only consistent trait is that she makes Bruce act like an absolute idiot any time she's around. She's pretty insufferable. Smith tried to write her here as being...I don't know, quirky? But it comes off so forced, and she ends up acting like a child (Englehart also wrote her as childish, but in a very different way).
I don't even want to talk about the main plot of this book, because it's nearly nonexistant. Seriously, much of it is just pointless flashbacks so the mediocre artist could draw characters he liked (this is literally admitted by Smith in the outro). Another portion is spent introducing a new hero in Gotham that we all know is going to turn out bad, and even his true identity is rather predictable if you've just finished reading Cacophony (though Smith insists that NO ONE predicted it). So many villains appear that none of them actually get to do anything interesting, and several of them are out of character. The script is once again filled with juvenile potty and sex jokes that feel deeply out of place. And inexplicably, despite being such a relentlessly silly comic, there's an abundance of extreme gore. Very weird. There's just no consistent tone, no central thesis, no unique ideas whatsoever. Cacophony was bad, but at least it felt purposeful and structured. This was aimless, meandering nonsense, and it isn't even a complete story. The final tome in the series, Batman: Bellicosity, was supposed to wrap everything up, but it was never written because Kevin Smith's persona as a lazy stoner is not, in fact, a persona.
The only memorable thing about Widening Gyre is the final splash page, which is not only eye-rolling, but seriously gross (and I'm not talking about the gore). I enjoy some of Kevin Smith's films, but this has made me never want to pick up another of his comics.
I've read a lot of bad Batman comics, but this was fucking grim, man. Stay far away from it. And DO NOT read Dark Detective, lest you get trapped in this pointless excursion of infinite regress like me.
A note on canon:
Of the four "Silver St. Cloud Saga" books, (Strange Apparitions, Dark Detective, Cacophony, and Widening Gyre), only the first one is canon to the main post-Crisis Batman timeline. The other three veer off into their own universe which accrues and increasing number of continuity contradictions. They should be seen as a "What if Silver returned?" timeline. Not coincidentally, Strange Apparitions is also the only one worth reading, and the only one that actually resolves itself. Make the right choice.
I don't even want to talk about the main plot of this book, because it's nearly nonexistant. Seriously, much of it is just pointless flashbacks so the mediocre artist could draw characters he liked (this is literally admitted by Smith in the outro). Another portion is spent introducing a new hero in Gotham that we all know is going to turn out bad, and even his true identity is rather predictable if you've just finished reading Cacophony (though Smith insists that NO ONE predicted it). So many villains appear that none of them actually get to do anything interesting, and several of them are out of character. The script is once again filled with juvenile potty and sex jokes that feel deeply out of place. And inexplicably, despite being such a relentlessly silly comic, there's an abundance of extreme gore. Very weird. There's just no consistent tone, no central thesis, no unique ideas whatsoever. Cacophony was bad, but at least it felt purposeful and structured. This was aimless, meandering nonsense, and it isn't even a complete story. The final tome in the series, Batman: Bellicosity, was supposed to wrap everything up, but it was never written because Kevin Smith's persona as a lazy stoner is not, in fact, a persona.
The only memorable thing about Widening Gyre is the final splash page, which is not only eye-rolling, but seriously gross (and I'm not talking about the gore). I enjoy some of Kevin Smith's films, but this has made me never want to pick up another of his comics.
I've read a lot of bad Batman comics, but this was fucking grim, man. Stay far away from it. And DO NOT read Dark Detective, lest you get trapped in this pointless excursion of infinite regress like me.
A note on canon:
Of the four "Silver St. Cloud Saga" books, (Strange Apparitions, Dark Detective, Cacophony, and Widening Gyre), only the first one is canon to the main post-Crisis Batman timeline. The other three veer off into their own universe which accrues and increasing number of continuity contradictions. They should be seen as a "What if Silver returned?" timeline. Not coincidentally, Strange Apparitions is also the only one worth reading, and the only one that actually resolves itself. Make the right choice.
January 31, 2021
As I read (and was disappointed by) Cacophony rather recently, I decided to give Widening Gyre a second go. Though not as shocked and delighted as the first time around, it still holds up very well.
This is the combination of a look into Batman history, featuring a selection of rogues ranging from the very goofy to the extremely gruesome, with an exploration of what it means to be Batman on a human level. Note that, with the exception of Crazy Quilt (who gets a macabre makeover), all the stuff Smith uses is Batman canon.
Alternatively, you could trink of it as "what would make Batman quit, or at least think of retirement?" The answer is of course Silver St. Cloud, straight out of Batman: Dark Detective.
I like the overall approach in that it shows a Batman who s worn, tired, and keeping up with crime-fighting in significant part because there is nothing else in his life: Nightwing has moved on, Jason Todd is dead and Tim Drake is growing fast into his own. Bruce Wayne is just another mask for the Batman.
Then, the return of Silver St. Cloud into his life brings back a measure of humanity, an idea reminiscent of the animated Mask of the Phantasm. This is what I especially like about this comic: the humanity of it, as well as the unapologetic depiction of what living - truly living - in Bruce Wayne's world looks like.
On the other hand, what being paranoid-Batman-over-9000 looks like, culminating in a shocking scene in the last issue.
Then, there is Baphomet and the whole story behind him, which is a big spoiler I am choosing to leave out. Suffice to say, the whole thing is well plotted when you consider Batman's psychology.
The comic is not perfect of course. There are some holes here and there, as well as the fact that the story was never (and very likely will never) be finished. Then, there is Smith's obsession with all the Hebrew stuff (including the name Baphomet, but that is widely known enough that it could be used regardless), which I don't really get and seems rather forced at times.
However, narratively speaking, it showcases one of the best alternations between genuinely grim and lighthearted - a true tribute to Batman's history.
This is the combination of a look into Batman history, featuring a selection of rogues ranging from the very goofy to the extremely gruesome, with an exploration of what it means to be Batman on a human level. Note that, with the exception of Crazy Quilt (who gets a macabre makeover), all the stuff Smith uses is Batman canon.
Alternatively, you could trink of it as "what would make Batman quit, or at least think of retirement?" The answer is of course Silver St. Cloud, straight out of Batman: Dark Detective.
I like the overall approach in that it shows a Batman who s worn, tired, and keeping up with crime-fighting in significant part because there is nothing else in his life: Nightwing has moved on, Jason Todd is dead and Tim Drake is growing fast into his own. Bruce Wayne is just another mask for the Batman.
Then, the return of Silver St. Cloud into his life brings back a measure of humanity, an idea reminiscent of the animated Mask of the Phantasm. This is what I especially like about this comic: the humanity of it, as well as the unapologetic depiction of what living - truly living - in Bruce Wayne's world looks like.
On the other hand, what being paranoid-Batman-over-9000 looks like, culminating in a shocking scene in the last issue.
Then, there is Baphomet and the whole story behind him, which is a big spoiler I am choosing to leave out. Suffice to say, the whole thing is well plotted when you consider Batman's psychology.
The comic is not perfect of course. There are some holes here and there, as well as the fact that the story was never (and very likely will never) be finished. Then, there is Smith's obsession with all the Hebrew stuff (including the name Baphomet, but that is widely known enough that it could be used regardless), which I don't really get and seems rather forced at times.
However, narratively speaking, it showcases one of the best alternations between genuinely grim and lighthearted - a true tribute to Batman's history.
July 28, 2021
This one was hard to rate. One one hand, it's a good story with plenty of twists and turns. And the art is really good. I mentioned in my review of CACOPHONY that Flanagan's art reminded me of Marshall Rogers, and it became more obvious in this series that was somewhat on purpose. With Silver St. Cloud featured, the mention of Batman's time stationed in the Gotham Penthouse, and some of the villains Batman faced during the Marshall run, it was clear that both Smith and Flanagan were fans of that Batman run.
Now for the bad. The worst part is, spoiler alert, this series ends on a HUGE cliffhanger that hasn't been resolved in over ten years. That's just unprofessional, and reminded me of that Bullseye series from like, 20 years ago, that Kevin Smith did one issue of and never finished. I would think with both Smith and Flanagan being huge comic fans, they would know how irritating this would be to other fans. Also, there's too much "Kevin Smith" in the story, and by that I mean Smith's sense of humor. It works great in his films, but when Batman cracks the raunchy jokes it doesn't work. Not that Batman is going around cracking raunchy jokes all the time, but I think most fans will understand where I'm coming from. I won't get into the lewdness of Poison Ivy and Catwoman, which just feels too out of place. (Note: Flanagan does draw a really hot Poison Ivy.)
So overall this is middle of the road. Even with a proper ending I don't see this as a five star read due to the issues I mentioned, but man that is a huge cliffhanger to end on. I hope maybe one day we'll see the conclusion, but a decade? I suppose stranger things have happened, but we'll see.
Now for the bad. The worst part is, spoiler alert, this series ends on a HUGE cliffhanger that hasn't been resolved in over ten years. That's just unprofessional, and reminded me of that Bullseye series from like, 20 years ago, that Kevin Smith did one issue of and never finished. I would think with both Smith and Flanagan being huge comic fans, they would know how irritating this would be to other fans. Also, there's too much "Kevin Smith" in the story, and by that I mean Smith's sense of humor. It works great in his films, but when Batman cracks the raunchy jokes it doesn't work. Not that Batman is going around cracking raunchy jokes all the time, but I think most fans will understand where I'm coming from. I won't get into the lewdness of Poison Ivy and Catwoman, which just feels too out of place. (Note: Flanagan does draw a really hot Poison Ivy.)
So overall this is middle of the road. Even with a proper ending I don't see this as a five star read due to the issues I mentioned, but man that is a huge cliffhanger to end on. I hope maybe one day we'll see the conclusion, but a decade? I suppose stranger things have happened, but we'll see.
December 30, 2023
This is a good one! The story goes on its own pace. There is no attempt to speed it up nor any deliberate settings that calls for action sequences more than necessary.
The author had been clear at what he want to do and had taken the risk to keep the story that way until we hit the climax. That twist in the end does deserve such a tamed narrative.
But the problem is, it has a cliffhanger ending and the planned third volume had been cancelled. So there story literally ends with a twist ending and hangs there without a conclusion.
Also, it isn't interesting to see Batman or Bruce Wayne to end up in serious relationships and slowly out grow his oath to wear the cowl. That's the only setback. But it is quite relevant to establish how serious Bruce is about his new relationship to reach the climax.
In a line, we see Batman being assisted by new vigilante who calls himself baphomet. Slowly Batman trusts him and takes him as a partner. He sees real talent and his ongoing relationship with a woman named silver makes him think maybe it is time for him to leave the cowl soon and settle down. But can he?
Two stars for the cliffhanger ending and the discontinuation!
The author had been clear at what he want to do and had taken the risk to keep the story that way until we hit the climax. That twist in the end does deserve such a tamed narrative.
But the problem is, it has a cliffhanger ending and the planned third volume had been cancelled. So there story literally ends with a twist ending and hangs there without a conclusion.
Also, it isn't interesting to see Batman or Bruce Wayne to end up in serious relationships and slowly out grow his oath to wear the cowl. That's the only setback. But it is quite relevant to establish how serious Bruce is about his new relationship to reach the climax.
In a line, we see Batman being assisted by new vigilante who calls himself baphomet. Slowly Batman trusts him and takes him as a partner. He sees real talent and his ongoing relationship with a woman named silver makes him think maybe it is time for him to leave the cowl soon and settle down. But can he?
Two stars for the cliffhanger ending and the discontinuation!
April 28, 2024
Wow ! This is ... Just awful !
For context , most nerds/geeks/pop culture fantatics , love Kevin Smith , and while i do understand the significance he has in pop culture because of how he is partially responsible for the invent of Podcasting , i actually dislike Kevin Smith tons .
None of his works have been amazing to me , and recently he has put hands on some of my beloved properties and while putting his own spin on said properties he has produced some awful results .
This book is no different. Smith goes into a mode of writing which i consider children take when writing a fan fiction , he doesnt understand any of the Batverse characters , often handing them out poorly and adds unnecessary sexual context and most time (if not all the time) his attempt at humor comes across ill fated and awful .
There's absolutely nothing in this book that makes me like it . The art is mediocre , rhe action sequences are cluttered and suck, Batman and his rogue and ally gallery are handled awful , the story is atrocious and the dialogues cringe .
Hate Kevin Smith more now ,and i will now make it a life goal to forever prevent anything that has got his name attached to it
For context , most nerds/geeks/pop culture fantatics , love Kevin Smith , and while i do understand the significance he has in pop culture because of how he is partially responsible for the invent of Podcasting , i actually dislike Kevin Smith tons .
None of his works have been amazing to me , and recently he has put hands on some of my beloved properties and while putting his own spin on said properties he has produced some awful results .
This book is no different. Smith goes into a mode of writing which i consider children take when writing a fan fiction , he doesnt understand any of the Batverse characters , often handing them out poorly and adds unnecessary sexual context and most time (if not all the time) his attempt at humor comes across ill fated and awful .
There's absolutely nothing in this book that makes me like it . The art is mediocre , rhe action sequences are cluttered and suck, Batman and his rogue and ally gallery are handled awful , the story is atrocious and the dialogues cringe .
Hate Kevin Smith more now ,and i will now make it a life goal to forever prevent anything that has got his name attached to it
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