What do you think?
Rate this book
Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War #6
BATMAN #138 CVR A CHIP ZDARSKY
THE GOTHAM WAR CONTINUES! Batman is on the ropes as the Gotham War heats up following a shocking betrayal! It's father versus son, teacher versus student in the knockout fourth chapter of this brutal war. But who is really pulling the strings in this explosive event? Thousands of years have led to this moment!
32 pages, Comic
Published January 1, 2023
7 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Chip Zdarsky
877 books857 followersChip Zdarsky is a Canadian comic book artist and journalist. He was born Steve Murray but is known by his fan base as Chip Zdarsky, and occasionally Todd Diamond. He writes and illustrates an advice column called Extremely Bad Advice for the Canadian national newspaper National Post's The Ampersand, their pop culture section's online edition. He is also the creator of Prison Funnies and Monster Cops.
Source: Wikipedia.
Source: Wikipedia.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 4, 2023
Well at least the art is good
October 12, 2023
never thought i would actually and truly hate batman but here we are. one star for art, the other for my man dick grayson. and zero stars for bruce wayne!
December 4, 2023
The Gotham War event has had some mixed reactions so far, with a lot of people kind of dropping off the Zdarsky Batman run thanks to it. Whilst I've not reached the point yet where I feel like I want to stop reading what began as a fun run, this latest arc is a definite dip in quality, and this issue might be the worst one to date.
In the last part of the series we saw Batman get into a fight with Red Hood, and he kidnapped him off the streets after knocking him out. Here we find out what happens next, as it's revealed that Bruce has used the tech that help him to create the Zur-En-Arrh personality to reprogram Jason's brain, making it so that if he's ever in a situation where he experiences intense adrenaline his fear response kicks in; basically making it impossible for him to be a vigilante crime fighter. Or even ride a roller coaster.
Whist I've agreed to a certain degree that the Bruce we've had in previous issues has been acting out of character, this is the first time I feel that he's acted so out of character that it almost feels like a deliberate character assassination. If we didn't know that Zur was lurking in the back of his mind trying to break him I'd be super angry about it, and would absolutely quit reading the title. As it is, I'm kind of just disappointed that this is being done.
Other titles recently have made a point of showing that Batman loves his family, that he cares for the people around him. And this book is throwing that all away. It's making him hurt his kids, and it's making them hate him. He's becoming an abuser. I hate it, and I also can't help but feel that this is another argument for why Alfred needs to be brought back because shit like this happens when he's not there to stop Bruce going full psychopath.
This issue sees Bruce going up against Nightwing and Tim's Robin, with him feeling no qualms about beating them around the place. He even uses his snazzy new robot hand to break their weapons apart, and even smashes Dick's face with a car door in a move that absolutely would hospitalise him, or even kill him, if this was remotely realistic. Bruce looks like he's trying to kill his kids. And he leave Damian, runs away leaving him tied up. The one member of the family who stood by him thrown aside like he's nothing; and it breaks Damian. So how does this play into the Batman and Robin series where they're living together and getting on wonderfully? I don't think Zarsky actually cares about that book and it's like this title is actively trying to do the opposite of it.
Elsewhere in the book we learn more about what Vandal Savage is doing. It seems that the power of immortality he gained from the meteorite is waning, and that he needs to gather all of the pieces of it in order to regain hi full strength. Unfortunately, these pieces are scattered throughout the world, have been turned into trinkets and jewellery, and need getting back. And this is why he's gotten Scandal to take Selina's gang of thieves away from her, so that they can go and steal all the shit he needs. How did he know that Selina was going to create a league of thieves, and was therefore able to put Scandal undercover long before it happened? Why does he need these people to get the stones for him when he could just do it himself? Don't ask too many questions.
The villain needing to gather together pieces of a magic gem that has been broken down into smaller pieces and scattered across the world also feels a bit too similar to Eclipso: The Darkness Within to feel wholly original too.
The only real saving grace for the issue is the art, which is as good as one would come to expect from Jorge Jimmenez, and Tomeu Morey. The book looks fantastic, and the fight scenes are full of movement and energy, and you can feel the violence that's happening in these moments in a really visceral way. Sadly, great art doesn't make up for a lackluster story.
In the last part of the series we saw Batman get into a fight with Red Hood, and he kidnapped him off the streets after knocking him out. Here we find out what happens next, as it's revealed that Bruce has used the tech that help him to create the Zur-En-Arrh personality to reprogram Jason's brain, making it so that if he's ever in a situation where he experiences intense adrenaline his fear response kicks in; basically making it impossible for him to be a vigilante crime fighter. Or even ride a roller coaster.
Whist I've agreed to a certain degree that the Bruce we've had in previous issues has been acting out of character, this is the first time I feel that he's acted so out of character that it almost feels like a deliberate character assassination. If we didn't know that Zur was lurking in the back of his mind trying to break him I'd be super angry about it, and would absolutely quit reading the title. As it is, I'm kind of just disappointed that this is being done.
Other titles recently have made a point of showing that Batman loves his family, that he cares for the people around him. And this book is throwing that all away. It's making him hurt his kids, and it's making them hate him. He's becoming an abuser. I hate it, and I also can't help but feel that this is another argument for why Alfred needs to be brought back because shit like this happens when he's not there to stop Bruce going full psychopath.
This issue sees Bruce going up against Nightwing and Tim's Robin, with him feeling no qualms about beating them around the place. He even uses his snazzy new robot hand to break their weapons apart, and even smashes Dick's face with a car door in a move that absolutely would hospitalise him, or even kill him, if this was remotely realistic. Bruce looks like he's trying to kill his kids. And he leave Damian, runs away leaving him tied up. The one member of the family who stood by him thrown aside like he's nothing; and it breaks Damian. So how does this play into the Batman and Robin series where they're living together and getting on wonderfully? I don't think Zarsky actually cares about that book and it's like this title is actively trying to do the opposite of it.
Elsewhere in the book we learn more about what Vandal Savage is doing. It seems that the power of immortality he gained from the meteorite is waning, and that he needs to gather all of the pieces of it in order to regain hi full strength. Unfortunately, these pieces are scattered throughout the world, have been turned into trinkets and jewellery, and need getting back. And this is why he's gotten Scandal to take Selina's gang of thieves away from her, so that they can go and steal all the shit he needs. How did he know that Selina was going to create a league of thieves, and was therefore able to put Scandal undercover long before it happened? Why does he need these people to get the stones for him when he could just do it himself? Don't ask too many questions.
The villain needing to gather together pieces of a magic gem that has been broken down into smaller pieces and scattered across the world also feels a bit too similar to Eclipso: The Darkness Within to feel wholly original too.
The only real saving grace for the issue is the art, which is as good as one would come to expect from Jorge Jimmenez, and Tomeu Morey. The book looks fantastic, and the fight scenes are full of movement and energy, and you can feel the violence that's happening in these moments in a really visceral way. Sadly, great art doesn't make up for a lackluster story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2023
Savage is actually salvaging this story. I hate the Zur plotline. I feel like I shouldn't say that I hate Batman right now knowing that Zur is in play somewhere somehow. And at first, I was incredibly pissed off by what he does to Jason and how he's talking about the others. Especially when you have Zur talking in the background. But it was only when I started to write this that I began to wonder if the bubbles are reversed. Maybe it's not Batman talking as Batman and maybe it's not Zur talking as Zur. What if they flip-flopped? In my review for 137 I hypothesized that Zur would completely take over but we didn't get any reference to that in Catwoman issue number 57. In any regard I am not a fan of the storyline and seeing the bat family fight to these extremes but I thought the addition of Savage would unnecessarily complicate things and instead it's offering a nice buffer for all of the familial stress. I think it's most telling that Batman abandoned Damian when Damian has done nothing wrong to him. And it is very touching to see Tim and Dick there for him.
January 16, 2024
¿Hasta qué punto Bruce está influenciado (o ya controlado) por Zur En Arrh en esta contienda directa con sus hijos? Contemplar cómo trata de contener a Jason Todd y parar los pies de su primer pupilo, Dick Grayson, considerándolos sangrantes errores al posicionarse en favor del movimiento de control criminal de Catwoman. Desde luego es devastador. Puede que las formas sean chocantes, pero Chip Zdarsky está agitando de verdad a un personaje que estaba bastante estancado. La línea de pensamiento en la que el mismo Bruce aborda la cuestión de si ha sido buena idea convertir al símbolo del Hombre Murciélago en toda una familia, estremece. Y no creo que sea porque el autor sea de quienes consideran a la Batfamily un "error creativo".
Sí que ya se empieza ver la luz al final del túnel al revelarse una presencia hiper hostil que parece que va a aprovecharse de las filas de criminales formadas por Selina. Lo cual equilibrará la balanza para que la Guerra de Gotham en el frente de los vigilantes enmascarados se pueda calmar o encauzar hacia un enemigo común más claro.
Sí que ya se empieza ver la luz al final del túnel al revelarse una presencia hiper hostil que parece que va a aprovecharse de las filas de criminales formadas por Selina. Lo cual equilibrará la balanza para que la Guerra de Gotham en el frente de los vigilantes enmascarados se pueda calmar o encauzar hacia un enemigo común más claro.
October 4, 2023
Bruce Wayne goes to far.
Richard Grayson Wayne is having to stop him.
Jason Wayne pays a horrible price.
Tim Wayne stops Damine Wayne from stopping Richard Grayson Wayne.
Richard Grayson Wayne goes toe to toe and stops Bruce Wayne but it is too late for Jason Wayne and Vandle Savage gets his own league of Shadows and trouble between the Wayne siblings are united in they're shared grief for what Bruce Wayne has done.
Richard Grayson Wayne is having to stop him.
Jason Wayne pays a horrible price.
Tim Wayne stops Damine Wayne from stopping Richard Grayson Wayne.
Richard Grayson Wayne goes toe to toe and stops Bruce Wayne but it is too late for Jason Wayne and Vandle Savage gets his own league of Shadows and trouble between the Wayne siblings are united in they're shared grief for what Bruce Wayne has done.
November 1, 2023
So Batman has gone off the deep end. He’s dismantling Catwoman’s thieves guild, fighting with the Bat family , and he’s kidnapped Jason Todd and dosed him with a modified version of fear toxin. Why do I hate Batman in his own title?
December 19, 2023
I really hope there is some big endgame and twist which Zdarsky planned and makes it a good run but i doubt it… after really good Spidey run and fantastic Daredevil, Zdarsky dissappiont a big time. There wasnt a great Batman story sinice Alfred’s death. Bring him back DC! Batman desperatly need him
October 3, 2023
babababatman
I thought this was great. Well done Chip and Jorge and everyone else! Seven more words are required here goes.
I thought this was great. Well done Chip and Jorge and everyone else! Seven more words are required here goes.
October 14, 2023
That ARC is one of the worst Batman series in many years. I hope it won't last too long!
October 17, 2023
Gotham War continues to be terrible. 2 stars for the art and Vandal Savage cooking up something somewhat interesting.
October 19, 2023
One star for the hug, one for the Nightwing. Horrible story. What Batman has done is so bad
October 22, 2023
Started: 22/10/2023
Finished: 22/10/2023
Finished: 22/10/2023
August 25, 2024
Wtf? I mean I guess I'm glad that Nightwing beat Batman up for that shit he pulled, not that it helped any
September 6, 2024
Savage presence is interesting, but I'm mainly reading for the art at this point.
October 24, 2024
2024 - Year of The Bat (366 Days of Batman)
Day 298: I’m done with this storyline. And if we get another heavy crossover filled one, I’m rating the Batman issues a 1 ⭐️ and DNF’ing the lot.
Day 298: I’m done with this storyline. And if we get another heavy crossover filled one, I’m rating the Batman issues a 1 ⭐️ and DNF’ing the lot.
November 9, 2024
Do comic books count
November 16, 2024
q ptm hicieron con mi batman
December 22, 2024
I hate having to buy other titles to get a full story. And the ending of the story for that matter. Cmon DC.
Read
July 6, 20254
November 1, 2025
La premisa sigue sin convencer, tres estrellas por el dibujo de Jorge Jiménez, Chip Zdarsky ¿Que te ha pasado?
December 17, 2024
the art is wonderful. i can't help feeling warm about them helping each other when their father goes insane. jason's eyes oh my god. tim believing that bruce just needs help, this is going to break me.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews