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Batman: Detective Comics by Ram V.
Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 4: Gotham Nocturne Intermezzo: Batman, Outlaw (Detective Comics
Batman's life literally hangs in the balance in a haunting story that finds an unlikely band of allies rallying to the Dark Knight’s cause! With the deadly Orgham family holding Batman and Gotham City under its spell, will Catwoman, Talia al Ghul, Cassandra Cain, Poison Ivy, Azrael, and Mr. Freeze(!) be able to beat incredible odds? Or will Batman's fate depend on a flip of a coin? Plus, stories featuring the Question, Azrael, Solomon Grundy, and the Summoner! Collects Detective Comics #1076-1080.
Kindle Edition
First published December 31, 2024
10 people are currently reading
167 people want to read
About the author
Ram V
485 books349 followersRam V (Ramnarayan Venkatesan) is an author and comic book writer from Mumbai, India. His comics career began in 2012 with the award-nominated Indian comic series, Aghori. A graduate of the City University of London’s Creative Writing MA, he has since created the critically acclaimed Black Mumba and the fantasy adventure series, Brigands.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
December 26, 2025
This has been my favourite book of the story arc so far. I loved the artwork of the main story, loved the story itself, and I even enjoyed the side stories, giving a bit of background and spotlight on the side characters.
Gotham is changing. Batman is beaten and drugged. Fighting the Azmer that is destroying his very mind and memories. Three days remaining before Batman or what is left of him is to be hung. However, Catwoman still has a few cards and players in the game. Who would be willing to join her crew on this suicide/rescue mission? See the mini stories for more on their background and motivation.
A great heist style story. A number of things have been set up for the conclusion of this story that I can't wait for as well. I hope in the future of Gotham as well. This book finishes with a sketchbook and a varient covers gallery.
Gotham is changing. Batman is beaten and drugged. Fighting the Azmer that is destroying his very mind and memories. Three days remaining before Batman or what is left of him is to be hung. However, Catwoman still has a few cards and players in the game. Who would be willing to join her crew on this suicide/rescue mission? See the mini stories for more on their background and motivation.
A great heist style story. A number of things have been set up for the conclusion of this story that I can't wait for as well. I hope in the future of Gotham as well. This book finishes with a sketchbook and a varient covers gallery.
December 29, 2024
This was an entertaining read, with mostly really good artwork, but I just couldn’t believe one major part of the story.
I know that, when reading a book that is part of a shared universe with hundreds of heroes, one has to suspend disbelief more than a little when it comes to why these heroes don’t show up to help their allies in other books. Sometimes, however, the fact that a hero’s allies don’t turn up to help is just stretching credulity a little too much, and this story was a glaring example.
SPOILERS BELOW
The key event in this story is that Batman is going to be publicly executed, with much media attention, and I just cannot believe Catwoman and Jim Gordon can’t find anyone to help rescue him other than two Batgirls and a bunch of street rats and bad guys.
Where were all the Robins? Where were all the Super-Family with their super-senses omniscience? I mean, I suppose it’s possible none of these folks knew what was going on, wrapped up in their own adventures… just barely possible… but there should at the very least have been some mention as to why none of these heroes could come and stop their friend being publicly hanged!
3.3 stars
I know that, when reading a book that is part of a shared universe with hundreds of heroes, one has to suspend disbelief more than a little when it comes to why these heroes don’t show up to help their allies in other books. Sometimes, however, the fact that a hero’s allies don’t turn up to help is just stretching credulity a little too much, and this story was a glaring example.
SPOILERS BELOW
The key event in this story is that Batman is going to be publicly executed, with much media attention, and I just cannot believe Catwoman and Jim Gordon can’t find anyone to help rescue him other than two Batgirls and a bunch of street rats and bad guys.
Where were all the Robins? Where were all the Super-Family with their super-senses omniscience? I mean, I suppose it’s possible none of these folks knew what was going on, wrapped up in their own adventures… just barely possible… but there should at the very least have been some mention as to why none of these heroes could come and stop their friend being publicly hanged!
3.3 stars
January 6, 2025
This trade and most of this run are honestly kind of a mess. There are too many characters, and many of them are pretty obscure. The stakes are huge, and the vibes are very cool, but, at this point it doesn’t feel possible that the story is going to stick the landing. The artwork is awesome though. Again, very cool vibes.
June 25, 2025
Finally a better Volume to the story! If only the art wasn't really inconsistent and not that great... but again, that's just my opinion.
The Orghams continue their plan to take over Gotham. Next step is to hang Batman, killing him. Catwoman puts together a huge rescue plan (Her, Batgirl, Gordon, Freeze, Two-Face, Ivy, etc) and they are able to rescue his "dead body", not dead but appearing dead (Ivy toxin). By the end, the Orghams seemingly have won, but Batman is recooperating with Talia. I assume the next and final Volume will have him returning to Gotham, defeating the Orghams and restoring Gotham to what it has been, all in time for the next author to start working on stories for Detective Comics.
This Volume is more worth it than the previous ones. Hope that continues with the final Volume as well.
Recommend.
The Orghams continue their plan to take over Gotham. Next step is to hang Batman, killing him. Catwoman puts together a huge rescue plan (Her, Batgirl, Gordon, Freeze, Two-Face, Ivy, etc) and they are able to rescue his "dead body", not dead but appearing dead (Ivy toxin). By the end, the Orghams seemingly have won, but Batman is recooperating with Talia. I assume the next and final Volume will have him returning to Gotham, defeating the Orghams and restoring Gotham to what it has been, all in time for the next author to start working on stories for Detective Comics.
This Volume is more worth it than the previous ones. Hope that continues with the final Volume as well.
Recommend.
March 4, 2025
An interlude that's not uninteresting and sometimes has the air of a nightmare awakening, but which puts the suspension of disbelief to the test a little.
That said, it's still well written and Ram V displays a Selina we'd like to see more of. The twist with the Orgham family saves the run from the banality of the rescue plot.
That said, it's still well written and Ram V displays a Selina we'd like to see more of. The twist with the Orgham family saves the run from the banality of the rescue plot.
September 26, 2024
Jason Shawn Alexander literally draws a perfect Batman.
October 16, 2024
Ram V, thank you for giving them to us brutalia crumbs.
July 16, 2025
Ram V goes for the "Most Colons in a Title" award with this fourth volume in his Gotham Nocturne series. It's one of the better volumes too, largely because it sticks to one narrative: Catwoman must put together a band of anti-heroes to free Batman before he's hanged by the Orghams. There's very little of the Azmer or weird, ancient world-building in this volume, just pure heisty goodness, including the eventual twist reveal of how it all played out exactly to (Catwoman's) plan.
The only knock against the volume are the numerous back-up issues that delve a little deeper into the characters in Catwoman's squad, almost all of whom are D-list or lower. Couldn't care!
The only knock against the volume are the numerous back-up issues that delve a little deeper into the characters in Catwoman's squad, almost all of whom are D-list or lower. Couldn't care!
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April 8, 2025My main criticism at the start of this run was that the art, and hence the Gotham, weren't quite matching the gothic ambitions of the story. Well, no fear of that here, with Killadelphia's Jason Shawn Alexander on the main story, plus contributions from an all-star supporting line-up including Liam Sharp, Caspar Wijngaard and Christopher Mitten, between them weaving a mood that recalls the post-Burton nineties when Batman was briefly good. The plot steers into this with a very Shadow Of The Bat turn, Batman imprisoned in the ruins of Arkham and his own besieged mind as Selina Kyle attempts to orchestrate a rescue-as-heist. Even the circularity of modern Batman stories is pressed into service, a weary awareness of years of unimaginative stories with an exhausted character twisted into a sense of mythic recurrence instead: "It happens... Every now and then, they turn on him. You can set your clock by it if you pay attention." And to stop it all from being only an exercise in mood, or comics about comics – not that those are necessarily bad things when done this well – there's the background hum of a city losing its soul, people who think they're rising in their own interests while they're manipulated by a sinister and utterly uncaring elite.
May 31, 2025
At this point, I'm just struggling to finish the series because of the sunken-cost fallacy. I wish I could believe in surprises and amazing turns that will redeem it in the end, but it's pretty obvious that, at least for me, it did not deliver on story and did not raise to the expectation of a gothic opera.
It's simply too drawn-out and convoluted; it tries to be dark, brooding, mysterious and even philosophical, but it lacks substance, direction and clarity. It tries to fill pages and cram all kinds of allies and villains, that I don't even know about, in a grand plot that's confusing and peppered with random passages of made-up mythology.
Batman does not even play a part in this volume (that's why it's called an intermezzo). He's taken over by parasite demon, waging war with Batman's demon inside Bruce Wayne's head; but not in an interesting introspective way; Batman is just catatonic. And then he's dead. But not quite. And a lot of people try to rescue him and move his body around and it's all very cliché, presented as a heist described as a poker game with a double bluff that surprises no one. It's stale. And then there's a story about Damian at the end, but I'm not familiar with this character and I have no idea if the story happens 10 years after Batman is "killed", or Damian already existed when the events took place.
Anyway, Ram V has no chance now to make it on my list of writers I appreciate. I like his standalone The Many Deaths of Laila Starr, but I could see the cracks there; they just didn't have time and space to get out of proportion because of the short page count of that books.
It's simply too drawn-out and convoluted; it tries to be dark, brooding, mysterious and even philosophical, but it lacks substance, direction and clarity. It tries to fill pages and cram all kinds of allies and villains, that I don't even know about, in a grand plot that's confusing and peppered with random passages of made-up mythology.
Batman does not even play a part in this volume (that's why it's called an intermezzo). He's taken over by parasite demon, waging war with Batman's demon inside Bruce Wayne's head; but not in an interesting introspective way; Batman is just catatonic. And then he's dead. But not quite. And a lot of people try to rescue him and move his body around and it's all very cliché, presented as a heist described as a poker game with a double bluff that surprises no one. It's stale. And then there's a story about Damian at the end, but I'm not familiar with this character and I have no idea if the story happens 10 years after Batman is "killed", or Damian already existed when the events took place.
Anyway, Ram V has no chance now to make it on my list of writers I appreciate. I like his standalone The Many Deaths of Laila Starr, but I could see the cracks there; they just didn't have time and space to get out of proportion because of the short page count of that books.
August 1, 2025
Уже четвертий том готичного епосу Рама Ві нарешті переходить до колапсу усього, що створив Бетмен у Ґотемі. Орґамів клан захопив місто, громадяни в полоні ілюзій, а Бетмена готують до страти — наживо, на очах у всіх. Усе здається втраченим, та на сцену виходить Селіна Кайл. Жінка-Кішка, яка не здається і збирає занадто дивну команду, де місце знайшлося одвічним ворогам Бетмена: Джеймс Ґордон, Кассандра Кейн, Азраель, Містер Фріз, Чеширська Кішка і навіть Соломон Ґранді.
Так, не всі сюжетні моменти переконують — як-от відсутність Робінів, які мали б реагувати на страту Бетмена. Але натомість ми отримали трилер, хорошу роботу з персонажами й нарешті відчуття, що великий конфлікт із Орґамами досягає апогею. Особливо лякає Дарія Орґам, яка безжально вбиває власного сина зрадника. Вона справжній антагоніст, гідний фінального бою.
«Позазаконом» — один з найяскравіших томів детективної саги від автора. Перед нами не просто комікс, де хтось захопив Ґотем, а сучасний міф про місто, яке втратило надію. Читати роботу Рама Ві далі цікаво.
Так, не всі сюжетні моменти переконують — як-от відсутність Робінів, які мали б реагувати на страту Бетмена. Але натомість ми отримали трилер, хорошу роботу з персонажами й нарешті відчуття, що великий конфлікт із Орґамами досягає апогею. Особливо лякає Дарія Орґам, яка безжально вбиває власного сина зрадника. Вона справжній антагоніст, гідний фінального бою.
«Позазаконом» — один з найяскравіших томів детективної саги від автора. Перед нами не просто комікс, де хтось захопив Ґотем, а сучасний міф про місто, яке втратило надію. Читати роботу Рама Ві далі цікаво.
October 17, 2025
Catwoman putting together a team of villains and heroes to save Batman? Sign me up. This was such a great volume, and definitely one of the denser volumes of this run. This part of the story is covering so many characters and plot threads. While there were moments where it felt like A LOT, I felt like everything had a point. All the short stories at the end of the issues were either giving important context, or shedding light onto how this threat has infected Gotham.
The art was surreal, dreamlike, and out of body. I don't know how else to describe it, as the art was used as a way to show where Batman's psyche was at-but also the state of Gotham too. The art matched the tone of the story, same goes for the art in the short stories too. In some it wasn't surreal but more traditional modern comic style, illustrating how those characters have yet to be pulled into Batman's world. This run has been such a breath of fresh air, and I'm looking forward to how it concludes.
The art was surreal, dreamlike, and out of body. I don't know how else to describe it, as the art was used as a way to show where Batman's psyche was at-but also the state of Gotham too. The art matched the tone of the story, same goes for the art in the short stories too. In some it wasn't surreal but more traditional modern comic style, illustrating how those characters have yet to be pulled into Batman's world. This run has been such a breath of fresh air, and I'm looking forward to how it concludes.
February 28, 2025
So, Batman is still under the influence of Azmer, Orgham plans on publicly executing him, Jim Gordon recruits Catwoman (or maybe she recruits him) and with the help of Oracle wrangle in other heroes and villains to try to save Batman. Meanwhile, there are side stories with Azrael, The Question, Poison Ivy, Solomon Grundy and others that sometimes cross with the main story line, sometimes...I dunno. Mostly they confused me and felt like filler. Really, most of this plot felt like filler. This should have been, maybe, three issues long, but instead it was dragged out for way too many. And I really hate how comic title don't get one complete creative team for a term (usually 1-3 years) anymore. The art was OK in one issue then absolutely amateurish the next. The inconsistency was maddening. One of the weakest runs of Batman in years.
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March 15, 2025Just scraping by as comics I’ll keep reading. Ram V really struggles to write readable dialogue outside of the more heightened characters of Barbatos or Simon Hurt, and the Orghams continue to bore me dead. This is another Bat-story with underdeveloped class consciousness that like seemingly every other DC comic right now is about whether or not it’s main hero is “good” or “bad”. Like bro who cares?? Selina even calls this out at some point saying people hate batman like clockwork, she’s seen it all before, but the lamp-shading does nothing for how I’ve read this story several times (even the title “Outlaw” has been used not 20 years ago on this book). And once again, I don’t need to be convinced if Batman’s good or not. A) I picked up the book, I obviously like the guy and B) He’s a fictional character so any argument is dependent on straw men and convenience the writer makes up themselves.
The Dan Waters stories also struggle to feel fresh. He tries to drum up some horror with the Question catching a pedophile in an overly dark tale that’s already lost all its terror in how often in the past “mature” DC comics used that card. Azrael is always welcome and he does call someone a “DEFILER” so that is cool. The Cheshire story turns a once interesting, complicated, painful mother-daughter story into unearned redemption that robs the dynamic of any pathos and makes Cheshire another two dimensional heart of gold villain caught on the wrong side of the law, as opposed to the exciting psycho she was post-Crisis. Along with needless justification for the necessity of its caped characters, current DC also seems typified by an inability to maintain emotional conflict between characters, or shades of grey morality.
Weirdly despite all this, I didn’t hate the book. I quite liked the art, and am excited about the introduction of Talia. The Damian Wayne story was exciting, and the heist arc includes a lot of characters I enjoy seeing (Cass, Cheshire, Gordon, Montoya Question), even if I don’t entirely gel with how the story is being told.
The Dan Waters stories also struggle to feel fresh. He tries to drum up some horror with the Question catching a pedophile in an overly dark tale that’s already lost all its terror in how often in the past “mature” DC comics used that card. Azrael is always welcome and he does call someone a “DEFILER” so that is cool. The Cheshire story turns a once interesting, complicated, painful mother-daughter story into unearned redemption that robs the dynamic of any pathos and makes Cheshire another two dimensional heart of gold villain caught on the wrong side of the law, as opposed to the exciting psycho she was post-Crisis. Along with needless justification for the necessity of its caped characters, current DC also seems typified by an inability to maintain emotional conflict between characters, or shades of grey morality.
Weirdly despite all this, I didn’t hate the book. I quite liked the art, and am excited about the introduction of Talia. The Damian Wayne story was exciting, and the heist arc includes a lot of characters I enjoy seeing (Cass, Cheshire, Gordon, Montoya Question), even if I don’t entirely gel with how the story is being told.
October 11, 2024
Not bad but it kind of lost me a bit. Still really enjoying the story.
The Orghams are an ancient family with ties to Vandal Savage and Ras Al Ghul. They came to Gotham in its conception hoping to use a reality engine to create a perpetual future of Gotham being ruled by the wealthy, only for a "Batman" to interfere and have Gothams future forever tied to a masked vigilante. Now they are back and have been laying plans to try again. They bought back Arkham Asylum and began building something new. They conscripted Two-Face to corral the underworld and use their command of Gotham's infrastructure. They begin making the poor and forgotten disappear and transforming them into monsters. All while Bruce is struggling with an inner demon, Gordon and some supernatural bird tattoo boy are conducting their own investigation, and Fries is researching the same supernatural energy the reality engine is harnessing in Gotham.
Things culminate in a failed rescue of the kidnapped poor and theft of the reality engine. As Bruce battles Prince Orgham and decides to sacrafice the Orgahams building in order to save the citizens if Gotham. The Orgahams capitalize on the ensuing explosion/disaster to hypnotize Gotham into forsaking/forgetting the Batman. Batman gets possesed by a Azmer and is captured by the Orghams. Everything that led to this has been an epic gothic experience.
But this honestly just felt like a way to shoehorn Catwoman into the story. I feel like Talia was already a more established character in the plot that could have achieve the same thing in a better way. The use of random characters in Selina's heist just added chaos to this part of the story. It made things feel convoluted and took away the importance of the back up issuse that felt so vital up until now. Hopefully after this brief intermission things will return to the incredible start we once had.
The Orghams are an ancient family with ties to Vandal Savage and Ras Al Ghul. They came to Gotham in its conception hoping to use a reality engine to create a perpetual future of Gotham being ruled by the wealthy, only for a "Batman" to interfere and have Gothams future forever tied to a masked vigilante. Now they are back and have been laying plans to try again. They bought back Arkham Asylum and began building something new. They conscripted Two-Face to corral the underworld and use their command of Gotham's infrastructure. They begin making the poor and forgotten disappear and transforming them into monsters. All while Bruce is struggling with an inner demon, Gordon and some supernatural bird tattoo boy are conducting their own investigation, and Fries is researching the same supernatural energy the reality engine is harnessing in Gotham.
Things culminate in a failed rescue of the kidnapped poor and theft of the reality engine. As Bruce battles Prince Orgham and decides to sacrafice the Orgahams building in order to save the citizens if Gotham. The Orgahams capitalize on the ensuing explosion/disaster to hypnotize Gotham into forsaking/forgetting the Batman. Batman gets possesed by a Azmer and is captured by the Orghams. Everything that led to this has been an epic gothic experience.
But this honestly just felt like a way to shoehorn Catwoman into the story. I feel like Talia was already a more established character in the plot that could have achieve the same thing in a better way. The use of random characters in Selina's heist just added chaos to this part of the story. It made things feel convoluted and took away the importance of the back up issuse that felt so vital up until now. Hopefully after this brief intermission things will return to the incredible start we once had.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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October 1, 2024
This is the sort of stuff I love and its freaking epic the way its told and Batman isn’t there and he is unconscious and all that and the entire arc is told from the pov of Catwoman and holy mary its so good, I love how its so focused on Selina trying to rescue her love even with the arguments between them after gotham war and how she puts together a crew to save him is awesome and the various characters that make it. I love the reunion of Cheshire and her daughter and their backup story, Azrael being the crazy one but he is back in his 90s armor and yeah he has some cool lines here.
Then there is the stuff with how they form a plan and well you know she knows that they know and she wants it that way and its got all the elements of a heist and here its rescue and I love the distraction part and when the twist comes and how she saves Bruce and well they have to run fast from the Orghams and their crew chasing them and also being helped by villains like Two-face and Dr Freeze who have had their own build up and motives and its awesome.
The last bit with Talia and how she may take him out of the city parallels the story about Farhad and his journey especially with that imagery and I love it and it kicks the whole run to a new gear and that’s awesome, its kinda awesome how good the backup stories are like with Damian and his nightmares which is so good and Renee’s investigations as she is back to being the question and its probably one of the best stories with her I have read in a while!
Love this volume and run and this is like peak batman writing and art and the covers omg so good right here!!
Then there is the stuff with how they form a plan and well you know she knows that they know and she wants it that way and its got all the elements of a heist and here its rescue and I love the distraction part and when the twist comes and how she saves Bruce and well they have to run fast from the Orghams and their crew chasing them and also being helped by villains like Two-face and Dr Freeze who have had their own build up and motives and its awesome.
The last bit with Talia and how she may take him out of the city parallels the story about Farhad and his journey especially with that imagery and I love it and it kicks the whole run to a new gear and that’s awesome, its kinda awesome how good the backup stories are like with Damian and his nightmares which is so good and Renee’s investigations as she is back to being the question and its probably one of the best stories with her I have read in a while!
Love this volume and run and this is like peak batman writing and art and the covers omg so good right here!!
September 6, 2025
2025 Eisner Award finalist - Best Continuing Series, Best Cover Artist (Evan Cagle)
This volume is somewhat better than the previous ones, with the focus on a Mission: Impossible style rescue of the drugged out and soon to be hanged Batman. Catwoman leads the impromptu team consisting of a diverse set of heroes and villains (but where were the Robins or even one of the Supers?). A lot of loose plot threads get woven back into the story, but there are still a lot of pieces to keep track of in this game. The back-up stories (mostly written by Dan Watters) are hit and miss, sometimes clarifying or filling in details, but just as often confusing things. Jason Shawn Alexander provides much of the artwork for the main story, with dark and moody renderings. However, there is a cavalcade of other artists on various part of the stories and the result is a sense of imbalance that doesn't help the continuity at all. Time is running out for Ram V to stick the landing.
This volume is somewhat better than the previous ones, with the focus on a Mission: Impossible style rescue of the drugged out and soon to be hanged Batman. Catwoman leads the impromptu team consisting of a diverse set of heroes and villains (but where were the Robins or even one of the Supers?). A lot of loose plot threads get woven back into the story, but there are still a lot of pieces to keep track of in this game. The back-up stories (mostly written by Dan Watters) are hit and miss, sometimes clarifying or filling in details, but just as often confusing things. Jason Shawn Alexander provides much of the artwork for the main story, with dark and moody renderings. However, there is a cavalcade of other artists on various part of the stories and the result is a sense of imbalance that doesn't help the continuity at all. Time is running out for Ram V to stick the landing.
August 18, 2024
Ram V kicks the story into its final descent into a dramatic, slow conclusion. If the pace so far has been a problem for readers, then don't expect any different as we enter the final act of this opera. There are a few elements that could have been jettisoned easily: the interplay of the Batfamily, and the unneeded distractions of Mr. Freeze and other villains in Selina's strategy. I thought the book was extremely solid when exploring the battle against the inner demons while Bruce struggled against the Azmer.
Comics cognoscenti have been panning this run, and I am not sure what they expect for an old-school title like D.C. - but I am thoroughly enjoying this Gothic take from Ram V. Batman is a lot of things to different people, and his darker, solo side is my cup of mythology. If any writer is able to combine that with a real detective tale, then they have a fan for life.
Comics cognoscenti have been panning this run, and I am not sure what they expect for an old-school title like D.C. - but I am thoroughly enjoying this Gothic take from Ram V. Batman is a lot of things to different people, and his darker, solo side is my cup of mythology. If any writer is able to combine that with a real detective tale, then they have a fan for life.
December 23, 2024
The Orghams are victorious. With Gotham's sentiment turning against Batman, what better way to cement their hold over the city than by staging a public execution? But Batman's never alone, and Catwoman's not about to let her man die - and even if he does, surely even the Orghams should know that killing him doesn't help. It just makes him mad.
Even for an Intermezzo, this is just the next part of the bigger story Ram V's been telling. It's a little different in tone, hence the change in title presumably, but it has the same feel for certain; a deep dive into Batman, his allies, and the role of Gotham City in the world of everyone that lives in it. This volume can get a little metaphysical, but it's still great fun regardless, and it sets the stage for an explosive final act conclusion to come.
Even for an Intermezzo, this is just the next part of the bigger story Ram V's been telling. It's a little different in tone, hence the change in title presumably, but it has the same feel for certain; a deep dive into Batman, his allies, and the role of Gotham City in the world of everyone that lives in it. This volume can get a little metaphysical, but it's still great fun regardless, and it sets the stage for an explosive final act conclusion to come.
January 27, 2025
4.5 stars
A great set of issues in a great run, focused on Catwoman arranging a heist to save Batman who’s about to be hanged while he fights to save his mind from a dominating supernatural force. The heist plan is intriguingly twisty without feeling contrived, and as much as I enjoy the usual BatFamily, I’m glad to see almost none of them in Catwoman’s hastily assembled crew (giving some less common faces a chance instead). There’s a distinctly “modernized 90s” flavor to the cast, and the art accentuates that vibe too. I particularly loved the beastly-looking Batman with bat ears that seem about ten feet tall and a long flowing cape that curls sickly at the edges. Dan Watters’s backup stories continue to be great too, fleshing out and weaving into the main plot, but with a fun mix of different art styles.
A great set of issues in a great run, focused on Catwoman arranging a heist to save Batman who’s about to be hanged while he fights to save his mind from a dominating supernatural force. The heist plan is intriguingly twisty without feeling contrived, and as much as I enjoy the usual BatFamily, I’m glad to see almost none of them in Catwoman’s hastily assembled crew (giving some less common faces a chance instead). There’s a distinctly “modernized 90s” flavor to the cast, and the art accentuates that vibe too. I particularly loved the beastly-looking Batman with bat ears that seem about ten feet tall and a long flowing cape that curls sickly at the edges. Dan Watters’s backup stories continue to be great too, fleshing out and weaving into the main plot, but with a fun mix of different art styles.
July 6, 2024
The Orghams have won.
Batman is going to hang.
...unless Catwoman can come to the rescue.
Whatever happens, Gotham has changed
====
All the pieces mostly fit together in this volume. The backup stories are, arguably, the best part of these issues. They give backstory to a narrative that just....drifted by in these last few collections.
Strong cameos by Cheshire and Lian Harper (Shoes, if you read 'Catwoman' issues), Detective Gordon, Commissioner Montoya (asking the real Questions), Eiko Hasigawa (Catwoman Too?), and even Azrael (and Bane-clone, 'Vengeance')
====
Bonus: The Orgham reality warping city engine thing....is odd (and there's more??)
Bonus Bonus: Knightfall armor, represent!
Batman is going to hang.
...unless Catwoman can come to the rescue.
Whatever happens, Gotham has changed
====
All the pieces mostly fit together in this volume. The backup stories are, arguably, the best part of these issues. They give backstory to a narrative that just....drifted by in these last few collections.
Strong cameos by Cheshire and Lian Harper (Shoes, if you read 'Catwoman' issues), Detective Gordon, Commissioner Montoya (asking the real Questions), Eiko Hasigawa (Catwoman Too?), and even Azrael (and Bane-clone, 'Vengeance')
====
Bonus: The Orgham reality warping city engine thing....is odd (and there's more??)
Bonus Bonus: Knightfall armor, represent!
February 20, 2025
Aside from the coolest Azrael appearance of all time, more of the same from this run, which is certainly not a bad thing but nothing else really wowed me like some of the moments from earlier volumes. The main twist wasn’t the most original in the world but the rescue was still really fun to see pulled off. I wish Ram would show a little more what Gotham looks like with the Batman having been hung, but maybe we’ll get a little more of that in the remaining issues. Out of all the Dan Watters back ups, my favorite was the one with The Question
April 25, 2025
This volume masterfully weaves together every fiber we’ve seen sewn for the previous three volumes. It’s beautiful, it’s chaotic, it’s new, it’s nostalgic. There are a ton of characters, and I can understand how that might confuse some people but if you read it all in one sitting, it’s completely coherent. It’s got me ripping into the next volume immediately after. I’m hoping this thing comes to a satisfactory conclusion, but that’s a problem for another review. For now, I’m just enjoying the hell out of it.
May 2, 2025
Strong character work, decent plotting, gorgeous art.
Stories about Batman as a *symbol* are pretty played out but this point, but V makes it work by situating it in good storytelling fundamentals. It reads well, and if it doesn’t feel revolutionary, it’s beside the point. V’s too busy doing a heist.
Jason Shawn Alexander is strong as ever, and the guest spots are killer. Liam Sharp absolutely murdering Jean-Paul Valley is a highlight for me.
This is a Good Book. Great? Maybe on a reread, I’ll reconsider. But for now, this is simply very good.
Stories about Batman as a *symbol* are pretty played out but this point, but V makes it work by situating it in good storytelling fundamentals. It reads well, and if it doesn’t feel revolutionary, it’s beside the point. V’s too busy doing a heist.
Jason Shawn Alexander is strong as ever, and the guest spots are killer. Liam Sharp absolutely murdering Jean-Paul Valley is a highlight for me.
This is a Good Book. Great? Maybe on a reread, I’ll reconsider. But for now, this is simply very good.
March 2, 2025
Still a good series, but this volume does feel a bit like the creators have taken their collective foot off the gas somewhat. The Orghams seem to have everything under their control, with their Reality Engine re-writing the rules. What's next? A public hanging of that symbol of the dark shadows of Gotham, Batman. But Selina Kyle will not have it and she puts together an unlikely collection of heroes and villains to pull off a daring heist and save her true love. Will she succeed?
April 10, 2025
This is an interesting aside as Batman takes a backseat in his own comic. He's to be publicly executed in three days so leave it to Selina Kyle to put a team together to keep that from happening. I do feel like this will read better reading Ram V.'s entire run all at once. I'd already forgot what that reality engine they have does.
January 28, 2025
The arc is making sense to me in this latest volume and makes me feel tense.
But honestly I feel like in the real world that Superman or other Justice League members would be called in to end the crisis.
But honestly I feel like in the real world that Superman or other Justice League members would be called in to end the crisis.
March 9, 2025
Loved this so much, was on the edge of my seat unable to put the book down. Loved how it followed catwomans plan to save batman all while comparing it to a game of poker. Can not wait for the next book to find out how everything ends
September 20, 2024
I'm a sucker for any story that has Mr. Freeze in it
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