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Legends of the Dark Knight (2012)
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, Volume 2
Top writers and artists from comics and beyond tell tales of the Dark Knight!
This second volume of Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight collects short stories of the Dark Knight by Jeff Parker, Christos Gage, Chris Sprouse, Ray Fawkes and more!
Collects LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #6-10.
This second volume of Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight collects short stories of the Dark Knight by Jeff Parker, Christos Gage, Chris Sprouse, Ray Fawkes and more!
Collects LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #6-10.
168 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 20, 2014
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111 people want to read
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Jeff Parker
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
December 13, 2024
(B) 74% | More than Satisfactory
Notes: Read in Digital First singles. Individual reviews for included stories can be found here:
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #16
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #17
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #18
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #19
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #20
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #21
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #22
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #23
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #24
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #25
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #26
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #27
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #28
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #29
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #41
Notes: Read in Digital First singles. Individual reviews for included stories can be found here:
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #16
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #17
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #18
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #19
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #20
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #21
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #22
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #23
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #24
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #25
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #26
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #27
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #28
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #29
- Legends of the Dark Knight (2012-2015) #41
February 7, 2022
There's a running theme of mediocrity here...None of the stories are particularly great, with far more misses than hits. 'Look Inside' and 'Off The Menu' are the best of the bunch even though they don't set a very high bar. Some such as 'Gotham Spirit' are a complete and utter waste of time with no story, no message,
no anything.
It's a shame as a few have the potential but lack in execution, writing or art. Skip this whole anthology as you're not missing anything.
June 18, 2014
Legends of the Dark Knight was originally conceived as a series of short stories set in Batman’s early days with a revolving door of creative teams doing each story and, though the short story format has been kept, the early Batman angle’s been dropped so they’re now just Batman shorts set whenever. And like most short story collections, this one is a mixed bag.
It’s also a surprising collection as this book features stories from both Jeff “Batman ’66” Parker and Christos Gage and I ended up loving Gage’s comic and felt nothing towards Parker’s!
Gage’s story has Batman being dosed with a new strain of Scarecrow’s fear toxin, throwing him into a harsh parallel world where his exploits as Batman have left him crippled and delusionary – or is that the real world and his “reality” the delusion? Gage plays up the parallel world so convincingly that you end up thinking that crazy, wheelchair-ridden Bruce is the reality as it starts to make more sense. Jheremy Raapack contributes the best art of the book with his work on this story and I loved his Batman and Scarecrow designs – very cool, I’d love to see more of this artist’s work on Batman and other DC properties.
Parker’s story on the other hand is the dictionary definition of forgettable Batman – some thieves rob a jewellery store and get taken down by Batman. That’s it. Granted it’s fast paced and a fairly good version of that scenario, but it’s so unremarkable and drab that it’s hard to believe that this is the same guy who gave us the colourfully creative Batman ’66 series.
The other standouts were basically horror stories starring Batman. Ricardo Sanchez and Sergio Sandoval’s wonderfully gothic story, Unnatural Selection, features weird crypto-taxidermy creatures that’ve somehow come to life and are running amok in Gotham, while Rob Williams and Juan Jose Ryp’s spooky story of a really, really white dude and his terrifying van was awesome. They never show what’s in the back of the van either, so it’s up to the reader to fill in the blank, a neat trick borrowed from Edwardian horror maestro, MR James.
Paul Tobin’s story was so dull I instantly forgot it after reading it (Bandette is seeming to be more and more of a one off hit for him) but I enjoyed Tradd Moore’s art, which is always fantastic. Michael Avon Oeming’s art is also great in his story but don’t think Oeming’s quite there yet as a writer.
There are other stories here but those are the notable ones. The only other one to mention is David Tischman and Chris Sprouse’s story, Abbatoir, which is a total ripoff of the Image series, Chew: Batman’s on the hunt for a guy who eats people and experiences their memories. It’s played totally straight so of course the guy comes off as a total creep akin to Buffalo Bill or Hannibal Lector but the way it’s handled turns it into a pretty bland serial killer story that’s nowhere near as fun or brilliant as John Layman and Rob Guillory’s series.
The good stories to bad ratio is more even in this second volume than it was in the first but it’s still a decent collection featuring a plethora of top comics talent with something for every Batman fan – the standout stories alone make it worth picking up.
It’s also a surprising collection as this book features stories from both Jeff “Batman ’66” Parker and Christos Gage and I ended up loving Gage’s comic and felt nothing towards Parker’s!
Gage’s story has Batman being dosed with a new strain of Scarecrow’s fear toxin, throwing him into a harsh parallel world where his exploits as Batman have left him crippled and delusionary – or is that the real world and his “reality” the delusion? Gage plays up the parallel world so convincingly that you end up thinking that crazy, wheelchair-ridden Bruce is the reality as it starts to make more sense. Jheremy Raapack contributes the best art of the book with his work on this story and I loved his Batman and Scarecrow designs – very cool, I’d love to see more of this artist’s work on Batman and other DC properties.
Parker’s story on the other hand is the dictionary definition of forgettable Batman – some thieves rob a jewellery store and get taken down by Batman. That’s it. Granted it’s fast paced and a fairly good version of that scenario, but it’s so unremarkable and drab that it’s hard to believe that this is the same guy who gave us the colourfully creative Batman ’66 series.
The other standouts were basically horror stories starring Batman. Ricardo Sanchez and Sergio Sandoval’s wonderfully gothic story, Unnatural Selection, features weird crypto-taxidermy creatures that’ve somehow come to life and are running amok in Gotham, while Rob Williams and Juan Jose Ryp’s spooky story of a really, really white dude and his terrifying van was awesome. They never show what’s in the back of the van either, so it’s up to the reader to fill in the blank, a neat trick borrowed from Edwardian horror maestro, MR James.
Paul Tobin’s story was so dull I instantly forgot it after reading it (Bandette is seeming to be more and more of a one off hit for him) but I enjoyed Tradd Moore’s art, which is always fantastic. Michael Avon Oeming’s art is also great in his story but don’t think Oeming’s quite there yet as a writer.
There are other stories here but those are the notable ones. The only other one to mention is David Tischman and Chris Sprouse’s story, Abbatoir, which is a total ripoff of the Image series, Chew: Batman’s on the hunt for a guy who eats people and experiences their memories. It’s played totally straight so of course the guy comes off as a total creep akin to Buffalo Bill or Hannibal Lector but the way it’s handled turns it into a pretty bland serial killer story that’s nowhere near as fun or brilliant as John Layman and Rob Guillory’s series.
The good stories to bad ratio is more even in this second volume than it was in the first but it’s still a decent collection featuring a plethora of top comics talent with something for every Batman fan – the standout stories alone make it worth picking up.
March 4, 2021
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight was a rather brilliant Grant Morrison run. This is not that series, but rather a reboot of that series. It is a collection of short stories by different writers and artists. As with any such collaboration, the quality varies.
The stories are as follows:
Gotham Spirit- Batman deals with a liquor store robbery. 3 star story with 2 star art.
Dungeons and Dragons- Stupid story about Batman fighting Croc's pet. Dumb ass art too. 2 stars for both art and story.
Look Inside- Hey now! A cool story with very cool art. Nice! Loved the weird ghost truck. 4 star story and 5 star art.
Haunted Arkham- a strange story about a Shrink at Arkham with some issues. Confusing. 2 star story and 3 star art.
Carved- A decent story about loss, but with childishly crude art. 3 star story and 2 star art.
Unnatural Selection- Another nice addition! Batman must face a strange creature that's roaming Gotham. Cool story and awesome art. 4 star story and 5 star art.
Dreaming He is a Butterfly- is a clever story about a Batman encounter with Scarecrow. The art isn't as good though. 4 star story with 2 star art.
Tap Tap- a good Batman-Catwoman story with good art. 4 star story and 5 star art.
Off The Menu- uhh a cannibal eats people and gets their memories? Batman decides to fuck with this psycho as Bruce Wayne? Seriously? Stupid story. I'd give it a 1 star, but at least Bruce had the style and elegance to wear a Brioni suit and a Patek Philipe timepiece..thus 1 more star since I appreciate good taste. But ..no... 2 star story and 2 star art.
So all in all there are a few very good examples of short Batman fiction and only a few truly awful stories. The art is all across the map. 3 particular ones are very nice..the rest? Meh. So overall? a 3 star volume of short Batman stories.
The stories are as follows:
Gotham Spirit- Batman deals with a liquor store robbery. 3 star story with 2 star art.
Dungeons and Dragons- Stupid story about Batman fighting Croc's pet. Dumb ass art too. 2 stars for both art and story.
Look Inside- Hey now! A cool story with very cool art. Nice! Loved the weird ghost truck. 4 star story and 5 star art.
Haunted Arkham- a strange story about a Shrink at Arkham with some issues. Confusing. 2 star story and 3 star art.
Carved- A decent story about loss, but with childishly crude art. 3 star story and 2 star art.
Unnatural Selection- Another nice addition! Batman must face a strange creature that's roaming Gotham. Cool story and awesome art. 4 star story and 5 star art.
Dreaming He is a Butterfly- is a clever story about a Batman encounter with Scarecrow. The art isn't as good though. 4 star story with 2 star art.
Tap Tap- a good Batman-Catwoman story with good art. 4 star story and 5 star art.
Off The Menu- uhh a cannibal eats people and gets their memories? Batman decides to fuck with this psycho as Bruce Wayne? Seriously? Stupid story. I'd give it a 1 star, but at least Bruce had the style and elegance to wear a Brioni suit and a Patek Philipe timepiece..thus 1 more star since I appreciate good taste. But ..no... 2 star story and 2 star art.
So all in all there are a few very good examples of short Batman fiction and only a few truly awful stories. The art is all across the map. 3 particular ones are very nice..the rest? Meh. So overall? a 3 star volume of short Batman stories.
May 14, 2016
This has a lot of really good quality short Batman stories. There's a bit of everything in here, but plenty of The Batman's major and minor antagonists. The artwork was excellent and matched the strong storytelling. I read this a while ago, so I can't say anything more detailed. Definitely worth checking out.
November 14, 2015
I think this may be an underrated Batman title. The anthology format works well for the character, much like the original Legends of the Dark Knight series from 1989.
My personal favorite was a story with Batman vs. a new cannibal killer. A little dark for a mainstream Batman story. We also have a Scarecrow story that was pretty interesting, even if the premise had been used a few times before. There's a story with Batman fighting a "real" monster as well. This series seems to push the boundaries of Batman more than the other titles as you have darker elements as well as more supernatural themes. Back in the Neal Adams days, you had more supernatural type stories and those were some of my favorites.
I think most Batman fans will enjoy this one overall.
My personal favorite was a story with Batman vs. a new cannibal killer. A little dark for a mainstream Batman story. We also have a Scarecrow story that was pretty interesting, even if the premise had been used a few times before. There's a story with Batman fighting a "real" monster as well. This series seems to push the boundaries of Batman more than the other titles as you have darker elements as well as more supernatural themes. Back in the Neal Adams days, you had more supernatural type stories and those were some of my favorites.
I think most Batman fans will enjoy this one overall.
May 18, 2019
This volume benefitted from a couple of the stories being longer, specifically "Dreaming he is a Butterfly" and the very creepy "Off the Menu". The rest were "meh".
October 27, 2014
An easy read, with a few good stoies, but nothing stood out much. The Scarecrow one may be the best of the bunch. The art, like the writing is hit or miss. Some of the art had Batman looking like the 1989 film one, which is cool...
If you like Batman, this is worth a check-out at the local library, at least...
If you like Batman, this is worth a check-out at the local library, at least...
May 19, 2014
This was another great and fun collection of short Batman stories compiled together in a great graphic novel.
September 21, 2015
I absolutely loved the 'Look Inside' story. I would love to see something more done with the characters in that one. It was the perfect mix of supernatural.
August 7, 2018
A mostly frivolous collection of Batman-starring short stories that do little to push the boundaries of what a Batman story is or can be. Not that this book absolutely HAD to push the envelope, but if you're giving writers and artists the opportunity to create short, one-off Batman tales that resolve within a single issue or less, it seems like the only real reason to do it is to try things you can't get away with in a mainstream book.
As it stands, the quality of the stories in this volume are of pretty varying quality. I'll summarize them individually:
Gotham Spirit written by Jeff Parker, art by Gabriel Hardman (2 stars): A very well-drawn story about Batman getting the drop on some robbers and beating the shit out of them. Seen it a million times no matter how decent the art is.
Dungeons and Dragons written and drawn by Michael Avon Oeming (2 stars): Batman must track down a wild, unknown beast that's threatening the citizens of Gotham. Not much to write home about here. The story is rushed and feels a little pointless, with a resolution that comes completely out of nowhere and is deeply unsatisfying. Decent art, though.
Look Inside written by Rob Williams, art by Juan Jose Ryp (4 stars): This is definitely the best story in the lot. A new, creepy nightmare of a man (with no name, no less) is hired by Penguin to take out some of his competition, and then things get weird. The focus on horror makes this one standout, as does Ryp's fantastic art (his faces depict terror better than most I've seen in comics). I would honestly love to see the villain from this one show up in the larger Batman universe.
Haunted Arkham written by Joe Harris, art by Jason Masters (1 star): Follow that one up with the worst story of the bunch. A narrative mess with no clear motivations for, well, anyone, this one tries to be a take on the "scary ghost of a little girl" trope but really doesn't do anything new with it. I found myself confused the entire time by this one, as Batman makes massive logical leaps to solve the case, and the Joker is included for essentially no reason.
Carved written by Paul Tobin, art by Tradd Moore (1 star): Someone is abducting citizens of Gotham and replacing them with lifelike wooden sculptures. The detective work Batman does in this is downright idiotic, with him ultimately cracking the case like a character from Law & Order (he's looking at a completely unrelated painting and then suddenly is like "Art! Art is the answer!"). Mix in the fact that the killer's motivations and plan are deeply stupid and you've got another stinker of a story.
Unnatural Selection written by Ricardo Sanchez, art by Sergio Sandoval (3 stars): The second "wild unknown animal is wreaking havoc" story in this collection, which is pretty weird, but this one is much better than the first. Sandoval's art is perfectly moody, and Sanchez goes down some pretty disturbing paths with the story (there's some pretty creepy taxidermy stuff going on, for instance).
Dreaming He Is A Butterfly written by Christos Gage, art by Jheremy Raapack (2 stars): This story cuts its own legs off right away by showing the reader that Scarecrow has dosed Batman with a near fear gas before leaping into the main story. We know the entire time everything we're seeing is fake, so who cares? At least Raapack's art is very detailed and evocative.
Tap Tap written by Ray Fawkes, art by Stephanie Roux (1 star): Another one I don't quite see the point of. Batman investigates a burglary and goes toe-to-toe with Catwoman. It ends exactly as you'd expect it to, and nothing new is shown about either character.
Off The Menu written by David Tischman, art by Chris Sprouse (3 stars): A cannibal is killing citizens of Gotham and eating them, and Batman has to stop him. This feels like a mashup of some of the more upsetting parts of Heroes and Silence of the Lambs, and I dug the way the story unfolded thanks to Tischman's execution. Oddly, Sprouse, who I normally love, is a pretty weird choice for this story, as his art is a little too cartoony and bright for a story this dark.
As it stands, the quality of the stories in this volume are of pretty varying quality. I'll summarize them individually:
Gotham Spirit written by Jeff Parker, art by Gabriel Hardman (2 stars): A very well-drawn story about Batman getting the drop on some robbers and beating the shit out of them. Seen it a million times no matter how decent the art is.
Dungeons and Dragons written and drawn by Michael Avon Oeming (2 stars): Batman must track down a wild, unknown beast that's threatening the citizens of Gotham. Not much to write home about here. The story is rushed and feels a little pointless, with a resolution that comes completely out of nowhere and is deeply unsatisfying. Decent art, though.
Look Inside written by Rob Williams, art by Juan Jose Ryp (4 stars): This is definitely the best story in the lot. A new, creepy nightmare of a man (with no name, no less) is hired by Penguin to take out some of his competition, and then things get weird. The focus on horror makes this one standout, as does Ryp's fantastic art (his faces depict terror better than most I've seen in comics). I would honestly love to see the villain from this one show up in the larger Batman universe.
Haunted Arkham written by Joe Harris, art by Jason Masters (1 star): Follow that one up with the worst story of the bunch. A narrative mess with no clear motivations for, well, anyone, this one tries to be a take on the "scary ghost of a little girl" trope but really doesn't do anything new with it. I found myself confused the entire time by this one, as Batman makes massive logical leaps to solve the case, and the Joker is included for essentially no reason.
Carved written by Paul Tobin, art by Tradd Moore (1 star): Someone is abducting citizens of Gotham and replacing them with lifelike wooden sculptures. The detective work Batman does in this is downright idiotic, with him ultimately cracking the case like a character from Law & Order (he's looking at a completely unrelated painting and then suddenly is like "Art! Art is the answer!"). Mix in the fact that the killer's motivations and plan are deeply stupid and you've got another stinker of a story.
Unnatural Selection written by Ricardo Sanchez, art by Sergio Sandoval (3 stars): The second "wild unknown animal is wreaking havoc" story in this collection, which is pretty weird, but this one is much better than the first. Sandoval's art is perfectly moody, and Sanchez goes down some pretty disturbing paths with the story (there's some pretty creepy taxidermy stuff going on, for instance).
Dreaming He Is A Butterfly written by Christos Gage, art by Jheremy Raapack (2 stars): This story cuts its own legs off right away by showing the reader that Scarecrow has dosed Batman with a near fear gas before leaping into the main story. We know the entire time everything we're seeing is fake, so who cares? At least Raapack's art is very detailed and evocative.
Tap Tap written by Ray Fawkes, art by Stephanie Roux (1 star): Another one I don't quite see the point of. Batman investigates a burglary and goes toe-to-toe with Catwoman. It ends exactly as you'd expect it to, and nothing new is shown about either character.
Off The Menu written by David Tischman, art by Chris Sprouse (3 stars): A cannibal is killing citizens of Gotham and eating them, and Batman has to stop him. This feels like a mashup of some of the more upsetting parts of Heroes and Silence of the Lambs, and I dug the way the story unfolded thanks to Tischman's execution. Oddly, Sprouse, who I normally love, is a pretty weird choice for this story, as his art is a little too cartoony and bright for a story this dark.
June 9, 2017
Batman fights monsters and many of his classic rogues in this anthology. Some really great moody artwork in this one, plus a memorable story with the Scarecrow. A lot spookier than the first volume, with more emphasis on ghosts and creepy creatures.
March 31, 2020
Another nice collection of Batman tales that were first released digitally. There were no standout stories like the first volume but none were bad. It was great to see Batman drawn by both Gabriel Hardman and Chris Sprouse though. Overall, a decent read.
January 13, 2021
Another round of short Batman stories, some of the stories are fun and interesting and others are still pretty good but not as strong, there really isn’t much to say if I’m being honest, In Legends Of the Dark Knight it’s the art that can be phenomenal and really cool!
February 17, 2019
another very cool batman comics, loved them
July 15, 2021
Mostly enjoyable shorts, if inessential. I liked that most of them didn't deal with the traditional rogues so they were a little more surprising. I particularly liked the last tale.
October 25, 2022
Not bad for one of these collections. Some really good art and some fun Halloween-y stories.
March 7, 2021
I would have never guessed I actually like Batman comics. The movies aren't usually hits for me so I wasn't sure what to expect. I've always appreciated DCs villains & antiheroes more than their heroes.
August 5, 2016
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Volume 2 continues to add to the mythology of Gotham's protector. Each self-contained tale features a different writer/artist combination, creating a unique assortment of stories. A simple liquor store robbery becomes a nightmare for a gang of criminals once Batman gets involved in "Gotham Spirits." Mythology comes to life in "Dungeons and Dragons," as the Batman must contend with a real dragon, created as part of Killer Croc's search for acceptance. Penguin gets more than he bargained for when hiring a pale and ghastly hit man during "Look Inside," as the mystery man uses a haunting van to confront people with their darkest fears. A murdered girl's spirit uses the inmates of "Haunted Arkham" to enact revenge on new staff doctor Noah Green, while a widower with a talent for wood carvings uses his sculptures to attract the Batman in "Carved." Cryptozoology is the name of the game in "Unnatural Selection" as the Dark Knight must bring a fabricated beast and its unhinged creator to justice. The Scarecrow tries to convince Bruce Wayne that he is a crippled crimefighter with his latest fear toxin in the mental games of "Dreaming He Is A Butterfly;" "Tap Tap" sees Catwoman and Batman tango through a mansion security grid in search of two different prizes. The tome ends with "Off the Menu," as a cannibalistic killer who gains the skills of those he eats stalks the streets as the newest Abattoir. The book features a nice range of new threats for the Batman, while the overarching theme of the unnatural helps tie most of the stories together. Most of the tales are good snippets of Gotham, illustrated adequately to showcase the plot elements and characters. However, there are a few that feel trimmed, making readers look for the concluding story pages that simply are not there. Fans of the Batman will enjoy new foes for the Dark Knight, different takes on the world of Batman, and twisted romps through the DC Universe.
February 3, 2017
Some good, some middling. Nice to be able to see a range of artists and writers in one book. These collections have a similar feel as The Sandman: the same character, but through different eyes.
August 5, 2014
Dreaming He Is A Butterfly is the best Scarecrow story I have ever read. Plenty of dark stories and tales of villains enlightened contained within. I would recommend, even though everyone else seems to disagree.
May 24, 2016
A lot of cool stories in this one. Not the same as the first collection with a younger, newer Batman, but still cool. totally worth it just for the (very short) Catwoman story and the ultra-cool Scarecrow tale. Can't wait for more.
September 25, 2022
A book with a collection of very subpar and mediocre anthologies. The only one worth reading is the one with Scarecrow chapter "Dreaming He Is A Butterfly", which questions Bruce's ideals and his duality.
September 22, 2013
read single issues
July 31, 2014
Really fun, and different, short stories
November 16, 2015
Another nice compilation of shorts. A fun read.
October 9, 2014
Worth a look for the Jeff Parker's and Gabriel Hardman's "Gotham Spirit," and two beautifully-drawn stories by Michael Avon Oeming and Tradd Moore. Otherwise, weak collection of Batman stories.
January 2, 2015
Some fun Batman stories by some really great talent.
December 13, 2022
This volume is a step up from the first in that the art is consistently better, and the writing is more dynamic and interesting. My favourite was probably the Christos Gage story.
March 11, 2016
This one was pretty good, but again the same short stories with no continuity. I'm guessing all four of these books will be this way. I enjoyed them, worth reading but not spectacular.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews