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Batman Eternal
Batman Eternal, Volume 3
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
THE END IS NEAR. AND THE TRUTH WILL BE REVEALED.
Batman’s city is burning.
In the months since Commissioner Jim Gordon fell from grace, criminal empires have risen. Martial law has been declared. Arkham Asylum has been emptied. Bruce Wayne has been bankrupted. And Gotham City has been torn apart.
Batman and his allies have fought their way up the food chain, and put down a slew of madmen and masterminds. Yet each hard-earned victory and stunning revelation has left them no closer to the true power behind it all.
But what if the truth was right in front of them all along?
Even as an army of the Dark Knight’s deadliest enemies is unleashed upon the city, he must fight through the terror and focus on the clues that will lead him to his final foe…
The year-long weekly saga that rocked the world of Batman to its core reaches its stunning conclusion in BATMAN ETERNAL VOL. 3. Written by Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Ray Fawkes, Kyle Higgins and Tim Seeley, and drawn by a host of talented artists, it’s the payoff to the biggest mystery in the Dark Knight’s history!
Collects:: Batman Eternal #35-52 and Batman #28.
THE END IS NEAR. AND THE TRUTH WILL BE REVEALED.
Batman’s city is burning.
In the months since Commissioner Jim Gordon fell from grace, criminal empires have risen. Martial law has been declared. Arkham Asylum has been emptied. Bruce Wayne has been bankrupted. And Gotham City has been torn apart.
Batman and his allies have fought their way up the food chain, and put down a slew of madmen and masterminds. Yet each hard-earned victory and stunning revelation has left them no closer to the true power behind it all.
But what if the truth was right in front of them all along?
Even as an army of the Dark Knight’s deadliest enemies is unleashed upon the city, he must fight through the terror and focus on the clues that will lead him to his final foe…
The year-long weekly saga that rocked the world of Batman to its core reaches its stunning conclusion in BATMAN ETERNAL VOL. 3. Written by Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Ray Fawkes, Kyle Higgins and Tim Seeley, and drawn by a host of talented artists, it’s the payoff to the biggest mystery in the Dark Knight’s history!
Collects:: Batman Eternal #35-52 and Batman #28.
424 pages, Paperback
First published October 13, 2015
58 people are currently reading
1105 people want to read
About the author
Scott Snyder
1,780 books5,124 followersScott Snyder is the Eisner and Harvey Award winning writer on DC Comics Batman, Swamp Thing, and his original series for Vertigo, American Vampire. He is also the author of the short story collection, Voodoo Heart, published by the Dial Press in 2006. The paperback version was published in the summer of 2007.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews
July 17, 2021
(B+) 76% | Good
Notes: Out of gas, a long adieu, it's way too many switcheroos: out-of-the-blues, hullaballoos, masterminds, red herrings too.
Notes: Out of gas, a long adieu, it's way too many switcheroos: out-of-the-blues, hullaballoos, masterminds, red herrings too.
June 13, 2017
Look, I like a good plot twist as much as the next guy.
(“Wait a minute…you mean Bruce Willis’s character is actually DEAD?! And that little kid who sees dead people and can only talk in a whisper can see him because he’s DEAD??”)
But, when you’re giving me an epic 50+ issue mega event and want to throw in a villain-related plot twist, you’ve gotta give me more than the f@*&ing
If I’m grading this on a scale of 1 to Z, I’d give it the following:
Scope and Ambition: Q
Consistency of Artwork: 3.2
Characterization: L
Writing: 5.7
Coherence: R.5
Overall Rating: π
If you can decipher the nonsense I’ve just written above and tell me what I thought about this story, then you’re probably capable of taking down Batman and his entire network of allies. Then again, so is a guy who can’t even figure out how to stop his daughter, whose main superpower power appears to be the ability to write semi-compelling blog posts, from interfering with his plans. So, you might want to stop feeling so proud of yourself.
(That said, I really do applaud the epic scope of this story and the editorial commitment to a full year’s worth of weekly comics related to the same larger storyline. I’d like to see people take more storytelling chances like this.)
(“Wait a minute…you mean Bruce Willis’s character is actually DEAD?! And that little kid who sees dead people and can only talk in a whisper can see him because he’s DEAD??”)
But, when you’re giving me an epic 50+ issue mega event and want to throw in a villain-related plot twist, you’ve gotta give me more than the f@*&ing
If I’m grading this on a scale of 1 to Z, I’d give it the following:
Scope and Ambition: Q
Consistency of Artwork: 3.2
Characterization: L
Writing: 5.7
Coherence: R.5
Overall Rating: π
If you can decipher the nonsense I’ve just written above and tell me what I thought about this story, then you’re probably capable of taking down Batman and his entire network of allies. Then again, so is a guy who can’t even figure out how to stop his daughter, whose main superpower power appears to be the ability to write semi-compelling blog posts, from interfering with his plans. So, you might want to stop feeling so proud of yourself.
(That said, I really do applaud the epic scope of this story and the editorial commitment to a full year’s worth of weekly comics related to the same larger storyline. I’d like to see people take more storytelling chances like this.)
December 29, 2015
Not perfect, and it felt like things got dragged out too much (my opinion), but it's a decent conclusion.
February 28, 2017
The conclusion of the Batman Eternal series is explosive and nail-biting to the bitter end. A very strong cycle from Scott Snyder, it is a fantastic look at the relationship of Gotham to Batman and perhaps should serve as a warning in the current situation when the government starts working against the interests of the people and demonising those who are trying to fight the encroaching swamp. And, yes, Stephanie Brown kicks some serious ass!
April 21, 2020
I feel like with every story Snyder is trying to one-up himself, sometimes with ill-effect. When every story is the story that will change Batman's life forever, it all starts to become noise.
I can't say I loved everything about this story. In fact, some of it I find quite dumb. Like the fact Harper Row has all those piercings. I have no problem with the piercings themselves but wouldn't it be very simple to figure out her secret identity. "Hey, your face is pierced exactly like Bluebird's. Hmmm..."
I can't say I loved everything about this story. In fact, some of it I find quite dumb. Like the fact Harper Row has all those piercings. I have no problem with the piercings themselves but wouldn't it be very simple to figure out her secret identity. "Hey, your face is pierced exactly like Bluebird's. Hmmm..."
October 30, 2015
I'm kind of just glad this is over. I think the biggest problem with this story is that it was just too long. The actual framework wasn't enough to sustain 52 issues, so something like half the issues are side stories or diversion or anything that will avoid advancing the story, such as it is. Which, I might add, is basically a rehash of the first act of Batman: Knightfall, Vol. 1. Seriously, the hidden villain's big plan is exactly the same as Bane's had been: unleash Batman's regular enemies on Gotham in quick succession, wearing him down until he becomes easy prey for him. I've already read this, and it's a huge disappointment. I really thought that Snyder was more creative than this.
But it isn't all bad. There are good character moments throughout. As with the previous volumes, I loved Stephanie. And much to my surprise, I actually think that this new direction for Catwoman is working. Plus, Croc is used really, really well. I don't have any real complaints about the rest of the cast, even if I'm not entirely convinced by Harper yet. No, it doesn't entirely make up for the lackluster and too long story, but it at least means that this wasn't a total loss.
But it isn't all bad. There are good character moments throughout. As with the previous volumes, I loved Stephanie. And much to my surprise, I actually think that this new direction for Catwoman is working. Plus, Croc is used really, really well. I don't have any real complaints about the rest of the cast, even if I'm not entirely convinced by Harper yet. No, it doesn't entirely make up for the lackluster and too long story, but it at least means that this wasn't a total loss.
May 21, 2016
It's flawed in some places . . . considerably flawed but then it's brilliant in other parts. The art is usually bright and powerful. There are a host of villains, known and unknown, and there are arguably too many subplots and loose ends.
Rumor has it that Snyder isn't fully responsible for this one which wouldn't surprise me as he has tighter plotting in his stories.
MY GRADE: B to B plus (a reluctant four star)
Rumor has it that Snyder isn't fully responsible for this one which wouldn't surprise me as he has tighter plotting in his stories.
MY GRADE: B to B plus (a reluctant four star)
November 12, 2015
Oh dear. Where to start? First off, this overly ambitious project for celebrating the Caped Crusader/Dark Knight and his 75th Anniversary was a bad idea, one issue a week for a year.
Secondly, Scott Snyder is already stretched thin at DC (and with his own creations) so asking him to plot this was probably Papa Johns' idea for making it seem that Snyder was writing this. He wasn't. This is James Tynion and a bunch of nobodies, other than some artists who can do some decent stuff.
I read the whole 3 volumes in order, 2-3 back to back, and I still felt like some things were completely stupid.
Batgirl switching from the usual to the rebooted one when this volume opens, no Dick or Damian in a year long salute to Bats? I'm sorry, Dick Grayson is probably more important to Batman history than nearly anyone else but
Bats and Joker. His absence, even with Spyral, is borderline unforgivable.
Also,,other issues? Jason Bard just suddenly goes from bad guy trying to take out Bats to an ally?? Nope.
Who is Patrick?? Why does he kill the Paper Editor???
Why is Vicki Vale so stupid?
Why does DC recycle the same story from Knightfall and No Mans Land?? Gauntlet, ruin Gotham, etc.
Why do artists not know how to draw Alfred? He looks like a fat old bastard in one book...
No Two Face? Ugh. Harvey Dent really missing.
No Joker? Ugh.
Catwoman new direction is a nice change for a character that Ann Noncenti ruined.
Spoiler seems like a good addition, let's see how long before they fuck it up.
Oh, let's throw more and more twists and turns into the who could the mastermind be? Seriously. Then the actual mastermind? Stupid. Even stupider than usual.
Oh and let's throw out the reinforcement call in the VERY LAST PAGES.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Why not do this early on? BATMAN has a stupid martyr complex.
Killer Croc is put into a perfect anti hero role here, and it suits him well.
Only Jim Gordon can make the GCPD work? Yet Bard doesn't end up in jail? Not only that, he ends up on a date AGAIN...with dumb bitch Vicki Vale...stupid cow.
Julia Just shows up in time to take over and have the perfect skill set to replace Alfred?
There are just too many contrivances.
Too many easy tricks.
It's just a lazy retread.
Bruce Wayne is broke? Ok that's slightly new...
Otherwise we have a clusterfuck
Defcon one level.
Avoid. Don't invest the time in any of it at all.
Secondly, Scott Snyder is already stretched thin at DC (and with his own creations) so asking him to plot this was probably Papa Johns' idea for making it seem that Snyder was writing this. He wasn't. This is James Tynion and a bunch of nobodies, other than some artists who can do some decent stuff.
I read the whole 3 volumes in order, 2-3 back to back, and I still felt like some things were completely stupid.
Batgirl switching from the usual to the rebooted one when this volume opens, no Dick or Damian in a year long salute to Bats? I'm sorry, Dick Grayson is probably more important to Batman history than nearly anyone else but
Bats and Joker. His absence, even with Spyral, is borderline unforgivable.
Also,,other issues? Jason Bard just suddenly goes from bad guy trying to take out Bats to an ally?? Nope.
Who is Patrick?? Why does he kill the Paper Editor???
Why is Vicki Vale so stupid?
Why does DC recycle the same story from Knightfall and No Mans Land?? Gauntlet, ruin Gotham, etc.
Why do artists not know how to draw Alfred? He looks like a fat old bastard in one book...
No Two Face? Ugh. Harvey Dent really missing.
No Joker? Ugh.
Catwoman new direction is a nice change for a character that Ann Noncenti ruined.
Spoiler seems like a good addition, let's see how long before they fuck it up.
Oh, let's throw more and more twists and turns into the who could the mastermind be? Seriously. Then the actual mastermind? Stupid. Even stupider than usual.
Oh and let's throw out the reinforcement call in the VERY LAST PAGES.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Why not do this early on? BATMAN has a stupid martyr complex.
Killer Croc is put into a perfect anti hero role here, and it suits him well.
Only Jim Gordon can make the GCPD work? Yet Bard doesn't end up in jail? Not only that, he ends up on a date AGAIN...with dumb bitch Vicki Vale...stupid cow.
Julia Just shows up in time to take over and have the perfect skill set to replace Alfred?
There are just too many contrivances.
Too many easy tricks.
It's just a lazy retread.
Bruce Wayne is broke? Ok that's slightly new...
Otherwise we have a clusterfuck
Defcon one level.
Avoid. Don't invest the time in any of it at all.
June 30, 2017
Well, a pretty damn good ending to the story here!
The way everything is brought forward really keeps you locked and loaded and anxious to jump in to find out who's the brains behind this entire scheme....
And what a surprising end it was.... It never crossed my mind, at all,... But this certainly had me in the ropes..
Not always impressed with the artwork though :( But better than the previous volume.
The way everything is brought forward really keeps you locked and loaded and anxious to jump in to find out who's the brains behind this entire scheme....
And what a surprising end it was.... It never crossed my mind, at all,... But this certainly had me in the ropes..
Not always impressed with the artwork though :( But better than the previous volume.
February 17, 2020
Highly recommend the Batman Eternal series! It's got the Bat Family! it's got gangster crime! It's got the full rouge's gallery of costumed villains! It's got supernatural crime! It's got global villains! It's got twists and turns you won't see coming. It has, heh, .
About the only stutter-step is that I think this kept a weekly release schedule for a year, so the art occasionally varies in quality and consistency.
About the only stutter-step is that I think this kept a weekly release schedule for a year, so the art occasionally varies in quality and consistency.
March 1, 2025
And finally (but sadly) the tale is over, such a thick and deep plot, with the story accommodating almost all the major villains from the Bat universe, and they were all being played and controlled in a major conspiracy that threatened to destroy the whole city of Gotham, and the Bat family together with it.
The main culprit, the puppeteer that was controlling everything was in plain view all the time, but he was such a small timer that I didn't suspect he is the real master till the final climax of events, he was hiding in plain sight all the time.
Really loved it, the plot was on fire, and the art was supporting it big time. Finally, kudos to Scott Snyder for making me fall in love with Batman and his family of masked heroes.
MiM
The main culprit, the puppeteer that was controlling everything was in plain view all the time, but he was such a small timer that I didn't suspect he is the real master till the final climax of events, he was hiding in plain sight all the time.
Really loved it, the plot was on fire, and the art was supporting it big time. Finally, kudos to Scott Snyder for making me fall in love with Batman and his family of masked heroes.
MiM
May 1, 2015
Another Fantastic Volume! So this continues the tv series like plot, where lots of things are going on but you never feel confused(Which i often feel in Snyder's main Batman series). The Artwork is a little better this time, hard to pull off since you have multiple artists working on this series! It also continues the super-villain domino effect, just as you think you have discovered the final villain, nope another one appears, they continue this until the very last issue which i really enjoyed in an ongoing 52 issues arc! Overall this was amazing and i cant wait for season 2 next year!
October 26, 2025
Batman Eternal Volume 3 serves as the decent, albeit strained, closer to this year-long weekly event. As this sprawling story went on, you can truly feel the plot itself stretching REALLY thin, particularly in this final act where the ambitious schedule finally caught up to the narrative. While the main central conspiracy, involving the city's infrastructure collapsing and the framing of Commissioner Gordon, started strong, especially when James Tynion IV and Scott Snyder were scripting in Volume 1, the quality noticeably declined here. With them shifting to a plotting-only role, the writing began to go down, with a HUGE amount of exposition and needlessly long babbling coming from multiple characters as they laboriously explained the mastermind's plan, which involves a complex takeover of Gotham's power grid and criminal underground.
Despite the structural weaknesses, I still genuinely enjoyed some aspects. This take on Spoiler (Stephanie Brown) was excellent, as her public emergence against the corruption was one of the most compelling arcs. Batman has some great one liners that remind you of the character's core appeal, and the final battle—the spectacular confrontation with the true villain, is a cool top-off to Snyder's overall run. However, the rest of the volume, unfortunately, felt weakly executed and padded. The Catwoman subplot involving her struggle to become the "Queen of Crime" felt extraneous, and the main antagonist, Hush, who was behind the initial attack on Wayne Manor, was entirely boring by the end, his grand scheme proving ultimately tedious rather than terrifying.
Ultimately, Batman Eternal Volume 3 settles for simply tying up loose ends rather than delivering a satisfying, high-impact conclusion. It’s an undeniable achievement in serialization, but the uneven scripting and sprawling focus mean it falters under the weight of its own ambition. It lacks the punch needed to elevate it from being merely serviceable. It just settles for decent over great, earning it a solid 2.5 out of 5 and solidifying its place as a promising event that couldn't quite stick the landing.
Despite the structural weaknesses, I still genuinely enjoyed some aspects. This take on Spoiler (Stephanie Brown) was excellent, as her public emergence against the corruption was one of the most compelling arcs. Batman has some great one liners that remind you of the character's core appeal, and the final battle—the spectacular confrontation with the true villain, is a cool top-off to Snyder's overall run. However, the rest of the volume, unfortunately, felt weakly executed and padded. The Catwoman subplot involving her struggle to become the "Queen of Crime" felt extraneous, and the main antagonist, Hush, who was behind the initial attack on Wayne Manor, was entirely boring by the end, his grand scheme proving ultimately tedious rather than terrifying.
Ultimately, Batman Eternal Volume 3 settles for simply tying up loose ends rather than delivering a satisfying, high-impact conclusion. It’s an undeniable achievement in serialization, but the uneven scripting and sprawling focus mean it falters under the weight of its own ambition. It lacks the punch needed to elevate it from being merely serviceable. It just settles for decent over great, earning it a solid 2.5 out of 5 and solidifying its place as a promising event that couldn't quite stick the landing.
February 16, 2021
I must admit. I loved the ending. The idea behind "Batman Eternal" and how it was executed. It was just too damn epic (thank you Gordon).
But come on!! I had to read 51 issues of half assed stories and characters to get to this? It was too long, many of the subplots just seem pointless and boring. If this was shorter and more coherent, this could be a masterpiece. But unfortunately, it was 52 issues looooong!
But come on!! I had to read 51 issues of half assed stories and characters to get to this? It was too long, many of the subplots just seem pointless and boring. If this was shorter and more coherent, this could be a masterpiece. But unfortunately, it was 52 issues looooong!
May 25, 2015
Keeping this bit spoiler free. The spoiler section will be marked.
I don't even want to give this a two. I want to burn these issues because this could have been great. This rating may magically become a one once I've thought about it.
What in the world was issue #42? I would not be surprised if one of Snyder's kids is named Harper. Give her a flaw! Allow her to properly fail! Just once in this whole ☠@✴#ing series! Just once! Please!!! And Snyder decreed "No, Harper shall never fail. At anything." So it was written. So it was done.
This is entertaining if you are willing to look past some obvious "that's not how the world works", "well, of course that is going to end up badly", and "they would all be dead 5000 times over if that's all it took" type events every issue.
I can overlook it up to the point it becomes central to the plot. I'll forgive some goofiness when the goal is "we need to make the cops/city hate Batman." That's so par for the course by now that it is simply annoying. But when they go and don't even explain a major plot point, on which the whole rest of the series relies (issue 47, I'm looking at you), then I want to be able to go back in time and have not read the previous books. There had to have been another way to do that. Hell, you could have at least attempted to explain what happened. No? Ok then.
With some graphic novels, I start taking notes as I read by issue. Usually this is because I am rereading something I enjoyed and I want to be more objective about the series as a whole instead of just rating the whole thing highly because of one standout issue. Other times, like this one, I am so angry at what I am reading that I need to prevent myself from giving an automatic 1 star for a single awful event.
Below are my brief personal notes that I jotted down as I read. They spoil everything. Everything.
I don't even want to give this a two. I want to burn these issues because this could have been great. This rating may magically become a one once I've thought about it.
What in the world was issue #42? I would not be surprised if one of Snyder's kids is named Harper. Give her a flaw! Allow her to properly fail! Just once in this whole ☠@✴#ing series! Just once! Please!!! And Snyder decreed "No, Harper shall never fail. At anything." So it was written. So it was done.
This is entertaining if you are willing to look past some obvious "that's not how the world works", "well, of course that is going to end up badly", and "they would all be dead 5000 times over if that's all it took" type events every issue.
I can overlook it up to the point it becomes central to the plot. I'll forgive some goofiness when the goal is "we need to make the cops/city hate Batman." That's so par for the course by now that it is simply annoying. But when they go and don't even explain a major plot point, on which the whole rest of the series relies (issue 47, I'm looking at you), then I want to be able to go back in time and have not read the previous books. There had to have been another way to do that. Hell, you could have at least attempted to explain what happened. No? Ok then.
With some graphic novels, I start taking notes as I read by issue. Usually this is because I am rereading something I enjoyed and I want to be more objective about the series as a whole instead of just rating the whole thing highly because of one standout issue. Other times, like this one, I am so angry at what I am reading that I need to prevent myself from giving an automatic 1 star for a single awful event.
Below are my brief personal notes that I jotted down as I read. They spoil everything. Everything.
February 14, 2023
Was an alright read but did drag on at times
March 4, 2016
HOLY WOW THIS IS AWESOME.
Okay, okay, I need to type clearly and fangirl less, I get it. *ahem*
Batman Eternal is Batman at it's finest. While New 52 kicked off with Court of Owls, which was phenomenal, but this is one of the greatest trilogies in Batman History. I've said it's up there with Hush and The Long Halloween, and boy I meant it.
Batman really has no clue what's going on, and it's not until the last quarter of the book that I figured it out, but really, what you can guess isn't even right. There's one hint but it's not much of a hint cuz there's so many hints flying at you, and EVERY MEMBER of the Rogue's Gallery is flying around causing mayhem. It takes every member of the Bat Family and then some to keep Gotham from collapsing and more than one character wonders if they'll survive.
The hundreds of twists each bind-up goes through is INSANE, and I just can't tell what's going where and what's happening. It's brilliant and beautiful, and more than once I had to put the book down and remember breathe as the action and scenes took my breath away. This is fantastic and every Batman fan needs to read this. Seriously, New 52 has outdone itself and created a comic for the ages.
Okay, okay, I need to type clearly and fangirl less, I get it. *ahem*
Batman Eternal is Batman at it's finest. While New 52 kicked off with Court of Owls, which was phenomenal, but this is one of the greatest trilogies in Batman History. I've said it's up there with Hush and The Long Halloween, and boy I meant it.
Batman really has no clue what's going on, and it's not until the last quarter of the book that I figured it out, but really, what you can guess isn't even right. There's one hint but it's not much of a hint cuz there's so many hints flying at you, and EVERY MEMBER of the Rogue's Gallery is flying around causing mayhem. It takes every member of the Bat Family and then some to keep Gotham from collapsing and more than one character wonders if they'll survive.
The hundreds of twists each bind-up goes through is INSANE, and I just can't tell what's going where and what's happening. It's brilliant and beautiful, and more than once I had to put the book down and remember breathe as the action and scenes took my breath away. This is fantastic and every Batman fan needs to read this. Seriously, New 52 has outdone itself and created a comic for the ages.
October 3, 2016
By volume three of this epic storyline, it kinda feels like they are simply pulling in every Batman villain they can without invoking the Joker. The myriad of storylines that were introduced in volume one definitely intertwine by the end, but it's a pretty loose weave... I think there definitely was room to tighten up the story, probably by writing a couple villains out of the final stretch.
However, at least the ending wasn't rushed like how other endings in the New 52 have been; and always, throughout the entire story, the stakes felt high. It is a satisfying , mildly cathartic Batman tale that should at least be appreciated for its scope if not for how it made major changes to the landscape of Gotham City.
3.5/5
However, at least the ending wasn't rushed like how other endings in the New 52 have been; and always, throughout the entire story, the stakes felt high. It is a satisfying , mildly cathartic Batman tale that should at least be appreciated for its scope if not for how it made major changes to the landscape of Gotham City.
3.5/5
December 6, 2015
This was a pretty satisfying conclusion to the whole run. It's a much more linear story in this volume, meaning not a lot of side plots, and just about everything is tied up by the end. Reading this straight through as opposed to over a year changes the pacing a little, so there are aspects of hunting the mystery villain that don't come off well when read in one sitting. The art is more average than excellent this time around though. All in all, a nicely written Batman story (considering the manner it was written and the number of people involved.)
February 17, 2019
I wouldn't by any means call this volume good, but it was significantly better than the previous two, and even starts to explore some pretty cool, surprising avenues I haven't seen in a Batman comic before. Unfortunately, the mish-mash narrative structure and its continued problem of having way too many cooks in the kitchen prevents it from ever really taking off or delivering on its interesting premises.
This book really hammered home for me what I think the main problem with Batman: Eternal is. By having such a massive, tangled plot, that five writers are trying to maintain at any given time, any big reveal or interesting story beat is instantly undercut by whatever new thing has to come along. Even the big, final reveal in this book, the one that presumably this whole series has been building to (and one of the first things I truly liked about this series), is immediately nullified by another stupid twist. It actually cancels out the whole finale for me. I'll explain behind spoiler tags:
Now, all that aside, this series also suffers a lot from dangling plot threads that never get resolved, and huge leaps in logic just to move the story forward. For instance, Stephanie Brown, is shown to be a teenage girl with absolutely no crime-fighting background. But, once she's being chased by villains, she suddenly can kick total ass with no training. She also repeatedly claims that Bruce Wayne is the one behind the entire plot. This is never addressed, and she's never shown any evidence to the contrary. She just stops believing it at one point.
Also, Catwoman becomes the kingpin of crime in Gotham City simply because... her dad asked her to? Is it really that easy? We see none of her rise, she's just not the kingpin one issue, and then she is the next. It's thoroughly unbelievable.
I think this Batman: Eternal thing was a cool experiment. I would've loved for it to work! Five writers pulling off a weekly Batman series with one continual plot for an entire year? That would've been rad! Unfortunately, it's just too many moving pieces to end in a satisfying comic. I do think I will give Batman & Robin Eternal a try, though, just because I'm hoping they learned some lessons from this (and it's way shorter).
This book really hammered home for me what I think the main problem with Batman: Eternal is. By having such a massive, tangled plot, that five writers are trying to maintain at any given time, any big reveal or interesting story beat is instantly undercut by whatever new thing has to come along. Even the big, final reveal in this book, the one that presumably this whole series has been building to (and one of the first things I truly liked about this series), is immediately nullified by another stupid twist. It actually cancels out the whole finale for me. I'll explain behind spoiler tags:
Now, all that aside, this series also suffers a lot from dangling plot threads that never get resolved, and huge leaps in logic just to move the story forward. For instance, Stephanie Brown, is shown to be a teenage girl with absolutely no crime-fighting background. But, once she's being chased by villains, she suddenly can kick total ass with no training. She also repeatedly claims that Bruce Wayne is the one behind the entire plot. This is never addressed, and she's never shown any evidence to the contrary. She just stops believing it at one point.
Also, Catwoman becomes the kingpin of crime in Gotham City simply because... her dad asked her to? Is it really that easy? We see none of her rise, she's just not the kingpin one issue, and then she is the next. It's thoroughly unbelievable.
I think this Batman: Eternal thing was a cool experiment. I would've loved for it to work! Five writers pulling off a weekly Batman series with one continual plot for an entire year? That would've been rad! Unfortunately, it's just too many moving pieces to end in a satisfying comic. I do think I will give Batman & Robin Eternal a try, though, just because I'm hoping they learned some lessons from this (and it's way shorter).
April 3, 2015
Oh me, oh my!
So, disclosure, I got behind last October or November on almost all my comics, aside from Batman and Catwoman. I read all of this book pretty much in one go, and I think it was stronger for it. To be honest, there was not enough material in this series to stretch out over a year. I think it benefited from the long-running mystery of just who is the big bad (loved the reveal; it was perfect), but at the sacrifice of just wanting it to be over with. I follow a few review sites that were actually keeping up with the book on a weekly basis, and I know they were getting antsy. So the volume is the way to go.
Overall, favorite interactions in the series:
Selina and Killer Croc. It was great to see Selina step up and head off in a new direction (her new book by Genevieve Valentine is excellent, do give that a look) that really seems like a natural fit. And Killer Croc is a personal favorite underrated villain, and while I don't think he quite got his chance to shine, I think Tim Seeley did wonders with his tenous partnership with Selina.
Teen Batfamily. While I missed Dick Grayson's place in all of this, seeing Harper and Tim and Stephanie and Jason and Barbara was great. Kinda wish there was a specific book about the Batfamily, since they mostly all have their own books now.
The Spectre and Batwing. I wasn't particularly enjoying this arc, but after reading Gotham by Midnight and this last third of Eternal, I started really digging their interactions.
Julia Pennyworth was also a welcome addition/return. She adds a new dynamic to the cave and its stronger for it.
Bruce/Batman himself was kind of meh in this story, his typical surly, determined self. I could have used a bit more than the typical "drive Batman to the brink; oh, I can't touch him right now, he has to be at his peak."
Overall, I'm glad I read Eternal. I'm sure there's already something big in progress to pick up the pieces. My wish, if that's what going to happen, is that they focus on more personal stories and arcs that can be wrapped up in 5 issues or so, no more than 10 at most. Less big mystery, more ground focus. Despite that, it was pretty awesome to finally see the reveal after a year and it was someone who you would not expect. Pick up for that, if for nothing else.
So, disclosure, I got behind last October or November on almost all my comics, aside from Batman and Catwoman. I read all of this book pretty much in one go, and I think it was stronger for it. To be honest, there was not enough material in this series to stretch out over a year. I think it benefited from the long-running mystery of just who is the big bad (loved the reveal; it was perfect), but at the sacrifice of just wanting it to be over with. I follow a few review sites that were actually keeping up with the book on a weekly basis, and I know they were getting antsy. So the volume is the way to go.
Overall, favorite interactions in the series:
Selina and Killer Croc. It was great to see Selina step up and head off in a new direction (her new book by Genevieve Valentine is excellent, do give that a look) that really seems like a natural fit. And Killer Croc is a personal favorite underrated villain, and while I don't think he quite got his chance to shine, I think Tim Seeley did wonders with his tenous partnership with Selina.
Teen Batfamily. While I missed Dick Grayson's place in all of this, seeing Harper and Tim and Stephanie and Jason and Barbara was great. Kinda wish there was a specific book about the Batfamily, since they mostly all have their own books now.
The Spectre and Batwing. I wasn't particularly enjoying this arc, but after reading Gotham by Midnight and this last third of Eternal, I started really digging their interactions.
Julia Pennyworth was also a welcome addition/return. She adds a new dynamic to the cave and its stronger for it.
Bruce/Batman himself was kind of meh in this story, his typical surly, determined self. I could have used a bit more than the typical "drive Batman to the brink; oh, I can't touch him right now, he has to be at his peak."
Overall, I'm glad I read Eternal. I'm sure there's already something big in progress to pick up the pieces. My wish, if that's what going to happen, is that they focus on more personal stories and arcs that can be wrapped up in 5 issues or so, no more than 10 at most. Less big mystery, more ground focus. Despite that, it was pretty awesome to finally see the reveal after a year and it was someone who you would not expect. Pick up for that, if for nothing else.
October 6, 2015
Technically, I read this as individual (digital) issues, but I can't be having with rating them each individually.
Anyway! While there are some weird characterization choices (since when was Gotham never enough for Jason?! also, Steph deciding to book out of town when people needed help was hard to swallow; otoh, Tim felt the most Timmish since the reboot), and the story gets too convoluted and goes on too long (I could have done without the supernatural aspect, for example, and would rather Batwing were more directly involved with the rest of the batfamily), it's still a good read, with at least one unexpected twist.
I'm not sure how I feel about Selina taking over the mob, and there seemed to be some continuity glitches in terms of how badly injured Alfred was at any given point, and lord but there was some terrible cheesecake art at some points, but overall, I enjoyed it.
(Of course, I can't help but think it might have been better pre-reboot, or at least after Cass had been added to the family, because of all the father-daughter things happening: Jim & Barbara, Steph & Arthur, Julia & Alfred, Selina & Rex - they could have added Cass and Bruce vs. Cass and David Cain, and also done more with Steph & Bruce vs. Steph & Arthur; even though she's more like Babs in that Bruce isn't her father or even her best mentor, her desire to impress him still stems from her daddy issues. And Julia and Harper could still stay, though I'm a little resentful at how quickly Bruce takes to Harper given the hard time he originally gave Steph. *bitter Steph fan forever* Anyway! I think Cass is supposed to arrive in Batman and Robin Eternal, so I'll have to read that when it's all complete, especially since Dick and Damian should also be in it. (Speaking of - I thought it was interesting that Dick loomed large between Babs and Jason, but not between Jason and Tim. Ugh, I have so many feelings about how this book handled Jason & Babs.))
Anyway! While there are some weird characterization choices (since when was Gotham never enough for Jason?! also, Steph deciding to book out of town when people needed help was hard to swallow; otoh, Tim felt the most Timmish since the reboot), and the story gets too convoluted and goes on too long (I could have done without the supernatural aspect, for example, and would rather Batwing were more directly involved with the rest of the batfamily), it's still a good read, with at least one unexpected twist.
I'm not sure how I feel about Selina taking over the mob, and there seemed to be some continuity glitches in terms of how badly injured Alfred was at any given point, and lord but there was some terrible cheesecake art at some points, but overall, I enjoyed it.
(Of course, I can't help but think it might have been better pre-reboot, or at least after Cass had been added to the family, because of all the father-daughter things happening: Jim & Barbara, Steph & Arthur, Julia & Alfred, Selina & Rex - they could have added Cass and Bruce vs. Cass and David Cain, and also done more with Steph & Bruce vs. Steph & Arthur; even though she's more like Babs in that Bruce isn't her father or even her best mentor, her desire to impress him still stems from her daddy issues. And Julia and Harper could still stay, though I'm a little resentful at how quickly Bruce takes to Harper given the hard time he originally gave Steph. *bitter Steph fan forever* Anyway! I think Cass is supposed to arrive in Batman and Robin Eternal, so I'll have to read that when it's all complete, especially since Dick and Damian should also be in it. (Speaking of - I thought it was interesting that Dick loomed large between Babs and Jason, but not between Jason and Tim. Ugh, I have so many feelings about how this book handled Jason & Babs.))
November 27, 2017
Finally we have arrived at the end of this weekly comic series featuring everyone's favorite Dark Knight and almost every member of the Bat family. This is an extremely satisfying series. I admit the earlier volumes were a bit dicey in places but this nonstop ride of a volume ends nicely. The coolest thing about this series will probably be its impact on Gotham and the DC universe. Batman's army has gotten bigger. At the end of this series we now have Red Robin, Batgirl, Batwoman, Batwing, The Spectre, Red Hood, Bluebird, Spoiler, Catwoman the queen of gotham crime and Alfred's daughter Julia joining Batman's every growing list of allies. But I think that is the key to the story DC comics writers are telling here. Batman is eternal not because of who is in the cowl but ideal of who he represents. One man can make a difference and this one man has inspired so many to take up his mantle. As a fan that is what I feel about Batman. Anyone of his allies could be worthy to be Batman. I really enjoyed the ending to this story and was very surprised in the end to find out who was pulling the strings of all the chaos let loose on Gotham city. I do have to stress that this story can only be clearly understood if you read all the volumes. This was a great treat for all the fans and I am glad we got to touch all the different faucets of the Batman universe.
August 2, 2015
"You were so busy trying to figure out who is responsible for this trouble that befell you, you didn't even consider the possibility that maybe it was a Nobody who is behind this. I bet you don't even have a file after me in your super sophisticated Bat-Computer."
As the title nears its climax, not only the intensity but also the level of adventure, mystery and action heightens. Batman finally comes face to face with the person who has brought this entire stint down upon his horns and almost ripped him of one thing he held most precious - 'His Resilience'. However, that is not it there is a major twist that lies as the climax comes about that once again surprises the readers and at the same time tends to provide a poetic explanation to the very theme of the title.
"Is Batman Eternal?"
Artwork is as brilliant as the way the story is interpreted The complexity is simplified yet its beautiful. The part where the Bat insignia is torn out of the Dark Knight's chest leaving a bloodied mark of the Bat upon his flesh literally gave me goosebumps.
As the title nears its climax, not only the intensity but also the level of adventure, mystery and action heightens. Batman finally comes face to face with the person who has brought this entire stint down upon his horns and almost ripped him of one thing he held most precious - 'His Resilience'. However, that is not it there is a major twist that lies as the climax comes about that once again surprises the readers and at the same time tends to provide a poetic explanation to the very theme of the title.
"Is Batman Eternal?"
Artwork is as brilliant as the way the story is interpreted The complexity is simplified yet its beautiful. The part where the Bat insignia is torn out of the Dark Knight's chest leaving a bloodied mark of the Bat upon his flesh literally gave me goosebumps.
December 22, 2015
DC set out to write an epic Batman story and they managed it (almost) to perfection.
Every single biggie in the gallery of rogues gets a cameo and a chance to be crazy and look cool while doing it. All the Bat-family is present and in top form. The convoluted (and at times confusing) plot gets an excellent conclusion that actually makes sense. And it’s a hell of a ride that’s enjoyable from beginning to end.
I won’t even try to explain everything that happens because it’s complicated and one detail too much could ruin it for new readers, but I will say that it certainly lives up to the “eternal” in the title.
My one peeve is how incredibly inconsistent the art is. It was a weekly book so I get that the quality might not be the best at all times, but the artists kept changing – which means the art style kept changing – and character’s faces/hair/skin tones kept changing along with them. It disturbs my reading when I go from gritty darkness to cartoony fun times.
Every single biggie in the gallery of rogues gets a cameo and a chance to be crazy and look cool while doing it. All the Bat-family is present and in top form. The convoluted (and at times confusing) plot gets an excellent conclusion that actually makes sense. And it’s a hell of a ride that’s enjoyable from beginning to end.
I won’t even try to explain everything that happens because it’s complicated and one detail too much could ruin it for new readers, but I will say that it certainly lives up to the “eternal” in the title.
My one peeve is how incredibly inconsistent the art is. It was a weekly book so I get that the quality might not be the best at all times, but the artists kept changing – which means the art style kept changing – and character’s faces/hair/skin tones kept changing along with them. It disturbs my reading when I go from gritty darkness to cartoony fun times.
May 21, 2016
My biggest gripes with this series was the roller-coaster story-lines that at the end didn't equate to anything happening or were forgotten here-soon-after the series ends. Sometimes, even within the series alone. With that said, Eternal was a huge, and inspiring, collection of what makes Batman one of the greatest superheroes in the last century. While not all of the elements were fleshed out, it still was a fun ride.
September 23, 2016
5 stars
Likes this comic book. Always nice to see Batman and the other members of the Bat family. Hope Spoiler will join the Bat family. Interesting to know who manipulated the events that happened. Also interesting to see the Court of Owls again. Wonder if they will make another appearance in the future.
Can't wait to read more Batman and Bat family comics!!!!
Has anyone watched the show, Gotham?
Likes this comic book. Always nice to see Batman and the other members of the Bat family. Hope Spoiler will join the Bat family. Interesting to know who manipulated the events that happened. Also interesting to see the Court of Owls again. Wonder if they will make another appearance in the future.
Can't wait to read more Batman and Bat family comics!!!!
Has anyone watched the show, Gotham?
April 15, 2015
A perfect conclusion. The reveal of the one behind this, and the one behind this one as well was suprising, and was in few last issues (which stressed the tension a bit more). After the conclusion, in contrast to the regular formula of endings, changes the course in Gotham City and in the stories of Batman in general.
April 21, 2015
Smash, whizz, bang--hell of a series comes crashing to an end, only to arise from the wreckage and hurtle towards the real ending, the real power-play(er) behind the plan and the chaos.
The ending is great. Well done.
The ending is great. Well done.
October 5, 2016
This one had its ups and downs over the course of 3 volumes and certainly didn't end the way I imagined it would; so I can say it kept me guessing as to who the big bad was going to be. Some of the twists worked and some didn't but overall I enjoyed it!
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