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Batman One-Shots
Batman: Holy Terror
God is not the State, and the State is not God. Defiance of God's self-styled interpreters is not denial of God. I will serve Him in my own ways. By day I shal wear the holy cloth... and by night I will wear a different kind of cloth... a darker shade of vestments.
46 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 1991
15 people are currently reading
425 people want to read
About the author
Alan Brennert
75 books2,199 followersAlan Brennert is the author of the historical novels Palisades Park, Honolulu (chosen one of the best books of 2009 by The Washington Post), and Moloka'i, which won the 2006 Bookies Award, sponsored by the Contra Costa Library, for the Book Club Book of the Year (and has sold over 600,000 copies since publication). It was also a 2012 One Book, One San Diego selection. He has won an Emmy Award and a People's Choice Award for his work as a writer-producer on the television series L.A. Law, and his short story "Ma Qui" was honored with a Nebula Award. His new novel, Daughter of Moloka'i, will be published by St. Martin's Press on February 19, 2019. Follow him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/alan.brennert.
http://us.macmillan.com/palisadespark...
http://us.macmillan.com/palisadespark...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
December 10, 2025
In this Elseworlds tale Batman (BM) must try to find justice in a theocratically fascist government. BM at first goes along with the status quo; until he learns a 'star chamber' like group deeply embedded in the government ordered the assassination of his parents. On his quest for justice BM encounters 'other' versions of the JLA who are being held prisoner so as not to revolt against the system. A nice afternoon read!
February 28, 2020
Fantastic art from one of the great all-time Batman artists. Bruce Wayne has grown up to become a priest in a society where the Church rules over everyone. When he discovers members of the Church had his parents murdered, he becomes the Dark Knight to avenge them
April 19, 2018
Another origin story, but now with a religious twist. Interesting ideas and a lot of characters in such a short story arc. I have to say some things are just so bad. So bad, it was hilarious!
Yours truly,
Lashaan
Yours truly,
Lashaan
January 11, 2013
What if America were a Christian theocracy (Christianity - popular in America? The mind boggles!) and issues like abortion and equal rights for gays were outlawed (hmm.. is this “Elseworlds” or 21st century reality?), and there is no higher power than the Church. And the Church has killed Bruce Wayne’s parents because they were secret underground dissidents, working against Church dogma to help people – the sheer audacity of practicing Christian charity! This Church is obsessed with experimenting on people in Dr Mengele-style for some reason but Bruce is going to dress as a bat and find vengeance for his parents against the Church.
This “Elseworlds” – an alternate reality series for DC’s biggest characters – is the worst one I’ve read because it’s mind-numbingly boring. Once Bruce becomes Batman (through a series of inane contrivances not worth listing) he enters Church HQ, we see the Church’s horrible experiments on other famous DC characters – for no reason other than because that’s what bad guys do - and then Batman vows a jihad against the evil Church. The end! There’s no point in putting Batman in a Christianist dystopia when it’s definitely not entertaining and the writer doesn’t have anything to say other than, duuuh, bad people manipulate others through religion. Holy Terror, Batman, this book sucks!
This “Elseworlds” – an alternate reality series for DC’s biggest characters – is the worst one I’ve read because it’s mind-numbingly boring. Once Bruce becomes Batman (through a series of inane contrivances not worth listing) he enters Church HQ, we see the Church’s horrible experiments on other famous DC characters – for no reason other than because that’s what bad guys do - and then Batman vows a jihad against the evil Church. The end! There’s no point in putting Batman in a Christianist dystopia when it’s definitely not entertaining and the writer doesn’t have anything to say other than, duuuh, bad people manipulate others through religion. Holy Terror, Batman, this book sucks!
April 18, 2018
Not to be confused with the Frank Miller comic of the same name, Batman: Holy Terror is the Caped Crusader’s yarn of the ecclesiastical and the divine. However, there is nothing holy about this comic. Nothing but 50 pages of terror is the true product: how could a comic be so (goddamn!) awful?
Already from the get-go, a single page voiceover of this city is abruptly zoomed into the latest crisis in media res. Another jizz encrusted story of the death of Wayne’s parents with the omnipresent bats splashes forth. However, the means and the motive are altered as are the clothings and verbiage. Seemingly a setting from the 17th/18th century is the alternate timeline du jour with faux Old English (e.g. towne) and powder wigs to match!
This would be make sense until another two pages later, a television news channel montage plugs a choppy series of details concerning this modulated timestream. Going from powdered wigs and a smattering of (faux) Old English to electronic screens, I was completely lost with this expository scene that did more to confuse than to elucidate. Without a single (goddamn!) date to demarcate where things were chronologically, I only became increasingly lost some ten pages in.
Which is a real problem because there is a severe disconnect between what the author wanted to accomplish and the meager amount of pages at his disposal. Seemingly wanting to cram everything into a mere ~50 pages, bizarrely mangled references ranging from V for Vendetta to the internalized world of The Bat himself are brutalized beyond belief. Shitty paneling only manages to convolute this story further and further each (goddamn) page of the way.
Perhaps with a larger width of pages, this could have developed into something worthwhile but, it didn’t. And we’re stuck with more and more comic book muck of the worst design. Even though this fell under the Elseworld imprimatur, it feels like its more akin to Else-Universe more than anything.
More perversion than pastiche, this comic sees fit to rip to shreds everything that made this series great. Cutting where it should not . And pasting who it should not this comic takes the definition of mess to an even lower level.
In conclusion, this story amounts to a botched circumcision. What perhaps might have started with the best intentions has left an otherwise healthy corpus disfigured and unusable. Permanent disfigurement is the wretched result.
Already from the get-go, a single page voiceover of this city is abruptly zoomed into the latest crisis in media res. Another jizz encrusted story of the death of Wayne’s parents with the omnipresent bats splashes forth. However, the means and the motive are altered as are the clothings and verbiage. Seemingly a setting from the 17th/18th century is the alternate timeline du jour with faux Old English (e.g. towne) and powder wigs to match!
This would be make sense until another two pages later, a television news channel montage plugs a choppy series of details concerning this modulated timestream. Going from powdered wigs and a smattering of (faux) Old English to electronic screens, I was completely lost with this expository scene that did more to confuse than to elucidate. Without a single (goddamn!) date to demarcate where things were chronologically, I only became increasingly lost some ten pages in.
Which is a real problem because there is a severe disconnect between what the author wanted to accomplish and the meager amount of pages at his disposal. Seemingly wanting to cram everything into a mere ~50 pages, bizarrely mangled references ranging from V for Vendetta to the internalized world of The Bat himself are brutalized beyond belief. Shitty paneling only manages to convolute this story further and further each (goddamn) page of the way.
Perhaps with a larger width of pages, this could have developed into something worthwhile but, it didn’t. And we’re stuck with more and more comic book muck of the worst design. Even though this fell under the Elseworld imprimatur, it feels like its more akin to Else-Universe more than anything.
More perversion than pastiche, this comic sees fit to rip to shreds everything that made this series great. Cutting where it should not . And pasting who it should not this comic takes the definition of mess to an even lower level.
In conclusion, this story amounts to a botched circumcision. What perhaps might have started with the best intentions has left an otherwise healthy corpus disfigured and unusable. Permanent disfigurement is the wretched result.
October 29, 2023
Batman: Holy Terror is a DC Comics prestige format one-shot written by Alan Brennert with art by norm Breyfogle. It was originally published in 1991.
Set in an Elseworlds universe where the United States (and most of the America) are ruled by a theological Christian regime, Bruce Wayne’s parents are secretly assassinated by the state. When Bruce learns this, he uses his position within the church and adopts the persona of the Dark Knight to enact revenge. Along the way, Bruce will uncover some absolutely horrifying discoveries.
This book gave me some The Handmaid’s Tale vibes with the Christian theocracy, though in this book it’s a much more Catholic feel with even more pomp and ceremony. The book showcases the horror of cult control when a government can warp religion to remain in complete control and power. The art in the book is fantastic with a very classic but strikingly original look.
Set in an Elseworlds universe where the United States (and most of the America) are ruled by a theological Christian regime, Bruce Wayne’s parents are secretly assassinated by the state. When Bruce learns this, he uses his position within the church and adopts the persona of the Dark Knight to enact revenge. Along the way, Bruce will uncover some absolutely horrifying discoveries.
This book gave me some The Handmaid’s Tale vibes with the Christian theocracy, though in this book it’s a much more Catholic feel with even more pomp and ceremony. The book showcases the horror of cult control when a government can warp religion to remain in complete control and power. The art in the book is fantastic with a very classic but strikingly original look.
August 31, 2025
A powerful Batman Elseworlds tale with solid artwork. I really liked it.
January 26, 2009
I picked this up because it was on the sale shelf at Big Planet Comics, and I have a book of Alan Brennert's short stories that I liked. Once I picked it up I was intrigued by this brief but hard-hitting Elseworlds tale in which America is a theocracy (because Oliver Cromwell lived instead of dying of an illness) and Bruce Wayne believes he is about to find peace and a final healing from the death of his parents by putting aside his worldly goods and becoming a priest. But on his last night in Wayne Manor, Inquisitor Gordon has something to tell him...
This reminded me of Batman meets Rex Mundi. I liked it a lot, although some of the writing is a little bit florid. I'm still mulling over the decisions Bruce makes at the end.
This reminded me of Batman meets Rex Mundi. I liked it a lot, although some of the writing is a little bit florid. I'm still mulling over the decisions Bruce makes at the end.
May 3, 2021
Batman: Holy Terror is an Elseworlds one-shot comic published by DC Comics in 1991. The story is written by Alan Brennert and illustrated by Norm Breyfogle and focuses on the origins of Batman in an alternative world, where Oliver Cromwell was successful in his overtaking of the monarchy.
Oliver Cromwell recovered from his attack of septicemia, and lived until 1668, consolidating the Protectorate of England and its sister theocracies in the Colonies. In the late 20th century, the analog of the United States of America is a Commonwealth run by a corrupt theocratic government.
Twenty-two years after the death of his parents, Bruce Wayne is planning to join the clergy when he is visited by his friend James Gordon. Gordon was the inquisitor who investigated Thomas and Martha Wayne's murder at the hands of Joe Chill, and has come to tell Bruce the truth about what happened. Their deaths were not a random mugging, but a state-planned execution. Bruce then starts a crusade to hunt down those who killed his parents.
Alan Brennert penned the entire trade paperback. For the most part, it is written moderately well. Brennert has an interesting, albeit a lackluster take on how Bruce Wayne became Batman to avenge his parents had the United States became a Commonwealth of the United Kingdom and ruled as a theocracy – the narrative just seemed flat.
Norm Breyfogle penciled the entire trade paperback. Since he was the only penciler, the artistic flow of the trade paperback flowed exceptionally well. For the most part, Breyfogle's penciling depicts the narrative rather well – a tad dated, but understandably so.
All in all, Batman: Holy Terror is an interesting thought experiment on how Bruce Wayne would become Batman in an alternative reality, but the execution felt a tad forced and flat.
Oliver Cromwell recovered from his attack of septicemia, and lived until 1668, consolidating the Protectorate of England and its sister theocracies in the Colonies. In the late 20th century, the analog of the United States of America is a Commonwealth run by a corrupt theocratic government.
Twenty-two years after the death of his parents, Bruce Wayne is planning to join the clergy when he is visited by his friend James Gordon. Gordon was the inquisitor who investigated Thomas and Martha Wayne's murder at the hands of Joe Chill, and has come to tell Bruce the truth about what happened. Their deaths were not a random mugging, but a state-planned execution. Bruce then starts a crusade to hunt down those who killed his parents.
Alan Brennert penned the entire trade paperback. For the most part, it is written moderately well. Brennert has an interesting, albeit a lackluster take on how Bruce Wayne became Batman to avenge his parents had the United States became a Commonwealth of the United Kingdom and ruled as a theocracy – the narrative just seemed flat.
Norm Breyfogle penciled the entire trade paperback. Since he was the only penciler, the artistic flow of the trade paperback flowed exceptionally well. For the most part, Breyfogle's penciling depicts the narrative rather well – a tad dated, but understandably so.
All in all, Batman: Holy Terror is an interesting thought experiment on how Bruce Wayne would become Batman in an alternative reality, but the execution felt a tad forced and flat.
July 19, 2018
A friend recommended this to me and let me borrow it. I don't know what she was thinking. I almost gave it two stars, but I've done that to books I wasn't crazy about in the past and looked back and realized that I was being too nice.
It's an alternate reality, and I'm not sure what time period it is supposed to be but they have advanced technology. The Catholic church rules everything and is corrupt. Bruce Wayne becomes a priest and even when he is Batman his costume has a clerical collar incorporated into the design of the bat on his chest. And he quotes scripture while beating up the bad guys.
And then some shit happens when Batman finds out Priests are torturing members of the Justice League. It was just REALLY FUCKING WEIRD. I don't know why my friend recommended this book to me. Major disappointment.
Arts not bad though.
It's an alternate reality, and I'm not sure what time period it is supposed to be but they have advanced technology. The Catholic church rules everything and is corrupt. Bruce Wayne becomes a priest and even when he is Batman his costume has a clerical collar incorporated into the design of the bat on his chest. And he quotes scripture while beating up the bad guys.
And then some shit happens when Batman finds out Priests are torturing members of the Justice League. It was just REALLY FUCKING WEIRD. I don't know why my friend recommended this book to me. Major disappointment.
Arts not bad though.
March 8, 2025
This was published in the early 1990's and it seems that it was ahead of its time. Currently this seems so relevant as I could relate to a few of the events happening right now in our world.
Great read and has fantastic art as well.
Great read and has fantastic art as well.
February 12, 2016
An exceptional alternate universe Batman story. Excellent art and storyline. One of my favorite Elseworld books. Highly recommended
March 22, 2009
I am normally not a big fan of "Elseworld" comic books, so it is kind of odd that I liked this so much.
The premise is that Oliver Cromwell didn't die when he did in our world and this small change led to a world where the United States never came to be. There is no separation of Church and State, and both England and its colonies are firmly under the control of a repressive religious regime.
In this world, a young Bruce Wayne is about to take his sacred vows when he finds out his parents were not killed in a random mugging like he believed. Instead, they were tried in absentia and executed as enemies of the church. The revelation shatters the young man's faith, and he decides to get revenge the way only Bruce Wayne can.
That is just the jumping off point and the story proceeds to take some interesting twists and turns along the way. While it is a bit heavy handed with some of the points it makes at times, it still manages to make some interesting points about government, religion, and faith. Which is why I am such a big fan of it.
It also probably doesn't hurt that it was illustrated by Norm Breyfogle, one of my all-time favorite Batman artists.
The premise is that Oliver Cromwell didn't die when he did in our world and this small change led to a world where the United States never came to be. There is no separation of Church and State, and both England and its colonies are firmly under the control of a repressive religious regime.
In this world, a young Bruce Wayne is about to take his sacred vows when he finds out his parents were not killed in a random mugging like he believed. Instead, they were tried in absentia and executed as enemies of the church. The revelation shatters the young man's faith, and he decides to get revenge the way only Bruce Wayne can.
That is just the jumping off point and the story proceeds to take some interesting twists and turns along the way. While it is a bit heavy handed with some of the points it makes at times, it still manages to make some interesting points about government, religion, and faith. Which is why I am such a big fan of it.
It also probably doesn't hurt that it was illustrated by Norm Breyfogle, one of my all-time favorite Batman artists.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2013
I do believe this was one of the first "Elseworlds" Graphic Novel I'd ever read, possibly even the first... wait do Dark Knight and Killing Joke count?
I wasn't expecting much going in as I have never been that big of a fan of the "What If" types of books. But the cover was nice and the square binding was novel at the time and it made it look nice.
I was uterly surprised by my reaction, this was, at the time, one of the best Batman stories I'd ever read, and the art was also pleasant and printed on glossy paper with nice colors.
I've always enjoyed self-contained stories of Super Heroes where you don't have to know the entire history of the character to actually "get" what's going on, and this story was fully self-contained with a beginning, middle and end... with the possibility of a sequel without obligation.
Sadly, most Elseworlds stories that were to follow quickly went downhill.
I wasn't expecting much going in as I have never been that big of a fan of the "What If" types of books. But the cover was nice and the square binding was novel at the time and it made it look nice.
I was uterly surprised by my reaction, this was, at the time, one of the best Batman stories I'd ever read, and the art was also pleasant and printed on glossy paper with nice colors.
I've always enjoyed self-contained stories of Super Heroes where you don't have to know the entire history of the character to actually "get" what's going on, and this story was fully self-contained with a beginning, middle and end... with the possibility of a sequel without obligation.
Sadly, most Elseworlds stories that were to follow quickly went downhill.
September 12, 2010
ELSEWORLDS was a great concept--take the core of a character but then play around with that character in a new setting or conceit.
Holy Terror's mildly confusing for its alternate history with a religious spin, but this is one of the stronger "Alternate-Batman" stories ever done (the best, in my opinion, being Gotham By Gaslight).
The cameos and world-changes to many other DC heroes makes this a story that thinks about all the ramifications of altering history, not just hyper-focusing on one character, as so often is the case.
Highly recommended for anyone who likes Batman or alternate histories.
Holy Terror's mildly confusing for its alternate history with a religious spin, but this is one of the stronger "Alternate-Batman" stories ever done (the best, in my opinion, being Gotham By Gaslight).
The cameos and world-changes to many other DC heroes makes this a story that thinks about all the ramifications of altering history, not just hyper-focusing on one character, as so often is the case.
Highly recommended for anyone who likes Batman or alternate histories.
June 27, 2020
No recuerdo tanto el hilo conductor de este elseworld pero sí que estaba bastante bien a la hora de plantar los dilemas morales por los que pasa este buen batman y a nivel dibujo estaba bastante mejor que a nivel narrativo. Un par de escenas memorables, eso sí, como la de Flash. Pobre Flash.
February 27, 2021
In a world where Oliver Cromwell's Puritan regime is still alive three hundred years later in the aunited States, Batman becomes a priest until he discovers his parents were killed for opposing electroshock conversion therapy.
I did enjoy that we get a nuanced look at religion and that just because the state that wields religion is corrupt that does not make God corrupt. But otherwise this elseworld that launched a thousand stories did little for me.
I did enjoy that we get a nuanced look at religion and that just because the state that wields religion is corrupt that does not make God corrupt. But otherwise this elseworld that launched a thousand stories did little for me.
Read
August 4, 2025Kind of new agey with some serious Catholic hate, but dang the visuals are so lit
May 24, 2023
An amazing take on Theism (Christianity in particular) rarely seen in comics. The cannon of Bruce losing his parents takes a slight twist as this version has the killing as intentional not a random act. Growing up in the church he dedicated he's life to his faith. When Bruce finds out the leaders of the church he's dedicated his life to were responsible for his parents death, the rage and anger bubbles up to the surface revealing the Vigilante we know and love.
But this time, even more torn because his faith has a standard of non-violence that he must further reconcile.
A wonderful Elseworlds tale
But this time, even more torn because his faith has a standard of non-violence that he must further reconcile.
A wonderful Elseworlds tale
March 8, 2015
Batman: Holy Terror is a dystopian Batman graphic novel published under the Elseworlds imprint in 1991 and written by Allan Brennert and illustrated by Norm Breyfogle. The story reimagines Batman in a fictional America where unlike, the real world, Oliver Cromwell had lived for ten more years after he contracted malaria. Consequently, the U.S has become a Christian theocracy, where the biggest crime is being different.
I have to say although I don't mind Elseworlds stories they wouldn't be my cup of tea, however, this story is an exception.
Bruce Wayne, of course, is the main protagonist of the graphic novel. In this particular story, he is about to take his vows to become a priest when he is told that his parent's deaths weren't a random street crime but rather an execution orchestrated by the privy council. Upon, receiving the news Bruce becomes enraged, and of course, dons the cape and the cowl and becomes the Batman; vowing to serve God and avenge his parent's murders.
This graphic novel is thought provoking as it deals with existential issues that were relevant in the past and in the present. One of them is homophobia, this is demonstrated when the State tries to change the sexual orientation of its gay citizens. Another issue explored is that individuality is punished, as shown when superheroes are locked up and experimented for being different and also by the discrimination of homosexuals.
The writing is coherent and the progressive storyline is great! The artwork done by Breyfogle is magnificent, it really captivates the characters emotions. Furthermore, I must acknowledge the colourist Lovern Kindzierski who did a brilliant job in setting the mood and ambience in the story.
Therefore, the evidence that you should read this graphic novel is incontrovertible.
I have to say although I don't mind Elseworlds stories they wouldn't be my cup of tea, however, this story is an exception.
Bruce Wayne, of course, is the main protagonist of the graphic novel. In this particular story, he is about to take his vows to become a priest when he is told that his parent's deaths weren't a random street crime but rather an execution orchestrated by the privy council. Upon, receiving the news Bruce becomes enraged, and of course, dons the cape and the cowl and becomes the Batman; vowing to serve God and avenge his parent's murders.
This graphic novel is thought provoking as it deals with existential issues that were relevant in the past and in the present. One of them is homophobia, this is demonstrated when the State tries to change the sexual orientation of its gay citizens. Another issue explored is that individuality is punished, as shown when superheroes are locked up and experimented for being different and also by the discrimination of homosexuals.
The writing is coherent and the progressive storyline is great! The artwork done by Breyfogle is magnificent, it really captivates the characters emotions. Furthermore, I must acknowledge the colourist Lovern Kindzierski who did a brilliant job in setting the mood and ambience in the story.
Therefore, the evidence that you should read this graphic novel is incontrovertible.
January 18, 2013
In a world where church and state are one, the "random" murder of two prominent citizens with ties to those in power has some lose ends swept aside. But they won't stay lost forever, and the surviving child named Bruce Wayne will have some dark choices to make when he's told the truth behind his parents deaths...
Batman: Holy Terror was the beginning of DC's Elseworlds stories. The "strange versions of familiar characters" theme had been done before, but the approach of these stand-alone stories had a fresh feel when they came out.
Of course the concept has been beaten to death since, and as a result many of the Elseworlds stories lose a fair bit reading them nowadays. Holy Terror isn't quite as good as I remember from years ago, but is still one of my favorites. It's a slowish, atmospheric tale about the world Bruce is trapped in and the creation of the Batman. There is a small cast of characters who are given at least a little development in this short tale, and a lot of great little touches, many involving the fates of our heroes in this twisted world. The art is of a very different style than most of today's comics, but I love it. The cover remains one of the most striking I've ever seen.
I like the way the unfolded, and the historical and religious inaccuracies present in the set up didn't bother me (I honestly probably missed most of them), but new readers might have a different reaction. This is not a wall to wall action epic. This is about ideals, truths, and fighting one's way towards an answer through a layered maze.
Holy Terror won't impress everyone, but it is a solid reimagining and for me remains one of the best of the Elseworlds comics.
Batman: Holy Terror was the beginning of DC's Elseworlds stories. The "strange versions of familiar characters" theme had been done before, but the approach of these stand-alone stories had a fresh feel when they came out.
Of course the concept has been beaten to death since, and as a result many of the Elseworlds stories lose a fair bit reading them nowadays. Holy Terror isn't quite as good as I remember from years ago, but is still one of my favorites. It's a slowish, atmospheric tale about the world Bruce is trapped in and the creation of the Batman. There is a small cast of characters who are given at least a little development in this short tale, and a lot of great little touches, many involving the fates of our heroes in this twisted world. The art is of a very different style than most of today's comics, but I love it. The cover remains one of the most striking I've ever seen.
I like the way the unfolded, and the historical and religious inaccuracies present in the set up didn't bother me (I honestly probably missed most of them), but new readers might have a different reaction. This is not a wall to wall action epic. This is about ideals, truths, and fighting one's way towards an answer through a layered maze.
Holy Terror won't impress everyone, but it is a solid reimagining and for me remains one of the best of the Elseworlds comics.
June 24, 2013
A cool and different world for batman to be in. This Elseworld story may not be the same caliber as Red Son but it has a cool concept and the world this batman inhabits is really interesting. The problem is the beginning has some good pacing but then the ending feels rushed. I loved the scenes with flash and the other experiments, but it gets so rushed at the end, nothing pays off. Which is the main problem with this, it has an open ending, but this story didn't need that. It needs something satisfying at the end, and there is nothing.
So in short, cool concepts, cool batman, nothing pays off in the end, and it is rushed.
So in short, cool concepts, cool batman, nothing pays off in the end, and it is rushed.
September 7, 2016
This Elseworlds tale takes place in an America ruled by an intolerant theocratic government who may be responsible for the death of Bruce Wayne's parents for being secret anti-government radicals. This alternate origin story for Batman sets the tone for the Alan Brennert story, which finds Batman on a crusade to find his parents' killers. This puts him at odds with the clergy Bruce Wayne has committed to joining. Overall the story is fairly average, but artwork by the legendary Norm Breyfogle is always welcome.
August 4, 2011
In one of the first Elseworlds titles, Alan Brennert takes an opportunity to explore the very core of Batman by pitting him against a theocratic state descended from Oliver Cromwell’s Protectorate. Its astonishing and complex ideas will change the way you see the Dark Knight, even over in our continuity. Brilliant.
February 10, 2013
Really liked this concept and had me looking up cromwellian history on wikipedia for a fair while! Even though an elseworlds' story I didn't expect such deep religious and political themes- maybe the themes, but not the depth. The appearances of superman and the flash are both highly poignant. Breyfogle does a great batman.
March 13, 2020
Another example of how great superhero comics can be when they're freed from the chains of "canon" and allowed to tell their own story. I'm not a religious person myself but this is definitely one of the best Batman Elseworlds stories I've read. It was great to have a story about Batman dismantling the establishment for once instead of defending it.
December 19, 2010
Very good. Intriguing concept of the church as the corrupt government. Interesting to see what happened to other characters in this universe. It is all very sensitively handled. Could have been a good series.
March 11, 2017
I actually changed the rating on this book from a 3 to a 4. I enjoyed the concept overall. The artwork was very well done.
December 27, 2017
Great and scary spin on the Batman mythos. An interesting a riveting read! I'd read a whole series on this.
July 7, 2023
A DC "Elseworlds" tale where the governance of Gotham City is effectively a Christian theocratic state and Bruce Wayne is a high ranking priest in the autocratic system. Wayne soon learns that the murder of his parents was not random but actually an ordered hit from higher ups, and this revelation causes him to suit up as the vengeful Dark Knight.
The story takes place in an alternate reality where many DC characters are portrayed as installments of this new world order, and it's pretty dull I have to say. There isn't really a clear reason as to why this version of Gotham City was even conceived of as an "Elseworlds" scenario since all that is achieved is some pointless worldbuilding. This doesn't even really explore anything interesting about Batman as a character - if anything it diminishes his real motives to be Batman since he was inactive until he learned about why his parents were murdered. I get that this is an alternate version of Batman, but I personally feel that the charm of an alternate universe take is that certain fundamental aspects need to be kept consistent.
The bright spot of "Holy Terror" is Norm Breyfogle's artwork (who I've long considered one of the best pencillers in the history of Batman comics). Breyfogle does a great job bringing the world together with imaginative architectural structures and character designs. It's a nice looking comic all else considered.
The story takes place in an alternate reality where many DC characters are portrayed as installments of this new world order, and it's pretty dull I have to say. There isn't really a clear reason as to why this version of Gotham City was even conceived of as an "Elseworlds" scenario since all that is achieved is some pointless worldbuilding. This doesn't even really explore anything interesting about Batman as a character - if anything it diminishes his real motives to be Batman since he was inactive until he learned about why his parents were murdered. I get that this is an alternate version of Batman, but I personally feel that the charm of an alternate universe take is that certain fundamental aspects need to be kept consistent.
The bright spot of "Holy Terror" is Norm Breyfogle's artwork (who I've long considered one of the best pencillers in the history of Batman comics). Breyfogle does a great job bringing the world together with imaginative architectural structures and character designs. It's a nice looking comic all else considered.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews