Batman: Knightfall Omnibus Vol. 1

Batman: Knightfall #1, 2017 Omnibus Edition

by Chuck Dixon, Kelley Jones (Illustrator)

The Dark Knight's deadliest enemies have escaped Arkham Asylum! The Joker, Two-Face, the Mad Hatter, the Riddler, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, Killer Croc, Firefly and Zsasz--one by one, Batman must face them in mortal combat. But lurking at the end of this seemingly endless gauntlet is the deadliest menace of all--a mysterious man-mountain known as Bane! Will Bane break the Bat, or will the Dark Knight be able to save Gotham City from the newest reign of terror to hit its streets?
For the first time ever, the entire Knightfall saga is collected in one massive hardcover volume. BATMAN: KNIGHTFALL OMNIBUS includes the best-selling story line from BATMAN #484-500, BATMAN: SHADOW OF THE BAT #16-18, BATMAN: VENGEANCE OF BANE #1, DETECTIVE COMICS #654-666 and SHOWCASE '93 #7-8.

Genres: Comics, Batman, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction, Comics Manga

960 pages, Hardcover

First published April 18, 2017

About the author

Charles "Chuck" Dixon is an American comic book writer, perhaps best-known for long runs on Batman titles in the 1990s.

His earliest comics work was writing Evangeline first for Comico Comics in 1984 (then later for First Comics, who published the on-going series), on which he worked with his then-wife, the artist Judith Hunt. His big break came one year later, when editor Larry Hama hired him to write back-up stories for Marvel Comics' The Savage Sword of Conan.

In 1986, he began working for Eclipse Comics, writing Airboy with artist Tim Truman. Continuing to write for both Marvel and (mainly) Eclipse on these titles, as well as launching Strike! with artist Tom Lyle in August 1987 and Valkyrie with artist Paul Gulacy in October 1987, he began work on Carl Potts' Alien Legion series for Marvel's Epic Comics imprint, under editor Archie Goodwin. He also produced a three-issue adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit for Eclipse with artist David Wenzel between 1989 and 1990, and began writing Marc Spector: Moon Knight in June 1989.

His Punisher OGN Kingdom Gone (August, 1990) led to him working on the monthly The Punisher War Journal (and later, more monthly and occasional Punisher titles), and also brought him to the attention of DC Comics editor Denny O'Neil, who asked him to produce a Robin mini-series. The mini proved popular enough to spawn two sequels - The Joker's Wild (1991) and Cry of the Huntress (1992) - which led to both an ongoing monthly series (which Dixon wrote for 100 issues before leaving to work with CrossGen Comics), and to Dixon working on Detective Comics from #644-738 through the major Batman stories KnightFall & KnightsEnd (for which he helped create the key character of Bane), DC One Million , Contagion , Legacy , Cataclysm and No Man's Land . Much of his run was illustrated by Graham Nolan.

He was DC's most prolific Batman-writer in the mid-1990s (rivalled perhaps in history by Bill Finger and Dennis O'Neil) - in addition to writing Detective Comics he pioneered the individual series for Robin , Nightwing (which he wrote for 70 issues, and returned to briefly with 2005's #101) and Batgirl , as well as creating the team and book Birds of Prey .

While writing multiple Punisher and Batman comics (and October 1994's Punisher/Batman crossover), he also found time to launch Team 7 for Jim Lee's WildStorm/Image and Prophet for Rob Liefeld's Extreme Studios. He also wrote many issues of Catwoman and Green Arrow , regularly having about seven titles out each and every month between the years 1993 and 1998.

In March, 2002, Dixon turned his attention to CrossGen's output, salthough he co-wrote with Scott Beatty the origin of Barbara Gordon's Batgirl in 2003's Batgirl: Year One. For CrossGen he took over some of the comics of the out-going Mark Waid, taking over Sigil from #21, and Crux with #13. He launched Way of the Rat in June 2002, Brath (March '03), The Silken Ghost (June '03) and the pirate comic El Cazador (Oct '03), as well as editing Robert Rodi's non-Sigilverse The Crossovers. He also wrote the Ruse spin-off Archard's Agents one-shots in January and November '03 and April '04, the last released shortly before CrossGen's complete collapse forced the cancellation of all of its comics, before which Dixon wrote a single issue of Sojourn (May '04). Dixon's Way of the Rat #24, Brath #14 and El Cazador #6 were among the last comics released from the then-bankrupt publisher.

On June 10, 2008, Dixon announced on his forum that he was no longer "employed by DC Comics in any capacity."

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Auf knapp 1000 Seiten erleben wir einen Batman, der erschöpft und ausgebrannt ist und sich unter immer qualvolleren Anstrengungen von einer Seite zur nächsten, von einem Ganoven zum nächsten schleppt. Und Ganoven gibt es genug, denn Batmans neuer Albtraumgegner Bane -
„We need frenzy. We need naked madness itself.“ -, dessen Entstehungsgeschichte in KNIGHTFALL zu Beginn erzählt wird, hat alle Verrückten aus dem Arkham Asylum befreit, um Batmans Belastbarkeit auszutesten und ihn am Ende selbst zu vernichten.

Achtung, Spoiler!
Ich verrate wohl nicht zu viel, wenn ich schreibe, dass er Batman tatsächlich "bricht". Und während dieser an den Rollstuhl gefesselt ist, übernimmt Azrael die Rolle des Fledermaus-Mannes. Doch wenn Batman schon "the Dark Knight" war, wie soll man dann Jean Paul in der Rolle der Fledermaus bezeichnen? Ständig besteht die Gefahr, dass er sich auch über die letzte Grenze hinwegsetzen und seine Gegner töten wird. Ein Albtraum für Robin, der sich bemüht, Azraels Gewaltttigkeiten in Grenzen zu halten.
Spoiler Ende

Der Handlungsbogen ist wirklich "episch", und dabei ist dieser nur der erste von insgesamt drei Omnibus-Bänden, die den gesamten Knightfall-Zyklus umfassen.
Langweilig wurde es an keiner Stelle, ganz im Gegenteil, die Stories sind abwechslungsreich erzählt und gezeichnet. Durch die Vielzahl der Kreativ-Teams gibt es immer wieder Neues zu entdecken.

Eine Neu=Entdeckung war für mich Michael Netzer, der eine großartige, superdynamische und kontrastreiche Artwork vorlegt und ein verrücktes Genie zu sein scheint. Wer nichts über ihn weiß, lese einmal den Wikipedia-Eintrag (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael...).
Jim Aparo hat mich zunächst enttäuscht (etliche Panels sind schwer verunglückt; woran lag es, Zeitdruck, Lustlosigkeit?), aber zum Glück läuft er später wieder zu gewohnter Form auf.

Neben Batman und Robin fand ich vor allem auch das Duo Montoya und Bullock überzeugend:
Die smarte uniformierte Polizeibeamtin Montoya und der schmierige dauerdonutkauende Zivilbulle Bullock, Feuer und Eis, die mich auch zum Lachen brachten:
Bullock: Ich hätte beim FBI bleiben sollen.
Montoya: Nicht bei deinem schlechten Krawattengeschmack.

[Blindzider · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the size of this volume, it didn't take long to get through it. Usually that's due to the story being engrossing enough to maintain interest. This felt like the story of the Titanic, knowing what happens at the end, but ultimately it's the journey to get to that point.

Spoilers ahead:
About 3/4ths of this book shows Bruce's steady decline, pushing himself beyond the physical and mental capacity of any human. He fights physically trying to bring back some semblance of order to Gotham while at the same time fighting mentally, struggling with the weight of his promise, the dual identity, and constant violence and darkness. On one hand, it's a heroic effort, worthy of Batman and his unending dedication and determination. On the other hand, the reader never really gets to why the sudden mental issues. If they occurred before this volume, there's no summary. Reading this book cold, Bruce just starts off in this condition.

Another problem is the introduction of Jean Paul Valley. In this volume, Bruce has already found him and has revealed all of his secrets (cave, identity, etc.) to him. Their initial meeting is not included in this omnibus which is very strange and unfulfilling. Bruce has already awarded him trust but the reader never knows why, having to simply accept and trust Bruce's judgment.

This volume starts off with the origin of Bane, which is well done, however, his calculating ability is never sold to the reader well enough. The bulk of the book is Bane plotting and and implementing various moves in order to observe and take down Batman, along with gaining power within Gotham. Perhaps it is his sheer bulk, but the mental capacity never seemed justified. His brawn way overshadows his supposed brain, and his shrewdness is hard to accept. In addition, his attitude and bravado indicate he'd rather take down a Batman at full strength, yet much of the time is spent wearing Batman down to the point where he can be beaten. Sure if you want to beat Batman that's definitely a way to do it, but at the same time it you would think Bane would want to fight a Batman who's at full strength and then beat him. This seeming contradiction is never really addressed. One thing is certain though, any fan of Batman CANNOT WAIT to see Bruce back to full strength and really show Bane what he can do. That's some good drama, because it surely kept people interested through to the end.

Even though it doesn't take long to hate the new Batman, it was quite satisfying to see him take down Bane.

The art is...difficult. For much of it, it looks very sloppy, with heavy inks that almost seem splashed on at times. Even some of the bigger names like Aparo and Breyfogle couldn't shine through what I assume was amateur inking. Shortly before the climax everything starts to clear up with cleaner ink lines and Graham Nolan being one of the main pencillers. While not a superstar, he helped bring a sense of stability and style to the books.

Story-wise, this is probably more 3 stars, but for the sheer scope of what was being accomplished, it deserves an extra star, not to mention it created a new fan favorite villain (two if you count Jean-Paul) and brought about the iconic image of Batman's back being broken, a significant point in Batman's career.

[Sean Carlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was a kid growing up in the Bronx, it was all I could do to get down to the local comic shop and pick up that week's installment in the ongoing Knightfall and Superman: The Death and Return of Superman Omnibus sagas. I hadn't read Knightfall since its original, serialized publication until I picked up this massive omnibus. It includes the entire Knightfall story arc, as well as the Batman: Vengeance of Bane one-shot from 1993, which is crucial to establishing the series' principal antagonist. I do wish DC had included in this compendium Dennis O'Neil's Batman: Sword of Azrael, if only because it sets up Jean-Paul Valley -- who obviously becomes a key player in the events of the epic (as its antihero) -- though that would've surely put this volume at over a thousand pages, so perhaps that's the reason it was omitted?

I think, overall, the story holds up pretty well. (Of course, this is only the first part of a trilogy that continues with Knightquest and culminates in KnightsEnd, yet to be released in omnibus editions.) It certainly asks a provocative question: What happens when Batman reaches his breaking point? (That's really only been explored in one other subsequent Batman story, but we'll get to that in a minute.) What's brilliant about the premise is that even though there's an overarching plotline -- Bane's attempt to "break" Batman -- and each issue pretty much flows directly into the next, regardless of writer or title (Batman, Detective, Shadow of the Bat, etc.), the crisis at hand -- Bane has released all the supervillains from Arkham Asylum -- allows for an episodic structure in which each installment focuses on the effort to stop one of those bad guys. It's the kind of structural approach TV would adopt within a few years of publication of Knightfall, in shows such as Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer. So, you've got to give it up to editor O'Neil and his stable of writers for their innovative storytelling methods.

As clever as it all is, though, ultimately the narrative logic is undermined by a fatal flaw: Rather than bestowing the mantle of the Bat on Valley, a temperamentally unstable assassin with whom Batman has barely established a baseline of trust, why not have Dick Grayson (Nightwing) do the honors in the interim? To be fair, this is addressed -- however fleetingly -- by Robin and/or Alfred, but Bruce unceremoniously dismisses the idea on the grounds that "Nightwing is his own man now."

Huh? That's pretty thin -- even by comic-book logic. There have been plenty of instances in which Nightwing has pinch-hit for Batman -- and certainly under circumstances as dire as these, Dick would do his part -- so that argument makes no sense, especially in light of the only other substitute available: the brainwashed, mercurial Azrael. Bruce doesn't waste so much as a second enlisting Valley into action; he spends as much time considering it as he did dismissing the possibility of calling up Nightwing. And the whole story is built on the premise that somebody needs to step in and deal with the supervillains running loose in Batman's stead, so in Bruce's desperation he turns to Azrael -- which obviously proves in later volumes to be a catastrophic error in judgment. This aspect of the story, however, isn't convincingly handled, so the entire conceptual premise rests on a rotten foundation, alas. The whole house of cards comes a-tumblin' down under even rudimentary scrutiny.

I should also note that some of the characterization is weak. Tim Drake's Robin has never been interesting -- they made him way too much of a well-adjusted Boy Scout after being burned by criticism that Jason Todd was an unlikable snot -- and Jean-Paul Valley transitions overnight from harmless, insecure nerd to violent, entitled jerk. You don't empathize with Valley at all -- you're just waiting for the real Batman to come put him in his place. It would've been far more interesting to present a nuanced character who simply took a different approach to being Batman; that would've allowed for a philosophical counterpoint that would've brought thematic complexity to the series' thesis question: Is Batman -- with his inviolable code of ethics -- a 20th-century anachronism in an increasingly violent world on the verge of a new millennium? Alas, that question gets the short shrift, because at no point is empathy established with Jean-Paul. Pity.

All that said, Knightfall was stripped for parts nearly two decades later, resulting in one of the best Batman stories ever told in any medium: Christopher Nolan's cinematic masterpiece The Dark Knight Rises. Aside from Bane snapping Batman's back -- clearly the cornerstone image/event that influenced Rises -- consider these other shared story points: All of Gotham's supervillains are sprung from captivity to run roughshod over the city; there's a major action sequence in which an underground tunnel is flooded; and Alfred leaves the employ of Bruce Wayne under acrimonious circumstances (granted, the last of those doesn't happen in this particular volume). But Nolan did what the editors of the comics didn't have the freedom and/or courage to do: frame all of that in what would effectively be the Last Batman Story -- the account of what happened to the Caped Crusader at the end of his career. KnightsEnd, through an unfortunate bit of deus ex machina, depicts the restoration of the pre–Knightfall status quo (of course it does), but Nolan took the concept that was seeded in this story to its ultimate (and irreversible) conclusion, and in turn created what I consider to be the finest Batman story of them all.

So, because of its place in the canon, this is a volume worth reading (or, as in my case, rereading). It certainly marks, in its own respect, the end of classical-era Batman: Artist Jim Aparo makes some of his final contributions here, offering some of the last echoes of the Bronze Age before the Dark Knight was irreversibly thrust into the Modern Age, where he was pretty much rendered completely unsuitable for children. (But that's a topic covered in depth in this article.) This series also features some of the last regular work on the titles from Norm Breyfogle, who also helped define the character for a new generation in the late eighties.

One of the things I did note in rereading Knightfall all these years later was how each particular writer brings his own voice, his own agenda, and his own interpretation of the characters to his scripts, despite the editorial oversight by O'Neil. For example, Chuck Dixon's right-wing ideology occasionally seeps into the text of his scripts; Alan Grant brings a very erudite approach to his work, with literary references scattered throughout; Doug Moench is an efficient plotter but really struggles with dialogue (particularly Robin's), which often comes off as one-note and nonnaturalistic. I can't say I necessarily noticed all of that when I first read these stories at sixteen years old. Interesting how age and experience shape perception.

In short: If you're looking to revisit -- or experience for the first time -- a key story arc from the Batman mythos, this massive collection is certainly the way to do it. It is imperfect, as any undertaking of this scope (with this many contributors) would be, but it's ambitious storytelling, and one of the essential events from Batman's extensive hagiography, along with Batman: A Death in the Family.

In conjunction with this volume, I also reread O'Neil's novelization, the review of which you can find here.

[Rumi Bossche · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every man has a breaking point even the Batman.

I had this omnibus for ages, but was not really in a hurry to get to it as the follow ups were out of print for so long. Finally read this 90s event and i was really inpressed. This was really good. Good stories,  killer artwork, one of the best things was seeing Batman strugle with keeping up, he is juist human and they show it here in a great way. This truly is a Batman classic.

[Matthew Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

This omnibus started with the Vengeance of Bane one-shot, which beautifully tells the origin of Batman’s newest foe. I really enjoyed the oversized issue and thought the pacing was done perfectly for Bane’s origin. The Black Mask storyline was really interesting and I was fascinated with Batman’s failure and the toll that it took on him throughout the storyline. Continuing along the lines of crime gangs in Gotham, the story of the military school brat heading up a new gang was both interesting and entertaining, but also not the most believable in Batman’s world. Tim Drake really behind to shine as Robin and the dynamic between Bruce, Alfred, and him is one I like a lot.
The introduction of Bane to Batman’s world and specifically the introduction of Gotham to Bane is incredible fascinating. Bane is so calculated and thoughtful when it comes to his action and spends much time just observing and stalking his opponent, which makes for some phenomenal stories in the middle of this omnibus. During this time, Batman is struggling with feeling inadequate as Gotham’s vigilante, seeing instances of failure begin to come up on a more frequent basis. Seeing Bruce struggle with this is compelling for the story and frustrating for the reader only in seeing how he chooses to deal with these shortcomings. Bruce’s relationship is strained with Alfred and Tim, though both of these characters are only out to help bring Batman up. Batman continually chooses to be alone, which isn’t where he ever excels.
I can definitely see where Tom King pulled from in these stories with Bane for his City of Bane event that took place a couple of years ago. I really enjoyed that storyline, but I’ve got an even greater appreciation for it now. As Bane sits and calculates with his intelligence the best way to get at Batman, all other villains around him seem to be elevated in their own ways, as well. I love the intelligent side of Bane and absolutely prefer it over the mindless grunt that he is sometimes portrayed as. When on his game, the intelligence of Bane can absolutely rival that of Batman, the Riddler, and any other foes he chooses to move against. The way Bane’s mental games with Batman have him so worn down in every way is paced beautifully through these issues until finally Batman reaches his breaking point (literally). The sense of hope the reader is given though is a huge part in what makes Bane’s work in the shadows and then as a physical opponent so intriguing.
As Bane continues to grow in power and status in Gotham City, he finally challenges Batman for right to the city and with Batman in such a state of exhaustion, there really is no fight. Bane breaks Batman in an absolutely iconic moment for comic books and actually reading it is nothing short of devastating. After the breaking of Batman’s back, there was an anger that seemed to boil up in me for the first time reading Batman for what has happened to Batman and that state that Bane has left Bruce Wayne in to suffer. Symbolically and in line with the story, when Bane broke Batman’s back, he essentially kills off Batman (temporarily…after all this is comics) and leaves Bruce grieving over that persona in a manner similar but more intense than when he mourned Jason’s death by the hand of his most notorious villain, Joker. Bruce’s relationships with Alfred, Tim, and even his new doctor have been incredibly strained thus far and my frustrations or anger toward this situation begins to dissipate as I see Bruce handling these relationships a bit more level-headed for what seems to be the first time in far too long.
Forced to move in the direction to heal physically and emotionally and also to show the city that Batman was only down and not out, Jean Paul Valley takes up the mantle of Batman. Unfortunately for Valley, experience is lacking when he dawns the costume, but the confidence and that same arrogance is the most prevalent immediately. The Scarecrow issues take place during the time that Valley is Batman and I believe that’s the main reason these issues were included in this omnibus. The biggest and most interesting take from the Scarecrow issues would be the villain Anarky and his idea that Batman is more bad for Gotham than good, having attracted the worst of the worst to challenge him. That’s a concept I’ve always found interesting and love to see it discussed in comics. What makes this issue being discussed even more interesting during this time specifically is that Valley is out as Batman in an uncontrolled and violent way, often crossing the lines that Batman typically wouldn’t cross. It seems that Anarky is justified in at least his opposition of Batman here.
The story of Tim Drake really shines in this omnibus, especially as he’s really getting into his role as Batman’s helper in keeping him sane and under control. Unfortunately, as Tim was just let back in to helping Batman, once Valley takes over, he sees no need for a Robin to hold him back. Having gathered an appreciation for Tim Drake, this story is mostly frustrating in a compelling way, keeping me in this story of Batman vs. Bane. However, with Valley acting how he had been as Batman, I found myself rooting for Bane to put an end to Valley and eventually bring back Batman for the real rematch. Ultimately, the way this volume did end, I found satisfying and interesting and I was wanting more of this story right away! I’m thankful that there are a couple more omnibuses that continue this story, especially with the appearance (finally) of Nightwing in the last issue, having just learned of what is going on with Bruce Wayne and Batman.

[Michael D Jedlowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had long wanted to read two of the most infamous 90's comic story lines. First was the Death and Return Of Superman. So Knightfall remained.

Planned by Denny O'Neal who actually gave Batman "his balls back" despite Frank Miller's claim. Written and drawn by Batman veterans and newcomers alike

I enjoyed this first volume quite a bit. Bane decides to break the Batman, by releasing all of his foes, to weaken the Bat, and then finish the job. Meanwhile a young man trained by the fanatical Order of St. Dumas, is chosen by Bruce to be his replacement. Even smaller Batman villains get in on the chaos.

Split into three parts Knightfall, Knightsend, and Knightquest. I am already looking forward to the next volume.

[OmniBen · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Zero spoiler review) 3.5/5
The third Batman omnibus I've read, and easily the weakest, although that's what happens when you go up against Sale/Loeb and Paul Dini. I must confess, of the short list of super heroes I actually like, Batman currently ranks at the top, mainly because I'm yet to crack open a Punisher omnibus yet. So I do judge my Batman stories a little harsher than I would any other super hero. That said, a lot of this omnibus was little more than filler, I'm afraid. It all started off well enough with the opening salvo, introducing us to Bane, which certainly had me sitting up and paying attention. The art, although of its time, was good, and the sporadic narration leading the story was right up my alley. Unfortunately, once we got to Gotham proper, things started to go wrong. I thought Moench the stronger writer, as Dixon was new to the title, and seemingly a little green around the gills, His opening efforts were pretty damn weak. I was surprised to see this turn around around halfway through the book, with Moench coming across like someone whose time has definitely come on the title, with his stories seeming rather tired and flat. Dixon had found his feet and was the stronger of the two. Interestingly, the art followed a similar pattern. Nolan and Apparo were two artists I'd heard of, although never came across their work before. Sadly, I wasn't very impressed with either of their efforts early on. When they were on fire, it looked great, but so much of their work looked like a half assed bronze age throwback, that did little to elevate the flat story telling at the time. Both the storytelling and the art was a rollercoaster for around two thirds of this book, which had my initial interest in the book rising and falling as I read. Thankfully, about two thirds of the way through, everybody found their A game, and the quality improved noticeably from then on. It never quite reached Loeb/Sale or Dini levels of goodness (as those runs weren't perfect either in my opinion) but at least it was better than the mediocre stories they had been dishing out.
I was a little disappointed that Poison Ivy and Catwoman barely got a few pages between them the entire omnibus, whilst other, lesser members of the rogues gallery featured more prominently. But then again, it is a Bane story after all.
overall, a competent if unspectacular effort on all fronts. But like I said, I am pretty fussy when it comes to the Dark Knight. 3.5/5


OmniBen.

[chrysa · Rating 3 out of 5]

i need to start reviewing comics because i've made a huge effort to put the best dc storylines in chronological order and if i don't write down a few notes i'll just forget everything in a few months/years.

knightfall was good but it mostly made me appreciate batman: the rise and fall of the batmen more. jean-paul valley had a much better arc in the 2016 run but i prefer ararky and the scarecrow's storylines and design in this one. the idea of batman falling apart will always be interesting to explore but my boy tim deserved better.

[Chad Jordahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good stories and action, generally good dialog. Solid art throughout. I suppose it's not surprising that some of the individual issues were better than others. At their best they were some of the best Batman comics I've read. There are a few pages of extras in the back like character designs and variant covers, but there's less of this extra material than I've seen in other "omnibus" collections. It's a nice hardcover book with a flexible spine that lets the pages open fully so you can see all the art.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the greatest stories told in comic books. It was a big deal when the story line was announced in the 90’s, just as the same as the death of Superman. But this story excels where Superman failed. It’s a slow burn story, draining and bleeding out the Batman. Sucking away at his body and soul until at last Bane is there to finish the job he started. Methodical and precise as Bane is, this story follows.

[Hal Incandenza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Batman: Knightfall, ovvero un pezzo di storia del fumetto DC.

Knightfall è la prima parte di una mega saga con al centro un avvenimento fondamentale nella storia dell’Uomo Pipistrello.
Se state leggendo o avete letto la run di Tom King, iniziata nel 2016 negli USA sapete di cosa sto parlando.

Nelle intenzioni di Denny O’Neal, quando ha iniziato a pensare a questo ambizioso progetto, c’era proprio questo: creare qualcosa che rimanesse, qualcosa che avrebbe avuto ripercussioni sulle storie future, un punto fermo nella continuity del personaggio.
Knightfall è esattamente questo, una saga che ha il suo culmine in una scena ormai iconica e storica e che ha fatto nascere nuovi personaggi che ancora oggi sono presenti nelle storie batmaniane (Azrael oppure Bane).

E ho citato la run di King apposta, 23 anni dopo Knightfall siamo ancora qui a parlare di Bane e di ciò che successe in queste storie.

Com’è invecchiata Knightfall?
Bene ma non benissimo.
Intendiamoci, scrittura estremamente fluida, il volume si divora, e tavole ben disegnate.
Alcuni hanno però trovato esageratamente fuori dal personaggio il modo di comportarsi di Bruce Wayne e anche se non sono del tutto d’accordo, devo dire che alla lunga può venire a noia.

In ogni caso, questa è storia del fumetto DC ed è consigliata a tutti coloro che vogliono recuperare un tassello fondamentale nella vita del Cavaliere Oscuro.

[Ben Truong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Batman: Knightfall is a Batman story arc that takes place over approximately six months. Bruce Wayne suffers burnout and is systematically assaulted and crippled by venom-enhanced genius named Bane. This 1993–1994 storyline has three parts in Knightfall, Knightquest, and KnightEnds. Batman: Knightfall Omnibus Vol. 1 collects Batman #484–500, Batman: Shadow of the Bat #16–18, Batman: Vengeance of Bane, Detective Comics #654–666, and Showcase '93 #7–8.

The trade paperback opens with Batman with the onset of a personal psychological mid-life crisis and is forced to deal, in rapid succession, with the returning villain Black Mask and his gang, a crazed killer called Metalhead, and a sharpshooter assassin hired by an imprisoned mobster to murder Commissioner Gordon. Batman begins to feel he has lost his edge, especially after his failure to capture Black Mask and finds that he is unable to meditate or even focus.

As Bruce Wayne, he contacts holistic therapist Shondra Kinsolving for treatment. He also assigns Tim Drake as Robin to train Jean-Paul Valley in detective work to aid them as an ally, hoping to guide Valley's brainwashing away from making him a villainous threat. Despite the advice of everyone in his life, including Dr Kinsolving, Bruce refuses to rest, and continues to pursue his self-imposed duty despite his worsening condition.

Taking advantage of Batman's mental state, Bane begins a series of encounters letting Batman know of his presence and his intentions. In the following issues, Bane interferes with encounters pitting villains Killer Croc and Riddler against Batman to test his limits. This escalation culminates in an assault on Arkham Asylum, where Bane breaks the inmates free and supplies them with numerous weapons to escape. Meanwhile, Robin finds it difficult to work with Jean-Paul, due to the man's violent subconscious training and lack of social skills and finds himself being shut out from working alongside Batman.

Bane knows that he would lose to Batman if he attacked him directly. Therefore, he plans of weakening Batman by forcing him to deal with the deadly villains simultaneously. Among the freed inmates, there are numerous high-profile villains, such as the Joker, the Scarecrow, the Riddler, and Poison Ivy, as well as many lesser-known villains, such as the Mad Hatter, the Ventriloquist, the Firefly, the Cavalier, the Film Freak, Mr Zsasz, Cornelius Stirk, Abattoir, and Amygdala. This scenario creates a rift in the relationship between Robin and Batman, as Batman irrationally seeks to face the outbreak alone to the point where Robin asks Batman if he is even needed as his partner anymore.

Eventually, Bane's men assault Batman before he himself makes his move and attacks him at Wayne Manor, his home as his alter ego. By this time, Bane had deduced the secret identity of Batman. By this time, Batman is so exhausted from the exertion of catching the escaped criminals that he cannot even defend himself. Bane beats him mercilessly before breaking Batman's back over his knee inside the Batcave. Bane takes the grievously wounded Batman downtown to Gotham Square and throws him from a rooftop to demonstrate his superiority to the populace. Quick action by Robin and Alfred Pennyworth spares Batman's life, but at great cost – he is left a paraplegic.

After his defeat, Bruce Wayne enlists the aid of Dr Shondra Kinsolving to rehabilitate him and asks Jean-Paul Valley to take up the mantle of Batman so that Gotham has a protector. Tim Drake argues with Bruce to allow Dick Grayson to become Batman, as he is more experienced and mentally competent. However, Bruce Wayne counter argues that Dick Grayson has his own responsibilities and would take up the mantle of Batman reluctantly.

Jean-Paul as Batman is shown to be a different, but not dangerous, Batman until an encounter with the Scarecrow, which results in Jean-Paul being infected by Scarecrow's fear gas and his programming as Azrael takes over, in order to combat Jean-Paul's fear. Following this, Jean-Paul is unable to shake the influence of the System, giving in to it completely after his first defeat at Bane's hands and being increasingly influenced by it during the rest of his tenure as Batman. Gradually, Jean-Paul alienates Robin with his paranoia and arrogance.

Jean-Paul, in his new mechanical Batsuit, which is an amalgam of the Azrael costume with Batman confronts Bane in an arduous battle and prevails, although many bystanders are put at risk. Jean-Paul leaves Bane broken mentally and physically, though he struggles with the choice of whether to simply kill Bane or hand him over to the police. He decides that he will let Bane go to Blackgate Prison. Jean-Paul continues to watch over Gotham after the fight, but grows increasingly unstable.

With many writers, graphic artists and colorist with several titles makes it rather difficult to rate this massive anthology. For the most part, I rather enjoyed the narrative and penciling throughout this complicated story arc. Bane was a wonderful villain, who could match Batman in both physical and mental strength, which is atypical in an overpower villain, who is all brawn and very little brain.

All in all, Batman: Knightfall Omnibus Vol. 1 is written and conceived rather well and is a wonderful start to what would be a wonderful series.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

childhood comic book collection all in one big bundle.

[Rachel Bertrand · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy the alternate Batman. I did enjoy the Robin/Bruce Wayne portions.

[ダンカン · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the longest and biggest shocker ever written in DC Comics after the death of Superman, was how Batman was broken... literally. It was a sensational read when Bane, out of nowhere a new villain appear in Gotham City, broke Batman's back. And to fill in his shoes to carry on the mantle, it was Jean Paul (a.k.a. Azrael) took over and defeated Bane at the end of the arc itself, leaving readers a whole new direction where Bruce Wayne paralyze and a new Batman, more brutal and violent, protect Gotham. I am sure you have read the stories... but this review is more about the omnibus itself.

To me, the re-reading experience of the Knightfall series feels more complete in the omnibus series compare to the 1st edition of the tradepaperback editions. For one, it answers to the origin of why Bane wanted to destroy Batman. Secondly, the tradepaperback editions just jump right into the countdown of the series instead while the omnibus first volume reveals a prologue story as to how Bruce Wayne was upset over his lost of victory, mentally affected him emotionally as well. This omnibus has address this clearly, which makes this edition valuable. The extras included is worth looking into, with introduction and aforemention by two regular writers of Batman titles. The binding on the other hand, needs to be care of while opening up the pages.

For me, although it is dated, its still one of the most important reads for any Batman or non-Batman fan. Its a series that benchmark Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises adaptation very well. If you haven't read it or have read, this omnibus is a refreshing start for any readers.

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three of the biggest stories in the 90s followed almost the same beats:

A new hero (eerily like the old hero) shows up.
The new hero replaces the old hero.
It was a mistake; the old hero should never have been replaced.

Clone Saga, Knightfall, Death of Superman.

Here, I can't say it's badly done. It has a lot of moving pieces and they almost all make sense, but it lacks depth. For the first two-thirds of book, Batman makes anguished faces at the "camera" and talks about how tired he is. During the same first two-thirds, Bane promises break the Batman. Then, (1997 spoilers) Bane breaks the Batman. Then the new Batman becomes Batman.

But this note has already been established: That the new Batman is too violent and can't be trusted. It seems obvious that the "Batman is tired" angle went too long and that the writer should have tried to make the reader sympathize with the violent Batman. (It's actually a drawn-out version of the Manchester Black story, too, right? Just a few thousand more pages.)

One thing that frequently happens in Batman books is that Batman has to run through a gauntlet of villains. He seems surprised to do so here. But doesn't he always run these gauntlets?

[TheMadReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely marvelous. A true masterpiece.

Great writing, people can say what they want about Frank Miller setting it off with Batman in the 80’s or Neil Adams in the 70’s but it was this team of writers that did it for me in the 90’s. Each story leaves you captivated and you don’t hate Tim Drake as Robin as much. Kind of feel for the kid and his compassion towards Bruce. It’s also nice to know Batman is very much human and still gets as tired as us. Also suffers from insomnia as much as we do.

The introduction of Bane is self explanatory. One of Batman’s greatest villains and his origin is masterfully presented, we can see where Nolan borrowed ideas for “The Dark Knight Rises” film.

One of the best Batman omni’s available.

The only reason I give this 4 stars and not 5 is the art. It’s not good.

[Andrew Kline · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was good, but not great. Batman's choices were out of character and motivations were light. That aside, the build-up to the breaking of the Bat was well handled, though it is strange ultimately how poorly Bane comes off. He is good tactician, but mostly reacts after the Arkham breakout. He beats Batman when Bruce can barely stand, barely beats Azrael the first confrontation and is soundly defeated after that. A classic, definitive storyline, but that doesn't mean it is a great story. The best it gets, though.

[Andreas Schweitzer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Natürlich handelt es ich bei der Knightfall-Saga um einen Klassiker der Batman Comics. Aber dennoch konnte und kann mich nicht mit diversen Sachen anfreunden. Das liegt zum Teil am Zeichenstil der Comics, zum Teil auch an der Story, die sich stellenweise etwas zieht. Dennoch fand ich das erneute Lesen nach einem großen zeitlichen Abstand gut. Lesegewohnheiten ändern sich.

[Bryson Grenfell · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most pivotal events in the history of the Dark Knight perfectly collected in this beautifully massively volume. Batman’s never been more vulnerable and painfully human. Bane’s never been as relevant since. Tim is there, which is good.

[Simon Farrow · Rating 3 out of 5]

It would have received 4 stars, but quite frankly some of the art was really dreadful.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still love this story as much as I did when it was originally coming out. I think the Knightfall Saga is the only big 90s comic event that still holds up today.

[John Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent action, but not much more than that.

[mayleh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Puta que pariu!

Que loucura é essa mano, to em choque.

Oque ta acontecendo com o jean? Ele enlouqueceu de vez

[joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first part is a little rough and slow, but once it gets going, it doesn't let up

[Simon Belfast · Rating 3 out of 5]

Average thriller, it works well with characters but rarely becomes good overally. - 5/10