Batman Beyond: 10,000 Clowns

Batman Beyond (2012)

by Adam Beechen, Norm Breyfogle (Illustrator)

Gotham City, the future. Teenage Terry McGinnis has taken over the mantle of Batman, mentored by Bruce Wayne himself, but the criminals menacing Gotham have only gotten deadlier.

Now, a new threat is rising. The Jokerz, a gang of petty criminals inspired by Batman’s greatest foe, are flooding into Gotham. Organized and more deadly than ever before, they are united by a single murderous cause under a charismatic leader with a terrifying new take on what it means to be a Joker. Unfortunately, insane clown gangs aren’t the only problem Terry has to deal with. With the city in chaos, Batman finds himself pulled in different directions—his best friend, Maxine Gibson, is missing in action and his ex-girlfriend Dana suddenly turns to him for help with her own crisis, all while Bruce Wayne needs him more than ever. His resources spread thin, Batman will have to turn to some familiar—and unwelcoming—faces for help.

Acclaimed creators Adam Beechen (ROBIN) and Norm Breyfogle (BATMAN: BIRTH OF THE DEMON) bring the world of the hit television series BATMAN to comics with an all-new epic adventure that will change Terry McGinnis’ life as Batman forever!

Collects BATMAN BEYOND UNLIMITED #1-13.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Batman, Dc Comics, Science Fiction, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics

197 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 16, 2013

About the author

For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Bee...

Writer Adam Beechen is the author of several comic books, including Robin and Justice League Unlimited . Adam also writes for tv on such shows as Teen Titans, The Batman and is the story editor on HiHi Puffy Ami Yumi for Cartoon Network.

Reviews

[Sam Quixote · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m Kevin Roberts and I have a very important question: can a bitch get a good Batman Beyond book!?

I’m about ready to give up on this character. Batman Beyond looks cool and a futuristic Batman series sounds like a roundhouse kick straight to the awesome but I haven’t read a single comic with this dude that’s halfway decent.

A cult of morons influenced by the Joker led by an uncharismatic King Joker decides to suicide bomb New Gotham for shits and gigs – Terry McGinnis/Batman Beyond’s gotta do what he can. Cue pointless ‘sposions, oh the humanity, Batman defeats King Joker. Predictable, archetypical, boring stuff.

There’s a storyline featuring someone called Mad Stan who likes bombs and little dogs which was pointless and stupid, a subplot with some lady doing stuff on a computer that goes nowhere, Terry’s got girl problems (yawn), and a crap new vigilante character imaginatively called Vigilante who flies around like the tool he is. There’s also a Joe Chill issue that underlines the derivative nature of Batman Beyond – does every single aspect of this series have to be like the original Batman’s?! Why can’t some of it just be uniquely its own?

Bruce Wayne’s suffering from liver failure but I didn’t care. I just don’t think Bruce should even be alive in this series – he’s too old, he’s way too beat up, it’s crazy that he’d still be going at all. The best part of the book was Dick Grayson (who looks like he’s cosplaying as Nick Fury) – he should’ve been Terry’s mentor! He kicks butt, he looks awesome, he’s great. It’s a shame Tim Drake turned into such a pussy when he got older though.

Norm Breyfogle’s art is very blah, Adam Beechen’s writing is ordinary and the story was barely entertaining. 10,000 clowns but a good comic ain’t one!

[Nessie McInness · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a pleasant surprise! Batman Beyond was the first Batman I EVER read. It was one of the first non Tintin and non Asterix comics I read.

Reading this brought back all the reasons why I love Batman and all the Universe around it. It has cheesy yet awesome puns, silly but dangerous villains... it is brilliant!

I also love the artwork, Beechen and Breyfogle work REALLY well together.

I really don't know why Batman Beyond has so much hate, I think it's a brilliant continuation of the whole Batman mythos, maybe one of my favourites

After this, I want to read both of Benchen's previous Batman Beyonds (or is it Batmen Boynd?) and re-watch Batman of the Future!

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was awesome! if You're not fimiliar with the beyond series, it probably won't be as good to you. but I know a good amount about it, the characters, the villains. etc.. Great job bringing back some old characters and mixing them with the new. Cheers

[Wing Kee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5!

World: The art was fine, it looks like the show which is great. I would have liked some splash pages of the world but oh well. The world building is okay for the most part. It's mainly character based and that's good but the world is fairly small and the scope is not big enough for this sprawling city.

Story: It's very well paced and say what you will with the sudden introduction of Doug the rest is well done. Pulling from the lore and history of the Beyond universe it's good. The tension was good, the Max stuff was good and the vigilant stuff was great. Ending was fitting and strong males me want to read more.

Characters: Strong character work with nice little moments with Terry, Bruce and Dana. The Dana stuff is a bit repetitive but this arc did hit it well. The villain was interesting though the visual design was just fugly.

A good arc.

Onward to the next book!

[Trekscribbler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Think what you may, haters, but BATMAN BEYOND has been and remains to be a terrific continuation of the whole Batman mythos. Having Bruce Wayne finally too old to wear the cape and the cowl and, instead, having to serve as a mentor to a surrogate-in-training presents an infinite number of situations upon which any storyteller can step in, establish a winning premise, and carry out a terrific narrative. Plus, it’s the future, so the technology knows no bounds! This Batman’s utility belt is no longer confined to gadgets that can fit in a pouch; indeed, the entire suit has been outfitted with so enough ‘smart’ technology to make James Bond blush. And, you bet, I’d be first in line should DC Comics and Warner Bros. decide that BATMAN BEYOND finally deserves a film franchise; the TV program which started this franchise was nothing short of exceptional, and one can only hope that a big budget flick up on the silver screen would look downright unbeatable.

In the meantime, I’ll keep picking up the comics – digital or otherwise – until Terry McGinnis gets his day in the sun … or is that the dark?

(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and characters. If you’re the kind of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, this ain’t it! I’d encourage you to skip down to the last two paragraphs for my final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come’, then read on …)

BATMAN – aka Terry McGinnis – has been so busy cleaning up the streets of Gotham that he’s let his personal life fall apart. He hardly sees his family any more; he’s at odds with his girlfriend, Dana; and he’s sorely in need of some time off. However, a sudden emergence of multiple gangs bearing ‘the Jokerz’ motif makes McGinnis believe that there’s something greater afoot on the streets, and, before it’s all said and done, the young man will have an entirely new respect for what wearing the mantle of the Bat requires.

I could go on and on about my love, appreciation, and respect for this franchise, but odds are that, if you’re here and reading this, you most likely already share in the love for all things Bat or, at least, Batman Beyond. 10,000 CLOWNS isn’t perfect – there’s an awful lot of set-up and ‘world establishment’ that I personally would like to have trimmed, but, as they say, such is life. The big reveal in those opening pages essentially boils down to the Jokerz Gang being much larger than what had been previously known (there are ‘franchises’ of the Jokerz all around the world); this lays the foundation for the introduction of an all-new character, the Joker King … but I won’t spoil it for you by divulging his identity. Suffice it to say, it’s a nice development – high on the ‘neato-keen’ scale – but it could’ve used a bit more thought in the creative department as this somewhat regular old human being experiences little difficulty in standing toe-to-toe with Batman throughout much of the conflict. (Couldn’t he have had some cyber-enhanced muscles or something?!?!)

Regular BATMAN BEYOND writer Adam Beechen continues to work wonders with this future version of Gotham City, Batman, and the whole Bat-gang; and Norm Breyfogle – long absent from Bat-pages – is back, bringing his artistic slant to BEYOND’s simply drawn but elegant almost-nouveau universe. Together, they’re a force to be reckoned with, and I can only put in my two cents hoping and praying that DC will continue this title for, at least, centuries … or at least until this future is upon us.

BATMAN BEYOND: 10,000 CLOWNS is published by DC Comics. The story is written by Adam Beechen; the art is by Norm Breyfogle; the coloring is by Andrew Elder; and the lettering is by Saida Temofonte. This trade paperback collects the issues which previously appeared in single magazine form BATMAN BEYOND UNLIMITED #1-13. It all comes with a cover price of $16.99.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. BATMAN BEYOND: 10,000 CLOWNS starts out slow, taking great pains (probably more than needed) to establish this world again along with these characters and a few new ones as well as a handful of respectful cameos. However, once the actual arc for 10,000 CLOWNS begins, it all gets wonderfully down and dirty real fast, with the new age Batman – Terry McGinnis – having to put aside some of his perceptions and join forces with a whole new Bat-company in order to even consider surviving the day. From that point on, it’s an epic tale – told on an epic scale – about personal discovery and justice for all. Sadly, there are a few pieces of the whole puzzle that are left dangling – clearly, these bits are part & parcel of a greater continuing story involving what lay ahead in this universe – and this is sometimes one of the negatives to purchasing a trade paperback collection: you only get about 90% of the story. But for all intents and purposes, 10,000 CLOWNS is started and ended here, though methinks Terry and Bruce will be dealing with fallout from this adventure in the days, weeks, and months ahead.

[Terry Mcginnis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fantastic volume of the Batman Beyond saga. Terry McGinnis (the future Batman) finds himself fighting not one Joker, but an entire army that has fallen under the influence of the Joker King, a successor to the original Joker (and crazier, if that's possible). This one was a great read from beginning to end, with lots of fun surprises, including a side story that ties with the main story showing Terry's father's killer. With Terry at odds with his girlfriend, Dana, Bruce finally succumbing to all the years of wear and tear as the original Batman, and some surprise characters from Bruce's past, this volume of Batman Beyond was one of the best I've read so far. I'm excited to read the next chapter of Terry's life, especially after such an emotional ending to 10,000 Clowns. Batman and Batman Beyond fans won't be disappointed with this great entry.

[Riju Ganguly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Batman, in his latest incarnation, continues to save Gotham, while getting beaten to a point where death would be a relief. But, even in this neo-Gotham, that disturbing pattern can be found easily, wherein the enemy arises from
very close quarters. All said & done, the series definitely took a positive step
in this volume, when all the disparate elements of Batman and his world, started getting together, to save Gotham, and perhaps themselves as well. Recommended.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

The jokers gangs are congregating in Gotham, and something really bad is being planned. A decent plot with a feeling of real danger, none of the regulars are safe. You get the feeling that this batman is finally worthy of the mantle. A very good read.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

[Jason O'Hagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t a huge fan of the art style but it was fun to go back to the world of the series with a much more solid plot than most of the ones that were actually in the series.

[Wyatt · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is disappointing because it was very okay overall but had really good elements that could’ve made an amazing Batman story.

If they could’ve cut the wasted pages of Max subplot and Stan subplot that would be a major step in the right direction, these side plots don’t add to the overall story and are very distracting and poorly written.

Furthermore, the conclusion to the story was very open-ended but not in a cool way more of a not resolved way to finish character arcs and conclude a good story.

The Joker King should’ve gone to prison thinking that he won, Batman should’ve revealed his secret to Dana, Dana should’ve had a good family moment where they grieve the loss of a son/brother, Bruce should’ve been seen getting the organ transplant and Batman should’ve had a conversation with Dick about sacrifice and what it means to be a hero and finally Jake (The Vigilante) should’ve been seen forgiving himself or at least starting to.

This would’ve made more sense than just setting up the next conflict without resolution and not adding character arch’s. I think the writer had good ideas but didn’t know how to or wasn’t allowed to fully flesh them out.

The art was much better than Batman Beyond Hush. It felt like it fit the story and characters.

[Des Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoah! This collection was surprisingly excellent considering the series' lukewarm history. The story is tight and interesting, the art is consistent and in line with the show and there is actually a semblance of character growth near the book's final pages. The plot is huge and explosive, bringing out classic characters for a very classic feeling Batman/Joker story. We're left with some pretty meaty cliffhangers too, which don't get in the way of the story being told, but do put the hook in for the next volume.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Never watched the show,but this was okay. The Jokerz were kinda lame,and not as good a villain as Joker himself.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book!

I'm a fan of the Batman Beyond TV show, and only recently started reading the comics based in that universe (Earth-12, as I believe it's officially designated). Batman Beyond: 10,000 Clowns is illustrative of all the reasons why I think the Beyond universe is great: the mix of old continuity and the creation of new and interesting characters, the exploration of being a cape over the long term (physically, emotionally, etc), and the excellent writing. 10,000 Clowns wasn't really a case story so much as it was a crisis story (I mean all-hands-on-deck-in-Gotham kind of crisis, like the earthquake, not Crisis as in DC-reboot). It was meant to introduce a couple of apparently key players to the Beyond universe (Vigilante, the Joker King) and expand upon established characters in the context of the Beyond universe (Catwoman, Max, Terry, Dick, and Tim) in an interesting way. In my opinion, 10,000 Clowns has succeeded on all counts. I loved the story; it is something that I would recommend to others, especially to fans of the TV show.

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really need to stop getting cover-baited. It hurts more when it's by comics.

Containing issues #1-13 of Batman Beyond Unlimited, it ties into both the animated series and the BB movie, Return of the Joker, this served as a continuation of sorts or a poor attempt at a companion piece.

Terry's older (at the ripe age of 19) and Bruce has seen some better days but a new threat is rising. With Jokerz, fanatics of the old clown prince of crime, coming to Gotham and seemingly more organized and flooding the city, Terry finds himself spread thin as complications arise in both his personal and cowled life. New and familiar faces make their appearance in this series, but little explorations were made as the central plot took up most of the pages.

Much like the Jokerz, this was more akin to a cheap knockoff rather than a new or updated edition. I wanted to like this, but the sad clowns bored me.

[Kelly Lynn Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is by far the strongest entry in the Beyond comics-verse. It feels the closest to the tv show, and Norm Breyfogle's art is much more in line with the original than previous volumes. There are a few different story lines running simultaneously--Jokerz from all over the world are gathering in Gotham and creating havoc, Dana has just broken up with Terry and is trying to deal with her brother (also a Joker) and his increasing violent outbursts. Bruce's abused liver finally gives out, which puts him out of commission and forces Terry to rely on poor Tim Drake. Dick Grayson also makes an appearance, as does the new Catwoman. We also get lots of panel time with Barbara Gordon, and Max has her own thing going on. The pacing is tight, and Beechen packs a lot of plot into the volume. Highly recommended!

[Rocky Sunico · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been slowly collecting the different Batman Beyond comics over the years and now I'm starting to go through them. I had always appreciated the tone of the original show and these comics further lean into that and elevate things into a more mature story. Terry's future was always a grim one and these comics do take advantage of the more liberal scope of the comic book medium.

This one puts the Joker gangs in the spotlight and stresses how there are actually many such gangs even beyond Gotham. But something is bringing them together in the city and our young Batman may not be enough to figure things out.

And for extra fan service, the scope of the story of this book brings a lot of different characters together in order to save Gotham. Really fun book.

[Sylvester · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first story line was rather bad, we were introduced to Dana's brother is part of the Jokerz gang and along with some really mild adventure no one really cared about. Then this volume covers the first half of the 10 part arc titled "10,000 Clowns", which shows Gotham City in chaos as Jokerz are blowing themselves up for the "Joker King"; Bruce Wayne is also dying unless he can find liver donor. Terry will need all the help he could get from his allies to stop the Joker King tearing Gotham apart.


The art was terrible, I really hated the lack of cohesion. The story could be handled better in all honesty, but I am glad they were linking the previous series to this volume.

[Ronan The Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always enjoy being in the world of Batman Beyond. It's futuristic and fresh while being nostalgic and retro. And this story is interesting and written well enough, but is ultimately too simplistic and decompressed to justify a higher rating. The art here is decent, and reminiscent of the animated series. The story throws a lot of hurdles at Terry, so much so that it just becomes unbelievable in a way? Like, you say it's happening, so it is, but it doesn't have the impact it should. Still, this is a way to get more Batman Beyond than we did in the animated series, for which I am appreciative.

[Kacei · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always have struggled to get into the Beyond run, but I just keep trying. Starting out with TAS when I was 5 kind of got me perpetually stuck on the dark, 50’s-esque vibe. Everything about this, in theory, should be awesome, but it just doesn’t hit that something.
This wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t all that good. Couple one liners that made me chuckle, but the story feels.. one note and basic. A league of cheap Joker wannabes? Eh. An old, decrepit Bruce Wayne will always hurt my heart a bit. Terry always felt like a high tech boy wonder to me. It was an alright done in one sitting read, but I doubt I’ll be reading the two other Beyond volumes I grabbed at the library on a whim.

[Adam Spanos · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not a bad book. It's rather good. But Beechen fails to properly capture the characters' personality. It feels like watching people play dress up. The art is...not awful. The more rounded look does not help the originally angular designs, and the faces are less than great, but the artist is skilled and does a good enough job. The volume ends abruptly, and is missing the epilogue. My advice, go straight on to Batman Beyond 2.0 by Kyle Higgins. Better story and better art. If you need to read all things Beyond, though, this is worth a read.

[Jaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used to watch the Batman Beyond animated series on Saturday mornings on the WB. This comic book collection follows the events of the show. The premise is this: it is the future, and Bruce Wayne has retired as the Batman and handed the suit over to his young protege, Terry McGinnis. This story has the Jokerz, a gang inspired by Batman's old nemesis, banding together to wreak havoc on a massive scale. It will take all of Terry's skill, plus the aid of allies old and new, to win the day.

[Wannia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Art: 2/5
Story: 1.5/5

170+ pages of...nothing. The story was all over the place, with random subplots like Mad Stan vs. some terribly stereotypical Russians and an origin story for Vigilante. And in the end, after 13 whole issues, the main Jokerz storyline didn't even wrap up. There also doesn't seem to be a collection for issues #14-18 either? A mess lol.

And I LOVE Batman Beyond! But they miss more than they hit with half of these stories and it's just upsetting.

[Matt Mazenauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you already like the characters, then this is a fun revisit. The Jokerz plotline that takes up most of this isn't stellar, but there are nice visits to Mad Stan, and interesting subplots with both Max and Barbara Gordon. The highlight of the books is "Legends of the Dark Knight: Jake" which I think ranks amongst my favorite Batman Beyond moments.

[Jorge Figueroa · Rating 4 out of 5]

De Batman Beyond no sé nada, creo que se estrenó en un momento en que ya no veía TV, y en muchos años, no me he dado el tiempo de empaparme del personaje.

Pero, Norm Breyfogle es mi pastor, mi artista favorito de Batman de toda la vida, y este es su regreso a dibujar algo de ese universo, no podía perdermerlo, y debo decir que me ha encantado este tomo.

[Michael Kikle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lot of dumb stuff. But some really good stuff, too. Especially the “10,000 Clowns” issue(s?), for the second half of the book. That was pretty tense, engaging stuff.

I wish the Joker King was better. He sucks. Even his design sucks.

This is about as middle-ground as you can manage, with Batman Beyond comics.

[☠︎︎ A.K. ☠︎︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ✩

• a very engaging story that hits all of the notes of a great Batman arc
• narrative and characters felt well thought out, and it was exciting from nearly start to finish
• the ensemble was very satisfying as a fan of Batman and his expansive list of characters
• great art style that evoked the cartoon while still modifying it for the comic book medium

[Collin Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid serialized story in the cyberpunk future of Batman Beyond about the jokers legacy. Terry undergoes a nice arc here, as do many other characters. I would like to see an adaptation of some kind for it.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.3 stars

[Jess (GJ) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for BB fans. Amazing take on nearly everyone here.