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Batman One-Shots
Batman: Ego
After strong-arming a thug into revealing the whereabouts of the Joker, the thug attempts suicide and Batman must face his own inner demons.
This book was incorporated into Batman: Ego and Other Tails
This book was incorporated into Batman: Ego and Other Tails
64 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2000
3 people are currently reading
402 people want to read
About the author
Darwyn Cooke
246 books356 followersDarwyn Cooke was an Eisner Award winning comic book writer, artist, cartoonist and animator, best known for his work on the comic books Catwoman, DC: The New Frontier and Will Eisner's The Spirit.
In 1985, Cooke published his first comic book work as a professional artist in a short story in New Talent Showcase #19, but economic pressure made him leave the career and he worked in Canada as a magazine art director, graphic and product designer for the next 15 years.
In the early 1990s Cooke decided to return to comics, but found little interest for his work at the major publishers. Eventually he was hired by Warner Bros. Animation after replying to an ad placed by animator Bruce Timm.
He went on to work as a storyboard artist for Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series, and in 1999 he animated the main title design for Batman Beyond. He then worked as a director for Sony Animation's Men in Black: The Series for a year.
DC Comics then approached Cooke about a project which he had submitted to the publisher years earlier which eventually became Batman: Ego, a graphic novel published in 2000.
The critical success of that project led to Cooke taking on more freelance work, such as X-Force, Wolverine/Doop and Spider-Man's Tangled Web for Marvel Comics and Just Imagine... Stan Lee for DC.
In 2001, Cooke and writer Ed Brubaker teamed up to revamp the Catwoman character. They started with a 4 issue serial "Trail of the Catwoman" in Detective Comics #759-762 in which private detective Slam Bradley attempts to investigate the death of Selina Kyle (AKA Catwoman).
The story led into a new Catwoman title in late 2001 by Brubaker and Cooke, in which the character's costume, supporting cast and modus operandi were all redesigned and redeveloped. Cooke would stay on the series, which was met with critical and fan acclaim, up until issue #4. In 2002 he would write and draw a prequel, the Selina's Big Score graphic novel which detailed what had happened to the character directly before her new series.
Cover to DC: The New Frontier #6.
Cover to DC: The New Frontier #6.
Cooke's next project was the ambitious DC: The New Frontier (2004), a six issue miniseries which sought to tell an epic storyline bridging the gap between the end of the golden and the start of the silver age of comic books in the DC Universe. The story, which was set in the 1950s, featured dozens of super-hero characters and drew inspiration from the comic books and movies of the period as well as from Tom Wolfe's non-fiction account of the start of the US Space Program The Right Stuff. The major DC characters are introduced in "The New Frontier" in the same order that DC originally published them, even down to the correct month and year in the story's timeline. In 2005, Cooke won an Eisner Award for "Best Limited Series", and a Joe Shuster Award for "Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Cartoonist" for his work on the series.
Most recently, Cooke contributed to DC's artist-centric anthology project Solo. His issue (#5, June, 2005) featured several different stories in different styles with a framing sequence featuring the Slam Bradley character. In 2006, Solo #5 won an Eisner Award for "Best Single Issue."
In July 2005, it was announced that in 2006 Cooke and writer Jeph Loeb would produce a Batman/Spirit crossover, to be followed shortly afterwards by an ongoing Spirit series written and drawn by Cooke. Batman/The Spirit was ultimately published in November 2006, followed in December by the first issue of Cooke's The Spirit. In June 2007, Cooke and J. Bone won a Joe Shuster Award for "Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Artists" for their work on "Batman/The Spirit", and Cooke won "Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Cartoonist" for his work on "The Spirit".
In July 2006, it was announced that Warner Bros. Animation and DC Comics would release a series of direct-to-DVD animated movies based on important DC com
In 1985, Cooke published his first comic book work as a professional artist in a short story in New Talent Showcase #19, but economic pressure made him leave the career and he worked in Canada as a magazine art director, graphic and product designer for the next 15 years.
In the early 1990s Cooke decided to return to comics, but found little interest for his work at the major publishers. Eventually he was hired by Warner Bros. Animation after replying to an ad placed by animator Bruce Timm.
He went on to work as a storyboard artist for Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series, and in 1999 he animated the main title design for Batman Beyond. He then worked as a director for Sony Animation's Men in Black: The Series for a year.
DC Comics then approached Cooke about a project which he had submitted to the publisher years earlier which eventually became Batman: Ego, a graphic novel published in 2000.
The critical success of that project led to Cooke taking on more freelance work, such as X-Force, Wolverine/Doop and Spider-Man's Tangled Web for Marvel Comics and Just Imagine... Stan Lee for DC.
In 2001, Cooke and writer Ed Brubaker teamed up to revamp the Catwoman character. They started with a 4 issue serial "Trail of the Catwoman" in Detective Comics #759-762 in which private detective Slam Bradley attempts to investigate the death of Selina Kyle (AKA Catwoman).
The story led into a new Catwoman title in late 2001 by Brubaker and Cooke, in which the character's costume, supporting cast and modus operandi were all redesigned and redeveloped. Cooke would stay on the series, which was met with critical and fan acclaim, up until issue #4. In 2002 he would write and draw a prequel, the Selina's Big Score graphic novel which detailed what had happened to the character directly before her new series.
Cover to DC: The New Frontier #6.
Cover to DC: The New Frontier #6.
Cooke's next project was the ambitious DC: The New Frontier (2004), a six issue miniseries which sought to tell an epic storyline bridging the gap between the end of the golden and the start of the silver age of comic books in the DC Universe. The story, which was set in the 1950s, featured dozens of super-hero characters and drew inspiration from the comic books and movies of the period as well as from Tom Wolfe's non-fiction account of the start of the US Space Program The Right Stuff. The major DC characters are introduced in "The New Frontier" in the same order that DC originally published them, even down to the correct month and year in the story's timeline. In 2005, Cooke won an Eisner Award for "Best Limited Series", and a Joe Shuster Award for "Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Cartoonist" for his work on the series.
Most recently, Cooke contributed to DC's artist-centric anthology project Solo. His issue (#5, June, 2005) featured several different stories in different styles with a framing sequence featuring the Slam Bradley character. In 2006, Solo #5 won an Eisner Award for "Best Single Issue."
In July 2005, it was announced that in 2006 Cooke and writer Jeph Loeb would produce a Batman/Spirit crossover, to be followed shortly afterwards by an ongoing Spirit series written and drawn by Cooke. Batman/The Spirit was ultimately published in November 2006, followed in December by the first issue of Cooke's The Spirit. In June 2007, Cooke and J. Bone won a Joe Shuster Award for "Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Artists" for their work on "Batman/The Spirit", and Cooke won "Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Cartoonist" for his work on "The Spirit".
In July 2006, it was announced that Warner Bros. Animation and DC Comics would release a series of direct-to-DVD animated movies based on important DC com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
March 21, 2019
Darwyn Cooke's first DC work is a meta fever dream between Bruce Wayne and Batman. While Cooke's retro art is great, the story is flawed and honestly a bit boring in spots.
May 14, 2016
Since his writing and illustration of the Minutemen stories under the Before Watchmen series, and Justice League: The New Frontier, Darwyn Cooke has earned a special place in my geek heart. This story remains the most inquisitive and touching with that certified Cooke signature poetic prose that I’ve been familiarizing myself with lately. This one is certainly overlooked and I want to recommend this foremost because it’s a very intimate look at the dark knight as a separate entity from Bruce Wayne and it was well-done.
I think it’s pretty much acknowledged that Bruce Wayne and Batman are inseparable that sometimes it’s hard to tell which is the mask. In Darwyn Cooke’s EGO, we are challenged to recognize both as different ends of the spectrum and not as one man. At the beginning panels. Batman speaks with weary introspection about the almost cyclic way of crimes in Gotham.
After witnessing the suicide of one of Joker’s minions, he locks himself in the batcave and succumbs to depression, after which he removes his mask and was Bruce Wayne again at that moment. The dark knight, his shadow self, appeared to him and began to berate his lack of motivation, forcing him back to the direction he was meant to tread. His shadow self took him back to his childhood on the nights before his parents’ brutal murder. Bruce also got to face the emptiness of his personal life since almost all his relationships never deepen and that everything that he was revolved around Batman.
His shadow self suggested that they should kill the Joker, considering that the madman was created by Bruce’s reluctance to execute him time and time again.
This was a great angle to the story because one of the best hero-villain dynamics is between Batman and the Joker, and Cooke has done marvelously in exploring the guilt that Bruce feels for allowing the Joker to live after that accident that chemically and physically changed him. I certainly enjoyed the poignancy of it all, how Bruce declines his shadow self the thirst for merciless vengeance; how he vows never to cross that line. He will not kill. He will not stoop down to the level of the criminals he fights. And this was the message of the story. Bruce Wayne had to control the dark knight, to keep his emotions in check and not be driven to a point where he could take a life and consequently destroy himself in the process.
Bruce Wayne has done a heroic thing that his mask as Batman can never compare to: he has conquered himself. It was beautifully realized in this story and Cooke is just…magnificent in every level as he wrote and illustrated it.
The tagline of the comic book says it all: "Our greatest battle takes place within ourselves."
RECOMMENDED: 10/10
DO READ MY BATMAN COMICS REVIEWS AT:
I think it’s pretty much acknowledged that Bruce Wayne and Batman are inseparable that sometimes it’s hard to tell which is the mask. In Darwyn Cooke’s EGO, we are challenged to recognize both as different ends of the spectrum and not as one man. At the beginning panels. Batman speaks with weary introspection about the almost cyclic way of crimes in Gotham.
After witnessing the suicide of one of Joker’s minions, he locks himself in the batcave and succumbs to depression, after which he removes his mask and was Bruce Wayne again at that moment. The dark knight, his shadow self, appeared to him and began to berate his lack of motivation, forcing him back to the direction he was meant to tread. His shadow self took him back to his childhood on the nights before his parents’ brutal murder. Bruce also got to face the emptiness of his personal life since almost all his relationships never deepen and that everything that he was revolved around Batman.
His shadow self suggested that they should kill the Joker, considering that the madman was created by Bruce’s reluctance to execute him time and time again.
This was a great angle to the story because one of the best hero-villain dynamics is between Batman and the Joker, and Cooke has done marvelously in exploring the guilt that Bruce feels for allowing the Joker to live after that accident that chemically and physically changed him. I certainly enjoyed the poignancy of it all, how Bruce declines his shadow self the thirst for merciless vengeance; how he vows never to cross that line. He will not kill. He will not stoop down to the level of the criminals he fights. And this was the message of the story. Bruce Wayne had to control the dark knight, to keep his emotions in check and not be driven to a point where he could take a life and consequently destroy himself in the process.
Bruce Wayne has done a heroic thing that his mask as Batman can never compare to: he has conquered himself. It was beautifully realized in this story and Cooke is just…magnificent in every level as he wrote and illustrated it.
The tagline of the comic book says it all: "Our greatest battle takes place within ourselves."
RECOMMENDED: 10/10
DO READ MY BATMAN COMICS REVIEWS AT:
March 24, 2024
You know, I love Batman. But even the most hardcore fans really find it vexing how the Joker & Batman go about this game of cat & mouse, with the death toll ever rising. And they wonder, 'Why doesn't Bats just end the clown? One death, in face of the countless casualties.
Some writers try to come up with contrived reasons other than the 'We can't kill off one of our most popular Villains'. But others, take that as a challenge, and chose to delve into the deep, dark, and ultimately f**ked up the psyche of Batman; yes Batman, because there is no Bruce Wayne.
It tells the tale of a man whose dark impulses could rival that of even the mad clown, and combined with his indomitable will, genius and skills could turn him into a menace that can give Gods & Demons pause. But then we see this man, restraining those impulses, tempering them, and using them to help people, rather than pursue a journey of vengeance and self-gratification.
He chose to take the road less traveled, the more difficult path over fire and brimstone, where even his most arduous supporters would criticize his inadequacies. But that is the path he chose to walk, to keep his inner darkness in check, and to be in control. Which just adds yet another feather, as to why Batman is such an engaging character study.
Review:
As a story, Batman: Ego is nothing spectacular. It’s sort of a ‘day in the life of’ narrative, much reminiscent of that one episode from Bruce Timm’s Brilliant Batman: The Animated Series. . In fact, the story flows much the same, like the episode ‘I am the Night’.
After years of fighting the maniacal homicidal deranged super villains of Gotham, particularly the Joker, Batman is at his wits end. Even an indomitable will such as that of the Caped Crusader is still human and has his limits.
Seeing his presence in Gotham, making no change in the life of the people, he has a crisis of confidence. Worse, the latest antics of the Joker show that his presence is causing more harm than good, as the clown prince of crime had made it his life’s mission to color the town red, just to try and break the bat.
One a Christmas night, when one of Joker’s would be victims, rather than risk falling to the clown’s deranged games, decides to take the easy way out. He kills his family and blows his brains out in front of Batman, that was his breaking point.
Wounded, tired, and mentally broken, the Batman retreats to the Batcave, his sanctum sanctorum, while seriously contemplating whether he should hang up the cowl for good.
Only, that is a decision which he alone is not allowed to make. That part of the Batman, the darkness which had taken root the night the Bruce had lost his parents, resurfaces. This version of his psyche, his Ego in the Freudian sense, manifests. And like a more terrifying version of the Ghosts of Christmas, demands him to uphold the covenant he had made with it, with himself, to dedicate his life for the pursuit of justice.
This version of him, one which the Batman had harnessed to fuel his incredible drive for crime fighting, and yet was one which he had subdued, tempered, and compromised with. For this darkness was one which constantly nagged him with the demand that so many fanboys have in real life. ‘Just kill the f**king joker and end all the suffering that he wrought’. Just him, and no one else. Do the world a favor, and bend your morals just a little.
It seems so easy, so alluring. The simple and quite easy task would allow Batman to get rid of the chief source of his problems, as well as make Gotham as a whole sigh in relief. But what does it mean for The Batman?
His unwillingness to take a life, while it may seem like weakness to his enemies, and even to his allies, is an imposition that he has placed on himself. In a weird way, it’s reminiscent of how Kurapika from Hunter x Hunter places a restriction on his life; in exchange he gets a great power boost, when facing, and only when facing the members of the infamous Phantom Troupe.
The restriction that Batman has placed on himself, not willing to take a life, through action or inaction, makes his job that much more difficult. In a contrarian way, this also means that it makes it easier. To function effectively within the restrictions placed on himself, Bruce Wayne has to always be prepared, mentally, physically, strategically. He must be extremely versatile, skilled and adaptable to handle dangerous situations. In a way it keeps him on his toes, always driving him to better himself. It’s literally ‘Get Good, or Die’
That is not even mentioning the moral imperative. The world sees Batman in a complex light. Some see him as a guardian, some as a deranged maniacal madman out to get his kicks from violence. Some see his pursuits as noble, others as a power fantasy to satiate the darker impulses in him.
He is all of that. At this point, it’s almost a cliche that Bruce Wayne became Batman due to the trauma of losing his parents to crime. He fights so as to make sure no one goes through what he does. But also, this is the same young boy in the alley, left with the corpses of his parents, who was scared. Scared for his life, scared of the future, and scared of the dark.
Being Batman allows that young part of Bruce’s mind to take back some of the agency he lost that night.
Also, also, no one much brings this up, but there is a great darkness brewing inside this man’s psyche. Which, if allowed to go untethered, can unleash onto the world an entity which can cause death and destruction on an unimaginable scale. Just consider how much of a menace Batman would be, if he was batting for the other team?
And no, I’m not talking about that hack story Nemesisby Mark Miller, with the whole Batman, but if he was an a**hole tagline. That’s just pretentious and in bad taste. Think more along the likes of Lex Luthor meets Owlman from Earth-2; or Ozymandius from The Watchmen.
Rather, by sticking to his rules, Batman has avoided an extremely slippery slope of not being the guy on the other side. As much as you might hate and criticize him for being ‘too soft on crime’, and even after half the time you’d be justifiable in that sentiment, you don’t want the alternative.
A murder junkie wearing a ridiculous costume, going around leaving bodies in his wake. At least in the present, even the most ardent critics of Batman, can be comforted in the knowledge that, despite how far he goes, you can absolutely trust in him to not break that final barrier.
That which separates him from the monsters that roam the streets of Gotham. Batman is someone who has stared into the abyss that Nietszche so feared, he has stared into it, and NOT turned into the monsters that he has been battling day and night. He is a watchman that doesn’t need watching, he is the check and balance for his own person.
He is the one constant, a symbol of hope and perseverance for the everyday people of Gotham, even when the act placed a titanic burden on him Psyche. And that just makes him that much more intriguing of a character to explore.
----------------------------------------------
Thoughts: 2nd reading.
Recently, I was rewatching the Dark Knight returns, the animated adaptation of the Alan Moore classic by the same name. Which if you didn't know is widely regarded as one of the best stories written about the caped crusader.
There is this scene in it, where Batman, after having lost his first real bout after coming out of retirement, goes into the darkness of the cave, to mend his soul, and to regain his spirit. Confronting the representation of the darkness which he has kept under iron fetters, which he had learned to channel to act as a guardian to the innocents of his city, to serve the higher ideals of justice and the preservation of life, the one which allowed him to confront the cornucopia of horrors that had arrayed against him.
Good stuff: just gives you more perspective as to why the Dark knight is one of the more interesting characters for writers to explore. In some ways, the real Übermensch, or perchance a Wunder mensch, that Nietzche proposed, one who is capable of guiding people to strive for a higher ideal. Good stuff.
Some writers try to come up with contrived reasons other than the 'We can't kill off one of our most popular Villains'. But others, take that as a challenge, and chose to delve into the deep, dark, and ultimately f**ked up the psyche of Batman; yes Batman, because there is no Bruce Wayne.
It tells the tale of a man whose dark impulses could rival that of even the mad clown, and combined with his indomitable will, genius and skills could turn him into a menace that can give Gods & Demons pause. But then we see this man, restraining those impulses, tempering them, and using them to help people, rather than pursue a journey of vengeance and self-gratification.
He chose to take the road less traveled, the more difficult path over fire and brimstone, where even his most arduous supporters would criticize his inadequacies. But that is the path he chose to walk, to keep his inner darkness in check, and to be in control. Which just adds yet another feather, as to why Batman is such an engaging character study.
Review:
As a story, Batman: Ego is nothing spectacular. It’s sort of a ‘day in the life of’ narrative, much reminiscent of that one episode from Bruce Timm’s Brilliant Batman: The Animated Series. . In fact, the story flows much the same, like the episode ‘I am the Night’.
After years of fighting the maniacal homicidal deranged super villains of Gotham, particularly the Joker, Batman is at his wits end. Even an indomitable will such as that of the Caped Crusader is still human and has his limits.
Seeing his presence in Gotham, making no change in the life of the people, he has a crisis of confidence. Worse, the latest antics of the Joker show that his presence is causing more harm than good, as the clown prince of crime had made it his life’s mission to color the town red, just to try and break the bat.
One a Christmas night, when one of Joker’s would be victims, rather than risk falling to the clown’s deranged games, decides to take the easy way out. He kills his family and blows his brains out in front of Batman, that was his breaking point.
Wounded, tired, and mentally broken, the Batman retreats to the Batcave, his sanctum sanctorum, while seriously contemplating whether he should hang up the cowl for good.
Only, that is a decision which he alone is not allowed to make. That part of the Batman, the darkness which had taken root the night the Bruce had lost his parents, resurfaces. This version of his psyche, his Ego in the Freudian sense, manifests. And like a more terrifying version of the Ghosts of Christmas, demands him to uphold the covenant he had made with it, with himself, to dedicate his life for the pursuit of justice.
This version of him, one which the Batman had harnessed to fuel his incredible drive for crime fighting, and yet was one which he had subdued, tempered, and compromised with. For this darkness was one which constantly nagged him with the demand that so many fanboys have in real life. ‘Just kill the f**king joker and end all the suffering that he wrought’. Just him, and no one else. Do the world a favor, and bend your morals just a little.
It seems so easy, so alluring. The simple and quite easy task would allow Batman to get rid of the chief source of his problems, as well as make Gotham as a whole sigh in relief. But what does it mean for The Batman?
His unwillingness to take a life, while it may seem like weakness to his enemies, and even to his allies, is an imposition that he has placed on himself. In a weird way, it’s reminiscent of how Kurapika from Hunter x Hunter places a restriction on his life; in exchange he gets a great power boost, when facing, and only when facing the members of the infamous Phantom Troupe.
The restriction that Batman has placed on himself, not willing to take a life, through action or inaction, makes his job that much more difficult. In a contrarian way, this also means that it makes it easier. To function effectively within the restrictions placed on himself, Bruce Wayne has to always be prepared, mentally, physically, strategically. He must be extremely versatile, skilled and adaptable to handle dangerous situations. In a way it keeps him on his toes, always driving him to better himself. It’s literally ‘Get Good, or Die’
That is not even mentioning the moral imperative. The world sees Batman in a complex light. Some see him as a guardian, some as a deranged maniacal madman out to get his kicks from violence. Some see his pursuits as noble, others as a power fantasy to satiate the darker impulses in him.
He is all of that. At this point, it’s almost a cliche that Bruce Wayne became Batman due to the trauma of losing his parents to crime. He fights so as to make sure no one goes through what he does. But also, this is the same young boy in the alley, left with the corpses of his parents, who was scared. Scared for his life, scared of the future, and scared of the dark.
Being Batman allows that young part of Bruce’s mind to take back some of the agency he lost that night.
Also, also, no one much brings this up, but there is a great darkness brewing inside this man’s psyche. Which, if allowed to go untethered, can unleash onto the world an entity which can cause death and destruction on an unimaginable scale. Just consider how much of a menace Batman would be, if he was batting for the other team?
And no, I’m not talking about that hack story Nemesisby Mark Miller, with the whole Batman, but if he was an a**hole tagline. That’s just pretentious and in bad taste. Think more along the likes of Lex Luthor meets Owlman from Earth-2; or Ozymandius from The Watchmen.
Rather, by sticking to his rules, Batman has avoided an extremely slippery slope of not being the guy on the other side. As much as you might hate and criticize him for being ‘too soft on crime’, and even after half the time you’d be justifiable in that sentiment, you don’t want the alternative.
A murder junkie wearing a ridiculous costume, going around leaving bodies in his wake. At least in the present, even the most ardent critics of Batman, can be comforted in the knowledge that, despite how far he goes, you can absolutely trust in him to not break that final barrier.
That which separates him from the monsters that roam the streets of Gotham. Batman is someone who has stared into the abyss that Nietszche so feared, he has stared into it, and NOT turned into the monsters that he has been battling day and night. He is a watchman that doesn’t need watching, he is the check and balance for his own person.
He is the one constant, a symbol of hope and perseverance for the everyday people of Gotham, even when the act placed a titanic burden on him Psyche. And that just makes him that much more intriguing of a character to explore.
----------------------------------------------
Thoughts: 2nd reading.
Recently, I was rewatching the Dark Knight returns, the animated adaptation of the Alan Moore classic by the same name. Which if you didn't know is widely regarded as one of the best stories written about the caped crusader.
There is this scene in it, where Batman, after having lost his first real bout after coming out of retirement, goes into the darkness of the cave, to mend his soul, and to regain his spirit. Confronting the representation of the darkness which he has kept under iron fetters, which he had learned to channel to act as a guardian to the innocents of his city, to serve the higher ideals of justice and the preservation of life, the one which allowed him to confront the cornucopia of horrors that had arrayed against him.
Good stuff: just gives you more perspective as to why the Dark knight is one of the more interesting characters for writers to explore. In some ways, the real Übermensch, or perchance a Wunder mensch, that Nietzche proposed, one who is capable of guiding people to strive for a higher ideal. Good stuff.
June 16, 2021
El dibujo te recordara mucho a los dibujos animados de Batman beyond o la serie animada de Bruce Timm. A mi me agrada el dibujo. La historia no es que sea de las mejores que lei de Batman, sin mas
March 1, 2022
I found out that Matt Reeves read this comic as a part of his inspiration for the upcoming 2022 batman film, and I'm so pumped.
March 5, 2022
Read preparing for the new Batman film, which I am seeing later today.
April 18, 2021
I'm really sorry I didn't read this comic sooner. His drawings are precious and the dilemma posed is even more so. It answers a question that any fan has ever been led to ask: What if Batman and Bruce Wayne could talk about their decisions? Is Batman an alter ego to Bruce or vice versa? The Batman shown in this story is a hero in pain with impatience to see his own frustrated vigilante ego.
I love it when a writer portrays Batman as a mentally ill, scarred man who clearly deviated from what might be a healthy and happy life. Batman is an internal rationalization not to break down and perhaps end up as the Joker. It's Bruce's faith that his crusade will have results important enough to prevent another murder in the alley. Seeing that the city doesn't change at the rate he wanted and that his actions seem to be summarized in a vicious cycle of captures and recaptures, Batman simply gets fed up with his morals. I love what Darwyn Cooke proposed.
I love it when a writer portrays Batman as a mentally ill, scarred man who clearly deviated from what might be a healthy and happy life. Batman is an internal rationalization not to break down and perhaps end up as the Joker. It's Bruce's faith that his crusade will have results important enough to prevent another murder in the alley. Seeing that the city doesn't change at the rate he wanted and that his actions seem to be summarized in a vicious cycle of captures and recaptures, Batman simply gets fed up with his morals. I love what Darwyn Cooke proposed.
March 18, 2022
Un cómic muy introspectivo, me ha gustado mucho.
August 12, 2024
Quite engaging and well written.
Delves into the psyche of the Batman, as he introspects on the consequences of his actions.
Not much action as hes basically having a conversation with himself but the writing had me hooked.
I even liked the parents relationship that he had. We all know the story one fated night how all changed, but this one adding in some nuance and some moments was really good and the favourite recounting of it as I remember right now.
If interested in what Bruce thinks and how he deals with it, its a good one.
Delves into the psyche of the Batman, as he introspects on the consequences of his actions.
Not much action as hes basically having a conversation with himself but the writing had me hooked.
I even liked the parents relationship that he had. We all know the story one fated night how all changed, but this one adding in some nuance and some moments was really good and the favourite recounting of it as I remember right now.
If interested in what Bruce thinks and how he deals with it, its a good one.
Read
September 2, 2020I realized long ago that I can't change the world... I've begin to wonder if the only thing I can change is myself" - a great insight in Batman's psyche that spotlights his psychopatic nature and his desire from revenge instead of real change
May 31, 2025
4-5 stars.
Really good comic; great for newbies IMO. Shows the beginning of Batman, Joker and Two-Face. Great art.
Really good comic; great for newbies IMO. Shows the beginning of Batman, Joker and Two-Face. Great art.
September 4, 2013
How do I describe this one-shot to you? Let's see... To quote Darwyn Cooke himself:
"This was my first project for DC. [...] Bruce Wayne and Batman discuss all the important moments in their life from different angles. [...] I staged the story in the aftermath of a severe psychological trauma. Our set is the landscape of Bruce's tormented mind, allowing us to move from place to place without transition. Upon review, I consider EGO an earnest but flawed first effort."
Darwyn Cooke considers it flawed. In my opinion, nothing's perfect and everything's flawed somehow. This early work of his may not be his best, but it is not terrible either. I think for Darwyn Cooke to have come up with this story in the first place (which can get complicated really fast, if not handled right), shows a lot of promise and a lot of talent. And his subsequent works confirm this (DC: The New Frontier, Vol. 1, DC: The New Frontier, Vol. 2Catwoman: Selina's Big Score, his updating of/homage to Will Eisner's The Spirit, Vol. 1 & The Spirit, Vol. 2, to name just a few).
Batman: Ego by itself may be hard to find. Luckily, it's been collected with other Batman-related Darwyn Cooke material in Batman: Ego and Other Tails.
"This was my first project for DC. [...] Bruce Wayne and Batman discuss all the important moments in their life from different angles. [...] I staged the story in the aftermath of a severe psychological trauma. Our set is the landscape of Bruce's tormented mind, allowing us to move from place to place without transition. Upon review, I consider EGO an earnest but flawed first effort."
Darwyn Cooke considers it flawed. In my opinion, nothing's perfect and everything's flawed somehow. This early work of his may not be his best, but it is not terrible either. I think for Darwyn Cooke to have come up with this story in the first place (which can get complicated really fast, if not handled right), shows a lot of promise and a lot of talent. And his subsequent works confirm this (DC: The New Frontier, Vol. 1, DC: The New Frontier, Vol. 2Catwoman: Selina's Big Score, his updating of/homage to Will Eisner's The Spirit, Vol. 1 & The Spirit, Vol. 2, to name just a few).
Batman: Ego by itself may be hard to find. Luckily, it's been collected with other Batman-related Darwyn Cooke material in Batman: Ego and Other Tails.
December 2, 2019
A lo largo de sus ya siete décadas de historia, han sido bastantes los creadores que se han atrevido a tantear la temida pregunta acerca de Batman: ¿Es en realidad un disfraz? ¿Acaso no será ese filántropo playboy la verdadera máscara? ¿Podríamos separar las dos partes de ese todo para que pudiesen saldar sus diferencias?
Todo esto es abordado por el canadiense Darwyn Cooke en Batman: EGO.
Tras encerrar por enésima vez al Joker. Batman asiste a un trágico dañó colateral que lo hará regresar bastante perturbado a su solitaria Batcueva. Allí será rondado por un imposible ser que lo hará replantearse toda su carrera como el Caballero Oscuro de Gotham City.
Lo primero que sorprende al acercarse a esta obra es su estilo de dibujo. Cooke se fraguó en la fantástica Batman; The Animated Series trabajando en los storyboards. Por lo que se "contagió" con el particular estilo de Bruce Timm. Pero al igual que con la serie animada, el estilo cartoon no afecta para nada a la hora de mostrar la oscuridad y dramatismo que logran caracterizar Batman y su mundo. Es una estupenda visión que, además, entusiasmará a quienes adoran la serie animada (como un servidor).
Como bien dije, los temas que aborda Darwyn Cooke en EGO no son novedosos. Pero desde luego, nunca se trataron con el acierto e ingenio del canadiense. El diálogo a dos bandas que se desarrolla en las páginas viene acompañado por todos los recursos visuales y narrativos que dispone Cooke al presentarnos el elemento onírico.
Tenemos un buen repaso a la historia de Batman. Desde su origen (llegamos a tener mejor justificado el momento clave en ese fatal callejón), hasta buena parte de su historia como Cruzado de la Capa (alusión a villanos clásicos de su galería y el tema Robin) y de su eterna némesis. Logrando que cualquier lector disfrute y pueda entender la historia.
Gracias a cómo se muestra la encarnación de Batman, la obra llega a rozar en ocasiones el terror. Dotando de más capas a esta excelente narración.
Me parece increíble que esta sea la primera obra original que este autor creó con este personaje. Desde luego, se empapó muy bien de todo lo que hace grande a Batman y lo demostró con EGO. En mi caso, logra colarse entre las mejores historias que he leído del murciélago, y la recomiendo al 100%.
El tomo de Planeta DeAgostini que he leído viene acompañado de otras historias en las que Cooke participó de una o otra manera. Aunque no lleguen al nivel de la historia principal, se convierten en un grato postre para acompañar a la deliciosa delicatessen que resulta ser EGO:
-Donde Reinan los Monstruos: Primera de las dos obras pertenecientes a la colección de Batman: Black and White que encontraremos en este tomo. Cooke se encarga de ilustrar esta historia de Paul Grist donde asistimos a un enfrentamiento de Batman contra una nueva villana. La historia resulta bastante simple. E incluso al terminar de leer la historia y descubrir el arma y plan de la villana, me pregunto por qué no utilizaron a los dos villanos a los que Madame X parece imitar. De todos modos, se agradecen los lapices de Cooke.
-El Gran Golpe de Selina: Darwyn llegó a trabajar con el gran Ed Brubaker (Capitán América: El Soldado de Invierno, Incógnito) en una serie regular del personaje de Catwoman. Y esta historia actúa como precuela y rellena huecos argumentales de esa serie. Al igual que con Batman: Ego, esta historia trata de mostrarnos más de quien se esconde tras el estrafalario disfraz. En este caso, de la femme fatale Selina Kyle. En una historia de atracos con un estupendo regustillo noir que representa el genial personaje del detective privado.
-El Monumento: La otra historia de Batman: Black and White en la que participó Cooke. Esta vez ideando la historia. Y es una lástima que no acabase ilustrándola... La premisa es genial: Se decide levantar un monumento a Batman que llega a dividir opiniones y sacar a relucir el eterno debate: ¿Gotham City de verdad necesita a Batman? Pero en mi caso, lo bueno termina aquí. Porque el dibujo de Bill Wray (Hellboy Jr.) me parece HORROROSO. Y puedo llegar a comprender que quisiese darle un toque paródico, pero mejor sería sin caer en el absurdo. Sus diseños afean demasiado lo estupendo de la propuesta (logró que yo no reconociese a Hugo Strange hasta que lo mencionaron).
-Cita con un Caballero: Cooke vuelve a guionizar una simple pero agradable historia que sigue sustentando la jugosa relación que se da entre Batman y Catwoman. En el apartado artístico tenemos al siempre genial Tim Sale (El Largo Halloween).
-Deja Vu: Y el tomo finaliza con esta estupenda historia en la que Bruce Timm tuvo una agradecida participación. Darwyn asegura que su verdadero acercamiento a Batman en las viñetas fue con el Detective Comics #439 titulado "La Noche del Acosador". Donde Batman aparece sin hablar y mostrándose como la terrorífica figura que el mundo criminal teme. Cooke venera tanto esta historia que decidió readaptarla insuflándole el crucial elemento de que Batman presencia un evento que lo hace rememorar la trágica muerte de sus padres. Esto dota a la figura del Caballero Oscuro de un aura aún más intimidante y logra que lo veamos como lo hacen los criminales de la historia. EXQUISITA.
Es una lástima para muchos que tengan los recopilatorios de los que se extraen la mayoría de historias extras. Pero para quien no los tenga, este tomo de Batman: EGO supondrá una estupenda lectura que añadir a tu particular biblioteca del Caballero Oscuro.
Todo esto es abordado por el canadiense Darwyn Cooke en Batman: EGO.
Tras encerrar por enésima vez al Joker. Batman asiste a un trágico dañó colateral que lo hará regresar bastante perturbado a su solitaria Batcueva. Allí será rondado por un imposible ser que lo hará replantearse toda su carrera como el Caballero Oscuro de Gotham City.
Lo primero que sorprende al acercarse a esta obra es su estilo de dibujo. Cooke se fraguó en la fantástica Batman; The Animated Series trabajando en los storyboards. Por lo que se "contagió" con el particular estilo de Bruce Timm. Pero al igual que con la serie animada, el estilo cartoon no afecta para nada a la hora de mostrar la oscuridad y dramatismo que logran caracterizar Batman y su mundo. Es una estupenda visión que, además, entusiasmará a quienes adoran la serie animada (como un servidor).
Como bien dije, los temas que aborda Darwyn Cooke en EGO no son novedosos. Pero desde luego, nunca se trataron con el acierto e ingenio del canadiense. El diálogo a dos bandas que se desarrolla en las páginas viene acompañado por todos los recursos visuales y narrativos que dispone Cooke al presentarnos el elemento onírico.
Tenemos un buen repaso a la historia de Batman. Desde su origen (llegamos a tener mejor justificado el momento clave en ese fatal callejón), hasta buena parte de su historia como Cruzado de la Capa (alusión a villanos clásicos de su galería y el tema Robin) y de su eterna némesis. Logrando que cualquier lector disfrute y pueda entender la historia.
Gracias a cómo se muestra la encarnación de Batman, la obra llega a rozar en ocasiones el terror. Dotando de más capas a esta excelente narración.
Me parece increíble que esta sea la primera obra original que este autor creó con este personaje. Desde luego, se empapó muy bien de todo lo que hace grande a Batman y lo demostró con EGO. En mi caso, logra colarse entre las mejores historias que he leído del murciélago, y la recomiendo al 100%.
El tomo de Planeta DeAgostini que he leído viene acompañado de otras historias en las que Cooke participó de una o otra manera. Aunque no lleguen al nivel de la historia principal, se convierten en un grato postre para acompañar a la deliciosa delicatessen que resulta ser EGO:
-Donde Reinan los Monstruos: Primera de las dos obras pertenecientes a la colección de Batman: Black and White que encontraremos en este tomo. Cooke se encarga de ilustrar esta historia de Paul Grist donde asistimos a un enfrentamiento de Batman contra una nueva villana. La historia resulta bastante simple. E incluso al terminar de leer la historia y descubrir el arma y plan de la villana, me pregunto por qué no utilizaron a los dos villanos a los que Madame X parece imitar. De todos modos, se agradecen los lapices de Cooke.
-El Gran Golpe de Selina: Darwyn llegó a trabajar con el gran Ed Brubaker (Capitán América: El Soldado de Invierno, Incógnito) en una serie regular del personaje de Catwoman. Y esta historia actúa como precuela y rellena huecos argumentales de esa serie. Al igual que con Batman: Ego, esta historia trata de mostrarnos más de quien se esconde tras el estrafalario disfraz. En este caso, de la femme fatale Selina Kyle. En una historia de atracos con un estupendo regustillo noir que representa el genial personaje del detective privado.
-El Monumento: La otra historia de Batman: Black and White en la que participó Cooke. Esta vez ideando la historia. Y es una lástima que no acabase ilustrándola... La premisa es genial: Se decide levantar un monumento a Batman que llega a dividir opiniones y sacar a relucir el eterno debate: ¿Gotham City de verdad necesita a Batman? Pero en mi caso, lo bueno termina aquí. Porque el dibujo de Bill Wray (Hellboy Jr.) me parece HORROROSO. Y puedo llegar a comprender que quisiese darle un toque paródico, pero mejor sería sin caer en el absurdo. Sus diseños afean demasiado lo estupendo de la propuesta (logró que yo no reconociese a Hugo Strange hasta que lo mencionaron).
-Cita con un Caballero: Cooke vuelve a guionizar una simple pero agradable historia que sigue sustentando la jugosa relación que se da entre Batman y Catwoman. En el apartado artístico tenemos al siempre genial Tim Sale (El Largo Halloween).
-Deja Vu: Y el tomo finaliza con esta estupenda historia en la que Bruce Timm tuvo una agradecida participación. Darwyn asegura que su verdadero acercamiento a Batman en las viñetas fue con el Detective Comics #439 titulado "La Noche del Acosador". Donde Batman aparece sin hablar y mostrándose como la terrorífica figura que el mundo criminal teme. Cooke venera tanto esta historia que decidió readaptarla insuflándole el crucial elemento de que Batman presencia un evento que lo hace rememorar la trágica muerte de sus padres. Esto dota a la figura del Caballero Oscuro de un aura aún más intimidante y logra que lo veamos como lo hacen los criminales de la historia. EXQUISITA.
Es una lástima para muchos que tengan los recopilatorios de los que se extraen la mayoría de historias extras. Pero para quien no los tenga, este tomo de Batman: EGO supondrá una estupenda lectura que añadir a tu particular biblioteca del Caballero Oscuro.
August 30, 2020
Read this after Matt Reeves cited it as his inspiration for The Batman. If what he takes from this is showing a fearful Batman, then we're in for something interesting. As for this story, everything about its premise should be gimmicky but Darwyn Cooke was too good. He refused succumb to the trappings of this kind of story.
May 17, 2022
My comic book club pick this one-shot, as the new Batman movie was coming out. The following is adapted from the discussion I had with my comic book club members:
Watch out – incoming rant re: Batman EGO!
Trigger warning for domestic violence cos it clearly triggered me FARK.
I could have really liked this but literally one page made me so angry that I couldn't just sit back and enjoy it. The bit where the guy at the start says “I couldn't bear the thought of my wife and daughter in the hands of that maniac—so I killed them myself!” Batman makes Pikachu GASP face.
I'm sorry, are we supposed to feel sympathy for this arsehole? I don't want to be rude but geeze you can tell a man wrote this comic.
What he's describing is not a fridging per se (note the wife and child don't even have the dignity of being shown or named). What that guy tried to do (and succeeded in doing) is a murder-suicide. IRL the media spins stories of tragedy around actual murder-suicides but what I see is glorified domestic violence. Why are we being asked to feel sorry for a person who murdered multiple people?
To be clear, the loss of any life is tragic, and this comic is dancing around the topic of maybe taking a life might save others. BUT it did not even bother to try to deconstruct what a heinous act a murder-suicide is. Instead it treats the guy's situation as a tragedy – oh boo hoo he was so terrified of the Joker that he had no choice but to MURDER the women in his life, how noble and brave of him! You know, like a pharaoh being buried with his property.
And the worst thing of all was that this added absolutely nothing to the comic. Imagine the same scene playing out but the guy instead just 1) expresses distress that he has been rescued; 2) expresses despair that the Joker knows he was the leak; 3) expresses anger that the Batman has driven him to do this – then the guy shoots himself. The rest of the comic can play out exactly the same and you still get Pikachu-face. Comic just as good, right? Which tells me the writer threw in a line about the guy murdering his own wife and daughter for shock value only, never mind that it added zero to the story and the way murder-suicides are portrayed in the media is extremely problematic.
Don't forget, skilled writers/artists can effectively work with limited real estate. It comes across as callous here because I'd put money on the writer not even considering the DV angle, and the treatment of mental health in media is a whole thing as well ahhhh.
I think the writer here is focussed on the dialogue between the Batman vs Bruce Wayne, which tbh I liked in concept: it gave me Scrooge vs the ghost of Christmas past/present/future vibes. That is to say, the writer had a particular direction in mind and almost certainly didn't consider the implications of throw-away lines. In my limited experience, a lot of people of the writer's generation genuinely treat murder-suicide as though it is group-suicide, if it involves a family unit (i.e.: “oh how sad for that family” rather than “that arsehole murdered those innocent people”). The writer could have even chucked in a line about “I discussed this with my wife and we agreed this was the only way out” to emphasise the despair, to make it clearer that this wasn't just a person disposing of property he controlled. But the writer didn't, and that page really lands flat for people who have lived through DV.
Soz that I'm wearing my grumpypants. I really wasn't the right reader for this one.
Watch out – incoming rant re: Batman EGO!
Trigger warning for domestic violence cos it clearly triggered me FARK.
I could have really liked this but literally one page made me so angry that I couldn't just sit back and enjoy it. The bit where the guy at the start says “I couldn't bear the thought of my wife and daughter in the hands of that maniac—so I killed them myself!” Batman makes Pikachu GASP face.
I'm sorry, are we supposed to feel sympathy for this arsehole? I don't want to be rude but geeze you can tell a man wrote this comic.
What he's describing is not a fridging per se (note the wife and child don't even have the dignity of being shown or named). What that guy tried to do (and succeeded in doing) is a murder-suicide. IRL the media spins stories of tragedy around actual murder-suicides but what I see is glorified domestic violence. Why are we being asked to feel sorry for a person who murdered multiple people?
To be clear, the loss of any life is tragic, and this comic is dancing around the topic of maybe taking a life might save others. BUT it did not even bother to try to deconstruct what a heinous act a murder-suicide is. Instead it treats the guy's situation as a tragedy – oh boo hoo he was so terrified of the Joker that he had no choice but to MURDER the women in his life, how noble and brave of him! You know, like a pharaoh being buried with his property.
And the worst thing of all was that this added absolutely nothing to the comic. Imagine the same scene playing out but the guy instead just 1) expresses distress that he has been rescued; 2) expresses despair that the Joker knows he was the leak; 3) expresses anger that the Batman has driven him to do this – then the guy shoots himself. The rest of the comic can play out exactly the same and you still get Pikachu-face. Comic just as good, right? Which tells me the writer threw in a line about the guy murdering his own wife and daughter for shock value only, never mind that it added zero to the story and the way murder-suicides are portrayed in the media is extremely problematic.
Don't forget, skilled writers/artists can effectively work with limited real estate. It comes across as callous here because I'd put money on the writer not even considering the DV angle, and the treatment of mental health in media is a whole thing as well ahhhh.
I think the writer here is focussed on the dialogue between the Batman vs Bruce Wayne, which tbh I liked in concept: it gave me Scrooge vs the ghost of Christmas past/present/future vibes. That is to say, the writer had a particular direction in mind and almost certainly didn't consider the implications of throw-away lines. In my limited experience, a lot of people of the writer's generation genuinely treat murder-suicide as though it is group-suicide, if it involves a family unit (i.e.: “oh how sad for that family” rather than “that arsehole murdered those innocent people”). The writer could have even chucked in a line about “I discussed this with my wife and we agreed this was the only way out” to emphasise the despair, to make it clearer that this wasn't just a person disposing of property he controlled. But the writer didn't, and that page really lands flat for people who have lived through DV.
Soz that I'm wearing my grumpypants. I really wasn't the right reader for this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2025
Resenha escrita por Antônio Flávio.
*Batman: Ego*
*Essa será uma resenha mais direta (curta) na mentalidade do Batman, não falarei dos eventos no mundo real que ocorrem na obra, não falarei do suicídio na frente do Batman, ou de sua vontade de morrer após ver que se tornou algo insensível e quer matar o coringa, Hugo Strange, Pinguim, Charada, os seus vilões. A obra tem 67 páginas.*
Escrita e ilustrada por Darwyn Cooke, "Batman: Ego" (2000) é uma das histórias mais importantes par o Batman e toda a sua essência. Eu, como estudioso de Batman, coloco "Ego" como um cânone do Batman, um verdadeiro clássico do homem morcego. Antes de Darwyn Cooke realizar "Ego" e fazer um estudo complexo sobre a mente do Batman, Frank Miller, o lendário roteirista e artista de quadrinhos, escreveu e ilustrou "Batman: O Cavaleiro das Trevas Retorna" (1986) e escreveu "Batman: Ano Um" (1987), sendo, também, dois clássicos do cavaleiro das trevas (Batman), em "Ano Um", Frank Miller mudou a origem do Batman e deu um novo significado ao seu simbolismo, essência, e o que Batman representa. Já em "Cavaleiro das Trevas Retorna", Miller foi o primeiro a executar um estudo profundo sobre a psique do Batman, suas personalidades, o legado do Batman e a sua luta interna, na obra, caso o leitor realmente a destrinche e estude a obra, ele verá que Batman não tem duas personalidades, ou uma, ele tem 3. Contudo, a visão de Batman ter três personalidades é muito complicada de perceber caso o leitor não seja um estudioso de Batman e queira estudar profundamente a obra "Cavaleiro das Trevas Retorna".
Depois de 13 anos (aproximadamente) das publicações dos clássicos feitos por Miller, Darwyn Cooke, em 2000, foi chamado para escrever uma história curta do Batman, e, Cooke, conhecido pelo seu traço artístico se assemelhar muito a de um desenho animado -- assemelhando-se a se a desenhos da época como "Batman: The Animated Series" de Bruce Tim, e, até mesmo, a ilustradores de quadrinhos que tiveram os seus traços adaptados para as telas, como os de Jack Kirby e Alex Toth--, aceitou a proposta, logicamente. Darwyn Cooke colocou na obra as três personalidades do Batman para conversar, sendo uma delas deixada 'no escanteio' (de lado da conversa principal), embora a obra tenha uma conversa entre as figuras que compõem o Batman para conversar, muitas pessoas não entenderam que há três personalidades, não duas. Também é, como em "Cavaleiro das Trevas Retorna", realizar uma leitura atenta e executar um estudo da obra, mas em "Ego" o leitor consegue perceber as três figuras mais rapidamente em comparação a obra de Miller.
Sob esse viés, é importante analisar as três pessoalidades que compõem o Batman. São elas: Bruce Wayne, o vaidoso, O Morcego, o medo, e Bruce Wayne, a criança bondosa cheia de amor. Geralmente, apenas as duas primeiras são vistas pelos leitores de Batman (mesmo que de forma errônea), a terceira figura não é tão lembrada, mas está lá no Batman. Bruce Wayne, o vaidoso, tem amigos, quer mostrar a sua riqueza, a sua inteligência, habilidade, ele não quer matar, ele possui amigos, já o Morcego, o medo, é uma figura que quer matar os criminosos, quer acabar com a corrupção através do medo, o medo sempre esteve em Bruce Wayne e apenas teve mais relevância dentro da mente do Batman quando os seus pais morreram no beco do crime, segundo o mesmo: "Eu não nasci, em sempre estive em você. E, naquela noite, eu ascendi...". A terceira personalidade de Batman, Bruce Wayne, a criança amadora e inocente, foi esquecida, não só pelos leitores, mas também pelo próprio Batman, ela existe no Batman, entretanto, está enterrada e tentando ser substituída por algo mais visceral -- talvez por alguma persona oriunda do Medo, o quadrinho, o quadrinho dá, em um momento, a entender isso, embora depois não seja mais mencionado é importante ressaltar que há essa intepretação --, primeiro começa com a conversa entre o Medo e o Vaidoso, depois é revelado a criança Bruce, e o Inocente conversa com as outras duas personas de forma indireta, o jovem Bruce Wayne cheio de amor foi sendo esquecido pelo Batman após a morte de seus pais, ali houve a perda da inocência.
Por fim, a história "Batman: Ego", de Darwyn Cooke, é, sem dúvida, um clássico do Batman e um estudo completo (que requer profundidade e inteligência do leitor para entender) sobre personalidades, traumas e conversas internas. Pondo em uma escala de 0 a 5, tem comigo 4.7 (9.4 na escala 0 a 10). Contudo, no good reads, a minha nota é de 4 estrelas, porque não tem como colocar nota quebrada, então preferi colocar 4 estrelas.
*Batman: Ego*
*Essa será uma resenha mais direta (curta) na mentalidade do Batman, não falarei dos eventos no mundo real que ocorrem na obra, não falarei do suicídio na frente do Batman, ou de sua vontade de morrer após ver que se tornou algo insensível e quer matar o coringa, Hugo Strange, Pinguim, Charada, os seus vilões. A obra tem 67 páginas.*
Escrita e ilustrada por Darwyn Cooke, "Batman: Ego" (2000) é uma das histórias mais importantes par o Batman e toda a sua essência. Eu, como estudioso de Batman, coloco "Ego" como um cânone do Batman, um verdadeiro clássico do homem morcego. Antes de Darwyn Cooke realizar "Ego" e fazer um estudo complexo sobre a mente do Batman, Frank Miller, o lendário roteirista e artista de quadrinhos, escreveu e ilustrou "Batman: O Cavaleiro das Trevas Retorna" (1986) e escreveu "Batman: Ano Um" (1987), sendo, também, dois clássicos do cavaleiro das trevas (Batman), em "Ano Um", Frank Miller mudou a origem do Batman e deu um novo significado ao seu simbolismo, essência, e o que Batman representa. Já em "Cavaleiro das Trevas Retorna", Miller foi o primeiro a executar um estudo profundo sobre a psique do Batman, suas personalidades, o legado do Batman e a sua luta interna, na obra, caso o leitor realmente a destrinche e estude a obra, ele verá que Batman não tem duas personalidades, ou uma, ele tem 3. Contudo, a visão de Batman ter três personalidades é muito complicada de perceber caso o leitor não seja um estudioso de Batman e queira estudar profundamente a obra "Cavaleiro das Trevas Retorna".
Depois de 13 anos (aproximadamente) das publicações dos clássicos feitos por Miller, Darwyn Cooke, em 2000, foi chamado para escrever uma história curta do Batman, e, Cooke, conhecido pelo seu traço artístico se assemelhar muito a de um desenho animado -- assemelhando-se a se a desenhos da época como "Batman: The Animated Series" de Bruce Tim, e, até mesmo, a ilustradores de quadrinhos que tiveram os seus traços adaptados para as telas, como os de Jack Kirby e Alex Toth--, aceitou a proposta, logicamente. Darwyn Cooke colocou na obra as três personalidades do Batman para conversar, sendo uma delas deixada 'no escanteio' (de lado da conversa principal), embora a obra tenha uma conversa entre as figuras que compõem o Batman para conversar, muitas pessoas não entenderam que há três personalidades, não duas. Também é, como em "Cavaleiro das Trevas Retorna", realizar uma leitura atenta e executar um estudo da obra, mas em "Ego" o leitor consegue perceber as três figuras mais rapidamente em comparação a obra de Miller.
Sob esse viés, é importante analisar as três pessoalidades que compõem o Batman. São elas: Bruce Wayne, o vaidoso, O Morcego, o medo, e Bruce Wayne, a criança bondosa cheia de amor. Geralmente, apenas as duas primeiras são vistas pelos leitores de Batman (mesmo que de forma errônea), a terceira figura não é tão lembrada, mas está lá no Batman. Bruce Wayne, o vaidoso, tem amigos, quer mostrar a sua riqueza, a sua inteligência, habilidade, ele não quer matar, ele possui amigos, já o Morcego, o medo, é uma figura que quer matar os criminosos, quer acabar com a corrupção através do medo, o medo sempre esteve em Bruce Wayne e apenas teve mais relevância dentro da mente do Batman quando os seus pais morreram no beco do crime, segundo o mesmo: "Eu não nasci, em sempre estive em você. E, naquela noite, eu ascendi...". A terceira personalidade de Batman, Bruce Wayne, a criança amadora e inocente, foi esquecida, não só pelos leitores, mas também pelo próprio Batman, ela existe no Batman, entretanto, está enterrada e tentando ser substituída por algo mais visceral -- talvez por alguma persona oriunda do Medo, o quadrinho, o quadrinho dá, em um momento, a entender isso, embora depois não seja mais mencionado é importante ressaltar que há essa intepretação --, primeiro começa com a conversa entre o Medo e o Vaidoso, depois é revelado a criança Bruce, e o Inocente conversa com as outras duas personas de forma indireta, o jovem Bruce Wayne cheio de amor foi sendo esquecido pelo Batman após a morte de seus pais, ali houve a perda da inocência.
Por fim, a história "Batman: Ego", de Darwyn Cooke, é, sem dúvida, um clássico do Batman e um estudo completo (que requer profundidade e inteligência do leitor para entender) sobre personalidades, traumas e conversas internas. Pondo em uma escala de 0 a 5, tem comigo 4.7 (9.4 na escala 0 a 10). Contudo, no good reads, a minha nota é de 4 estrelas, porque não tem como colocar nota quebrada, então preferi colocar 4 estrelas.
February 27, 2022
Cada día me gusta más y más las historias autoconclusivas, donde sólo es necesario entender un poco el trasfondo del protagonista, y en el caso que seas más fan de éste, obtendrás una cantidad mayor de referencias que harán un mayor deleite la obra. En tan sólo 64 páginas, Batman debe hacerse la pregunta del millón: ¿No será momento de matar a tus enemigos?.
Esta clásica pregunta marca un debate moral y filosófico sobre la identidad propia de un superhéroe. Por ejemplo, podríamos hacer referencia a la diferencia entre un The Punisher y un Daredevil, cada uno con posiciones opuestas sobre cómo hacer lo correcto. El justiciero desea tomar riendas del asunto con sus propias manos, a quién no le importa mancharse las manoscon tal de castigar el pecado, y por otra parte, el abogado de Hell’s Kitchen siente que traspasar ese límite hará que no puedas diferenciarse de las personas acusadas, dado que estarías haciendo lo mismo que ellos hacen, pero hacia ellos.
Es ahí donde este One-shot nos presenta el anterior debate descrito, el cual ha sido discusión desde tiempos inmemoriales. Todo comienza con una situación durísima que vive Batman, dado que ve como un delincuente que trabajaba para el Joker se suicida, considerando que es la única solución para este mundo que vive. Ahí es cuando Bruce se hace la pregunta: ¿Cuántas personas han muerto por no tomar la decisión de matar a la mente criminal? Es decir, lo sigo encerrado, él sigue saliendo, teniendo una clara desventaja, dado que su enemigo está dispuesto a matar a toda persona que se le interponga. Es en ese momento que viaja haciendo su Ego, a lo profundo de su ser para tener una lucha interna, haciendo alusión a diferentes momentos que tuvo con su familia que me hicieron emocionarme. Pero lamentablemente la reflexión de Bruce si bien es la que nosotros sabemos, termina en una simplificación sobre el viaje total, que si bien es el correcto, me deja con gusto a poco sobre la reflexión filosófica sobre qué es lo correcto. Entiendo de todas maneras que no es una respuesta fácil, existen muchos ejemplos donde ponen al protagonista con el dilema de matar, siendo que no deben hacerlo, y terminan utilizando distintas soluciones que a veces no dejan convencidos a los lectores, pero dejan una coherencia en el discurso del personaje. Aun así, estoy de acuerdo con Bruce, si jalamos el gatillo, finalmente perdemos la noción sobre si somos la víctima o el victimario.
Esta clásica pregunta marca un debate moral y filosófico sobre la identidad propia de un superhéroe. Por ejemplo, podríamos hacer referencia a la diferencia entre un The Punisher y un Daredevil, cada uno con posiciones opuestas sobre cómo hacer lo correcto. El justiciero desea tomar riendas del asunto con sus propias manos, a quién no le importa mancharse las manoscon tal de castigar el pecado, y por otra parte, el abogado de Hell’s Kitchen siente que traspasar ese límite hará que no puedas diferenciarse de las personas acusadas, dado que estarías haciendo lo mismo que ellos hacen, pero hacia ellos.
Es ahí donde este One-shot nos presenta el anterior debate descrito, el cual ha sido discusión desde tiempos inmemoriales. Todo comienza con una situación durísima que vive Batman, dado que ve como un delincuente que trabajaba para el Joker se suicida, considerando que es la única solución para este mundo que vive. Ahí es cuando Bruce se hace la pregunta: ¿Cuántas personas han muerto por no tomar la decisión de matar a la mente criminal? Es decir, lo sigo encerrado, él sigue saliendo, teniendo una clara desventaja, dado que su enemigo está dispuesto a matar a toda persona que se le interponga. Es en ese momento que viaja haciendo su Ego, a lo profundo de su ser para tener una lucha interna, haciendo alusión a diferentes momentos que tuvo con su familia que me hicieron emocionarme. Pero lamentablemente la reflexión de Bruce si bien es la que nosotros sabemos, termina en una simplificación sobre el viaje total, que si bien es el correcto, me deja con gusto a poco sobre la reflexión filosófica sobre qué es lo correcto. Entiendo de todas maneras que no es una respuesta fácil, existen muchos ejemplos donde ponen al protagonista con el dilema de matar, siendo que no deben hacerlo, y terminan utilizando distintas soluciones que a veces no dejan convencidos a los lectores, pero dejan una coherencia en el discurso del personaje. Aun así, estoy de acuerdo con Bruce, si jalamos el gatillo, finalmente perdemos la noción sobre si somos la víctima o el victimario.
January 31, 2025
Lamento no haber leído este cómic antes. Los dibujos de Darwyn Cooke son una maravilla y el dilema que plantea es fascinante. Explora una pregunta que cualquier fan de Batman se ha hecho en algún momento: ¿qué pasaría si Bruce Wayne y Batman pudieran hablar entre sí sobre sus decisiones? ¿Es Batman el alter ego de Bruce o es al revés? En esta historia, Batman se nos presenta como un héroe atormentado, impaciente ante su propio reflejo como un justiciero frustrado.
Me encanta cuando un autor retrata a Batman como un hombre marcado por su pasado, psicológicamente afectado y claramente apartado de lo que podría haber sido una vida normal y feliz. Aquí, Batman parece una racionalización interna para evitar que Bruce se derrumbe y termine como el Joker. Es la fe de Bruce en su cruzada lo que lo mantiene en pie, convencido de que sus acciones pueden generar un cambio real y prevenir más tragedias. Sin embargo, al ver que la ciudad no cambia tan rápido como él quisiera y que su lucha se convierte en un ciclo interminable de capturas y fugas, Batman empieza a cuestionar sus propios principios morales. La propuesta de Cooke en esta historia es simplemente brillante.
Si a esto sumamos DC: The New Frontier, queda claro que Cooke tenía una visión única y profunda sobre los personajes de DC. Si hay más obras suyas, dentro o fuera de este universo, sin duda merecen ser exploradas.
Me encanta cuando un autor retrata a Batman como un hombre marcado por su pasado, psicológicamente afectado y claramente apartado de lo que podría haber sido una vida normal y feliz. Aquí, Batman parece una racionalización interna para evitar que Bruce se derrumbe y termine como el Joker. Es la fe de Bruce en su cruzada lo que lo mantiene en pie, convencido de que sus acciones pueden generar un cambio real y prevenir más tragedias. Sin embargo, al ver que la ciudad no cambia tan rápido como él quisiera y que su lucha se convierte en un ciclo interminable de capturas y fugas, Batman empieza a cuestionar sus propios principios morales. La propuesta de Cooke en esta historia es simplemente brillante.
Si a esto sumamos DC: The New Frontier, queda claro que Cooke tenía una visión única y profunda sobre los personajes de DC. Si hay más obras suyas, dentro o fuera de este universo, sin duda merecen ser exploradas.
August 26, 2020
Batman: Ego, un descenso psicótico hacia la oscuridad del corazón de Bruce.
¿Por qué Bruce juró no matar a nadie mientras Gotham estuviese bajo su cuidado?
a) Porque su padre era médico.
b) Porque vio morir a sus padres.
c) Porque necesita seguir teniendo motivos para ser Batman.
Como si Bruce hubiera desarrollado un trastorno disociativo, Batman toma forma y se manifiesta ante él juzgando las decisiones que ha tomado durante su propósito: Ser el caballero de Gotham.
¿Por qué no ha matado al Joker?
a) Por su código de honor.
b) Porque necesita a su archinémesis.
La lucha entre la humanidad de Bruce y la bestialidad de Batman en 67 páginas.
Este one-shot lo recomiendo para adentrarse al nuevo Caballero de la noche que nos presentarán el año que viene con The Batman, dirigida por Matt Reeves.
¿Por qué Bruce juró no matar a nadie mientras Gotham estuviese bajo su cuidado?
a) Porque su padre era médico.
b) Porque vio morir a sus padres.
c) Porque necesita seguir teniendo motivos para ser Batman.
Como si Bruce hubiera desarrollado un trastorno disociativo, Batman toma forma y se manifiesta ante él juzgando las decisiones que ha tomado durante su propósito: Ser el caballero de Gotham.
¿Por qué no ha matado al Joker?
a) Por su código de honor.
b) Porque necesita a su archinémesis.
La lucha entre la humanidad de Bruce y la bestialidad de Batman en 67 páginas.
Este one-shot lo recomiendo para adentrarse al nuevo Caballero de la noche que nos presentarán el año que viene con The Batman, dirigida por Matt Reeves.
March 28, 2022
I read this after hearing Matt Reeves pulled inspiration from it for The Batman. It doesn’t disappoint. A character study on the two sides of Batman coexisting.
It dives into his psychological state being a tragedy survivor. How the murder of his parents scared him. How his fear from that moment has manifested into the Bat. As a symbol of hope to the people, he can make a difference. However, the symbol of fear that drives him sometimes gets the best of him.
Why uphold a code, or be so dedicated to the law even though it is all corrupt politics in his city. It’s about being something more. There are no big villains plots to uncover or baddies to put away at the forefront of this story. Just a man and his internal demons. A face to face conversation between Bruce and Batman.
So dang good.
It dives into his psychological state being a tragedy survivor. How the murder of his parents scared him. How his fear from that moment has manifested into the Bat. As a symbol of hope to the people, he can make a difference. However, the symbol of fear that drives him sometimes gets the best of him.
Why uphold a code, or be so dedicated to the law even though it is all corrupt politics in his city. It’s about being something more. There are no big villains plots to uncover or baddies to put away at the forefront of this story. Just a man and his internal demons. A face to face conversation between Bruce and Batman.
So dang good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2022
Poner frente a frente a Bruce Wayne y a Batman me parece una jugada muy inteligente a nivel narrativo, pues nos permite contemplar, desde una perspectiva poco usual, a uno de los personajes más emblemáticos del comic. “Batman: Ego” parece una historia sencilla; sin embargo, tiene muchas claves psicológicas que nos permitirán adentrarnos en el mundo interior de Batman / Bruce, conocer de cerca su Miedo (sí, en singular y con mayúscula), sus motivaciones y, sobre todo, sus contradicciones. Muchas referencias a Freud y muchos cuestionamientos al personaje hacen de “Batman: Ego” una verdadera joyita.
Mención aparte para el dibujo, que me ha parecido simplemente espectacular y, sobre todo, muy acertado para la historia que se cuenta.
Mención aparte para el dibujo, que me ha parecido simplemente espectacular y, sobre todo, muy acertado para la historia que se cuenta.
September 1, 2020
If only all one-shot graphic novels were this good!
Ego is a wonderfully realised tale that asks the question, where does Bruce Wayne end and Batman begin? Whilst tracking down the last member of Joker's crew, Batman is unable to stop the man killing himself through fear of Joker's reprisal. Exhausted, injured and wracked with guilt, Bruce Wayne questions whether he can continue in his fight against crime - only to be confronted by the very demon he is looking to expel.
Looking at notions of morals, justice and duty, Ego is a brilliant, introspective moment in time that shows us the man behind the cowl.
Well worth a read!
Ego is a wonderfully realised tale that asks the question, where does Bruce Wayne end and Batman begin? Whilst tracking down the last member of Joker's crew, Batman is unable to stop the man killing himself through fear of Joker's reprisal. Exhausted, injured and wracked with guilt, Bruce Wayne questions whether he can continue in his fight against crime - only to be confronted by the very demon he is looking to expel.
Looking at notions of morals, justice and duty, Ego is a brilliant, introspective moment in time that shows us the man behind the cowl.
Well worth a read!
February 16, 2022
ব্যাটম্যানের যে ক'টা কমিক পড়েছি তার মধ্যে এটা বেস্ট লেগেছে আমার কাছে। টিপিকাল ব্যাটম্যানের কমিক্সগুলোর এক্শন আর ডিটেক্টিভ লাইন থেকে সড়ে এসে এই কমিক ব্যাট্ম্যানকে মাটিতে নিয়ে এসে নিজের সাথে নিজের ব্যাটম্যান সত্ত্বাকে ভিড়িয়েছে। যা ব্যাটম্যান ওরফে ব্রুস ওয়েনের সেই মানসিক দিকটাকে হাঁইলাইট করে যা অনেক কমিক, অনেক এনিমেশন, অনেক লাইভ এক্শনই এড়িয়ে যায়।
দিনশেষে কাউলের নিচের মানুষটা একজন মানুষই। মানুষের মত তাকেও তার নেয়া সিদ্ধান্তগুলোর সম্মুখীন হতে হয়। ইচ্ছে করে সবকিছু ছেড়ে দিতে, কিন্তু আর পাঁচটা মানুষের মত তাকেও নিজের কাজে, নিজের দায়িত্বে ফিরে যেতে হয়। নিজেকে বুঝতে হয়, বুঝাতে হয়। নিজের সাথে, নিজের চিন্তাচেতনার সাথে লড়তে হয়।
দিনশেষে কাউলের নিচের মানুষটা একজন মানুষই। মানুষের মত তাকেও তার নেয়া সিদ্ধান্তগুলোর সম্মুখীন হতে হয়। ইচ্ছে করে সবকিছু ছেড়ে দিতে, কিন্তু আর পাঁচটা মানুষের মত তাকেও নিজের কাজে, নিজের দায়িত্বে ফিরে যেতে হয়। নিজেকে বুঝতে হয়, বুঝাতে হয়। নিজের সাথে, নিজের চিন্তাচেতনার সাথে লড়তে হয়।
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March 3, 2022Una fantástica representación de quién es Batman y quién es Bruce Wayne. Es mi retrato favorito del personaje: un hombre roto, un niño en cuerpo de adulto, con su mente fragmentada queriendo ayudar a los inocentes y castigar a los malvados, pero aquí duda de si su regla más famosa es un error, y la forma que tiene Darwyn Cooke (que en paz descanse) de mostrarlo es sensacional. Es de las mejores historias que he leído que aborden de forma tan compleja y a la vez sencilla la mente del cruzado enmascarado.
Si Matt Reeves nombró esto como inspiración para 'The Batman'... me van a sacar del cine en camilla, ¿verdad?
Si Matt Reeves nombró esto como inspiración para 'The Batman'... me van a sacar del cine en camilla, ¿verdad?
August 17, 2025
Increible historia corta del murcielago indagando en la introspección del personaje. Bruce ha formado un ego tan fuerte gracias a batman que incluso a él mismo le cuesta enfrentarlo cuando se halla dudoso debido a dilemas morales. Batman no solo sufre físicamente, psicologicamente vive martirizandose y buscando alguna reespuesta que le permita trabajar en paz. Ciertamente es una historia mas que esencial para entender la psique del personaje y el porqué de su modo de pensar. Además me parece curioso como coquetea con la idea de matar al Joker, algo que conforme pasan los años se ve como algo MUY NECESARIO, 9/10.
April 6, 2022
4.5 Stars
It's the most introspective Batman story I've ever read and I've loved it, all that conversation is impressively good, the usual questions about Batman are very well addressed and the mentions of other characters (like the villains) are fantastic, the art is excellent.
Es la historia más introspectiva que he leído de Batman y me ha encantado, toda esa conversación es impresionantemente buena, las preguntas usuales que se hacen acerca de Batman están muy bien abordadas y las menciones a otros personajes (como los villanos) son fantásticas, el arte es excelente.
It's the most introspective Batman story I've ever read and I've loved it, all that conversation is impressively good, the usual questions about Batman are very well addressed and the mentions of other characters (like the villains) are fantastic, the art is excellent.
Es la historia más introspectiva que he leído de Batman y me ha encantado, toda esa conversación es impresionantemente buena, las preguntas usuales que se hacen acerca de Batman están muy bien abordadas y las menciones a otros personajes (como los villanos) son fantásticas, el arte es excelente.
April 1, 2025
Este comic hace que el mismísimo Bruce Wayne le de una respuesta a todos aquellos fans que dicen que Batman debería causarle miedo a todo el mundo o debería matar:
"Tienes que entender que hay una línea que nunca deberemos cruzar. No mataremos. Es la única diferencia entre nosotros y ellos. Batman es un símbolo de terror para los criminales, pero también es un símbolo para la buena gente de esta ciudad. Un símbolo de esperanza."
"Tienes que entender que hay una línea que nunca deberemos cruzar. No mataremos. Es la única diferencia entre nosotros y ellos. Batman es un símbolo de terror para los criminales, pero también es un símbolo para la buena gente de esta ciudad. Un símbolo de esperanza."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2025
jason todd mention 🔒 but wtf did they do to his character why is his head a literal cone😟
brandon sklenar gtfo w ur “i wanna make batman as DARK as possible” 😭?????????? “comic accurate” MY ASS. batman is gotham’s symbol of hope. yes hes fear, but to the bad guys only. AND EVEN THEN they have hope, bc they know batman wont kill them. ever. so sick of people misinterpreting his character for some ruthless n cold killer
brandon sklenar gtfo w ur “i wanna make batman as DARK as possible” 😭?????????? “comic accurate” MY ASS. batman is gotham’s symbol of hope. yes hes fear, but to the bad guys only. AND EVEN THEN they have hope, bc they know batman wont kill them. ever. so sick of people misinterpreting his character for some ruthless n cold killer
July 25, 2018
I made it!
Seven days, seven stories and seven animated movies.
My little challenge is officially complete!
Batman: ego was a really "sweet end" to it.
We all know the conflict and struggle whish Bruce Wayne is doomed to live with his entire lifetime.
Ego take this concept and play with it in it's own way.
Which is good.
A real fun in one shot.
Seven days, seven stories and seven animated movies.
My little challenge is officially complete!
Batman: ego was a really "sweet end" to it.
We all know the conflict and struggle whish Bruce Wayne is doomed to live with his entire lifetime.
Ego take this concept and play with it in it's own way.
Which is good.
A real fun in one shot.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews