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Batman by Grant Morrison Omnibus #1
Batman by Grant Morrison Omnibus Vol. 1
The New York Times bestselling tales of Batman by Grant Morrison are now collected in their entirety in this oversize omnibus edition!
One of the greatest storytellers of his generation, Grant Morrison's arrival onto the Dark Knight was one of the most hyped debuts in industry history. This collection includes time-spanning epic graphic novels featuring the cataclysmic events of FINAL CRISIS and the introduction of Batman's son, Damian Wayne! These blockbuster stories featured a deconstruction of super hero comics like never before, with challenging, thought-provoking takes on the modern, four-color icons.
Collects BATMAN #655-658 and #663-683, stories from 52 #30 and#47 and DC Universe #0.
One of the greatest storytellers of his generation, Grant Morrison's arrival onto the Dark Knight was one of the most hyped debuts in industry history. This collection includes time-spanning epic graphic novels featuring the cataclysmic events of FINAL CRISIS and the introduction of Batman's son, Damian Wayne! These blockbuster stories featured a deconstruction of super hero comics like never before, with challenging, thought-provoking takes on the modern, four-color icons.
Collects BATMAN #655-658 and #663-683, stories from 52 #30 and#47 and DC Universe #0.
672 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
104 people are currently reading
1360 people want to read
About the author
Grant Morrison
1,784 books4,578 followersGrant Morrison has been working with DC Comics for twenty five years, after beginning their American comics career with acclaimed runs on ANIMAL MAN and DOOM PATROL. Since then they have written such best-selling series as JLA, BATMAN and New X-Men, as well as such creator-owned works as THE INVISIBLES, SEAGUY, THE FILTH, WE3 and JOE THE BARBARIAN. In addition to expanding the DC Universe through titles ranging from the Eisner Award-winning SEVEN SOLDIERS and ALL-STAR SUPERMAN to the reality-shattering epic of FINAL CRISIS, they have also reinvented the worlds of the Dark Knight Detective in BATMAN AND ROBIN and BATMAN, INCORPORATED and the Man of Steel in The New 52 ACTION COMICS.
In their secret identity, Morrison is a "counterculture" spokesperson, a musician, an award-winning playwright and a chaos magician. They are also the author of the New York Times bestseller Supergods, a groundbreaking psycho-historic mapping of the superhero as a cultural organism. They divide their time between their homes in Los Angeles and Scotland.
In their secret identity, Morrison is a "counterculture" spokesperson, a musician, an award-winning playwright and a chaos magician. They are also the author of the New York Times bestseller Supergods, a groundbreaking psycho-historic mapping of the superhero as a cultural organism. They divide their time between their homes in Los Angeles and Scotland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
October 26, 2023
Dark, wacky, tender, adventurous, inventive, surreal, and always boldly illustrated, Morrison’s Batman is an archivist’s dream. A new son, psychological warfare, romance, super villain conspiracy, Batman deals with it all.
September 7, 2018
This is the first of three omnibus editions collecting the entirety of Grant Morrison's spectacular Batman run. It includes Batman and Son, The Black Glove and Batman RIP, as well as two Morrison-written issues of The Resurrection of Ra's Al Ghul (with the rest of the story arc tied together by Chris Burnham-penned and drawn recaps) and two issues that tie into Final Crisis (again, with only recaps of the event itself to get you more or less up to speed). Despite Batman being one of the most mainstream and popular comic books out there, I'd say that Morrison's run is a pretty challenging read, but it's also incredibly rewarding if you follow it attentively and with an open mind. It also features gorgeous oversized art from DC's top talent like JH Williams III, Tony Daniel and Andy Kubert (SO much better than Adam). It's definitely in my top two favourite Batman runs (the second one being Tom King's), and it's a must-read for every fan of the character. Can't wait for volumes 2 and 3 so that I can finally have the entire run at a moment's notice, hopefully in the correct reading order!
December 13, 2021
What an epic volume this was!
It actually took me multiple sittings to finish this one and it focuses on Batman as he is introduced to his son Damian and the whole thing with Talia and dealing with the son and then him being the next Robin and how it brings challenges in the family and dealing with Dr Hurt and whatever happens there with the Black Glove which was such a great story aka Black glove, its just too good and one of the most psychedelics story you will ever read and might think that you're yourself going crazy and that proves how well the story is written.
Plus the thing with Batman of Zurr-en-errah was one of the greatest uses of Golden age concepts and doing it well and team up with the Club of Heroes aka the future Batman Inc and how Batman fits perfectly with these heroes!
Plus the big Final crisis event with Darkseid making his play vs the DCU to make them submit to him in the final crisis and how the heroes fight back and its really well written and how Batman saves the world but what happens to him changes the character forever and its one of the greatest moments in DC and the tie-ins shows the state of Batman as he is fighting psychic torture and that was one of the best parts which shows how tragic-ness makes Batman even stronger but the ending of the story leads to some great returns or points towards one!
Overall its a great read and just shows why Morrisons is the best Batman run ever!
It actually took me multiple sittings to finish this one and it focuses on Batman as he is introduced to his son Damian and the whole thing with Talia and dealing with the son and then him being the next Robin and how it brings challenges in the family and dealing with Dr Hurt and whatever happens there with the Black Glove which was such a great story aka Black glove, its just too good and one of the most psychedelics story you will ever read and might think that you're yourself going crazy and that proves how well the story is written.
Plus the thing with Batman of Zurr-en-errah was one of the greatest uses of Golden age concepts and doing it well and team up with the Club of Heroes aka the future Batman Inc and how Batman fits perfectly with these heroes!
Plus the big Final crisis event with Darkseid making his play vs the DCU to make them submit to him in the final crisis and how the heroes fight back and its really well written and how Batman saves the world but what happens to him changes the character forever and its one of the greatest moments in DC and the tie-ins shows the state of Batman as he is fighting psychic torture and that was one of the best parts which shows how tragic-ness makes Batman even stronger but the ending of the story leads to some great returns or points towards one!
Overall its a great read and just shows why Morrisons is the best Batman run ever!
February 11, 2025
It starts slow, so slow in fact I started to get confused what the fuzz is all about... it just seems to be your regular run of the mill batman stuff. Then it covers those faults with getting nostalgic and with pulling on our heartstrings, just that kept my enthusiasm in check.
But from the middle onwards it gets cooking, till it just blows the lid straight off. This Batman of Zur-en-arrh was so whack, hilarious and great at the same time, I loved every last bit of it. I want a statue of him in my living room and a whole series just about the confused bit in Gotham.
The last two issues in here are just the icing on the cake with "what the butler saw" how it recaps everything mayor happening to Batman in a neat and interesting way.
This Omnibus is a roller coaster ride in terms of story, it has the worst batman issue in there ("the clown at midnight", really didn't age well) but ends on some of the best I've read.
I just enjoyed it too much overall. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars.
But from the middle onwards it gets cooking, till it just blows the lid straight off. This Batman of Zur-en-arrh was so whack, hilarious and great at the same time, I loved every last bit of it. I want a statue of him in my living room and a whole series just about the confused bit in Gotham.
The last two issues in here are just the icing on the cake with "what the butler saw" how it recaps everything mayor happening to Batman in a neat and interesting way.
This Omnibus is a roller coaster ride in terms of story, it has the worst batman issue in there ("the clown at midnight", really didn't age well) but ends on some of the best I've read.
I just enjoyed it too much overall. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars.
March 24, 2021
Grant Morrison's time with Batman was a famous one. He did a lot to gather in all the different DC backgrounds and make it all "one timeline". This Omnibus collects his work. Coming in at a hefty 700 pages it is a collection of some great Morrison stories. From "Batman & Son", "Batman: The Black Glove" and "Batman R.I.P." they are all included in their entirety. The artwork is quite good throughout this massive tome.
The Black Glove has a plan to destroy Batman. This story is the start of the compendium and then begins to branch out. We find out that, with all the stories, there is someone behind all of it. What follows is a mind bending romp through Batman's world. Morrison's run covers a lot of big events from Damian Wayne being introduced, to the entire Batman RIP that ties into Final Crisis.
Morrison's Batman is the consummate Super-Hero and not a man to take lightly. He's been at the top of his game for a long time and woe betide the superbeing, or even god, that underestimates him. The Damien Wayne as Robin was always interesting. I like Damien, but appreciated seeing him also as a spoiled little brat, at the start.
From big cosmic level events to a deep-dive into the mentality that drives Batman, Morrison's work contains a little of everything. Great art helps to tell the story. I am very glad to add this rather handsome HC edition to my collection and would urge any Batman fan to do the same.
The Black Glove has a plan to destroy Batman. This story is the start of the compendium and then begins to branch out. We find out that, with all the stories, there is someone behind all of it. What follows is a mind bending romp through Batman's world. Morrison's run covers a lot of big events from Damian Wayne being introduced, to the entire Batman RIP that ties into Final Crisis.
Morrison's Batman is the consummate Super-Hero and not a man to take lightly. He's been at the top of his game for a long time and woe betide the superbeing, or even god, that underestimates him. The Damien Wayne as Robin was always interesting. I like Damien, but appreciated seeing him also as a spoiled little brat, at the start.
From big cosmic level events to a deep-dive into the mentality that drives Batman, Morrison's work contains a little of everything. Great art helps to tell the story. I am very glad to add this rather handsome HC edition to my collection and would urge any Batman fan to do the same.
January 10, 2021
Batman by Grant Morrison Omnibus: Volume One contains Batman material from #655-658, 663-683, DC Universe #0, and 52 #30 and 47.
I originally read these stories as part of Batman & Son, Batman: The Black Glove, and Batman RIP when they were released in trade paperback. A few years ago, I purged my collection but had the lingering desire to reread these stories at some point. A deal for this omnibus and the second one fell into my lap sometime around Thanksgiving so I took the plunge.
Grant Morrison isn't my favorite comic writer. I either love what he does or don't know what the hell is going on. Fortunately, this book falls into the second category. "It all happened" is Grant Morrison's inspiration for this, something to tie together and reconcile the zany Batman stories of the 1950s and early 60s with the grim Batman of the 1980s and beyond.
Over the course of the book, Batman meets his son, fights Man-Bat ninjas, falls in love, battles a vast conspiracy, and winds up buried alive. There's a lot more than that but it's hard to sum up around 700 pages in a sentence or two.
The art is a mixed bag. Any Kubert, JH Williams, and Tony S. Daniel are great but some of the other art wasn't quite up to snuff. Damian looked ten in some cases and twenty in others. Some of the art felt like it was from 1995 rather than 2005.
On the second time through these stories, I noticed a lot of groundwork being laid early on, like the Zur-En-Arrh graffiti and mention of criminals that Batman wouldn't encounter for another year and a half. As much as I rag on modern Batman, Morrison weaves a great series of tales.
I honestly don't have a ton of gripes with this volume. The stuff with Batman on Apokalips was strange but needed because of Final Crisis. I also didn't care for Sensei being revealed as R'as Al Ghul's father. That just seemed odd to me.
Batman by Grant Morrison Omnibus: Volume One is some of the best modern Batman material out there. 4.5 out of 5 Batarangs.
I originally read these stories as part of Batman & Son, Batman: The Black Glove, and Batman RIP when they were released in trade paperback. A few years ago, I purged my collection but had the lingering desire to reread these stories at some point. A deal for this omnibus and the second one fell into my lap sometime around Thanksgiving so I took the plunge.
Grant Morrison isn't my favorite comic writer. I either love what he does or don't know what the hell is going on. Fortunately, this book falls into the second category. "It all happened" is Grant Morrison's inspiration for this, something to tie together and reconcile the zany Batman stories of the 1950s and early 60s with the grim Batman of the 1980s and beyond.
Over the course of the book, Batman meets his son, fights Man-Bat ninjas, falls in love, battles a vast conspiracy, and winds up buried alive. There's a lot more than that but it's hard to sum up around 700 pages in a sentence or two.
The art is a mixed bag. Any Kubert, JH Williams, and Tony S. Daniel are great but some of the other art wasn't quite up to snuff. Damian looked ten in some cases and twenty in others. Some of the art felt like it was from 1995 rather than 2005.
On the second time through these stories, I noticed a lot of groundwork being laid early on, like the Zur-En-Arrh graffiti and mention of criminals that Batman wouldn't encounter for another year and a half. As much as I rag on modern Batman, Morrison weaves a great series of tales.
I honestly don't have a ton of gripes with this volume. The stuff with Batman on Apokalips was strange but needed because of Final Crisis. I also didn't care for Sensei being revealed as R'as Al Ghul's father. That just seemed odd to me.
Batman by Grant Morrison Omnibus: Volume One is some of the best modern Batman material out there. 4.5 out of 5 Batarangs.
November 13, 2023
My 800th book of the year! I hit my goal! YAY!
So onto Batman by Grant Morrison. There's 3 major parts to his run and this one basically is the Bruce Wayne part of it. And so we begin with Bruce trying to be more...well Bruce. He's Batman so much even his own Butler is like, Bruce, stop doing the deep heavy voice like your Batman all the time.
But soon we get introduced to Damien. This is Batman's son and oh boy, the reveal is pretty great. We have Batman facing off against a bunch of Man Bats and then bam, after waking up, he's left with Damien having a sword to his neck and introducing himself.
This leads to Bruce taking him in and trying to figure out what to do. But this is Damien trained by the league and his insane mother, so he's vicious, a asshole, and beats the living shit out of Tim and even offends alfred. So that's a big HELL no. The arc is insanely fun and has great moments throughout and my favorite of the bunch in here.
Soon after we revert to the Black Glove mystery arc. This almost feels scooby doo but in a fun way. A nice twist at the end, great art, and a more fun story than I originally thought was great. If like the light hearted part of a Batman story this one might hit the check mark for you! Oh and also we get Tim as Robin more and that's wonderful.
Then we head into a arc that introduces the concept of Batman training 3 cops to help take down crime incase he wasn't able to. And one of these cops, fully dressed up as a Batman, come into play and try to hunt down Bruce. It's pretty great, little mind twisty, and a fantastic payoff that helps build up the RIP arc next.
And RIP is Doctor Hurt, a person who hates both Batman and Bruce, going after Bruce where it hurts. Taking aim for his mind. And when Bruce is near insane, he unleashed a much more sinister, no holds bar Batman who WILL get shit done. So this crazy last arc leads to Bruce going head to head with the Black Glove organization in a nice bloody battle.
Overall this volume was a lot stronger than when I read it in 2015. It holds up, but even more so it reads better after years of reading Batman stories from the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. The mixture of fun, violent, and over the top adventures really help Morrison have a ton of fun with this cast. On top of that some of the best Batman art ever is here by Tony Daniels, and many more. And overall this is just a fast paced really fun Omnibus that I read in 3 days.
If like Batman and read a decent amount I think this is well worth jumping into. It has flaws like sometimes sloppy and confusing jumping scene scene that Morrison is known for. Also it doesn't take itself too seriously and can be overly goofy at times. And the Black Glove arc in the middle is the weakest portion.
But still so fun and worth reading. And originally would have rated this a overall 2 out of 5 storyline but now re-reading this all 8 years later it is a easy 3.5 out of 5 and well worth the admission price for this one.
So onto Batman by Grant Morrison. There's 3 major parts to his run and this one basically is the Bruce Wayne part of it. And so we begin with Bruce trying to be more...well Bruce. He's Batman so much even his own Butler is like, Bruce, stop doing the deep heavy voice like your Batman all the time.
But soon we get introduced to Damien. This is Batman's son and oh boy, the reveal is pretty great. We have Batman facing off against a bunch of Man Bats and then bam, after waking up, he's left with Damien having a sword to his neck and introducing himself.
This leads to Bruce taking him in and trying to figure out what to do. But this is Damien trained by the league and his insane mother, so he's vicious, a asshole, and beats the living shit out of Tim and even offends alfred. So that's a big HELL no. The arc is insanely fun and has great moments throughout and my favorite of the bunch in here.
Soon after we revert to the Black Glove mystery arc. This almost feels scooby doo but in a fun way. A nice twist at the end, great art, and a more fun story than I originally thought was great. If like the light hearted part of a Batman story this one might hit the check mark for you! Oh and also we get Tim as Robin more and that's wonderful.
Then we head into a arc that introduces the concept of Batman training 3 cops to help take down crime incase he wasn't able to. And one of these cops, fully dressed up as a Batman, come into play and try to hunt down Bruce. It's pretty great, little mind twisty, and a fantastic payoff that helps build up the RIP arc next.
And RIP is Doctor Hurt, a person who hates both Batman and Bruce, going after Bruce where it hurts. Taking aim for his mind. And when Bruce is near insane, he unleashed a much more sinister, no holds bar Batman who WILL get shit done. So this crazy last arc leads to Bruce going head to head with the Black Glove organization in a nice bloody battle.
Overall this volume was a lot stronger than when I read it in 2015. It holds up, but even more so it reads better after years of reading Batman stories from the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. The mixture of fun, violent, and over the top adventures really help Morrison have a ton of fun with this cast. On top of that some of the best Batman art ever is here by Tony Daniels, and many more. And overall this is just a fast paced really fun Omnibus that I read in 3 days.
If like Batman and read a decent amount I think this is well worth jumping into. It has flaws like sometimes sloppy and confusing jumping scene scene that Morrison is known for. Also it doesn't take itself too seriously and can be overly goofy at times. And the Black Glove arc in the middle is the weakest portion.
But still so fun and worth reading. And originally would have rated this a overall 2 out of 5 storyline but now re-reading this all 8 years later it is a easy 3.5 out of 5 and well worth the admission price for this one.
January 9, 2024
So I first read omnibus 2 and now got to omnibus 1, such is the fate of buying secondhand books.
Anyhow the art is hit and miss, this omnibus has two other big stories interfering with the main storyline one of which has two tales about the ressurection of the grandfather of his son Damian. And some other parts of this tale are not included in this omnibus, which is frustrating.
Then there are some stories that felt like I was hallucinating and made little sense. This collection was certainly not my favorite collection. I guess this is just not my cup of batman tea.
Anyhow the art is hit and miss, this omnibus has two other big stories interfering with the main storyline one of which has two tales about the ressurection of the grandfather of his son Damian. And some other parts of this tale are not included in this omnibus, which is frustrating.
Then there are some stories that felt like I was hallucinating and made little sense. This collection was certainly not my favorite collection. I guess this is just not my cup of batman tea.
April 2, 2022
This was a massive collection of some of the darker times (and that's saying something) of Batman as imagined and brought to life by Grant Morrison. Over the years, most superheroes have had more than one hand in their trials, adventures, and self-realization, and this is an extensive collection of Morrison's vision of the dark knight.
Included in this Omnibus: BATMAN #655-658 and #663-683, stories from 52 #30 and#47, and DC Universe #0.
The art is beautiful and, at other times, chaotic, but there is a merge in between. Yet it is always enjoyable to behold. Morrison is known for his non-linear storytelling, which becomes incredibly clear in an omnibus such as this. It feels like picking lines of a story out of his mind. It is my biggest complaint, but it is set up true to his mad scientist creation.
If you are a fan of Batman, it would be a travesty to miss out on this collection of his dark times and some of the best villain interactions, and the stories that include his son.
4 stars for me.
Included in this Omnibus: BATMAN #655-658 and #663-683, stories from 52 #30 and#47, and DC Universe #0.
The art is beautiful and, at other times, chaotic, but there is a merge in between. Yet it is always enjoyable to behold. Morrison is known for his non-linear storytelling, which becomes incredibly clear in an omnibus such as this. It feels like picking lines of a story out of his mind. It is my biggest complaint, but it is set up true to his mad scientist creation.
If you are a fan of Batman, it would be a travesty to miss out on this collection of his dark times and some of the best villain interactions, and the stories that include his son.
4 stars for me.
September 17, 2018
At times the art was confusing and other times the plot was confusing. But sometimes they were both great. I think that just comes with the territory when you’re reading Morrison. In that respect, it does remind me a lot of Morrison’s New X-Men run. So if you like that, then you’ll probably like this.
July 15, 2018
Nach den X-Men hat Grant Morrison einen superstarken Batman-Run hingelegt, der mir sehr gut gefallen hat. Die komplexen Stories lesen sich nicht ganz einfach und sind ziemlich abgedreht, und man darf hier wohl von einem Dark Dark Knight sprechen; ich glaube, soviel Splatter gab es vorher noch nie im DCU.
Die Artwork ist absolut auf der Höhe ihrer Zeit und auch nach heutigen Maßstäben immer noch großartig und innovativ. Das Seitendesign ist so gelungen, dass sich viele Seiten als Poster anbieten würden.
Die Artwork ist absolut auf der Höhe ihrer Zeit und auch nach heutigen Maßstäben immer noch großartig und innovativ. Das Seitendesign ist so gelungen, dass sich viele Seiten als Poster anbieten würden.
January 15, 2019
Where do I start for this?
Alright I'll start that I got this for Christmas from my lovely girlfriend, and was overjoyed at having it. Because even though I own Grant Morrison's entire run on Batman and other Batman stories he has written, it's just so damn pretty.
So when it comes to Grant Morrison's Batman run I'm in love. I love the art, the respect to continuity, the heavy plot, the trippy consistant change of perspective in Batman R.I.P and the Batman Final Crisis issues. To be short I adore this omnibus, it even includes the two issues of Resurrection of R'as Al Ghul that he wrote, even though that event wasn't very good.
What this includes is:
Batman and Son
Batman the Black Glove
Those two issues I mentioned
Backup stories from 52
Batman R.I.P (and the two page prelude)
The two issues of Batman from Final Crisis
What it doesn't:
Batman:Gothic
Batman Arkham Asylum
Final Crisis
That Black Casebook collection with old Batman issues
Each time I read Grant Morrison's Batman I get something new out of the experience. It is a story, a run, an on going that could not have happened without continuity, and it helps exceedingly so to be familiar with the continuity of Batman and the DC universe to fully understand the weight and get the most out of the story. Hell the first time I picked up R.I.P was after discovering Long Halloween, Year One, Dark Victory, and Arkham Asylum. I didn't have much context for comic runs or long form storytelling in comics. So I didn't continue because of how confused I was. But I came back, a few years later and with more comics under my belt and a partial to working knowledge of the DC universe and an even larger reference point for Batman's long and twisting continuity, and I was hooked.
Batman by Grant Morrison goes down easy, because it's so good. I love it. The way he introduces Damien, how he writes the Bruce and Alfred relationship and has little winks and jokes peppered in to make it believable that these two have been at it for years. It starts with Bruce having to refresh his Bruce Wayne identity because he's been neglecting it, and Alfred remarks that the voice he used to have to practice he speaks in all the time now. The Damien comes in and rocks their worlds as something that happened a long time ago and has been hidden from Bruce's eyes.
But here's the thing, it isn't like your typical skrull plot where these heroes haven't been here for years. No it's done in such a way that you totally buy it, because it flows from how these characters have changed. Talia used to be the melodramatic daughter of an immortal crimelord who loved her fathers worst enemy but because she has changed from that into her own crimelord you buy that she stole Batman's DNA to clone a perfect son with Batman's DNA. It's very well done.
Then a cool murder mystery with Batman and the Black glove and a meeting of the worlds superhero legion with different heroes from different countrys. And some stuff from Ressurection of R'as Al Ghul.
Then Batman R.I.P, one of my favorite Batman stories that relies on the previous stories as well as the silver age and the Bat god written Batman who prepares for everything. And it turns my least favorite trope of Batman always falling in love and wanting to give up "the life" on its head.
I love this collection and if you haven't read it you should give it a shot because it's worth your time.
5 stars.
Alright I'll start that I got this for Christmas from my lovely girlfriend, and was overjoyed at having it. Because even though I own Grant Morrison's entire run on Batman and other Batman stories he has written, it's just so damn pretty.
So when it comes to Grant Morrison's Batman run I'm in love. I love the art, the respect to continuity, the heavy plot, the trippy consistant change of perspective in Batman R.I.P and the Batman Final Crisis issues. To be short I adore this omnibus, it even includes the two issues of Resurrection of R'as Al Ghul that he wrote, even though that event wasn't very good.
What this includes is:
Batman and Son
Batman the Black Glove
Those two issues I mentioned
Backup stories from 52
Batman R.I.P (and the two page prelude)
The two issues of Batman from Final Crisis
What it doesn't:
Batman:Gothic
Batman Arkham Asylum
Final Crisis
That Black Casebook collection with old Batman issues
Each time I read Grant Morrison's Batman I get something new out of the experience. It is a story, a run, an on going that could not have happened without continuity, and it helps exceedingly so to be familiar with the continuity of Batman and the DC universe to fully understand the weight and get the most out of the story. Hell the first time I picked up R.I.P was after discovering Long Halloween, Year One, Dark Victory, and Arkham Asylum. I didn't have much context for comic runs or long form storytelling in comics. So I didn't continue because of how confused I was. But I came back, a few years later and with more comics under my belt and a partial to working knowledge of the DC universe and an even larger reference point for Batman's long and twisting continuity, and I was hooked.
Batman by Grant Morrison goes down easy, because it's so good. I love it. The way he introduces Damien, how he writes the Bruce and Alfred relationship and has little winks and jokes peppered in to make it believable that these two have been at it for years. It starts with Bruce having to refresh his Bruce Wayne identity because he's been neglecting it, and Alfred remarks that the voice he used to have to practice he speaks in all the time now. The Damien comes in and rocks their worlds as something that happened a long time ago and has been hidden from Bruce's eyes.
But here's the thing, it isn't like your typical skrull plot where these heroes haven't been here for years. No it's done in such a way that you totally buy it, because it flows from how these characters have changed. Talia used to be the melodramatic daughter of an immortal crimelord who loved her fathers worst enemy but because she has changed from that into her own crimelord you buy that she stole Batman's DNA to clone a perfect son with Batman's DNA. It's very well done.
Then a cool murder mystery with Batman and the Black glove and a meeting of the worlds superhero legion with different heroes from different countrys. And some stuff from Ressurection of R'as Al Ghul.
Then Batman R.I.P, one of my favorite Batman stories that relies on the previous stories as well as the silver age and the Bat god written Batman who prepares for everything. And it turns my least favorite trope of Batman always falling in love and wanting to give up "the life" on its head.
I love this collection and if you haven't read it you should give it a shot because it's worth your time.
5 stars.
November 17, 2019
This collection is massive, beautifully illustrated, and well-written. It's no wonder that Grant Morrison is a staple in the Batman writer's room.
July 16, 2019
Wacky weird glorius fun. Amazing stuff
July 26, 2020
Some of my favorite Batman material. Great reading!
March 21, 2025
this re-read was maybe the fastest i've ever read anything...Morrison's Batman is engrossing, ridiculously dense serialised storytelling...and it takes advantage of the storied history of the character in a way i've honestly never seen anywhere else...and now that i have (a majority of) the reading context to get the full effect...it's like crack honestly...like i could read this shit endlessly forever
while i'll save my full analysis and feelings toward the run for the more conclusive second and third volumes of this collection...i do love how self-contained the first volume can be, that it stands alone as a kaleidoscopic experience that dissects the idea of Batman from every angle, pulling apart the man behind the legend, asking what a man that has been driven relentlessly toward human perfection throughout a life (publication history) filled with trauma could possibly do with himself this late in the game
the thesis statement is that Batman has to experience death and then rebirth to move forward...it's a probing work that puts the dude through the ringer, stretching across genre and pulling from all places to get a truly epic feel...and ultimately we're left with little answers as to where exactly he can go from here, only the assurance that good will always prevail even as the "hole in things" remains, that hunger that can never be satiated (i.e. the need for serialization)
not to get ahead of myself, but the motif that concludes Final Crisis, that the strength of the medium is in the "TO BE CONTINUED"...is inverted in relation to Batman vs Superman...there's a need to drive that story forward that almost necessitates he can never be happy, his fight can never be won, and all that's left to examine is the nature of that fight...if some peace can be found in that continuous state of flux...and i feel like the next two volumes answer that question in extremely different ways
so tune in next time as i analyze Final Crisis and Morrison's next two volumes of Batman...same Bat time, same Bat channel!!
while i'll save my full analysis and feelings toward the run for the more conclusive second and third volumes of this collection...i do love how self-contained the first volume can be, that it stands alone as a kaleidoscopic experience that dissects the idea of Batman from every angle, pulling apart the man behind the legend, asking what a man that has been driven relentlessly toward human perfection throughout a life (publication history) filled with trauma could possibly do with himself this late in the game
the thesis statement is that Batman has to experience death and then rebirth to move forward...it's a probing work that puts the dude through the ringer, stretching across genre and pulling from all places to get a truly epic feel...and ultimately we're left with little answers as to where exactly he can go from here, only the assurance that good will always prevail even as the "hole in things" remains, that hunger that can never be satiated (i.e. the need for serialization)
not to get ahead of myself, but the motif that concludes Final Crisis, that the strength of the medium is in the "TO BE CONTINUED"...is inverted in relation to Batman vs Superman...there's a need to drive that story forward that almost necessitates he can never be happy, his fight can never be won, and all that's left to examine is the nature of that fight...if some peace can be found in that continuous state of flux...and i feel like the next two volumes answer that question in extremely different ways
so tune in next time as i analyze Final Crisis and Morrison's next two volumes of Batman...same Bat time, same Bat channel!!
January 18, 2026
I was beyond excited to finally dive into this iconic Grant Morrison Batman story. Morrison is easily one of my favorite writers, and this absolutely lived up to both his name and the hype surrounding it.
This first omnibus is a wild ride from start to finish. It genuinely feels like an emotional roller coaster, but in all the best ways.
First and foremost, this book is unapologetically comic-booky, and I mean that as the highest compliment. The themes and tone fully embrace the medium, taking you on an adventure filled with wonder, action, comedy, depth, and moments of thrilling mystery. It actually made me even more excited knowing James Gunn has referenced Grant Morrison’s work with Damian when talking about Batman in the DCU, because this story captures a lot of the tone I personally want from that version of the character.
Damian Wayne’s introduction here is fascinating, especially given how polarizing he’s always been among fans. I’ve heard wildly mixed takes over the years, and now I completely understand why. Damian has grown on me a lot over time, and I really enjoy him as a member of the Bat-Family, but early on in this book he honestly annoyed the hell out of me. And I think that’s actually a huge strength of the writing. He’s Bruce Wayne’s biological son, barely a preteen, raised entirely by Talia al Ghul and the League of Assassins. Of course he’s a cocky, violent, know-it-all little menace. Grant Morrison absolutely nails that attitude and personality. It made parts of the read challenging at times because, man, he was insufferable—but watching him slowly grow on me throughout the story made his introduction feel earned. By the end, I was fully invested and excited to see where his arc goes in the next volume.
Early on, some elements of the story felt a bit scattered and confusing, but once I hit the halfway point, everything began to click into place. I found myself completely hooked on the larger mystery unfolding behind the scenes. The moment Bruce is forced to choose between Damian and Tim in relation to Ra’s al Ghul is where I knew the story was about to hit another level, and it absolutely delivered.
As for Talia… yeah, she’s completely unhinged. What she did to Bruce is disturbing and deeply wrong, but I do understand what Morrison was aiming for. She’s violent, manipulative, power-hungry, and utterly devoted to Ra’s. An act that immoral and extreme sadly feels in character for someone like her, even if it remains unsettling the more you think about it.
The Black Glove storyline pulled me in more and more as the book progressed. I don’t always love the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh, but here it felt far more fitting than in other stories I’ve read. This entire run feels like the ultimate stress test for Bruce Wayne—against his own mind, his anger, his doubt, and the consequences of his choices. While people often argue that Batman always has some secret plan that gives him impenetrable plot armor, that didn’t feel true here. He knew something bigger was happening, but he didn’t know what. He still had to adapt, improvise, and stay sharp in the face of constant uncertainty, which made the story feel grounded in a very human way.
Morrison’s writing is phenomenal throughout, and the art feels wonderfully classic. Certain panels and covers genuinely made me stop reading just to appreciate how striking and creative they were.
Overall, this book absolutely lived up to its reputation. It was chaotic, emotional, challenging, and endlessly entertaining. A true roller coaster of a read—and a hell of a good time. I’m very much looking forward to continuing with the next volume and seeing where this journey goes next.
This first omnibus is a wild ride from start to finish. It genuinely feels like an emotional roller coaster, but in all the best ways.
First and foremost, this book is unapologetically comic-booky, and I mean that as the highest compliment. The themes and tone fully embrace the medium, taking you on an adventure filled with wonder, action, comedy, depth, and moments of thrilling mystery. It actually made me even more excited knowing James Gunn has referenced Grant Morrison’s work with Damian when talking about Batman in the DCU, because this story captures a lot of the tone I personally want from that version of the character.
Damian Wayne’s introduction here is fascinating, especially given how polarizing he’s always been among fans. I’ve heard wildly mixed takes over the years, and now I completely understand why. Damian has grown on me a lot over time, and I really enjoy him as a member of the Bat-Family, but early on in this book he honestly annoyed the hell out of me. And I think that’s actually a huge strength of the writing. He’s Bruce Wayne’s biological son, barely a preteen, raised entirely by Talia al Ghul and the League of Assassins. Of course he’s a cocky, violent, know-it-all little menace. Grant Morrison absolutely nails that attitude and personality. It made parts of the read challenging at times because, man, he was insufferable—but watching him slowly grow on me throughout the story made his introduction feel earned. By the end, I was fully invested and excited to see where his arc goes in the next volume.
Early on, some elements of the story felt a bit scattered and confusing, but once I hit the halfway point, everything began to click into place. I found myself completely hooked on the larger mystery unfolding behind the scenes. The moment Bruce is forced to choose between Damian and Tim in relation to Ra’s al Ghul is where I knew the story was about to hit another level, and it absolutely delivered.
As for Talia… yeah, she’s completely unhinged. What she did to Bruce is disturbing and deeply wrong, but I do understand what Morrison was aiming for. She’s violent, manipulative, power-hungry, and utterly devoted to Ra’s. An act that immoral and extreme sadly feels in character for someone like her, even if it remains unsettling the more you think about it.
The Black Glove storyline pulled me in more and more as the book progressed. I don’t always love the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh, but here it felt far more fitting than in other stories I’ve read. This entire run feels like the ultimate stress test for Bruce Wayne—against his own mind, his anger, his doubt, and the consequences of his choices. While people often argue that Batman always has some secret plan that gives him impenetrable plot armor, that didn’t feel true here. He knew something bigger was happening, but he didn’t know what. He still had to adapt, improvise, and stay sharp in the face of constant uncertainty, which made the story feel grounded in a very human way.
Morrison’s writing is phenomenal throughout, and the art feels wonderfully classic. Certain panels and covers genuinely made me stop reading just to appreciate how striking and creative they were.
Overall, this book absolutely lived up to its reputation. It was chaotic, emotional, challenging, and endlessly entertaining. A true roller coaster of a read—and a hell of a good time. I’m very much looking forward to continuing with the next volume and seeing where this journey goes next.
June 29, 2023
(Zero spoiler review) 3.75/5
It's a sad fact, although I've learnt to be wary of Mr. Morrison. There was a time when his name was synonymous with absolute quality, and just the mention of his name on any book was enough to warrant an instant, anxiety free purchase. Sadly, the man has burned me one too many times, and as such, I've learnt to be considerably more discerning. Had you asked me about halfway through this one, I would have likely thrown the book at you, and swore I was never touching the man's writing again. Thankfully, the second half of this book happened, restoring a modicum of my faith, and making the next two of his Batman omnibus' I have sitting on my shelf a far less daunting prospect. It was good to be sure, all things considered, although a long way from great. The Long Halloween or Dark Victory this most certainly isn't. And whilst I'll never complain about some Andy Kubert art, the whole thing just never really hit the Batman bells and whistles I look for when reading the Dark Knight. Good, but not great. 3.75/5
OmniBen.
It's a sad fact, although I've learnt to be wary of Mr. Morrison. There was a time when his name was synonymous with absolute quality, and just the mention of his name on any book was enough to warrant an instant, anxiety free purchase. Sadly, the man has burned me one too many times, and as such, I've learnt to be considerably more discerning. Had you asked me about halfway through this one, I would have likely thrown the book at you, and swore I was never touching the man's writing again. Thankfully, the second half of this book happened, restoring a modicum of my faith, and making the next two of his Batman omnibus' I have sitting on my shelf a far less daunting prospect. It was good to be sure, all things considered, although a long way from great. The Long Halloween or Dark Victory this most certainly isn't. And whilst I'll never complain about some Andy Kubert art, the whole thing just never really hit the Batman bells and whistles I look for when reading the Dark Knight. Good, but not great. 3.75/5
OmniBen.
May 31, 2023
Grant Morrison has done it again!
This book was a blast to read. I flew through the pages in 2 days!
This is a series I would like to say absolutely nothing about and let individuals who are interested in it be able to find the pieces themselves. It was amazing
5/5
This book was a blast to read. I flew through the pages in 2 days!
This is a series I would like to say absolutely nothing about and let individuals who are interested in it be able to find the pieces themselves. It was amazing
5/5
May 31, 2025
I heard that Grant Morrison’s writing tend to be very confusing and hard to follow. “How bad can it be” I thought to myself…
It is bad, so bad, until it starts to slowly make sense and his brilliance unravels bit by bit until the sun starts to shine and take more place across the planes sitting atop your face
I still need to watch a youtube video explaining everything though LOL
It is bad, so bad, until it starts to slowly make sense and his brilliance unravels bit by bit until the sun starts to shine and take more place across the planes sitting atop your face
I still need to watch a youtube video explaining everything though LOL
February 23, 2019
Batman and Son (655-658). Once upon a time, Mike Barr wrote a graphic novel called Son of the Demon, which imagined Bruce consummating his long-term relationship with Talia al Ghul, resulting in a son that Talia claimed miscarried. It was immediately decreed non-canon, but twenty years later, Grant Morrison reversed that, with the result being: "Batman and Son". At the time, the idea of Bruce having a son was phenomenal, especially such a sociopathic one. (Damian has certainly mellowed in more more recent appearances, to at worst "hugely abrasive.) Morrison rightly spends a lot of time on that, and it's the best part of this story. As for the rest: ninja Bat-Men attacking a politician as some sort of plan to steal Gibraltar? Typical Morrison craziness [5/5].
The Clown at Midnight (663). A deadly dull text story. It occasionally gives us nice views into the characters' heads, and the (too infrequent) artwork is beautiful, but this is prose writing, not a comic, and written by someone too in love with his own words [1/5].
The Three Ghosts of Batman (664-666). In many ways, "Batman and Son" was a pretty typical Batman story. Innovative, sure. A big change, yep. Nicely noirish, yeah. But not outside the norm. On the other hand "The Three Ghosts of Batman" is something totally different: a bizarre "Black Case" that goes back to the silver age weirdness of Batman and effortlessly melds it with Morrison's ongoing story. It plays with reality, it jumps between the present and the future, it sets up several plotlines for Morrison's Batman, and overall is an amazing story [5/5].
The League of Heroes (667-669). The conceit of a League of Batman Heroes is terrific, and another touchback to the Silver Age. This is also an enthralling thriller full of great characters and it offers a great new foe that we want to learn more about. The awesome Williams art is just the cherry on top [5/5].
The Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul (670-671). When I read this full crossover, I found it entirely mediocre, but these two Morrison issues are clearly the good part, suggesting a crossover that's better and more coherent than it really is. Also, kudos to DC, who for once including some bridging info on the issues we missed (something that they've been terrible about in recent years), and even took the next step, and did it as a part of one-page comic summaries [4/5].
The Third Batman (672-674). A confusing story, but one that rather magnificently links the story of the Three Batmen to date with the story of Dr. Hurt to come. The question of whether Bruce is awake or hallucinating is also a fun one (and yet another Silver Age connection) [4+/5].
The Fiend with Nine Eyes (675). Our plot is mainly advancing the idea of a secret-overlord stalking Batman, but the subplot with Jet offers a great advancement of their young relationship, setting it apart from almost anything else in Batman [4/5].
Batman RIP (676-681). This is a good conclusion to Morrison's run on Batman ... or at least a good conclusion to what would turn-out to be his initial run on Batman. It helps to explain many of the unanswered questions from Batman: The Black Glove and also returns to the new family introduced in Batman and Son. Mind you, it goes on at least a few issues too long, with the middle two issues of the Batman of Zur-en-arrh punching things being the slowest bit.
But as a Final Crisis setup it's horrible. Here, Batman ends this story supposedly dead. But then he's right back in Final Crisis, then he's supposedly dead again for a totally differrent reason. I dunno what happened to make the lead-ins to Final Crisis this much of a tranwreck! (There were similar problems with Countdown and Death of the New Gods). At least "Batman RIP: The Missing Chapter" helped out ... almost two years later. [3+/5]
The Butler (682-683). These issues happen deep within Final Crisis, but Morrison uses that premise to tell a series of warped alternate-history versions of Batman's history. It's a nice capstone for the Batman comic, though not as good as Neil Gaiman's "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader", which followed a few months later [4+/5].
The Clown at Midnight (663). A deadly dull text story. It occasionally gives us nice views into the characters' heads, and the (too infrequent) artwork is beautiful, but this is prose writing, not a comic, and written by someone too in love with his own words [1/5].
The Three Ghosts of Batman (664-666). In many ways, "Batman and Son" was a pretty typical Batman story. Innovative, sure. A big change, yep. Nicely noirish, yeah. But not outside the norm. On the other hand "The Three Ghosts of Batman" is something totally different: a bizarre "Black Case" that goes back to the silver age weirdness of Batman and effortlessly melds it with Morrison's ongoing story. It plays with reality, it jumps between the present and the future, it sets up several plotlines for Morrison's Batman, and overall is an amazing story [5/5].
The League of Heroes (667-669). The conceit of a League of Batman Heroes is terrific, and another touchback to the Silver Age. This is also an enthralling thriller full of great characters and it offers a great new foe that we want to learn more about. The awesome Williams art is just the cherry on top [5/5].
The Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul (670-671). When I read this full crossover, I found it entirely mediocre, but these two Morrison issues are clearly the good part, suggesting a crossover that's better and more coherent than it really is. Also, kudos to DC, who for once including some bridging info on the issues we missed (something that they've been terrible about in recent years), and even took the next step, and did it as a part of one-page comic summaries [4/5].
The Third Batman (672-674). A confusing story, but one that rather magnificently links the story of the Three Batmen to date with the story of Dr. Hurt to come. The question of whether Bruce is awake or hallucinating is also a fun one (and yet another Silver Age connection) [4+/5].
The Fiend with Nine Eyes (675). Our plot is mainly advancing the idea of a secret-overlord stalking Batman, but the subplot with Jet offers a great advancement of their young relationship, setting it apart from almost anything else in Batman [4/5].
Batman RIP (676-681). This is a good conclusion to Morrison's run on Batman ... or at least a good conclusion to what would turn-out to be his initial run on Batman. It helps to explain many of the unanswered questions from Batman: The Black Glove and also returns to the new family introduced in Batman and Son. Mind you, it goes on at least a few issues too long, with the middle two issues of the Batman of Zur-en-arrh punching things being the slowest bit.
But as a Final Crisis setup it's horrible. Here, Batman ends this story supposedly dead. But then he's right back in Final Crisis, then he's supposedly dead again for a totally differrent reason. I dunno what happened to make the lead-ins to Final Crisis this much of a tranwreck! (There were similar problems with Countdown and Death of the New Gods). At least "Batman RIP: The Missing Chapter" helped out ... almost two years later. [3+/5]
The Butler (682-683). These issues happen deep within Final Crisis, but Morrison uses that premise to tell a series of warped alternate-history versions of Batman's history. It's a nice capstone for the Batman comic, though not as good as Neil Gaiman's "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader", which followed a few months later [4+/5].
October 13, 2019
Naprostá fantazie, Batman od Morrisona je neskutečné dílo a užívám si každou stránku.
October 19, 2020
"Batman by Grant Morrison omnibus volume one"
This omnibus contains a lot of different, amazing story arcs, so it's gonna be hard for me to write the "basic plot", but I'm gonna try, although I'm only gonna mention the arcs that I think are the most important and I think that I'm not gonna do a good job.
Talia Al Ghul reveals to Batman that they have a son together named Damian Wayne and he forces him to keep him, until she returns with her army of Man-Bats. Damian wants to replace Tim Drake as Robin, because he fells that as Batman's son, he's the only one that deserves to be Robin. At the same time, Bruce Wayne has been lost into the Batman persona and tries to become himself again by getting in a relationship with Jezebel Jet.
After this arc, there's an issue, in which Grant Morrison explores the idea he introduced in "Arkham Asylum". This idea is that Joker recreates himself every few years and he gets a new look and a new personality. This explains the many changes the character has gone through, throughout the years.
I'm gonna skip the next issue and talk about the amazing story arc, "Black Glove". In this arc the international club of heroes (and obviously Batman) meet in Mayhew's island. There they get trapped by the organisation Black Glove that starts killing a bunch of the heroes. This story becomes a great murder mystery and also a great study on what makes someone a superhero and how Batman influences different people.
And now, I'm gonna skip The Resurrection of Raʼs al Ghul (because Morrison only wrote 2 issues of this and it wasn't really good), so it's time for the iconic "Batman R.I.P." (and some issues before that, that are essential tho to understand R.I.P.). So, some years ago, Batman underwent something like a sensory deprivation experiment or an isolation chamber experiment (I'm not sure how to explain it), hosted by Dr Hurt, in an effort to experience and understand Joker's madness. During this experiment Hurt was actually working with the police to create a new Batman. And he was trying to understand how Batman became who he is and after two failed attempts to create a new Batman, he had a policeman's family killed, supposedly by Satanists, to create this trauma he needs to become Batman. Also, on top of that, he planted a trigger word in Batman's mind to knock him out. After that the actual R.I.P. story arc starts, but I've decided not to get into it, because right from the start it's full of spoilers.
This omnibus was really amazing. Although it was way more dark and violent than I expected it to be. At some point Batman actually "makes" the guy who killed his parents commit suicide. But I loved it. Grant Morrison's interpretation of Batman as an almost superhuman who can defeat every threat when he's well prepared is amazing and iconic. His interpretation of Joker's character is genius. The way he's able embed so many "pieces" of Batman continuity into his run is at least impressive. The way he writes Damian Wayne is also great. He starts by being very annoying and he evolves throughout the whole run into such a great, deep character (that's what I call great character development). It's very interesting to see his relationship with Bruce, his father. Damian feels that just because he's his son, he deserves to be Robin and that's something that angers Bruce. If you read more into it tho, Damian just wants his father's love and approval and the affection that he never got from his distant, crazy mother. Also, I really enjoyed the way Morrison wrote Bruce and Alfred's relationship, like a caring father and his son. The artwork is really great. In this first part of the run there's artwork by guys like Adam Kubert, Tony Daniel and the incredible J. H. Williams III. My favorite of them is obviously Williams, although I have to admit that while his panel layouts are gorgeous to look at, they some times are very confusing and hard to understand.
This omnibus contains a lot of different, amazing story arcs, so it's gonna be hard for me to write the "basic plot", but I'm gonna try, although I'm only gonna mention the arcs that I think are the most important and I think that I'm not gonna do a good job.
Talia Al Ghul reveals to Batman that they have a son together named Damian Wayne and he forces him to keep him, until she returns with her army of Man-Bats. Damian wants to replace Tim Drake as Robin, because he fells that as Batman's son, he's the only one that deserves to be Robin. At the same time, Bruce Wayne has been lost into the Batman persona and tries to become himself again by getting in a relationship with Jezebel Jet.
After this arc, there's an issue, in which Grant Morrison explores the idea he introduced in "Arkham Asylum". This idea is that Joker recreates himself every few years and he gets a new look and a new personality. This explains the many changes the character has gone through, throughout the years.
I'm gonna skip the next issue and talk about the amazing story arc, "Black Glove". In this arc the international club of heroes (and obviously Batman) meet in Mayhew's island. There they get trapped by the organisation Black Glove that starts killing a bunch of the heroes. This story becomes a great murder mystery and also a great study on what makes someone a superhero and how Batman influences different people.
And now, I'm gonna skip The Resurrection of Raʼs al Ghul (because Morrison only wrote 2 issues of this and it wasn't really good), so it's time for the iconic "Batman R.I.P." (and some issues before that, that are essential tho to understand R.I.P.). So, some years ago, Batman underwent something like a sensory deprivation experiment or an isolation chamber experiment (I'm not sure how to explain it), hosted by Dr Hurt, in an effort to experience and understand Joker's madness. During this experiment Hurt was actually working with the police to create a new Batman. And he was trying to understand how Batman became who he is and after two failed attempts to create a new Batman, he had a policeman's family killed, supposedly by Satanists, to create this trauma he needs to become Batman. Also, on top of that, he planted a trigger word in Batman's mind to knock him out. After that the actual R.I.P. story arc starts, but I've decided not to get into it, because right from the start it's full of spoilers.
This omnibus was really amazing. Although it was way more dark and violent than I expected it to be. At some point Batman actually "makes" the guy who killed his parents commit suicide. But I loved it. Grant Morrison's interpretation of Batman as an almost superhuman who can defeat every threat when he's well prepared is amazing and iconic. His interpretation of Joker's character is genius. The way he's able embed so many "pieces" of Batman continuity into his run is at least impressive. The way he writes Damian Wayne is also great. He starts by being very annoying and he evolves throughout the whole run into such a great, deep character (that's what I call great character development). It's very interesting to see his relationship with Bruce, his father. Damian feels that just because he's his son, he deserves to be Robin and that's something that angers Bruce. If you read more into it tho, Damian just wants his father's love and approval and the affection that he never got from his distant, crazy mother. Also, I really enjoyed the way Morrison wrote Bruce and Alfred's relationship, like a caring father and his son. The artwork is really great. In this first part of the run there's artwork by guys like Adam Kubert, Tony Daniel and the incredible J. H. Williams III. My favorite of them is obviously Williams, although I have to admit that while his panel layouts are gorgeous to look at, they some times are very confusing and hard to understand.
March 6, 2020
Después de Crisis Infinita y los cambios de equipos que trajo el evento, probablemente Batman fuera el personaje que se viera más favorecido con el cambio. Detective Cómics, la serie más antigua de la franquicia, quedó en manos de Paul Dini (que al mismo tiempo estaba haciendo la desastrosa Cuenta Atrás a Crisis Final), mientras que Batman pasaba a manos de Grant Morrison, acompañado en principio por un dibujante bandera, Andy Kubert, pero que alcanzaría los momentos más brillantes de esta parte de la trama en los arcos dibujados por J.H Williams y Tony Daniel. Mientras Dini se centraba en historias de corte clásico con enemigos tradicionales (siendo quizá lo más destacable en este nivel su recreación del Ventrílocuo y el regreso de la malvada marioneta Scarface), Gran Morrison buscó una premisa original y casi traumática para muchos de los lectores: ¿qué pasaría si todo lo que se ha escrito sobre Batman hubiera escrito realmente en un período de unos veinte años? Quizá esto dicho así, no sea muy llamativo, pero hay que recordar que Batman tiene más de ochenta años de historia, y que ha pasado por muchas etapas... entre ellas, los años cincuenta. Y hay que recordar también que esos fueron los años de la aparición del Comics Code, la censura y la prohibición de decenas de temas en los cómics, lo que llevó a que se multiplicaran las historias absurdas, llenas de extraterrestres, seres de otra dimensión, científicos locos... Los años de Ace, el perro maravilla (que llevaba antifaz), Batmito (un duende de la Quinta Dimensión, la versión Batman de Mr.Mxlptlyk), o el Batman de Zurr-en-Arrh, vestido con los colores de Robin en un mundo alternativo.
Y sobre esta premisa montó Morrison su Batman, comenzando por una historia en la que se presentaba ni más ni menos que a Damian Wayne, el hijo de Batman y Talía al-Gul, entrenado por la Liga de Asesinos y dispuesto a ocupar un lugar junto a su padre. Vendrían después las historias que comenzarían a prepararnos para lo que se acercaba: los Tres Batman, donde Batman tendría que enfrentarse a tres versiones de sí mismo; el Guante Negro, dibujada por el impactante J.H Williams III, y en la que un grupo de detectives mundiales inspirados en Batman (el Caballero y su Escudera, Murciélago Jefe y Cuervo Rojo, el Centurión, el Gaucho... ) se reúnen con Batman y Robin en una isla donde comienzan a ser asesinados y tienen que hacer frente a extraños enemigos; o el número más extraño de Batman, un inquietante relato corto de Grant Morrison que trae de regreso al Joker después de que uno de los "Batman" le disparara en la cabeza.
En este período, me temo que por "exigencia editorial" aunque no podría confirmarlo, se insertó también el Regreso de R'as al-Gul, una historia que incluyó números de Detective Comics, Batman, Nightwing y Robin y en la que el mítico enemigo de Batman trataba de volver ocupando el cuerpo de su nieto, Damian, el hijo de Batman y Talía, pero esta historia es un poco regulera, así que no se la vamos a tener en cuenta...
Porque el punto álgido de esta primera parte de la etapa de Morrison llegó precisamente en su final, cuando se desarrolló Batman R.I.P, un historia perturbadora y oscura en la que Batman tiene que hacer frente de nuevo al Guante Negro, descubriendo que están mucho más implicados en su historia de lo que parecía en principio, presentándose a uno de los villanos más carismáticos y con más mal rollo de Batman, el doctor Simon Hurt, artífice de los ataques del Guante Negro. El final de Batman R.I.P coincidió además con el arranque de Crisis Final, un nuevo megaevento DC que en este caso estaría guionizado por el propio Grant Morrison y en la que Batman, como no podía ser de otra manera, tenía un papel principal... Sobre todo en su final, ya que después de décadas de historia...
Batman moría.
Y sobre esta premisa montó Morrison su Batman, comenzando por una historia en la que se presentaba ni más ni menos que a Damian Wayne, el hijo de Batman y Talía al-Gul, entrenado por la Liga de Asesinos y dispuesto a ocupar un lugar junto a su padre. Vendrían después las historias que comenzarían a prepararnos para lo que se acercaba: los Tres Batman, donde Batman tendría que enfrentarse a tres versiones de sí mismo; el Guante Negro, dibujada por el impactante J.H Williams III, y en la que un grupo de detectives mundiales inspirados en Batman (el Caballero y su Escudera, Murciélago Jefe y Cuervo Rojo, el Centurión, el Gaucho... ) se reúnen con Batman y Robin en una isla donde comienzan a ser asesinados y tienen que hacer frente a extraños enemigos; o el número más extraño de Batman, un inquietante relato corto de Grant Morrison que trae de regreso al Joker después de que uno de los "Batman" le disparara en la cabeza.
En este período, me temo que por "exigencia editorial" aunque no podría confirmarlo, se insertó también el Regreso de R'as al-Gul, una historia que incluyó números de Detective Comics, Batman, Nightwing y Robin y en la que el mítico enemigo de Batman trataba de volver ocupando el cuerpo de su nieto, Damian, el hijo de Batman y Talía, pero esta historia es un poco regulera, así que no se la vamos a tener en cuenta...
Porque el punto álgido de esta primera parte de la etapa de Morrison llegó precisamente en su final, cuando se desarrolló Batman R.I.P, un historia perturbadora y oscura en la que Batman tiene que hacer frente de nuevo al Guante Negro, descubriendo que están mucho más implicados en su historia de lo que parecía en principio, presentándose a uno de los villanos más carismáticos y con más mal rollo de Batman, el doctor Simon Hurt, artífice de los ataques del Guante Negro. El final de Batman R.I.P coincidió además con el arranque de Crisis Final, un nuevo megaevento DC que en este caso estaría guionizado por el propio Grant Morrison y en la que Batman, como no podía ser de otra manera, tenía un papel principal... Sobre todo en su final, ya que después de décadas de historia...
Batman moría.
March 4, 2021
This is a good one. I'm never gonna die
October 17, 2018
When Grant Morrison writes Batman, you know it's going to get weird. It does too, but in the best way possible. He delves into the long history of the Dark Knight and builds this entire run on a few obscure Silver Age stories. Morrison isn't just doing this to subvert expectations, the tale itself is riveting, exciting and delirious. Batman gets pulled through the ringer by a secret society called The Black Glove, whose only goal is to completely destroy Batman mentally first and foremost. They want to ruin his name, discredit his legacy and turn him into a shell of his former self. Their plans are elaborate, cruel and disturbing. The foundations are laid throughout the issues, but the RIP storyline that wraps up this omnibus is where all the hints and buildup pay off.
Obviously Morrison wants to spin his own crazy yarn and doesn't bother with Bat's famous rogues, but rather creates a few new ones himself. That's what I love about this run, Grant takes chances. This isn't The Long Halloween, where Scarecrow, Ivy and others step out of the villain clown car. This is a celebration of what you can do with a character that has decades of comic history under his belt, without resorting to easy and safe homages.
You could go in blind, but at least a notion of the material Morrison riffs on is pretty useful. Read up on the issues in The Black Casebook collection and see what they're about. The most important ones are 'Robin Dies at Dawn', 'The Batmen of all Nations' and 'Superman of Planet X'.
Obviously Morrison wants to spin his own crazy yarn and doesn't bother with Bat's famous rogues, but rather creates a few new ones himself. That's what I love about this run, Grant takes chances. This isn't The Long Halloween, where Scarecrow, Ivy and others step out of the villain clown car. This is a celebration of what you can do with a character that has decades of comic history under his belt, without resorting to easy and safe homages.
You could go in blind, but at least a notion of the material Morrison riffs on is pretty useful. Read up on the issues in The Black Casebook collection and see what they're about. The most important ones are 'Robin Dies at Dawn', 'The Batmen of all Nations' and 'Superman of Planet X'.
October 4, 2018
I'm sure a devoted DC/Batman fan would enjoy this more than I did. I came for Morrison, but the story is so tied up with other DC titles and company-wide events and longstanding Batman continuity that, coupled with Morrison's characteristically compressed scripting style, the reading experience often felt like trying to overhear a story being told in the next apartment. Also, the '90s-nostalgia art that predominates in the book (in the sections not done by J. H. Williams III, who's always great) is not to my taste. Morrison does revisit some of his characteristic themes and motifs: the day of initiation that is also eternity, the necessity of passing through the abyss, the instability of reality, evil as physical degradation and decay. But Morrison fans who are not Batman/DC diehards, people who came to the author through The Invisibles or The Filth, can probably skip it. The quote from the I Ching that Morrison uses to frame the story is memorable: “The superior man thinks of evil that will come and guards against it.”
September 4, 2021
Grant Morrison Imagined Batman as a linear character. where everything everr published of Batman was canon. If it couldn´t be explained by locical means. IT would either be dream, hallucination, a dream, poison or Joker Gas. Some, thing. And some things simply had to written down in the Black Casebook for future analysis.
This book takes on Batman as the ultimate superhero. Truly the all time prepared for anything hero. Not only physicly but also mentally all the way to his subconcoius. But the questions is. What would happen if Batman/Bruce Wayne was attached by a phycological attack! And What would Batman be, if you took Bruce Wayne out of the equation?!
This book takes on Batman as the ultimate superhero. Truly the all time prepared for anything hero. Not only physicly but also mentally all the way to his subconcoius. But the questions is. What would happen if Batman/Bruce Wayne was attached by a phycological attack! And What would Batman be, if you took Bruce Wayne out of the equation?!
May 14, 2019
A fun, if occasionally confusing romp through the history and meaning of the Dark Knight. I liked some stories more than others, of course, but Morrison writes Batman with a sure hand, showing a deep love and understanding of the character.
Overall, if you like Batman, you will like this, too.
Overall, if you like Batman, you will like this, too.
March 30, 2024
Instantly, the vibes of this book are impeccable. I’ve read few 00s Batman runs, and I was hesitant that it would feel tonally toothless or tangibly campy to the point where we’d become immediately taken out of the story. I love the “dark” in Dark Knight after all, and while I didn’t expect a Snyder or King-esque Batman, I did hope for something at least consistent with that style of Batman. The LAST thing I expected was something that HANDILY eclipsed both. I’ll talk what I liked about the story arcs and end with conclusions.
The chaotic stories we get at the beginning of Bruce’s rebirth to spite the horrors of his life were such great tone-setters for this tale. It is initially a confusing interlude that seems to have little to do with everything else in the story. However, the sparks set here light a fire that burns well into the rest of the story, and I feel like it’s so important to praise that these seemingly random stories stand on their own! Hickman and King's foreshadowing would frequently made me feel like I was accidentally reading the wrong comic, and while that misdirection or mystery can still be a lot of fun, Morrison’s foreshadowing didn’t break my immersion for a second! The exact opposite, in fact—the question of how you get a goose out of a bottle without injuring it or breaking the bottle actually being a metaphor for how words are often a prison for our imagination? Absolutely something that will stick with me. Incredible how even this stays relevant throughout the book.
Batman and Son was immediately more intense than the adaptation. Damien is surprisingly even more precocious, insubordinate, and cruel than he is in the movie, and having the lawful good Tim Drake be the foil is an exciting complication. While the extra layers explored in the movie about the lore of Ra's are fun, Damian's brutality is shocking and far more interesting to see Batman have to deal with.
I have SO much praise for Andy Kubert’s framing and set design in the Man-Bat fight scene in the comic art museum. This is how we use comics as a visual medium: make your scene colorfully dynamic and full of life! That’s how you make something entertaining; it’s a comic!! Why aren’t we always throwing out fun gimmicks like this? Man-Bats with katanas and AK-47s… PLEASE. Here’s an interlude to praise Ryan Benjamin, Joe Bennett, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Tony Daniel, John Van Fleet, Lee Garbett, Keith Giffin, JH Williams III, and Andy Kubert for their incredible penciling work. There is not a page I can turn to that doesn’t have a brilliant voice dripping with style and substance.
“The victory is in the preparation.”
And as we start cutting into the true center of the book, the three ghosts leading into the Black Glove arc, this run truly ascends above everything that comes after. Once again, I am blown away at how incredible original it all is, and how everything Batman comic after was in fact only a pale imitation of Morrison the whole time. Scott Snyder and Tom King have very similar approaches and cadences to Batman, but Grant Morrison did it first with oceans more punch and heart. Why does Batman have to be an asshole to the people he loves EVERYWHERE else but this comic? I feel like we get very little of Bruce Wayne's day to day interactions with the Bat Family, and he still felt like a character you actually like here. Bruce doesn't need to be told to tell Tim how important he is; he just realizes he was being headstrong and does it immediately. A hero!
The paranoia Batman deals with as the Black Glove closes their grip actively raised by heart rate, and the monstrous revelation of Zur En Arrh is an all-timer Batman moment for me. I made the fatal error of leaving before the conclusion and almost ruining all the buildup that came before, and it STILL blew me away. I hate to constantly pit two queens against each other, but I have to throw King under the bus here for nonstop having to remind us that Batman is Batman during his run. Narration is far more common in King’s run so it perhaps makes sense, but it still feels so much more slick when Morrison waits for the very conclusion to let Bruce's inner thoughts rip. Less is more!
I got into this run for the excellent Batman and Son storyline I really enjoyed in the movie, and ended up enjoying the Black Glove storyline far more. And compared to everything after, like the often convoluted Court of Owls Snyder run or the drip-fed Bane revelations in the King run, there is not an inch of blubber in this thoroughly entertaining story. Jaw-dropping to see the dialogue, art, and forceful themes over 700 pages. You're telling me there's two more of these? But I want to read it again! I genuinely fear that this will be the final nail in the coffin for Batman comics—how can any other Batman writer reach the heights of Grant Morrison’s world?
The chaotic stories we get at the beginning of Bruce’s rebirth to spite the horrors of his life were such great tone-setters for this tale. It is initially a confusing interlude that seems to have little to do with everything else in the story. However, the sparks set here light a fire that burns well into the rest of the story, and I feel like it’s so important to praise that these seemingly random stories stand on their own! Hickman and King's foreshadowing would frequently made me feel like I was accidentally reading the wrong comic, and while that misdirection or mystery can still be a lot of fun, Morrison’s foreshadowing didn’t break my immersion for a second! The exact opposite, in fact—the question of how you get a goose out of a bottle without injuring it or breaking the bottle actually being a metaphor for how words are often a prison for our imagination? Absolutely something that will stick with me. Incredible how even this stays relevant throughout the book.
Batman and Son was immediately more intense than the adaptation. Damien is surprisingly even more precocious, insubordinate, and cruel than he is in the movie, and having the lawful good Tim Drake be the foil is an exciting complication. While the extra layers explored in the movie about the lore of Ra's are fun, Damian's brutality is shocking and far more interesting to see Batman have to deal with.
I have SO much praise for Andy Kubert’s framing and set design in the Man-Bat fight scene in the comic art museum. This is how we use comics as a visual medium: make your scene colorfully dynamic and full of life! That’s how you make something entertaining; it’s a comic!! Why aren’t we always throwing out fun gimmicks like this? Man-Bats with katanas and AK-47s… PLEASE. Here’s an interlude to praise Ryan Benjamin, Joe Bennett, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Tony Daniel, John Van Fleet, Lee Garbett, Keith Giffin, JH Williams III, and Andy Kubert for their incredible penciling work. There is not a page I can turn to that doesn’t have a brilliant voice dripping with style and substance.
“The victory is in the preparation.”
And as we start cutting into the true center of the book, the three ghosts leading into the Black Glove arc, this run truly ascends above everything that comes after. Once again, I am blown away at how incredible original it all is, and how everything Batman comic after was in fact only a pale imitation of Morrison the whole time. Scott Snyder and Tom King have very similar approaches and cadences to Batman, but Grant Morrison did it first with oceans more punch and heart. Why does Batman have to be an asshole to the people he loves EVERYWHERE else but this comic? I feel like we get very little of Bruce Wayne's day to day interactions with the Bat Family, and he still felt like a character you actually like here. Bruce doesn't need to be told to tell Tim how important he is; he just realizes he was being headstrong and does it immediately. A hero!
The paranoia Batman deals with as the Black Glove closes their grip actively raised by heart rate, and the monstrous revelation of Zur En Arrh is an all-timer Batman moment for me. I made the fatal error of leaving before the conclusion and almost ruining all the buildup that came before, and it STILL blew me away. I hate to constantly pit two queens against each other, but I have to throw King under the bus here for nonstop having to remind us that Batman is Batman during his run. Narration is far more common in King’s run so it perhaps makes sense, but it still feels so much more slick when Morrison waits for the very conclusion to let Bruce's inner thoughts rip. Less is more!
I got into this run for the excellent Batman and Son storyline I really enjoyed in the movie, and ended up enjoying the Black Glove storyline far more. And compared to everything after, like the often convoluted Court of Owls Snyder run or the drip-fed Bane revelations in the King run, there is not an inch of blubber in this thoroughly entertaining story. Jaw-dropping to see the dialogue, art, and forceful themes over 700 pages. You're telling me there's two more of these? But I want to read it again! I genuinely fear that this will be the final nail in the coffin for Batman comics—how can any other Batman writer reach the heights of Grant Morrison’s world?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews