Batman: Li'L Gotham Batman Day 2018 #1

Batman: Li'L Gotham #1

by Dustin Nguyen, Derek Fridolfs

Just in time for Batman Day 2018 on September 15, DC presents the first issue of the series written and illustrated by Derek Fridolfs and Dustin Nguyen!

It's October 31st, but Robin needs Batman's help to learn the true meaning of Halloween...CANDY! And will Robin be able to tell the difference between the real evildoers and costumed children, or will the kids get clobbered while the villains escape?!

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Batman, Superheroes, Humor, Sequential Art

25 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 10, 2013

About the author

Dustin Nguyen is a comic book writer/artist who has worked for DC Comics and WildStorm since 2000. He has since worked on such titles as Jet with Dan Abnett, Wildcats v3.0 with Joe Casey, Batman with Judd Winick, Manifest Eternity with Scott Lobdell, and the latest revamp of The Authority, The Authority: Revolution, with Ed Brubaker. He was the artist on a six-issue arc of Superman/Batman entitled "Torment", with writer Alan Burnett.

With issue #840, Nguyen became the regular ongoing artist with writer Paul Dini on one of DC's flagship titles, Detective Comics until issue #852. He is now the ongoing artist along with Derek Fridolfs and writer Paul Dini on the series, Batman: Streets of Gotham.

Photo by Luigi Novi.

Reviews

[Christine]

I actually like the artwork in this. Plot is okay, but the water color like artwork is neat.

[Eric]

I couldn't say no to owning these bad boys in print either. Honestly it's great. I love how cute and adorable everyone is... even while wreaking mayhem. See my Li'L reviews (Batman: Li'l Gotham #1 / Batman: Li'l Gotham #2) for a better understanding. They do get better with age and yes I was most definitely in the mood for them yesterday :-)

[typewriterdeluxe]

The art in this book is AMAZING! As someone who briefly poked around with watercolors, I really appreciate the talent and effort and time needed to put this project together. And the realistic-chibi versions of Gotham characters are super cute!! Unfortunately for me, the writing was not my style. I really enjoyed the first story (about Halloween) but I found the stories after that boring. By the middle of the book I stopped reading and just admired the illustrations.

[Sara Camacho]

2'75✨

Es bastante cortito, se lee en nada. Me ha gustado mucho leerlo en inglés y continuar leyendo al menos un libro al mes en este idioma, la parte de Halloween me ha gustado pero la de Thanksgiving no mucho. Aún así me ha gustado leer este comic de Batman 🦇

[Matt Graupman]

What do you get when you combine “Batman: The Long Halloween” with the Teen Titans Go! cartoon series? Probably something very similar to “Batman: Li’l Gotham” from writer Derek Fridolfs and writer/artist Dustin Nguyen. Cute, snappy, and silly, this first issue follows the Gotham gang on their adventures over two holidays, Halloween and Thanksgiving. The focus is more on jokes than capers which is refreshing; the Dark Knight is so, well- dark, it’s nice to see the lighter side of the crimefighter. Nguyen’s lush watercolors are an odd choice for Batman but it works much better than I would’ve expected. This series is a lot of fun.

[Anne]

Anything described as "lil", I think you probably know what you are getting into. This is the cute version of Gotham city. From the artwork to the dialog to all the plots based on the holidays. Much cuteness.

It's a fun little spoof on the sprawling Bat legacy that DC comics has been churning for years. Picture every iteration of Robin and Batman trying, and failing spectacularly, to cook Father's Day dinner for Alfred.

Much cuteness.

[Fraser Sherman]

Goofy, but adorable. From Batman buying his arch-foes dinner to the Penguin trying to save Thanksgiving turkeys to Alfred remembering his pre-Robin days as the Bat-sidekick to Talia al Ghul and Babs Gordon taking their fathers to the same restaurant for Father's Day, this is consistently charming.

[Glen Pettifer]

Good introduction for kids

This is the first lil’ Gotham I’ve read. I didn’t expect much but looking over it it’s a good introduction for kids or even new Gotham fans. I’m a long time Batman fan and I’m glad I read it.

[Zac Stojcevski]

Quaint presentation probably appealing more to the younger readership. Just not a fan of the water colouring.

[Steven Shinder]

Pretty much what I expected. I really like this art style.

[Paula Greenfield]

This was a great holiday book with the characters from Batman having Halloween and Thanksgiving. It was fun.

[Jess]

cute

[Amelia Bujar]

FULL REVIEW ON MY WEBSITE
https://thebookcornerchronicles.com/2...

While this comic book is charming in its artistic approach, ultimately falls short in delivering a compelling narrative. At the same time this comic book aims to offer a lighthearted and accessible take on the Dark Knight, but struggles with depth and engagement.

This comic book presents a series of short stories set in a whimsical version of Gotham City, featuring familiar characters in cute, stylized renditions. While the concept is appealing and has potential for fun and humor, the execution often feels flat. The narratives are simplistic, lacking the depth and intrigue that had drawn me personally into Batman’s world.

The creators of this comic book aim to capture the essence of Gotham through a more playful lens, but the stories feel disjointed and lack a strong narrative thread. Each vignette is brief, providing only a surface-level glimpse into the lives of Gotham’s heroes and villains. This format can be entertaining for younger audiences, but it had left me at times wanting more substance and continuity.

The character development in this comic book is pretty minimal, as the short story format limits exploration of individual arcs or motivations. While the characters are visually charming, their interactions and dialogue often feel clichéd and predictable. This lack of depth makes it challenging for me personally to connect with the characters or become invested in their stories.

The artwork itself in this comic book is the highlight of this comic book. The illustrations we get in this comic book bring a unique and endearing aesthetic to Gotham. The art we get in this comic book captures the playful tone of the series, making each panel visually engaging. The character designs are adorable and imaginative, offering a fresh perspective on iconic figures like Batman, Robin, and the Joker.

The pacing of this comic book is consistent with its lighthearted tone, but the stories unfold without significant tension or conflict. This results in a narrative that feels flat, lacking the engaging twists or emotional highs that could make it memorable. Key moments pass without impact, which has left me personally without a strong connection to the unfolding events.

Despite its shortcomings, this comic book does provide an enjoyable, family-friendly introduction to the Batman universe. The familiar setting and character dynamics offer comfort and familiarity, which may appeal to those seeking a simple, feel-good read.

[Felyn]

Super cute! A bite-sized sample of Li'L Gotham featuring two stories: one about Damian's first Halloween and the next about Thanks. The art style is loose, sketchy drawing with watercolour paint for colour. This can make a few panels hard to decipher, but for the most part works well with the humourous nature of the writing.

I liked it, a lot. Li'L Gotham might have to become a new series read for me.

[Jess]

Would not recommend this book to any fan of Batman. The story lines made no sense and having every version of Robin and Damian was dumb. Some of the art was cute. That's why it's 2 stars instead of 1.

[Cindy]

This was a cute volume that's probably good for kids but which ended up a little cloying. I loved the art and loved seeing something silly, but the writing felt like it was phoned in a lot. A little sad given how good the first few stories were.

[Rob]

Reading the "texts from superheroes" tumblr is a far better look into Gotham's silly side than this is. I can't remember who I heard good things from but I will hunt them down and make them pay.

[Lily]

I loved it!

[Frank]

Cute take on Batman. Probably good for kids, but not witty enough for adults.

[Dan]

Cutesy Fall Holiday book. Was Average.

[Nathalia]

Cute and juvenile. Geared toward a young audience.

[Anne Barwell]

Cute and adorable, yet still in character. Each story has a different theme/slant, with a few twists.

[Alyssa Bianca]

I love this! Batman usually is the dark hero with a dark villains and a dark plot. This is so adorable! Even the dark and powerful characters have their quirky side.

[Cuppiesaur]

This is such a cute and adorable take on Gothan., I really like it! I LOVE the art.

Mr. Freeze's stories were acceptionaly beautiful! :)

[Daniel]

A light hearted and whimsical take on the dark knight and his world

[Stacey]

I just don't think this added anything of value to the DC Universe.

[Shawn Manning]

Some really sweet artwork, surreal and mildly funny stories. If you're looking for something light, this should do the trick

[Clint the Cool Guy]

Okay

Not hilarious or anything, but good art and slightly funny. Seems appropriate for kids but adults? Probably not, I'm afraid. You may still enjoy it though.

[Rayjan Koehler]

Batman Day...

I really liked reading this- especially the ending. Very funny in a kind of morbid way to end things, but I love it very much! lol

[Mr Alistair]

Not a fan

Didn't really like the whole cutiefication of Batman's world. Beautifully rendered just not for me. I might developed into something interesting.