Batman: O Messias

Batman: The Cult #1-4

by Jim Starlin, Bernie Wrightson (Illustrator), Bill Wray (Illustrator)

Ele tem sido o Cavaleiro das Trevas de Gotham City, vigiando a cidade a partir das sombras, extirpando o mal. Invencível, intocável, ele nunca foi dobrado ou corrompido.

Até agora... BATMAN: O MESSIAS reúne a controversa saga criada por JIM STARLIN e desenhada pelo mestre do terror, BERNIE WRIGHTSON.
Em O MESSIAS, o Homem-Morcego é confrontado com o carismático líder religioso Blackfire, uma figura com um misterioso passado.

Com suas raízes profundamente entranhadas na cidade, o diácono está prestes a criar um exército formado por indigentes e párias... mas qual será sua intenção? Arrancado de seu mundo habitual e jogado em outro, repleto de demônios e verdades religiosas, Batman é envolvido por uma rede de medo e confusão, numa espiral crescente de loucura.

Genres: Comics, Batman, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book

204 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1988

About the author

James P. "Jim" Starlin is an American comic book writer and artist. With a career dating back to the early 1970s, he is best known for "cosmic" tales and space opera; for revamping the Marvel Comics characters Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock; and for creating or co-creating the Marvel characters Thanos and Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. Death and suicide are recurring themes in Starlin's work: Personifications of Death appeared in his Captain Marvel series and in a fill-in story for Ghost Rider; Warlock commits suicide by killing his future self; and suicide is a theme in a story he plotted and drew for The Rampaging Hulk magazine.

In the mid-1970s, Starlin contributed a cache of stories to the independently published science-fiction anthology Star Reach. Here he developed his ideas of God, death, and infinity, free of the restrictions of mainstream comics publishers' self-censorship arm, the Comics Code Authority. Starlin also drew "The Secret of Skull River", inked by frequent collaborator Al Milgrom, for Savage Tales #5 (July 1974).

When Marvel Comics wished to use the name of Captain Marvel for a new, different character,[citation needed] Starlin was given the rare opportunity to produce a one-shot story in which to kill off a main character. The Death of Captain Marvel became the first graphic novel published by the company itself. (

In the late 1980s, Starlin began working more for DC Comics, writing a number of Batman stories, including the four-issue miniseries Batman: The Cult (Aug.-Nov. 1988), and the storyline "Batman: A Death in the Family", in Batman #426-429 (Dec. 1988 – Jan. 1989), in which Jason Todd, the second of Batman's Robin sidekicks, was killed. The death was decided by fans, as DC Comics set up a hotline for readers to vote on as to whether or not Jason Todd should survive a potentially fatal situation. For DC he created Hardcore Station.

Reviews

[Donovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Knightfall details Batman’s physical destruction, The Cult details his mental destruction—in all its gritty pulp and horror illustration. In only four issues, Jim Starlin covers a crisis of despotism, mass hypnosis, and brutal violence in Gotham. So paramount is this story that its details—despotic state, underground army, lynchings, blown bridges—partly inspired Nolan’s third Batman film. One of my all time favorite Bat titles.

[Alejandro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jim Starlin writing Batman! ‘Nuff said!


This TPB collects “Batman: The Cult” #1-4.


Creative Team:

Writer: Jim Starlin

Illustrator: Bernie Wrightson


NOT YOUR USUAL BATMAN’S STORY

You know that you’re about to get a thrill, when Jim Starlin is writing and even more if it’s something for DC, and even more and more if it’s about Batman.

Since Jim Starlin is a big name in the comic book’s business but he has been more prolific in Marvel, being responsible of epic works like The Death of Captain Marvel and Infinity Gauntlet, also co-creating relevant characters like Thanos, Drax and Gamora, along with the re-introduction of characters like Adam Warlock and Silver Surfer, therefore becoming one of the major architects of setting the new rules for the Marvel Cosmic ambiance, so…

…when you can get your hands on some stuff by Starlin but in the distinguished competition, well, it’s not brainer to buy it right away.

I had heard about Batman: The Cult but I hadn’t a clear idea of what was about, but I knew that if I have the chance to get it, I haven’t to hesitate about it.

Not matter if you’re fan of Batman or not, if you wanted something out of your usual Batman’s story, where he’s not in total control, where he’s not having the upper hand, where he’s not prepared to the challenge, where he’s a fallible man…

…this is your book!


GOTHAM CITY, UP IN ARMS

Gotham City has many legends, and you can bet that many of those aren’t something good, and this one isn’t the exception…

…in the times of the colonization, the Miagani, a Native American tribe, based on what would eventually become Gotham City, dealt with a strange menace, in the embodiment of some kind of shaman, finally locked up in cave that later imprudent colonist liberate him.

Since then, always trying to hurt Gotham City, and each time, bigger and bigger his ambitions and the scope of his plans…

…where now he won’t limit until having the whole city in his grasp!

Is it just a legend?

Is it a true story?

Is it one heck of a scam?

Is it a real paranormal threat?

Nobody is sure about it, not even the world’s greatest detective!

The native american Deacon Blackfire is charismatic and he has his way with words, and soon, he’s able to get the largest army circulating around each corner of Gotham City…

…the homeless and beggars.

Batman notices too late the shocking absence of them on the streets and alleys…

…and a split-second of careless…

…Batman himself falls victim of the cult built by Deacon Blackfire and he’s submitted to a maddening process of brainwash.

He won’t be able to distinguish what’s reality and fiction!

Trapped in the pitch-black undergrounds of Gotham, Batman will break in mind and body…

…and only Robin (Jason Todd) is his only hope of not becoming truly crazy!

Gotham City along with its dark protector will face one of their greatest challenges!

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very odd and stark Batman story. Batman gets brainwashed by a cult and spends half the book trying to determine what's real. He suffers through a lot of self-doubt as the cultists take over Gotham before he returns to kick their asses. There's a lot of elements here used in The Dark Knight Rises. Unfortunately, Starlin also borrows the talking head news reports from Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. If there's one way to kill a story's momentum, it's a couple of pages of news reporters talking. Bernie Wrightson's art is fantastic even if the newsprint my edition was on blurs the art and deadens the colors. I'd forgotten how much I liked this story when I first read it back in the late 80's.

[Sam Quixote · Rating 1 out of 5]

SPOILERS

A seemingly immortal charismatic con-man called Deacon Blackfire comes to Gotham and begins recruiting the city's homeless as members of his cult of personality, brainwashing them somehow into doing his bidding. There become so many that they overwhelm the city's police forces - and even Batman.

My problems with this book are many: Batman gets captured by the brainwashed homeless. Ok, so apparently homeless people become highly effective fighters once brainwashed. Batman gets caught in the most banal way, a situation he's been in countless times, but somehow falls victim to this time. Then he undergoes brainwashing which includes torture, starvation and hallucinatory drugs - he couldn't escape in the days he was chained up? It was literally a pair of handcuffs around a metal pipe, surely he could've escaped? It’s yet another situation Batman's been in before countless times which he could've easily gotten out of. But then there wouldn't be a book if he escaped- it's so contrived and out of character.

There are so many instances of Batman's actions being out of character throughout. It's implied he uses a machine gun to kill an innocent (!) whilst under the influence of Blackfire's mind-controlling drugs. Then when he's shaken the drugs and is fighting back, he allows an innocent woman to be raped and killed - because he's got to deal with Blackfire quickly. But there's really no urgency at the end, Blackfire's not threatening to blow up the city, he's just sitting around waiting for Batman to show. He could've saved her. I think Starlin’s excuse would be that Batman was still shaken from his druggy experience? Weak.

Let's talk about the character of Deacon Blackfire or lack thereof. He doesn't have any superpowers besides the seemingly long life he's lived and that is contributed to - believe it or not - bathing in human blood. Oh apparently he's charismatic though no evidence can be seen in any of his scenes in the book. He also relied on drugs to control Batman - I still don't buy the shoddiness with which that was set up - and a news reporter at the end of the book says he was apparently controlling all of these people through hypnosis?

My point is I don't understand how Blackfire could've posed a serious threat to Batman at all. He didn't seem clever or powerful, and in the fight at the end Batman defeats him easily. Blackfire somehow manages to not only subdue Batman but also the Gotham Police Force, the National Guard, the United States Army - all through brainwashed homeless people! There's suspension of disbelief and then there's bad writing and Jim Starlin falls into the latter category with this book.

Also, there's no overarching play here with Blackfire's unbelievably easy takeover of Gotham - he just wants to die at the end and become a martyr to his crap religion of homeless people. It's such a jaw-droppingly poor reason for the story.

The reason the homeless - or “Underworlders” as they're referred to - are able to take over the city is mostly due to incompetence from everyone in the book, Batman included. They use the sewers as their base of operations and everyone knows this but nobody goes down there to take them out, they just allow them to skulk around and pop up. Nobody has the wherewithal to throw down tear gas and then go in guns blazing - riot police could have this situation sorted no problem.

But we see the GCPD fail, the National Guard fail, and Batman fail, to defeat simplistic tactics by homeless people with guns and knives. It's such bad plotting because these hurdles could’ve been jumped by any one of them if they actually behaved as they would rather than how Starlin wants them to. And the Army don't get involved because a newsreader (there's an abundance of newsreaders overused throughout to serve as both narrators and the Greek chorus - they become a hindrance to the flow of the story and tedious to read long before the end) informs us the President thinks it would be too costly to send the Army into a city in mainland US soil that's under siege! Riiiight, so if a major US city were held hostage, the government would write it off and allow it its own sovereignty? I realise “Dark Knight Rises” has this as a big part of its story but at least with the film there were large stakes – a nuclear bomb – as opposed to thousands of homeless people wandering the streets.

There's also no mention of any other of Gotham's heroes and villains. At least with No Man's Land, Batman's rogues gallery was addressed with Joker, Penguin, Two Face and Black Mask each controlling parts of the city - where are they while Deacon Blackfire and his army of homeless nutters are running loose?

There are too many problems with this book to go into any further - the literally monster truck Batmobile, Batman's dependence upon guns at the end to resolve the story, why he acted weak for so long in the book and why he suddenly changed back, the blotchy artwork and messy colouring - but suffice it to say this is a pretty dire book.

This might be the worst Batman book ever written. It's dumb and riddled with plot holes, poor dialogue, even worse characterisation, and featuring the most contrived bad guy ever. I can't come up with a suitable comparison - Sam Kieth's Secrets? "Batman: The Cult" is a poorly conceived and an abysmally written book by a hack.

[Subham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very different type of story for sure.

Its pretty much like BATMAN RIP but it came before and you have a figure named Deacon Blackfire who breaks Batman and well giving him silent suggestions and all to take him under control and we see the origins of this Blackfire and how he might be an immortal man since centuries and in the present how he plans to take over Gotham using his religion and what not and well Bruce first is part of it, then escapes, gains his sanity and Robin looking for him and meanwhile the city goes into chaos, his believers taking over the city, fortification and like being separated from the rest of the country (think No mans land) and then how Batman fights this villain to save Gotham like rest of the stories usually do and will he win or not? And what strange things does out dark avenger of the night find about this villain?

Its a very different Batman story and since its 80s its filled with dialogue and especially the trope of "TV Reporters reading the situation out" and I kinda find it annoying and that kinda makes it a case of too much text but by no means does it hamper the story, just the pace of the story. The art is okay but the colors make it look jaded and a bit boring to read sometimes but you gotta stick it out as it leads to some interesting stuff with Bruce and how he is breaking down and still manages to fight and in the end maybe save his city but we never really got a full origin of this villain. Just in the start a little bit and they never really play the immortality angle and don't explain so thats a missed opportunity.

But other than that its still a solid read and makes for an interesting Batman story of him dealig with mysticism and mad men who break him and take over the city which requires him to save Gotham. A Classic Batman story!

[Malum · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the weirdest Batman story I have ever read, and I have very mixed feelings about it (some spoilers ahead).

First of all, this version of batman is a very low-tech "world's greatest detective" batman. He carefully investigates crime scenes like he is Sherlock Holmes, but don't expect him to pull many gadgets out of his utility belt (Robin does quite a bit of that, however). When he needs to contact Alfred, he has to find a payphone and have a limo come and get him. When he does need gadgets, he uses tranquilizing dart rifles and bulky night vision goggles. Also, the Batmobile in this story is a huge monster truck.

Batman gets brainwashed in this story, and we see him like never before. He mows people down with a machine gun in one instance, and acts like a coward in many other instances.

When Batman isn't brainwashed, he still doesn't act very Batman like. Him and Alfred both carry around pistols (not tranquilizer guns but actual bullet shooting firearms). At one point he abandons Gotham city to the villain. Also, upon seeing a woman that was running to him for help get ripped apart by a wild mob, he sits in the Batmobile/monster truck and listens to her die (he says something about it seeming to take a million years) rather than help her. A little later, he watches as someone else is torn apart by a crowd, this time stopping Robin from helping. Finally, this Batman seems to have no problem with blowing up bad guys with missiles mounted on the Batmobile/monster truck.

This story also requires you to suspend your disbelief and buy into the fact that an army of homeless people armed with a few guns and a bunch of knives/blunt objects easily defeated the army and a special forces unit by taking potshots at them from the sewers/building windows.

The art and layout in this book (such as all of the news interviews panels, it being broken into four parts, etc.) is very reminiscent of Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns" (in fact, I had to stop and check to see if Frank Miller worked on this book with Starlin. He didn't). It seems to me that they made a really strange and ultra-violent Batman story to try and recapture the success of "Dark Knight Returns".

Did I like this story? Not a great deal (maybe 2.5, rounding up to three stars because it was just such an odd story). Do I recommend anyone read it? Yet, definitely! It is so weird and over the top that any Batman or comic fan in general should take a look at this strange piece of Batman history at least once.

[Suzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone has their own reasons for reading super-hero comics. Most nerds love super-heroes because of their super-human strength, can fly or have pimp green rings. Everyone knows that nerds read Batman because he gets the job done without having a bunch of awesome powers. Fanboys boast about his mad preparation skills, his Bat-gadgets and all the training he received from masters in various martial arts. He always beats his enemies...that changes in "The Cult". The Dark Knight faces an enemy that has the skills to break him psychologically. How and why this particularly depraved villain broke Batman is why this book is such a page turner and considered to be controversial.
Deacon Blackfire, along wit his band of homeless followers, brainwash Batman by using drugs and starvation techniques. Batman's mind is perverted into thinking Deacon Blackfire is a God that Batman wants to serve.
This story shows Batman as a vulnerable human that can be beat. No amount of preparation, Bat-gadgets or training helped him against succumbing to Deacon Blackfire.
Read this story if you want to see your favorite Caped Crusader get beat and come back with a vengeance like only he can!

[Benji's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the darkest, most brutal Batman stories I've ever read.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mysterious figure by the name of Deacon Blackfire has a plan for Gotham City. Gathering the homeless and the distressed, Blackfire amasses an army to obliterate crime from the streets of Gotham. However, what good is a group of vigilantes if The Batman is still patrolling the streets? Blackfire captures The Dark Knight and by using a method of brainwashing, convinces The Caped Crusader that he is truly Gotham’s savoir. Are Blackfire’s intentions pure or does he have a hidden agenda?

For the last few years, I’ve been trying to make my way through IGN’s 25 Greatest Batman graphic novels list. Other than a high listing, I knew very little. It wasn’t until I was a few dozen pages into the story that I realized Christopher Nolan had used this as the basis for The Dark Knight Rises. Replace Deacon Blackfire with Bane, make a few alterations and you’ve got the third act in Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.

Released around the same time as Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns and Alan Moore’s The Killing Joke, The Cult mirrors their dark storytelling and subject matter. Gone were the days of Batman and Robin chasing The Joker over a giant piano, replaced by full panels of brutal violence and a general feelings of hopelessness for the citizens of Gotham.

My only real problem with the story was the villain. The majority of Batman’s adversaries are somewhat based in reality (outside of Ra’s Al Ghul) and the character of Deacon Blackfire is seemingly immortal, achieving so by bathing in human blood. How exactly does this work? Kind of took me out of the story a little. At least with Nolan’s adaptation in replacing Blackfire with mercenary Bane, it’s a little easier to believe.

Oh, and Robin is in it. Robin is a dork.

Cross Posted @ Every Read Thing

[James DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cool idea, and different, but not something I'd probably recommend to most Batman fans.

It's basically Batman dealing with a crazy cult, as the title says. It starts off simple enough, Batman is captured, they torture him some, and he joins them. However, soon into the book he breaks free of the trance but not fully. Thanks to the city under hell, Robin, and his determination, it's up to Batman to make it out alive and save everyone.

Good: Surprised how dark it got, but never too cheesy. The deaths are brutal and the cursing too me by surprise, but they work for the tone and style. I also thought Batman struggling throughout was a nice change and different.

Bad: The dialogue can be really really outdated, making it hard to take serious at times. I also thought the ending became odd, and nothing like the Bruce we know. Even adding in gun use? Yeah...no.

Overall it's solid, different, weird, but not amazing. I'd say try it if want a different batman story. A 3 out of 5.

[Sesana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a four issue mini, published in 1988. For historical context, it's one year after Year One, one year before Jason Todd gets voted to death, and the same year as The Killing Joke. So it is dark, to say the least. Batman gets kidnapped and brainwashed by a murderous cult, which then goes on to take over Gotham City. Nearly all of the violence happens on panel, so there's tons of blood.

For what it is, and what it sets out to do, it's very well done. The writing has held up surprisingly well, the only thing badly dating the comic is a panel that refers to VCRs being worth $1000 on the street. My big issue is that it's extremely unpleasant for me to read. I often have trouble getting into the ultra-dark books, and I'm glad the pendulum has swung a little further away from that. Oh, and the Bat-Monster Truck was pretty silly.

[Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book over a year ago and I remember not liking it the first time I read it and I'm not really sure what I didn't like about it. This is a great Batman book of the late 80's (not on the same level as Year One or The Killing Joke, but still very good). Deacon Blackfire manages to completely break Batman's willpower by drugging him and making him lose his mind. Grant Morrison did the same thing in RIP and I think that's part of what makes these two books great. We get to see Batman completely broken both physically and mentally and then go on to make a triumphant comeback. Bernie Wrightson's art also makes this book a visual masterpiece. I could have done without the Dark Knight Returns ripoff news panel sequences though as they seemed kind of pointless and irrelevant. RIP Bernie Wrightson

[Little Timmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this Batman story very much. No great world shattering villain or event for batman to stop just harsh street crime in his own town. I enjoy it when Batman stories get back to his street level crime fighting with not superpowers involved. Very recommended

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars for Jason Todd. He gets to shine in this one, essentially main hero saving Batman. Batman is drugged by the cult leader uses guns, I really hated that.

[Rodolfo Santullo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Resulta que con los amigos que hacemos un podcast (va chivo: salondelajusticiapodcast.com) le dedicamos el último programa de este año a Batman. Y parte del programa era cerrar con alguna recomendación de lectura y yo no quería caer en algo obvio. Por tanto, me releí esta preciosa y oscurísima miniserie que quedara algo opacada por obras contemporáneas de mayor éxito -digamos The Dark Knigh Returns y Arkham Asylum- lo que injustamente no le otorgara el ribete de "clásico imprescindible" que sin dudas es. La cosa arranca ya a los bifes: en uno de los sempiternos enfrentamientos de Batman con El Joker, el encapotado se harta y lo mata. Listo, chau Guasón, ya fue. Uia, pero una vez muerto el villano se transforma en flores de colores. ¿Qué carajo? Resulta que nuestro querido Bruno Díaz lleva días atado y encadenado, drogado con la poca comida que le van dando, luego de que cayera en manos del culto, la secta del Diácono Blackfire, cada vez menos dueño de sí. ¿Y quién es el Diácono Blackfire? Pues uno de los pocos enemigos que podrá partir en mil pedacitos al Señor de la Noche. Así, el guionista de la serie regular de esos años de Batman -el Sr. Jim Starlin- hacía mancuerna con uno de los mejores dibujantes de horror que jamás han existido -el Sr. Bernie Wrightson- para -junto al lisérgico color de Bill Wray- dar una de las más delirantes, pesadillescas y retorcidas historias del murciélago humano. El Culto de Blackfire avanza cual enfermedad y nada en Ciudad Gótica parece detenerlo. Con una historia a medio camino del policial y el horror gótico, con una de las mejores apariciones del Robin de Jason Todd, y un clímax violento como la san puta, Batman The Cult es una historia de esas que vale la pena descubrir o redescubrir (como sin dudas hizo Nolan en Dark Knight Rises, película que toma varios elementos de este relato).

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cult is a well-told Batman story, that, despite being 20+ years old was rather refreshing in this reader's eyes because it harkens back to a time when Batman was still a vulnerable human being, learning the ropes of superheroing, and not the goliath able to overcome all odds he is often painted as in today's stories. What also makes The Cult a cool yarn is its unique place in the Batman mythos. While the results of this story don't glaringly point to a single instance in the Bat's canon, junkies of these stories (such as myself) can see the foundation that is laid with these words. Bane may have broken Bruce's back some years later, but Deacon Blackfire in these pages is the first to break his spirit, leading to the aforementioned vulnerability from a hero who is all too human. Jim Starlin's dialogue is a bit dated in spots, and the look and feel of the book is definitely 80s, but this is a story that has held up well over the years all things considered. I was surprised by the stark violence and brutality contained within these pages. It may surprise many current readers to see a Batman like this. One who questions himself and at the story's halfway point is literally beaten. But peel back the layers on this dark tale and you have one of the finest tales of the Dark Knight ever told, just in a different way than what is considered the norm by today's standards.

[Max's Comic Reviews and Lists · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Blood Soaked Classic
Batman The Cult for a while had me split on my opinion. While the
first half has some good writing moments and interesting subplots
it was very disappointing in the execution of its idea of Batman being
broken. The second half however was very exciting and extremely dark. Batman The Cult also boasts a very menacing and EVIL antagonist.
Letter Grade: (C+)

[Machiavelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Batman: The Cult by Jim Starlin and Bernie Wrightson is a brutal, unflinching psychological descent—and one of the darkest Batman stories I’ve ever read. This isn’t just a battle of fists; it’s a full-on war for Bruce Wayne’s soul.

Deacon Blackfire is a terrifying villain, not because he’s flashy, but because he’s disturbingly real—manipulative, methodical, and charismatic in the worst way. Watching Batman physically and mentally break, only to claw his way back, is both harrowing and deeply compelling.

The story is intense and relentlessly grim, but never without purpose. Starlin’s writing is sharp and unrelenting, and Wrightson’s art is perfect—gritty, moody, and packed with emotion. Every panel feels heavy, like Gotham itself is suffocating.

This isn’t your typical Bat-story—it’s darker, more psychological, and it lingers with you long after the final page. A true masterpiece of horror-infused superhero storytelling. 5 stars, no hesitation.

[Logan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good! So I have been a big fan of Jim Starlin's batman comics, he's a bit of an underrated batman writer aside from his Death in The Family story. So this story takes place where Batman has been captured by these religious Zealots who are led by Deacon Blackfire an immortal religious 'messiah'. Right from the get go this is quite a different batman story, it doesn't have tons of action(only until the last act), its a much more psychological thriller, which we don't see too often in Batman comics. It's also one of the few comics where you see Batman at his lowest, his weakest and his most afraid. That's something that surprised me as in most comics, especially today, we always see Batman as this ultimate badass who cannot be defeated no matter what; but this story has him brought down to his lowest level and him having to climb his way back up. It's also quite dark gritty story, definitely had a Miller vibe about it; and since this was released not long after Dark Knight Returns, I'm not surprised. It even has a few cool Miller-esk moments that I could totally picture Miller writing them in a way.

The artwork was also very good, had some good looking panels and it added to the overall gritty atmosphere. I also love Batman's design where he's this huge guy, with the long bat ears we don't see much today.

Overall though, this was a very good batman read and one I do recommend!

[Lost Planet Airman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A graphic novel / comics collection that is at once hard to like and hard to dislike. While investigating mysterious killings and mysterious disappearances, the Batman is captured and brainwashed into believing the agenda of the psychopathic Deacon Blackfire. Is there hope for his rescue, recovery, and redemption?

The Good: This is a villain who has found a chink in the Batman's honor, but in a natural way. The human side of the Batman is significant to the story. There is constant interplay between dialog, action, and exposition. The art and colors are mildly impressionistic but still clear and expressive.

The Bad: Everyone is inconsistent. Deacon Blackfire appears ordinary, then supernatural, then just crazy. Minor cast members surface then fade to obscurity or vanish. Batman is broken, seemingly too quickly, and broken hard. It's apparently recoverable. Guns play a big role. Universe-altering clues are dropped (Gotham is across the river from JERSEY).

The Others: Not sure about this one. It seemed to hold together as a story while I was reading it, but on analysis the holes are… maddening. Maybe they were supposed to be.

Going to fulfill half of Seasonal Reading Challenge Task 25.1, item 1, (author Jim Starlin's initials in the phrase JUST ONE MORE), in conjunction with a Doctor Who novel currently reading.

[Eddie B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises" was clearly influenced by this truly gritty story. And God forgive me, I was enjoying it.

[OmniBen · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Zero spoiler review) 3.75/5
Right up until the final chapter, I was willing to crown Batman: The Cult as the story that should overtake the Dark Knight as the defacto 'go to' story for the caped crusader. Unfortunately though, the final chapter and resolution to the story failed to match the preceding three issues.
Wrightson is undoubtedly the star, as Bernie Wrightson usually is whenever he is on a book. Starlin does well, although their are more than a few niggles and flaws here and there that could have been ironed out, or a talented scriptwriter could deal with should this ever be turned into a movie, which it definitely should. A must read Batman story, though fails to quite reach the rank of classic. 3.75/5


OmniBen.

[David Monroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

When this series came out in 1988 I was newly married, finishing college and working two jobs. I had made a half-hearted decision to stop buying comics. When I read this Jim Starlin series, I hated it. It was the catalyst for me to stop buying comics.

Last week I found this in my Library. I thought I'd re-read it. Wow. How 22 years changes things. I get it. Remember, this was before A Killing Joke. This was during the time of A Dark Knight, but DK was an alt-version. I didn't like the dark place that it took The Batman. I didn't understand it. I get it now. Batman has to be broken every so often for the same reason Superman's powers must be tweaked. This made me feel sympathy for Jason Todd, and if you know what Jason is up to these days, that's not an easy thing. There is no way that Dick Grayson, Tim Drake or even Damian Wayne could have helped bring Batman back. Only Jason Todd knew the darkness that drove (drives) them both, could plumb that, and lead Bruce back.

This is a brilliant, little known and under-appreciated series that is a must read for all Batman fans or for those who enjoy well written, adult and challenging Graphic Novels.

[Saif Saeed · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this story because it's message is timeless. I hate this story because its relevant.

Lots to be said about a villain who inspires people to do what they think might be wrong for 'the greater good'. It's nuanced story telling and while there are moments where you think 'yeah this guy is a comic book villain', there's a lot in the narration that is quite poignant too.

The art is surprisingly good in this one too. Lots of pretty painted pages that remind me of classic Dr. Strange, which is high praise coming from me.

Recommended if you like religion, homeless people, sewers, and tranquilizers.

[Javier Muñoz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una historia entretenida en la que lo que más destaca es el dibujo de wrightson, el tratamiento del color, eso si, no me termina de gustar al menos en esta edicición... demasiado estridente. Aunque el guión no está mal quizás coja demasiados elementos de the dark knight returns.

[Frédéric · Rating 4 out of 5]

I discovered The Cult when it was released in France in '89. I was still quite new to the world of comics and it really gripped me at the time, without me noticing the script's inconsistencies.

I'm re-reading it now and I'm thinking… "Screw the inconsistencies." There are plenty of them, though: Batman is captured and broken far too easily, the homeless take control of the city without any difficulty – no sign of the big villains – and hold off the National Guard and then the US Army with nothing but axes and sniper rifles! Batman lets a woman die without trying to intervene because it's 'too risky', a ridiculous Bat-Monster Truck – certainly an inspiration for Snyder's Absolute Batman... in short, there are a lot of them.
But beyond that, we have a plot that is admittedly classic but devilishly effective, about a broken hero who must overcome his fear to surpass himself againt hard odds. And it works.

And it works all the better because the art team is brilliant. On pencils, the master Bernie Wrightson delivers some incredibly macabre scenes, just as he knew how to do so well. His storytelling, compositions and inking easily gloss over the few flaws found here and there. On colours, Bill Wray uses a delirious palette for the era. Ruthlessly garish with fuchsia pinks or unhealthy greens that burn the eyes, and 'splash' effects that are quite unique – at any rate, I don't think I've seen this technique used much. It may sound negative, but it isn't. That colour really impressed me back then, and I still find it just as effective today, adding a very special atmosphere that enhances the impact of Wrightson's drawings.

[Matthew Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really solid Batman book that felt weirdly familiar with the state of Gotham since I’m reading through No Man’s Land right now, as well. Bernie Wrightson’s art is dark and beautifully fitting for this book and the writing keeps the reader engaged and interested, if not a little expositional.

[rih ⟡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

why is everyone selling this as the best jaybin comic im so confused????

[Jerry Jose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cult is perhaps the only comic that does justice to Jason Todd. Of course, there is always 'Death in the Family', but murder is barely passable as justice.

[Dr Rashmit Mishra · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I want to do something different here with this review, I will straight away talk about the things I didn't like first , two things really pissed me off about this book and those things are responsible for me taking a star away from the rating from what was a fascinating book .

The first is the art style, the art filled with a lot of yellow green and red felt an eye sore , it put me off at times and made certain panels difficult to distinguish , next up the actions of the goons were questionable at times making their eventual downfall seem forcefully orchestrated by the author.

Apart from these things I liked every bit of this book , it's a dark gloomy look on how cults are formed and this storyline goes further by breaking the Bat's mind and making him fall in line with the cult . The eventual follow up was very dark and demoralizing even as a reader as the Batman himself gives up on his city. The eventual fightback and the win was glorious and satisfying , albeit a bit over-the-top , but hey it's the 80s comics

Seen a few reviews mention how out of character batman was the book , but i think that is the point the author want to make , Bat is broken , and when you are broken like that you tend to doubt yourself and to overcome said doubt you do things you normally wouldn't .

A brilliant character study with a dark storyline , a redeemable arc, with all the usual bravado of Superhero comics and a narration of dangers of Vigilantes and Cults . Absolutely one of the best Batman books out there.