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DC Universe
DC Universe: Helltown
There are a lot of unanswered questions about VicSage, like how he spent - or misspent - his youth and how he came tobe a journalist in the country's worst city. This novel willsolve these mysteries, retell and embellish some old tales and tell anew tale of how Vic, with a bit of help, brought some measure ofserenity to a truly dreadful place. From his first meeting with LadyShiva, where he was almost killed, to training with Richard Dragon,the best martial artist in the world, and how Batman, whilethreatening his life, also saves him.DC HELLTOWN finally provides answers about The Question.Who he is and what he did...
344 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
5 people are currently reading
233 people want to read
About the author
Dennis O'Neil
1,757 books276 followers
Dennis "Denny" O'Neil
was a comic book writer and editor best known for his work for Marvel Comics and DC Comics from the 1960s through the 1990s, and Group Editor for the Batman family of titles until his retirement.
His best-known works include Green Lantern/Green Arrow and Batman with Neal Adams, The Shadow with Michael Kaluta and The Question with Denys Cowan. As an editor, he is principally known for editing the various Batman titles. From 2013 unti his death, he sat on the board of directors of the charity The Hero Initiative and served on its Disbursement Committee.
His best-known works include Green Lantern/Green Arrow and Batman with Neal Adams, The Shadow with Michael Kaluta and The Question with Denys Cowan. As an editor, he is principally known for editing the various Batman titles. From 2013 unti his death, he sat on the board of directors of the charity The Hero Initiative and served on its Disbursement Committee.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 22, 2017
Excellent novel. If you are a Batman fan you will love this book. Yes the main protagonist is The Question Vic Savage, but with all the DC master and Batman himself pulling strings to develop the Question the right way a really good novel. The transformation of Vic Savage into the Question they really cover every aspect that nobody would be able to put the 2 of them together and the other skills that they teach and enhance for him is really cool. This is not a story of a man on the wrong side of a beating then waking up to find he has superpowers. All his skill must be learned and earned. So he is sent on a trip to meet and learn from some of the deadliest people on the planet and masters of their craft (sound familiar). Now that Vic has all the resources and skills to become the Question can see beyond his personal revenge? I enjoyed this story from start to finish.
July 10, 2020
Props to Dennis O'Neil for writing a novel about the Question. Like all Steve Ditko creations, the Question is a fascinating character--a blank slate in a complicated world. Maybe someday someone brave will also write a Mr. A novel. You never know.
And that makes me wonder: If you were tapped to write a book based on any superhero comic, what would you chose? Lois Lane? Night Nurse? The Doom Patrol? The Inferior 5ive? There are plenty of Batman and Spider-Man novels already. No need to add to the slush pile. Given a choice, I guess I'd write a Kamandi novel. Why not? Even the last boy on Earth needs a little love.
And that makes me wonder: If you were tapped to write a book based on any superhero comic, what would you chose? Lois Lane? Night Nurse? The Doom Patrol? The Inferior 5ive? There are plenty of Batman and Spider-Man novels already. No need to add to the slush pile. Given a choice, I guess I'd write a Kamandi novel. Why not? Even the last boy on Earth needs a little love.
May 1, 2020
This is a somewhat unusual book in that it features The Question, a rather obscure Charlton character created by Steve Ditko back in the day, with Batman present in a more or less advisory capacity, or perhaps as a mentor. O'Neil did a good job of putting together a satisfactory mystery and fitting it with established DC characters and continuity. The prose got a little dry and too wordy in spots, but it was a fun read, particularly for hardcore DC fans.
May 26, 2018
Okay the book get two strikes. First for two very small errors. One minor character changes names (and back) for two pages. And there is an internal error regarding where Charles Victor Szasz was during Christmas 'last year' when the story takes place over an 18 month time frame. (Granted, my might not have been conscious that Christmas and thus doesn't count it.)
But the bigger strike against it- at least if you've already read Dennis O'Neil's amazing run on The Question from 1987-91- is that this is basically a novelization of that story with a few minor changes to reflect changes in technology. On top of that, they did rid of a lot of the directly political material. They increase the role of Batman (but not quite to the point where he takes over the last act) and ditch Sage's questionable (pun intended) alliance with Oliver Queen. I guess because the way O'Neil and Grell wrote Oliver is tied so intimately to the character's politics that an apolitical Queen is sort of well... nothing. Then they drain it of its East vs. West philosophy and the idea that neither view point is 'superior' to the other. They just sort of are.
When you drain The Question of that you still getting a pretty awesome page turner. You just don't quite get a story that makes you think the way the original did. Of course, DC novels tend to be written as straight 'good guys vs. bad guys' and well... the whole point of the comic is that in Hub City there might not be such an animal as good people.
But the bigger strike against it- at least if you've already read Dennis O'Neil's amazing run on The Question from 1987-91- is that this is basically a novelization of that story with a few minor changes to reflect changes in technology. On top of that, they did rid of a lot of the directly political material. They increase the role of Batman (but not quite to the point where he takes over the last act) and ditch Sage's questionable (pun intended) alliance with Oliver Queen. I guess because the way O'Neil and Grell wrote Oliver is tied so intimately to the character's politics that an apolitical Queen is sort of well... nothing. Then they drain it of its East vs. West philosophy and the idea that neither view point is 'superior' to the other. They just sort of are.
When you drain The Question of that you still getting a pretty awesome page turner. You just don't quite get a story that makes you think the way the original did. Of course, DC novels tend to be written as straight 'good guys vs. bad guys' and well... the whole point of the comic is that in Hub City there might not be such an animal as good people.
December 7, 2025
I really enjoyed this novel - more than trying to read the comics that are the basis for the story. Not sure what it is - I do adore comics, but maybe it's my first love for reading novels, maybe the 20 years between 1987 and 2006 allowed Denny O'Neil to become a stronger storyteller (though the fans of the comics seem to think this is a much weaker version of the story).
Thinking through the plot, it's quite convoluted and complicated - but the way O'Neil gives you the information, it's all very clear. There's several nice backtracks (I wonder if O'Neil was influenced by writing the Batman Begins novelization the previous year, with Nolan's time skipping all throughout that story) where you realize there's way more layers to what's going on that first appears.
I really liked the characterization of Vic, Tot, Batman, Shiva, Richard Dragon, Myra, and the other heroic characters. There was a real texture and imaginative fun behind them. The villains were a lot less interesting, but pretty challenging for our heros, so that was good. I don't think The Question will ever quite be a favorite of mine, but I very much appreciate having this story as an encapsulation of one of his greatest comic runs in a format I really enjoy.
I'm currently reading O'Neil's novelization of Batman: Knightfall, and it's kind of hilarious that this novel, written and set in 2006, is actually supposed to be before the 1994 story, since Dick Grayson is the only Robin in Helltown, while Knightfall has Batman already on Robin #3, Tim Drake. Ah, the humor of comics, adaptations, and timelines.
Thinking through the plot, it's quite convoluted and complicated - but the way O'Neil gives you the information, it's all very clear. There's several nice backtracks (I wonder if O'Neil was influenced by writing the Batman Begins novelization the previous year, with Nolan's time skipping all throughout that story) where you realize there's way more layers to what's going on that first appears.
I really liked the characterization of Vic, Tot, Batman, Shiva, Richard Dragon, Myra, and the other heroic characters. There was a real texture and imaginative fun behind them. The villains were a lot less interesting, but pretty challenging for our heros, so that was good. I don't think The Question will ever quite be a favorite of mine, but I very much appreciate having this story as an encapsulation of one of his greatest comic runs in a format I really enjoy.
I'm currently reading O'Neil's novelization of Batman: Knightfall, and it's kind of hilarious that this novel, written and set in 2006, is actually supposed to be before the 1994 story, since Dick Grayson is the only Robin in Helltown, while Knightfall has Batman already on Robin #3, Tim Drake. Ah, the humor of comics, adaptations, and timelines.
July 22, 2018
This book tells the story of how The Question came to be. The action is fast-paced, and this book focuses on some of the lesser known characters from the DC universe. There is a lot of unarmed combat here.
September 28, 2018
A superior second-pass on O'Neil's terrific 1980s QUESTION comics, albeit in prose form. All the good stuff from the comic's first arc (sadly minus Denys Cowan's art), but with some tweaks and polishes. (example: Batman isn't a douche to Sage, but a bit of a mentor). Highly recommended.
September 24, 2018
Read it with my son. We both give it 5 stars. :)
June 24, 2021
I love this interpretation of the Question.
November 10, 2011
(Original review Dec 2006)
Overall 3/5
Story 3/5
Re-Readability 2/5
Characters 3/5
The Question was a second-string character (one of a raft from the fertile mind of Steve Ditko) from a second-string publishing company — Charlton. Charlton, whose assets were bought up by DC, had its characters merged into the DCU during the Crisis on Infinite Earths, played with under the DC aegis by Alan Moore in The Watchmen (where the Question got turned into Rorschach), and gradually integrated into the mainstream with greater or lesser success. The Question himself became the title character of an early mature-line comic written by O’Neil, and has since made various appearances as a philosopher / detective / crimebuster. He achieved his greatest fame, of late, in the Justice League Unlimited cartoon, which probably prompted DC/Warner to give O’Neil a chance to write and publish his long-expected Question novel.
What results here, though, is oddly unsatisfying. A stumble-bum failure returns to his armpit of a home town, seeking both work and information about his dead parents. Caught up in a third-rate conspiracy, he ends up being mentored by an array of DCU “normal” characters — Shiva, Richard Dragon, and the Batman himself — becoming another two-fisted bringer of noir justice.
Ho-hum.
There’s very little new or interesting here in the setting, the plot, or the main character, though all are well-framed by O’Neil. Not only that, but the protagonist ends up just not being very protagonistic, rescued and helped at several critical junctures, he never really rises to stand on his own. That may be part of the message — family is what you make, not what you inherit — but that may also be just poor plotting of a “hero starts out” novel.
O’Neil does a workman’s job here, solid, but nothing special. He professes a love for the character and his run on it, but that doesn’t translate anywhere near into The Canonical Question Novel. Instead, it’s a frothy-light, entertaining, quick read that will leave you with more questions than answers, but little interest in pursuing them.
Overall 3/5
Story 3/5
Re-Readability 2/5
Characters 3/5
The Question was a second-string character (one of a raft from the fertile mind of Steve Ditko) from a second-string publishing company — Charlton. Charlton, whose assets were bought up by DC, had its characters merged into the DCU during the Crisis on Infinite Earths, played with under the DC aegis by Alan Moore in The Watchmen (where the Question got turned into Rorschach), and gradually integrated into the mainstream with greater or lesser success. The Question himself became the title character of an early mature-line comic written by O’Neil, and has since made various appearances as a philosopher / detective / crimebuster. He achieved his greatest fame, of late, in the Justice League Unlimited cartoon, which probably prompted DC/Warner to give O’Neil a chance to write and publish his long-expected Question novel.
What results here, though, is oddly unsatisfying. A stumble-bum failure returns to his armpit of a home town, seeking both work and information about his dead parents. Caught up in a third-rate conspiracy, he ends up being mentored by an array of DCU “normal” characters — Shiva, Richard Dragon, and the Batman himself — becoming another two-fisted bringer of noir justice.
Ho-hum.
There’s very little new or interesting here in the setting, the plot, or the main character, though all are well-framed by O’Neil. Not only that, but the protagonist ends up just not being very protagonistic, rescued and helped at several critical junctures, he never really rises to stand on his own. That may be part of the message — family is what you make, not what you inherit — but that may also be just poor plotting of a “hero starts out” novel.
O’Neil does a workman’s job here, solid, but nothing special. He professes a love for the character and his run on it, but that doesn’t translate anywhere near into The Canonical Question Novel. Instead, it’s a frothy-light, entertaining, quick read that will leave you with more questions than answers, but little interest in pursuing them.
March 19, 2009
This is basically a revised, truncated and (in my opinion) inferior retelling of the story found in the DC Comics The Question series by Dennis O'Neil and Denys Rowan which ran for 3 years. There are changes made as far as the timeline and sequence of events leading to Vic Sage becoming The Question. Elements of some of the series major plotlines are found here. But the Vic Sage of this story is nowhere near as interesting. I look at this as sort of an "Elseworlds" retelling of that series where some things parallel and some things differ. I am a huge fan of The Question and this was a good book, but it pales in comparison to the comics series. In the end, I got the impression that O'Neil may have planned for more Question novels but who knows if that will happen.
September 16, 2010
A story revolving around The Question, Helltown isn't exactly a well-written book. Most of the plot was told rather than shown, and, while I acknowledge that this is for a comic book franchise, the characters were completely unbelievable. They were quite shallow. No doubt this was a "super hero" story and needed to be plot-driven rather than character-driven, but it overwhelmed the story all together. I've learned that a story has little or no impact if the characters cannot at least find a balance with the plot. This is a merciful review.
August 6, 2011
I highly recommend this book to anyone even remotely interested in The Question. Helltown tells his origin in a new way. While some of the basic elements from the comic origin are there, this story gives a whole lot more detail and is told more coherently. This version of Vic Sage's tale also makes more use of Gotham's Knight than in the comic (in which he only had a brief cameo). Due to the alterations, this is a great book for those who are already familiar with the character and his beginnings.
October 20, 2011
Back in the 7th grade to 8th grade, I wasn't much of a reader. Then when I saw this book in my brother's libaray and picked it up. I became obsessed with DC Helltown. To me it became something I looked forward to at the end of the day. I loved it so much by the time I graduated the 8th grade I had read it over 6 times. I also became a fan of the Question the protagonist of the book. I still have the book to this day and I will never let go if it for the rest of my days.
July 10, 2012
I am a huge DC fan. When I saw that a book was written about my favorite DC hero The Question, I had to pick it up. I like the origin telling and the character Cameos(Richard Dragon, and Lady Shiva, and Batman). Over all I enjoyed the read. The ending felt a bit lacking, but the book kept me interested till the very end. This is not as good as O'Neil's Knightfall, but to be fair that is a little hard to beat. If you want a to help you pass some time I would say to pick this book up.
Read
July 11, 2010A solid update of the Question's 1980's series in prose forms. Many of the things that did not sit well with me in the early series has been changed, and adjusted to fit this contemporary telling.
I have a feeling this is the only novel we'll have of the Question for some time, which is a shame, as the O'Neil version of the character works far better in pulp then the panel grid.
I have a feeling this is the only novel we'll have of the Question for some time, which is a shame, as the O'Neil version of the character works far better in pulp then the panel grid.
April 1, 2008
not a comic book, but about The Question.
Read
August 23, 2008isbn,original
January 6, 2010
As a fan of DC already, Its obvious that I liked it. It provided a great story line, and a good ending. I didn't encounter much problems, so I would greatly recommend it.
August 11, 2011
Neat origin of DC's The Question! Batman's cameo was a nice touch and the characters were well fleshed out. It made me wish the comic was better.
September 7, 2012
Short and sweet: good read for super hero fans.
October 2, 2014
Awesome book.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews