Future State: The Next Batman #2

Future State: The Next Batman #2

by John Ridley, Paula Sevenbergen, Vita Ayala

In this second Future State: Batman chapter, wearing a mask in Gotham City is now a crime-and when it’s compounded with murder, it can be a shoot-on-sight offense! Batman is on the trail of a murderous couple but quickly finds that all is not as it seems...and finds himself in the firing line of the Magistrate and their Peacekeepers! The gritty, street-level adventures of the new Dark Knight continue!

Also in this issue, Batgirls Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown find themselves in a prison where the Magistrate throws heroes and villains alike! What no one knows, though, is that Cassandra was sent there with a mission…

And in a story of the Gotham City Sirens, some girls just want to have fun-so what do you do when you find Gotham City in turmoil and overrun by Cybers? You go shopping, of course! Join Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and a new Siren on a gal’s night out. They’re on the town, looking for trouble…and finding it!

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Batman

63 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 19, 2021

About the author

John Ridley IV (born October 1965)[2] is an American screenwriter, television director, novelist, and showrunner, known for 12 Years a Slave, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He is also the creator and showrunner of the critically acclaimed anthology series American Crime. His most recent work is the documentary film Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982–1992.


Librarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name.

Reviews

[Chelsea 🏳️‍🌈 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish this was just the Batman story because I'm really enjoying this series. I love Fox as Batman, it's an interesting plot considering all the forces working against him in this universe. Prior Batmen worked with the police and here's a story where the police are not only using excessive force, they're using lethal force against any and all vigilantes. I'm bummed I don't think this story will be all that long as I'm not sure how long Future State is going to last. They've managed to make a story where I actually care about mysteries and crime solving in a Batman story again. Bravo!

The second story could've been super interesting for me. I adore Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown and I really like prison break stories (for example, I watched Fox's Prison Break series for WAY too long). I felt like the writing here felt just a little off. Steph was behaving more like Jason Todd than she ever has in other books. And yes, I get that they're in a dystopian type of society where they're being hunted, but her dialogue and behavior was very strange to me. Cass was speaking like some character from a melodramatic action film. She didn't sound like herself at all. It's just odd.

Then we have a Gotham City Sirens story that, I can't believe I'm saying this, felt inconsiderate in tone? Like everyone else is living in an oppressive society with constant surveillance and here are Selina, Pamela and their robot friend having a girls' night out? It just felt odd after everything else I've read thus far.

So, the Batman story was a 5 star story for me. The other 2 really weren't my favorites.

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really enjoying rhe main story here. This batman is more talkative but in the best way. New and scared yet positive and won't give up. Helps the art is fantastic too. Two backup stories are decent. Cass is a badass once more.

Main story a 4 the others a 3.

[Logan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cool issue with the new Batman! Didn't really care for much of the backup stories again. Also they reveal who the Batman in such a casual way I thought it would be more of a bigger reveal.

[Murphy C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked all three stories herein. The artwork is mostly better than competent, and I am intrigued by the various mysteries. Vastly superior to the few other Future State stuff I've been reading.

[RG · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main story is actually kinda good. The two side stories were so so.

[Gordon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Next Batman: ⭐⭐
Batgirls: ⭐
Gotham City Sirens: —⭐

[Roman Colombo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The main story was excellent, the second story good, and the third pretty good but dragged on.

[Derek Neveu · Rating 3 out of 5]

The arc in these three stories became more and more tedious. Next Batman was good, Batgirls was okay, and Gotham City Sirens was meh! I understand why they are shoving so many stories into these books, because not even Selina and Ivy fans want to purchase let alone read that last story!

[Kastie Pavlik · Rating 4 out of 5]

The part of this issue that focuses on Tim Fox was well written and thought out, especially that discussion in the mayor's office. I like how he's not a perfect fighter and his language is looser. He seems more human. I wish more of these issues was devoted solely to this story. The Batgirl section wasted too much time getting to the point. Too much exposition and unnecessary dialogue. By the time it got interesting, it was at the cliff hanger, but I am invested in seeing how it ends. The Gotham City Sirens story...ug. Ok, so we're in the future, the love of Catwoman's life is "dead" and she's suddenly younger and dressing like a stripper having a girls night out with a sex robot? :/ Meh.

[Dennis Brock · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I'm in the middle of a 13 hour flight from Chicago to Doha: My legs are achy, I'm uncomfortable because Im a fat man in economy, & I'm over tired because I haven't been able to sleep. So I decide to read issue #2, & a third of the way through I'm finally sleeping like a baby...

This book is that boring.

I like the idea of The Next Batman, & I like this Next Batman, but the world/story surrounding him is incredibly dull. I feel like the writing is so lazy, and even the artwork is lazy too.

I don't know if I'll do issue 3 & 4...

[Shawn Ingle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded up from 3.5 stars. Didn't love this as much as the first issue but it was still good. Straightforward story of an injured Batman trying to solve a murder while being pursued by the Magistrate/Peacekeepers. Great art. The highlight for me was the Batgirls story. There was action, tension, drama and a little bit of tenderness. Great writing and flow. Struggled through The Sirens story. Wordy and poor pacing, I was mostly disinterested throughout.

[Etienne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well it wasn't better! I'm not a fan of this short stories comic, which seem to pop out a lot recently both in DC and Marvel. Plus, even the Batman story felt like it isn't strongly build enough for my taste. I will drop this one. So far not much success with the Future State. I think DC failed on something that could've been a big it, but it isn't for me, and from what I'm reading on the Internet, a lot of people seem to be disappointed as well. Too bad!

[A Fan of Comics · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are these getting shorter?

Not sure why but this part of the story just flew by and honestly, not sure if they need to be broken up into 4 pieces. Family drama is still high, the art still looks great. Just not sure if this needed to be $7.99 each. I did like the Batgirls and Gotham City Siren stories more then the last two. But even these could have been mixed in with the Catwoman title or even a book on their own. I wonder how/if they will collect all these in a trade.

[Cody Billings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of the three full-sized comics here, the main Batman story continues to be the heavy hitter though I can't help but be a little disappointed that Nick Derrington's artwork is only being emulated here on out. I also found the Batgirls story to be really solid(3/5) and the Gotham City Sirens story to only be okay(2/5).

[STEVE LONG · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was better than issue #1. I felt more pulled into the story than I did in the first one. However, I liked the backup story with Orphan and Spoiler in it better than the main story. I am really looking forward to reading how that story turns out.

[Julian Prinsloo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Again we are given a few pages of "The Next Batman" and much more, in depth, content of the Bat-family and characters related to Batman. If this continues, I don't see this potentially good series recovering. Make me excited for issue 3 DC Comics, please!

[Raymond Paquette · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Batman story was good. The prison story was too rushed and the Catwoman story was difficult to even read mainly because it was missing a personal connection to the guy they wanted to take down.

[Catherine Doherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still not super into Batman yet. He's not really embracing the detective side of the character. Loved the second storyline, third was ok.

[spencer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Rob S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

NEXT BATMAN: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
BATGIRLS: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
GOTHAM CITY SIRENS: ⭐⭐1/2

[Mat · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for Next Batman and the Batgirls. Gotham City Sirens was pretty hokey until the end.

[LQ 🖖 🇨🇦 (to the max!) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the Sirens section was dumb. A bar where heroes and villains go to dance with each other? It read and looked like a Betty and Veronica comic lol.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

The next batman chapter 2, Batgirls, Gotham city sirens ladies night out part 1

[True Sankofa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Batman story is ok. Issue is definitely not worth the retail price. Maybe if there was more Batman story. No, not even that.

[Octavi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Esto va a peor. Y las historias de “acompañamiento” son auténtica basura.

[Craig Schorling · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first two stories but the last one was pretty weak. The way the new Batman acts and talks is different but it is growing on me. The art is pretty good as well.

[Steven Shinder · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the anthology nature, but it's feeling kinda mixed.

[brianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

...

[vale ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lo mejor fueron Cass y Steph. Mmm, la parte de las sirenas estuvo más o menos, sentí que no coincidía exactamente con todo lo que habían dicho sobre el mundo, pero está bien.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Next Batman

So far so good for the Future State series. The book read out of order and started at the end to the beginning. But other than that the artwork great.