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Batman: Black and White (Collected Editions) #5
Batman: Black and White
The world is simple. There's good. There's evil. And there's still...BATMAN BLACK & WHITE!
This Eisner Award-winning anthology series returns with all-new tales of mystery, mayhem, and madness from some of the finest and most innovative storytellers to explore the Batman mythos in stark black and white!
James Tynion IV and Tradd Moore explore the world of Ra's al Ghul and the League of Assassins.
Featuring the return of J.H. Williams III to DC for a trip through the Dark Knight's history.
Paul Dini and Andy Kubert pit Batman against an infestation of ninja Man-Bats in the Batcave.
G. Willow Wilson and Greg Smallwood portray Batman in his strangest standoff ever with Killer Croc.
Tom King and Mitch Gerads tell a tale of Batman administering a form of last rites to a dying priest. Or is it the other way around?
Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko find the Dark Knight facing certain death, with The Joker as his last lifeline.
With several more stories and a lineup this strong, witness a brand-new collection of this iconic anthology!
Collects Batman: Black & White #1-6.
This Eisner Award-winning anthology series returns with all-new tales of mystery, mayhem, and madness from some of the finest and most innovative storytellers to explore the Batman mythos in stark black and white!
James Tynion IV and Tradd Moore explore the world of Ra's al Ghul and the League of Assassins.
Featuring the return of J.H. Williams III to DC for a trip through the Dark Knight's history.
Paul Dini and Andy Kubert pit Batman against an infestation of ninja Man-Bats in the Batcave.
G. Willow Wilson and Greg Smallwood portray Batman in his strangest standoff ever with Killer Croc.
Tom King and Mitch Gerads tell a tale of Batman administering a form of last rites to a dying priest. Or is it the other way around?
Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko find the Dark Knight facing certain death, with The Joker as his last lifeline.
With several more stories and a lineup this strong, witness a brand-new collection of this iconic anthology!
Collects Batman: Black & White #1-6.
312 pages, Hardcover
Published September 14, 2021
17 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
About the author
James Tynion IV
1,642 books1,985 followersPrior to his first professional work, Tynion was a student of Scott Snyder's at Sarah Lawrence College. A few years later, he worked as for Vertigo as Fables editor Shelly Bond's intern. In late 2011, with DC deciding to give Batman (written by Snyder) a back up feature, Tynion was brought in by request of Snyder to script the back ups he had plotted. Tynion would later do the same with the Batman Annual #1, which was also co-plotted by Snyder. Beginning in September 2012, with DC's 0 issue month for the New 52, Tynion will be writing Talon, with art by Guillem March. In early 2013 it was announced that he'd take over writing duties for Red Hood and the Outlaws in April.
Tynion is also currently one of the writers in a rotating team in the weekly Batman Eternal series.
Tynion is also currently one of the writers in a rotating team in the weekly Batman Eternal series.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
August 6, 2021
The award-winning Batman: Black and White is back for another limited run of Batman short stories, but, unfortunately, true to its name, it is a very colourless book, both literally and in terms of story quality.
Considering the abundance of short stories in this anthology, only three stood out as half-decent. Tom King and Mitch Gerads’ The Unjust Judge tells the tale of Batman failing to rescue a dying preacher and kneels by his side as he passes - it’s a quietly moving piece, and was interesting to see Batman not save someone for a change.
Dustin Weaver’s Dual had good art and a fine nightmare atmosphere to it, and Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie’s The Riddle was a clever choose-your-own-adventure-type short with great art as well.
And that’s it - nearly every other story in this collection is instantly forgettable crapola! What it does have in abundance though is superb art. Some of the biggest artists working today contribute pages here and I especially enjoyed seeing art by Gabriel Hardman, David Aja, Olivier Coipel, Nick Bradshaw, Terry Dodson, and Greg Smallwood.
What this collection seems to be is a testing ground for artists making the transition to writers but, despite these artists being immensely talented illustrators, they’re not writers for a reason and have a long way to go before they produce anything worth reading, judging by their contributions here. I’m looking at you Emma Rios, Bilquis Evely, Nick Dragotta, JH Williams III, Lee Weeks, Jorge Jimenez, Jamal Campbell, and Nick Derington!
This latest collection of Batman: Black and White might be worth a look only if you’re an art fan as the stories here are an unimpressive and instantly forgettable bunch that really aren’t worth the effort to read.
Considering the abundance of short stories in this anthology, only three stood out as half-decent. Tom King and Mitch Gerads’ The Unjust Judge tells the tale of Batman failing to rescue a dying preacher and kneels by his side as he passes - it’s a quietly moving piece, and was interesting to see Batman not save someone for a change.
Dustin Weaver’s Dual had good art and a fine nightmare atmosphere to it, and Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie’s The Riddle was a clever choose-your-own-adventure-type short with great art as well.
And that’s it - nearly every other story in this collection is instantly forgettable crapola! What it does have in abundance though is superb art. Some of the biggest artists working today contribute pages here and I especially enjoyed seeing art by Gabriel Hardman, David Aja, Olivier Coipel, Nick Bradshaw, Terry Dodson, and Greg Smallwood.
What this collection seems to be is a testing ground for artists making the transition to writers but, despite these artists being immensely talented illustrators, they’re not writers for a reason and have a long way to go before they produce anything worth reading, judging by their contributions here. I’m looking at you Emma Rios, Bilquis Evely, Nick Dragotta, JH Williams III, Lee Weeks, Jorge Jimenez, Jamal Campbell, and Nick Derington!
This latest collection of Batman: Black and White might be worth a look only if you’re an art fan as the stories here are an unimpressive and instantly forgettable bunch that really aren’t worth the effort to read.
September 6, 2022
The Demon's Fist by James Tynion IV & Tradd Moore - ★
Tradd Moore's black and white art is even harder to decipher than his color art. He always draws way too many things on each page making it really hard to focus on the important parts of a panel. It's even without colors to help draw my focus.
Weight by J.H. Williams III - ★★★★
J.H. Williams's art is always eye candy. He comes up with inventive panel structures and Batman dances across the page. Here a page has panels separated with Martha's pearls. It's always something new and inventive.
Metamorphosis by G. Willow Wilson & Greg Smallwood - ★★★★★
A terrific story about Killer Croc being locked up in a house with a woman and a police officer as hostages. Great art. Great story.
Sisyphus by Emma Rios - ★
I'm not even sure what happened in this. Filled with flowery language that says nothing along with two page spreads that look pretty but don't tell any kind of story.
First Flight by Paul Dini & Andy Kubert - ★★★
Batman fights a bunch of Man-Bats in the Batcave. Solid.
The Unjust Judge by Tom King & Mitch Gerads - ★★★
Batman tries to save a priest who is trapped under the rubble of a collapsed church.
All Cats Are Gray by Sophie Campbell - ★★★
A wordless tale of Batman chasing Catwoman through the snow after she steals a jewel.
The Spill by Gabriel Hardman & Corinna Bechko - ★★★
Batman is trapped under a crashed Batmobile with rising flood waters when the Joker shows up.
Dual by Dustin Weaver - ★★★
This was strange. It's about an all-white Batman that is kind of a Reverse-Batman helping to commit crimes. I didn't get the end at all.
The Devil Is in the Detail by David Aja - ★★★
Batman is on the trail of a cult that is sacrificing people. The layout is that of a Sunday morning cartoon strip.
The Cavalry by John Ridley & Olivier Coipel - ★★★★★
This was terrific. Jace Fox from The Next Batman is wearing the cowl and captured by a gang, chained up and getting beat. Olivier Coipel's art is so dynamic. It's just brilliant.
A Kingdom of Thorns by Bilquis Evely - ★★
Some kind of fantasy story with Batman reimagined as a knight determined to get to the narrator. The storytelling wasn't great. Evely has a European flair to her art.
I Am the Bat by Bengal - ★★★★
Batman goes after some criminals in a car chase with the police while Batman talks about bigger villains. There's a nice little twist at the end.
Unquiet Knight by Tim Seeley & Kelley Jones - ★★★★★
A really great idea for a story and the perfect use for Kelley Jones's talents.
Legacy by Nick Dragotta - ★★
a future Batman fights in a mech suit. I didn't get this at all but the art is cool.
A Night in the Life of a Bat in Gotham by Joshua Williamson & Riley Rossmo - ★
This was stupid. It's about a bat that Batman saves while fighting criminals. He takes it to the batcave and talks with the Bat-family about how all the bats are their friends. Riley Rossmo's art is its typically awful shelf. Without colors it looks even worse and overly busy with way too many duotone shading effects.
Davenport House by Karl Kerschl - ★★★★
Yas! Maps from Gotham Academy is Robin. She goes with Batman to investigate a haunted house where Batman is summoned by a séance in the past. Cool stuff.
The Green Deal by Chip Zdarsky & Nick Bradshaw - ★★★★
Poison Ivy comes looking for Bruce Wayne to help her save the world from climate change and gets Batman instead. I like the twist on this.
Checkmate by Daniel Warren Johnson - ★★
Eh, Batman is captured by Two-Face's goons while we flashback to win Alfred taught him chess.
The Fool's Journey by Becky Cloonan, Terry Dodson, & Rachel Dodson - ★★
The Dodson's make this look great but can't save this stupid story. Batman investigates a fortune teller's death at Haley's Circus. She's been stabbed in the heart which makes the ending ridiculous. Toddler Dick Grayson shows up briefly too.
A Father and Son Outing by Jorge Jimenez - ★★
I guess Jimenez should stick to what's he's best at, incredible art. This story was pretty lackluster. Bruce takes Damian to the park to choreograph how they will handle a drug deal that night.
Signals by Lee Weeks - ★
Some really poor storytelling. It's a story about Jim Gordon. Something about an old partner being dirty. The storytelling is terrible leaving the story very vague and disjointed.
Blue by Mariko Tamaki, Emanuela Lupacchino & Wade Von Grawadger - ★★★
I get the impression Tamaki planned on continuing this over in Detective Comics because it doesn't make a lot of sense on its own. Gilda Dent is murdering people for unexplained reasons.
The Riddle by Kieron Gillen & Jamie McKelvie - ★★★
Gillen and McKelvie create a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure with the Riddler and Killer Croc where you always lose unless you just skip to the end. Odd.
The Man Who Flies by Jamal Campbell - ★★★
Nightwing reflects back on his life while flipping through Bludhaven.
The Second Signal by Brandon Thomas & Khary Randolph - ★★★★★
I really liked this. Two techie teenagers come up with a neat way to contact Batman when people in their neighborhood go missing.
The Abyss by Pierrick Colinet & Elsa Charrtier - ★★★★
I quite liked this. Three witnesses give their depiction of a fight between Batman and Man-Bat with quite different perspectives. I like how the art changed with each witnesses' skew on the story.
Opening Moves by Nick Derington - ★★★
Batman goes after a chess based villain. Feels like a snippet of a larger story left for the reader to extrapolate.
Like Monsters of the Deep by John Arcudi & James Harren - ★★★
Batman teams up with Clayface to go after a women slavery ring.
A Thousand Words by Scott Snyder, John Romita Jr. & Klaus Janson - ★★★
Batman through the eyes of Gotham's version of Peter Parker. He's nicknamed the Shudderbat for all the pictures of Batman he's taken. Neat idea but not that interesting.
Tradd Moore's black and white art is even harder to decipher than his color art. He always draws way too many things on each page making it really hard to focus on the important parts of a panel. It's even without colors to help draw my focus.
Weight by J.H. Williams III - ★★★★
J.H. Williams's art is always eye candy. He comes up with inventive panel structures and Batman dances across the page. Here a page has panels separated with Martha's pearls. It's always something new and inventive.
Metamorphosis by G. Willow Wilson & Greg Smallwood - ★★★★★
A terrific story about Killer Croc being locked up in a house with a woman and a police officer as hostages. Great art. Great story.
Sisyphus by Emma Rios - ★
I'm not even sure what happened in this. Filled with flowery language that says nothing along with two page spreads that look pretty but don't tell any kind of story.
First Flight by Paul Dini & Andy Kubert - ★★★
Batman fights a bunch of Man-Bats in the Batcave. Solid.
The Unjust Judge by Tom King & Mitch Gerads - ★★★
Batman tries to save a priest who is trapped under the rubble of a collapsed church.
All Cats Are Gray by Sophie Campbell - ★★★
A wordless tale of Batman chasing Catwoman through the snow after she steals a jewel.
The Spill by Gabriel Hardman & Corinna Bechko - ★★★
Batman is trapped under a crashed Batmobile with rising flood waters when the Joker shows up.
Dual by Dustin Weaver - ★★★
This was strange. It's about an all-white Batman that is kind of a Reverse-Batman helping to commit crimes. I didn't get the end at all.
The Devil Is in the Detail by David Aja - ★★★
Batman is on the trail of a cult that is sacrificing people. The layout is that of a Sunday morning cartoon strip.
The Cavalry by John Ridley & Olivier Coipel - ★★★★★
This was terrific. Jace Fox from The Next Batman is wearing the cowl and captured by a gang, chained up and getting beat. Olivier Coipel's art is so dynamic. It's just brilliant.
A Kingdom of Thorns by Bilquis Evely - ★★
Some kind of fantasy story with Batman reimagined as a knight determined to get to the narrator. The storytelling wasn't great. Evely has a European flair to her art.
I Am the Bat by Bengal - ★★★★
Batman goes after some criminals in a car chase with the police while Batman talks about bigger villains. There's a nice little twist at the end.
Unquiet Knight by Tim Seeley & Kelley Jones - ★★★★★
A really great idea for a story and the perfect use for Kelley Jones's talents.
Legacy by Nick Dragotta - ★★
a future Batman fights in a mech suit. I didn't get this at all but the art is cool.
A Night in the Life of a Bat in Gotham by Joshua Williamson & Riley Rossmo - ★
This was stupid. It's about a bat that Batman saves while fighting criminals. He takes it to the batcave and talks with the Bat-family about how all the bats are their friends. Riley Rossmo's art is its typically awful shelf. Without colors it looks even worse and overly busy with way too many duotone shading effects.
Davenport House by Karl Kerschl - ★★★★
Yas! Maps from Gotham Academy is Robin. She goes with Batman to investigate a haunted house where Batman is summoned by a séance in the past. Cool stuff.
The Green Deal by Chip Zdarsky & Nick Bradshaw - ★★★★
Poison Ivy comes looking for Bruce Wayne to help her save the world from climate change and gets Batman instead. I like the twist on this.
Checkmate by Daniel Warren Johnson - ★★
Eh, Batman is captured by Two-Face's goons while we flashback to win Alfred taught him chess.
The Fool's Journey by Becky Cloonan, Terry Dodson, & Rachel Dodson - ★★
The Dodson's make this look great but can't save this stupid story. Batman investigates a fortune teller's death at Haley's Circus. She's been stabbed in the heart which makes the ending ridiculous. Toddler Dick Grayson shows up briefly too.
A Father and Son Outing by Jorge Jimenez - ★★
I guess Jimenez should stick to what's he's best at, incredible art. This story was pretty lackluster. Bruce takes Damian to the park to choreograph how they will handle a drug deal that night.
Signals by Lee Weeks - ★
Some really poor storytelling. It's a story about Jim Gordon. Something about an old partner being dirty. The storytelling is terrible leaving the story very vague and disjointed.
Blue by Mariko Tamaki, Emanuela Lupacchino & Wade Von Grawadger - ★★★
I get the impression Tamaki planned on continuing this over in Detective Comics because it doesn't make a lot of sense on its own. Gilda Dent is murdering people for unexplained reasons.
The Riddle by Kieron Gillen & Jamie McKelvie - ★★★
Gillen and McKelvie create a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure with the Riddler and Killer Croc where you always lose unless you just skip to the end. Odd.
The Man Who Flies by Jamal Campbell - ★★★
Nightwing reflects back on his life while flipping through Bludhaven.
The Second Signal by Brandon Thomas & Khary Randolph - ★★★★★
I really liked this. Two techie teenagers come up with a neat way to contact Batman when people in their neighborhood go missing.
The Abyss by Pierrick Colinet & Elsa Charrtier - ★★★★
I quite liked this. Three witnesses give their depiction of a fight between Batman and Man-Bat with quite different perspectives. I like how the art changed with each witnesses' skew on the story.
Opening Moves by Nick Derington - ★★★
Batman goes after a chess based villain. Feels like a snippet of a larger story left for the reader to extrapolate.
Like Monsters of the Deep by John Arcudi & James Harren - ★★★
Batman teams up with Clayface to go after a women slavery ring.
A Thousand Words by Scott Snyder, John Romita Jr. & Klaus Janson - ★★★
Batman through the eyes of Gotham's version of Peter Parker. He's nicknamed the Shudderbat for all the pictures of Batman he's taken. Neat idea but not that interesting.
September 6, 2022
Awesome collection of the 2020 Batman Black and White series. It collects issues one to six. Though it is six issues as it us all short stories, each written by a different writer and artist. Some veterans and some making their DC debut.
Usually it us difficult to rate shirt stories, as I might enjoy dome more than others. Yes this happened, but there was not a story that I did not like. So definitely five stars from me.
This is a great book for any Batman fan. It us always better for me when I can feel the writer and artist are fans of the character as well and that was the case here. There is a brief intro to each writer and artist inbetween issues. The book finishes with a cover gallery of each issue cover and a couple of it's variants.
Usually it us difficult to rate shirt stories, as I might enjoy dome more than others. Yes this happened, but there was not a story that I did not like. So definitely five stars from me.
This is a great book for any Batman fan. It us always better for me when I can feel the writer and artist are fans of the character as well and that was the case here. There is a brief intro to each writer and artist inbetween issues. The book finishes with a cover gallery of each issue cover and a couple of it's variants.
Currently reading
September 16, 2022This should have been retitled, “A Collection of Uncolored and Middling Batman Shorts.”
Not one artist has used the whole Black & White thing to their advantage as of yet, and the only story I’ve even liked all that much is John Ridley’s one.
Full RTC whenever I get around to finishing this nonsense…but ratings for the stories I’ve read so far can be found below:
"The Demon's Fist" by James Tynion IV & Tradd Moore ☆ ☆ 1/2
"Weight" by JH Williams III ☆ ☆ 1/2
"Metamorphosis" by G Willow Wilson & Greg Smallwood ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2
"Sisyphus" by Emma Rios 1/2
"First Flight" by Paul Dini & Andy Kubert ☆ ☆
"The Unjust Judge" by Tom King & Mitch Gerads ☆ 1/2
"All Cats are Grey" by Sophie Campbell ☆ ☆ 1/2
"The Spill" by Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko ☆ ☆
"Dual" by Dustin Weaver ☆
"The Devil is in the Detail" by David Aja ☆ ☆ ☆
"The Cavalry" by John Ridley & Olivier Coipel ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
"A Kingdom of Thorns" by Bilquis Evely ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2
“I am the Bat" by Bengal ☆ ☆
“Unquiet Knight" by Tim Seeley & Kelley Jones ☆ ☆
"Legacy" by Nick Dragotta ☆ ☆ 1/2
"A Night in the Life of a Bat in Gotham" by Joshua Williamson & Riley Rossmo ☆ 1/2
"Davenport House" by Karl Kerschel ☆ ☆ 1/2
"The Green Deal" by Chip Zdarsky & Nick Bradshaw ☆ ☆ ☆
Not one artist has used the whole Black & White thing to their advantage as of yet, and the only story I’ve even liked all that much is John Ridley’s one.
Full RTC whenever I get around to finishing this nonsense…but ratings for the stories I’ve read so far can be found below:
"The Demon's Fist" by James Tynion IV & Tradd Moore ☆ ☆ 1/2
"Weight" by JH Williams III ☆ ☆ 1/2
"Metamorphosis" by G Willow Wilson & Greg Smallwood ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2
"Sisyphus" by Emma Rios 1/2
"First Flight" by Paul Dini & Andy Kubert ☆ ☆
"The Unjust Judge" by Tom King & Mitch Gerads ☆ 1/2
"All Cats are Grey" by Sophie Campbell ☆ ☆ 1/2
"The Spill" by Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko ☆ ☆
"Dual" by Dustin Weaver ☆
"The Devil is in the Detail" by David Aja ☆ ☆ ☆
"The Cavalry" by John Ridley & Olivier Coipel ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
"A Kingdom of Thorns" by Bilquis Evely ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2
“I am the Bat" by Bengal ☆ ☆
“Unquiet Knight" by Tim Seeley & Kelley Jones ☆ ☆
"Legacy" by Nick Dragotta ☆ ☆ 1/2
"A Night in the Life of a Bat in Gotham" by Joshua Williamson & Riley Rossmo ☆ 1/2
"Davenport House" by Karl Kerschel ☆ ☆ 1/2
"The Green Deal" by Chip Zdarsky & Nick Bradshaw ☆ ☆ ☆
October 17, 2022
Maybe it's nostalgia, but I found myself taking my time with this, absorbing what each story had to offer. In many of the previous volumes of B&W, there were these diamonds in the ruff, that had the perfect blend of story and art. Usually it was a perspective on Batman that had just never been shown before or a moment in the history of Batman that the reader was never privy to before.
In this volume, I'd say the art won over, with a variety of stories and pinups that looked phenomenal. There were a few standout stories as well: Tynion's held me in thrall, as always Tom King's made me think really hard, but there were many others as well. It's always amazing to me to craft a memorable story in only a few pages.
I just hope DC takes it's time with the next one. I think some breather is needed between volumes.
In this volume, I'd say the art won over, with a variety of stories and pinups that looked phenomenal. There were a few standout stories as well: Tynion's held me in thrall, as always Tom King's made me think really hard, but there were many others as well. It's always amazing to me to craft a memorable story in only a few pages.
I just hope DC takes it's time with the next one. I think some breather is needed between volumes.
July 18, 2022
Batman Black & White is a great collection of short stories that show the essence of the character, it is both a great introduction to the character and a love letter for long time fans of the Bat. Still I feel some of the stories lack depth that was seen for the stories in Superman Red & Blue, maybe it is that way because of the differences between Batman and Superman themselves but I do feel Batman has a lot to teach as well and can achieve deeper stories even if they are short ones
October 20, 2021
There's some great/good artwork in here. Unfortunately, none of the stories really were that memorable or stood out. A couple I liked. But honestly, I'm a bit let down by this. I love the batman: Black and White anthology idea and you get some gems in there, especially in the past. But this wasn't close to as good as previous installments.
July 13, 2021
Lots of solid stories in this collection, not all about Batman specifically.
There's a story in here for everyone if you like short anthology stories.
I enjoy them very much.
There's a story in here for everyone if you like short anthology stories.
I enjoy them very much.
September 14, 2024
Way more hits than misses in this! I was surprised that this series is still going strong, and I love how the series has adapted and become stronger. I was surprised to see my fellow reviewers disagree apparently, but whatever, it's not the first time this site's consensus has been flawed.
"The Demon's Fist" written by James Tynion IV, art by Tradd Moore 4 Stars
This one is definitely more about the art, but it has a cool trippy story to match. I feel like Ra’s Al Ghul does this.
"Weight" by JH Williams III 4 Stars
Heroes inspire. This brings the Batman legacy to 2020, and while this is very solidly dated, I still love the feeling behind it. Also, JH Williams III art is just gorgeous.
"First Flight" written by Paul Dini, art by Andy Kubert 3.5 Stars
This is a weirdly continuity connected story. It has great art, and the end is kind of hilarious.
"Sisyphus" by Emma Rios 3 Stars
Amazing art, average story.
"Metamorphosis" written by G Willow Wilson, art by Greg Smallwood 3.5 Stars
The ending is a little rote, but I liked the story overall with some very pathos-driven art.
"The Unjust Judge" written by Tom King, art by Mitch Gerads 4 Stars
King works best in limited quantities. This is no different, and Gerads’ art really matches it.
"All Cats are Grey" by Sophie Campbell 4 Stars
Playful and silly. This is a great format for this kind of story.
"The Spill" written by Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko, art by Gabriel Hardman 4 Stars
This tosses out the overdone Batman-Joker dynamic and makes it simple and dirty. I loved it.
"Dual" by Dustin Weaver 3 Stars
Cool art, kinda meh story.
"The Devil is in the Detail" by David Aja 4 Stars
Aja is one of my favorite artists. This callback to the Batman newspaper strip is just excellent. I’m always a sucker for a good ending. Fanaticism causes nothing, but violence and death.
"The Cavalry" written by John Ridley, art by Olivier Coipel 4 Stars
Different Bats, different context, great story!
"A Kingdom of Thorns" by Bilquis Evely 3 Stars
Visually neat and different for this series.
"I am the Bat" by Bengal 2.5 Stars
The art is effective. The story is very much one that has been told before.
"Unquiet Knight" written by Tim Seeley, art by Kelley Jones 3.5 Stars
I love the magical elements with the inclusion of Raven, Etrigan, and Zatanna. The very last panel brought it down a bit for me because I’m not a big fan of the eternal quest, especially not in light of the other things that are brought up.
"Legacy" by Nick Dragotta 2 Stars
Batmanime. This harkens back to the hyperviolent 90s/00s more than Batman. I just don’t think it’s very coherent or interesting.
"A Night in the Life of a Bat in Gotham" written by Joshua Williamson, art by Riley Rossmo 4 Stars
This is a very cute story, but it’s so fun and works so well with the art that I can’t help but love it. This is definitely a kid’s story, but it works for all ages.
"Davenport House" by Karl Kerschl 3 Stars
Batman as Demon. I’m not sure it works completely.
"The Green Deal" written by Chip Zdarsky, art by Nick Bradshaw 3.5 Stars
Batman is his own worst enemy is how I choose to read this. Giving him the last word with the smarmy style says that I’m probably not going with what the author meant, but I think it’s there.
"Checkmate" by Daniel Warren Johnson 4 Stars
A little cheezy, but I really liked it.
“The Fool’s Journey” written by Becky Cloonan, art by Terry and Rachel Dodson 4 Stars
Another genuinely great, short detective story with some bubbly art.
"A Father and Son Outing" by Jorge Jiminez 4 Stars
Oh Damien, never change. This is a great Robin character story.
"Signals" by Lee Weeks 4 Stars
Gordon tracks down his corrupt mentor. Great journey, solid ending.
"Blue" written by Mariko Tamaki, art by Emanuela Lupacchino & Wade Von Grawbadger 4 Stars
I was not expecting a Gilda Dent story, let alone a good Gilda Dent story.
"The Riddle" written by Kieron Gillen, art by Jamie McKelvie 4.5 Stars
Super fun! Don’t overthink it.
"The Man Who Flies" by Jamal Campbell 4 Stars
Beautiful Nightwing character study
"The Second Signal" written by Brandon Thomas, art by Khary Randolph 4 Stars
Batman should get more criticism here, but its heart is in the right place.
"The Abyss" written by Pierrick Colinet and Elsa Charretier, art by Elsa Charretier 3 Stars
Cool idea, mixed execution.
"Opening Moves" by Nick Derington 3 Stars
Cool art, decent story. I think it could have used a little more.
"Like Monsters of the Deep" written by John Arcudi, art by James Harren 4 Stars
Personal vendettas and amazing art really bring this together.
"A Thousand Words" written by Scott Snyder, art by John Romita Jr. and Klaus Janson 4.5 Stars
Art and story collide for a touching indirect Bat tale.
"The Demon's Fist" written by James Tynion IV, art by Tradd Moore 4 Stars
This one is definitely more about the art, but it has a cool trippy story to match. I feel like Ra’s Al Ghul does this.
"Weight" by JH Williams III 4 Stars
Heroes inspire. This brings the Batman legacy to 2020, and while this is very solidly dated, I still love the feeling behind it. Also, JH Williams III art is just gorgeous.
"First Flight" written by Paul Dini, art by Andy Kubert 3.5 Stars
This is a weirdly continuity connected story. It has great art, and the end is kind of hilarious.
"Sisyphus" by Emma Rios 3 Stars
Amazing art, average story.
"Metamorphosis" written by G Willow Wilson, art by Greg Smallwood 3.5 Stars
The ending is a little rote, but I liked the story overall with some very pathos-driven art.
"The Unjust Judge" written by Tom King, art by Mitch Gerads 4 Stars
King works best in limited quantities. This is no different, and Gerads’ art really matches it.
"All Cats are Grey" by Sophie Campbell 4 Stars
Playful and silly. This is a great format for this kind of story.
"The Spill" written by Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko, art by Gabriel Hardman 4 Stars
This tosses out the overdone Batman-Joker dynamic and makes it simple and dirty. I loved it.
"Dual" by Dustin Weaver 3 Stars
Cool art, kinda meh story.
"The Devil is in the Detail" by David Aja 4 Stars
Aja is one of my favorite artists. This callback to the Batman newspaper strip is just excellent. I’m always a sucker for a good ending. Fanaticism causes nothing, but violence and death.
"The Cavalry" written by John Ridley, art by Olivier Coipel 4 Stars
Different Bats, different context, great story!
"A Kingdom of Thorns" by Bilquis Evely 3 Stars
Visually neat and different for this series.
"I am the Bat" by Bengal 2.5 Stars
The art is effective. The story is very much one that has been told before.
"Unquiet Knight" written by Tim Seeley, art by Kelley Jones 3.5 Stars
I love the magical elements with the inclusion of Raven, Etrigan, and Zatanna. The very last panel brought it down a bit for me because I’m not a big fan of the eternal quest, especially not in light of the other things that are brought up.
"Legacy" by Nick Dragotta 2 Stars
Batmanime. This harkens back to the hyperviolent 90s/00s more than Batman. I just don’t think it’s very coherent or interesting.
"A Night in the Life of a Bat in Gotham" written by Joshua Williamson, art by Riley Rossmo 4 Stars
This is a very cute story, but it’s so fun and works so well with the art that I can’t help but love it. This is definitely a kid’s story, but it works for all ages.
"Davenport House" by Karl Kerschl 3 Stars
Batman as Demon. I’m not sure it works completely.
"The Green Deal" written by Chip Zdarsky, art by Nick Bradshaw 3.5 Stars
Batman is his own worst enemy is how I choose to read this. Giving him the last word with the smarmy style says that I’m probably not going with what the author meant, but I think it’s there.
"Checkmate" by Daniel Warren Johnson 4 Stars
A little cheezy, but I really liked it.
“The Fool’s Journey” written by Becky Cloonan, art by Terry and Rachel Dodson 4 Stars
Another genuinely great, short detective story with some bubbly art.
"A Father and Son Outing" by Jorge Jiminez 4 Stars
Oh Damien, never change. This is a great Robin character story.
"Signals" by Lee Weeks 4 Stars
Gordon tracks down his corrupt mentor. Great journey, solid ending.
"Blue" written by Mariko Tamaki, art by Emanuela Lupacchino & Wade Von Grawbadger 4 Stars
I was not expecting a Gilda Dent story, let alone a good Gilda Dent story.
"The Riddle" written by Kieron Gillen, art by Jamie McKelvie 4.5 Stars
Super fun! Don’t overthink it.
"The Man Who Flies" by Jamal Campbell 4 Stars
Beautiful Nightwing character study
"The Second Signal" written by Brandon Thomas, art by Khary Randolph 4 Stars
Batman should get more criticism here, but its heart is in the right place.
"The Abyss" written by Pierrick Colinet and Elsa Charretier, art by Elsa Charretier 3 Stars
Cool idea, mixed execution.
"Opening Moves" by Nick Derington 3 Stars
Cool art, decent story. I think it could have used a little more.
"Like Monsters of the Deep" written by John Arcudi, art by James Harren 4 Stars
Personal vendettas and amazing art really bring this together.
"A Thousand Words" written by Scott Snyder, art by John Romita Jr. and Klaus Janson 4.5 Stars
Art and story collide for a touching indirect Bat tale.
December 27, 2022
I have a big fondness for these Batman: Black and White collections. They are basically 8 page stories by a variety of writers and artists. Batman really lends himself to this format because a) He looks great in black and white and b) He has such a huge mythos to draw on to create short little tales.
Obviously the quality of the work has huge swings with some people getting it right and figuring out a way to make the format work and others acting as if they have never heard of Batman before and needed this done in 3 hours. And one or two are gems that transcend the medium.
I will say - being the fifth volume - it wasn't as strong as some of the earlier volumes but it is still worth a read. I really liked it. Even with the misses I love being exposed to artists/writers I would never have known about before and this volume does a nice little intro or outro for each creator so you get to learn about them. I will also say - some of the teams that I expected ot hit it out of the park didn't impress me as much as I wanted (Tom King/Mitch Gerards was beautiful art but a bland story - Scott Snyder and John Romita JR had a cool story but the art looked like JR JR did it in 5 minutes while sitting on the crapper).
Let's give out some awards:
Most creative use of the medium and my fav: Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie. Kieron (for me) has had the problem in past stories of being all creativity and hard to follow story. He is clearly an uber smart writer but sometimes forgets to ground his brilliant ideas in a story we care about or can follow (like Grant Morrison on his bad days). But here - his choose your own adventure - is perfect. It is brilliant. And I will use it as an example of "how to do it right". Using the 8 page format to perfection and in a way no one else would think of.
Most frustrating: Lee Weeks and Signals. Great art and I can't for the life of me figure out what the reveal was. Jim Gordon tracks down an old man living in an abandoned factory who knows him.I read this 4 times because the art is so great and I FEEL like I should understand what is happening but I do not. If anyone reading this can help me in the comments I would be eternally grateful. Who was that guy...his old mentor? Why was he living there?
Most fun: Jorge Jimenez and Father and Son Outing. Great art, great characterizations, and hilarious ending.
Worst: Emma Rios and whatever that was supposed to be. Her bio informs me I should be impressed by how amazing she is but all I saw was art that was trying too hard to be creative (and failing to tell a coherent story) and 8 pages of artistic masturbation that only Emma understands. It is everything I hate about creators who forget "oh yeah - the reader has to understand this too and, oh yeah - I was asked to create a Batman story not to impress my first year University art teacher".
Coolest Idea: David Aja. Look, David can do no wrong in my eyes in terms of his art. He is one of those minimalists who makes every line count and every panel is a picture to be framed. I love him. So when he also comes up with a cool idea to frame his 8 page story as if it were a newspaper strip I want to hug him. I love you David!!
You Had One Job To Do: Bilquis Evely. A Batman story. That's it. Do 8 pages of Batman. Do you know who he is? Apparently not. We got a knight on a quest story instead. Bilquis' art is AMAZING and I loved her recent Supergirl story (the art saved the illogical story by Tom King) but she needed a writer who understood the homework assignment. (and yes the knight was supposed to represent Batman but, be honest - other than the silhouette there was nothing Batman in this knight)
Pin up I would Pick to Have Framed: Tough choice but I will go with the one by Jesus Merino.
Other than those awards there was story after story of gorgeous art. And again - one of the thrills of this series (for me) is the variety of art you get. You turn a page and you get a completely different style that is gorgeous and unique. It highlights how varied and wonderful all the artists who work in the comic book medium are.
Obviously the quality of the work has huge swings with some people getting it right and figuring out a way to make the format work and others acting as if they have never heard of Batman before and needed this done in 3 hours. And one or two are gems that transcend the medium.
I will say - being the fifth volume - it wasn't as strong as some of the earlier volumes but it is still worth a read. I really liked it. Even with the misses I love being exposed to artists/writers I would never have known about before and this volume does a nice little intro or outro for each creator so you get to learn about them. I will also say - some of the teams that I expected ot hit it out of the park didn't impress me as much as I wanted (Tom King/Mitch Gerards was beautiful art but a bland story - Scott Snyder and John Romita JR had a cool story but the art looked like JR JR did it in 5 minutes while sitting on the crapper).
Let's give out some awards:
Most creative use of the medium and my fav: Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie. Kieron (for me) has had the problem in past stories of being all creativity and hard to follow story. He is clearly an uber smart writer but sometimes forgets to ground his brilliant ideas in a story we care about or can follow (like Grant Morrison on his bad days). But here - his choose your own adventure - is perfect. It is brilliant. And I will use it as an example of "how to do it right". Using the 8 page format to perfection and in a way no one else would think of.
Most frustrating: Lee Weeks and Signals. Great art and I can't for the life of me figure out what the reveal was. Jim Gordon tracks down an old man living in an abandoned factory who knows him.I read this 4 times because the art is so great and I FEEL like I should understand what is happening but I do not. If anyone reading this can help me in the comments I would be eternally grateful. Who was that guy...his old mentor? Why was he living there?
Most fun: Jorge Jimenez and Father and Son Outing. Great art, great characterizations, and hilarious ending.
Worst: Emma Rios and whatever that was supposed to be. Her bio informs me I should be impressed by how amazing she is but all I saw was art that was trying too hard to be creative (and failing to tell a coherent story) and 8 pages of artistic masturbation that only Emma understands. It is everything I hate about creators who forget "oh yeah - the reader has to understand this too and, oh yeah - I was asked to create a Batman story not to impress my first year University art teacher".
Coolest Idea: David Aja. Look, David can do no wrong in my eyes in terms of his art. He is one of those minimalists who makes every line count and every panel is a picture to be framed. I love him. So when he also comes up with a cool idea to frame his 8 page story as if it were a newspaper strip I want to hug him. I love you David!!
You Had One Job To Do: Bilquis Evely. A Batman story. That's it. Do 8 pages of Batman. Do you know who he is? Apparently not. We got a knight on a quest story instead. Bilquis' art is AMAZING and I loved her recent Supergirl story (the art saved the illogical story by Tom King) but she needed a writer who understood the homework assignment. (and yes the knight was supposed to represent Batman but, be honest - other than the silhouette there was nothing Batman in this knight)
Pin up I would Pick to Have Framed: Tough choice but I will go with the one by Jesus Merino.
Other than those awards there was story after story of gorgeous art. And again - one of the thrills of this series (for me) is the variety of art you get. You turn a page and you get a completely different style that is gorgeous and unique. It highlights how varied and wonderful all the artists who work in the comic book medium are.
October 24, 2022
Mocarna, obsypana nagrodami antologia, w której motywem przewodnim jest Mroczny Rycerz. I jak to bywa z takimi zbiorkami, część z nich jest słaba, a część pozostawiła mnie z opadem szczęki, na jakie to pomysły wpadła cała rzesza autorów. Mowa tu o trzydziestu krótkich opowiadaniach, które są utrzymane w różnym tonie. Każdy znajdzie coś dla siebie. Definitywnie.
Spectrum wyobraźni, jaką wykazali się pisarze, zaskakuje. Mamy tu historie aktualne, ale i takie z przyszłości Batka, kiedy to niekoniecznie Bruce był jeszcze swoim alter ego. Nie ma sensu przytaczać wszystkich opowiadań, więc skupię się na kilku przykładach, tego co mi przypadło do gustu i kilka nieco słabszych pozycji.
Podobał mi się produkt współpracy G. Willowa Wilsona z Gregiem Smallwoodem, którzy ukazują nam nieco inne oblicze Killer Croca, takie którego Batek się nie spodziewał. Podobał mi się także Tom King oraz Mitch Gerads, którzy podali nam na tacy ponurą historię, w której Batkowi nie udaje się uratować pewnego człowieka i może tylko mu towarzyszyć w ostatnich chwilach. Kieron Gillen oraz Jamie McKelvie z kolei zapodali nam małą opowieść paragrafową, gdzie Batek goni za Riddlerem oraz Killer Crockiem. Dalej. Batman, który musi sobie uświadomić, że... nie żyje. Batman, który weźmie udział w seansie spirytystycznym, jako... demon. A za Robina w tym miejscu, będzie robił dzieciak z Gotham Academy. Wspólne planowanie akcji z Damianem, które kończy się... facepalmem Gacka.
Jest tu wiele łakoci, choć trzeba przyznać, że w tym albumie zbiera się kilka średniaków. Ratowanie pewnego nietoperza przez Nietoperza. Nope. Spotkanie z Jokerem, które mogło się skończyć inaczej, czego oczekiwałem, a wyszło jak wyszło. Słabo wyszły wszelkie spotkania z Man-Batami czy samotna wyprawa Jima Gordona. Niedomaga też walka z jakimiś szurami z okultystycznej grupy. Minus-uje też Batman w mechu czy polujący na swój sobowtór, który pomaga popełniać zbrodnie...
Niemniej to co jest tutaj dobre, występuje w znacznej większości, przez co każde kolejne opowiadanie było jak pudełko z czekoladkami. Owszem, nie wszystko będzie tutaj Wam "smakowało", ale każdy znajdzie coś wartościowego. Wypada tylko powinszować doboru osób do tak dużego zbiorku.
Ps. Opcjonalny plus: nieco większy format wydania.
Opcjonalny minus: cena. Nie uważam, aby tytuł był na tyle dobry, aby usprawiedliwić wydanie tych prawie trzech stówek... (Już i tak mnie zabolało, jak zobaczyłem ile sobie "zażyczą" za siódmy tom Kapitana Ameryki...)
Spectrum wyobraźni, jaką wykazali się pisarze, zaskakuje. Mamy tu historie aktualne, ale i takie z przyszłości Batka, kiedy to niekoniecznie Bruce był jeszcze swoim alter ego. Nie ma sensu przytaczać wszystkich opowiadań, więc skupię się na kilku przykładach, tego co mi przypadło do gustu i kilka nieco słabszych pozycji.
Podobał mi się produkt współpracy G. Willowa Wilsona z Gregiem Smallwoodem, którzy ukazują nam nieco inne oblicze Killer Croca, takie którego Batek się nie spodziewał. Podobał mi się także Tom King oraz Mitch Gerads, którzy podali nam na tacy ponurą historię, w której Batkowi nie udaje się uratować pewnego człowieka i może tylko mu towarzyszyć w ostatnich chwilach. Kieron Gillen oraz Jamie McKelvie z kolei zapodali nam małą opowieść paragrafową, gdzie Batek goni za Riddlerem oraz Killer Crockiem. Dalej. Batman, który musi sobie uświadomić, że... nie żyje. Batman, który weźmie udział w seansie spirytystycznym, jako... demon. A za Robina w tym miejscu, będzie robił dzieciak z Gotham Academy. Wspólne planowanie akcji z Damianem, które kończy się... facepalmem Gacka.
Jest tu wiele łakoci, choć trzeba przyznać, że w tym albumie zbiera się kilka średniaków. Ratowanie pewnego nietoperza przez Nietoperza. Nope. Spotkanie z Jokerem, które mogło się skończyć inaczej, czego oczekiwałem, a wyszło jak wyszło. Słabo wyszły wszelkie spotkania z Man-Batami czy samotna wyprawa Jima Gordona. Niedomaga też walka z jakimiś szurami z okultystycznej grupy. Minus-uje też Batman w mechu czy polujący na swój sobowtór, który pomaga popełniać zbrodnie...
Niemniej to co jest tutaj dobre, występuje w znacznej większości, przez co każde kolejne opowiadanie było jak pudełko z czekoladkami. Owszem, nie wszystko będzie tutaj Wam "smakowało", ale każdy znajdzie coś wartościowego. Wypada tylko powinszować doboru osób do tak dużego zbiorku.
Ps. Opcjonalny plus: nieco większy format wydania.
Opcjonalny minus: cena. Nie uważam, aby tytuł był na tyle dobry, aby usprawiedliwić wydanie tych prawie trzech stówek... (Już i tak mnie zabolało, jak zobaczyłem ile sobie "zażyczą" za siódmy tom Kapitana Ameryki...)
April 7, 2024
Last volume of Batman: Black and White (at least so far). I really liked this series.
-To begin, I will admit that I did not realize that volume 5 came out in 2021. To put this in perspective, volume 4 is from 2014. "Weight" by J.H. Willams III is amazing. One of the most iconic images from Batman is Martha Wayne's pearl necklace breaking and the pearls scattering in the alley. The text boxes are those pearls, but then they change into a similar shape. While the name is never said, it is (probably) very recognizable as the COVID virus. This is one thing that Batman cannot fight with his fists and utility belt. It is up to others: nurses, doctors, essential workers, etc.
-"Sisyphus" is another Batman + Greek Mythology story. I don't know if I understand it properly. Is this how Batman feels?
-"The Unjust Judge" made my cry. An old priest is dying after the cathedral collapses and Batman feels like he failed. He took an oath to save people, but he cannot save the priest. His wounds are too great. Bruce just stays with him until the end. (Note: I went back and noticed that it's by Tom King. No wonder I like it.)
-"Dual" was weird.
-At first, I though "A Kingdom of Thorns" was a story with Poison Ivy. It's not (I think). It's the relationship between Gotham (the spirit of the city) and its/her champion, Batman.
-"The Davenport House" was interesting, but I don't know if it should really be a Batman story. I feel like you could substitute anyone in Batman's place. Also, is that Carrie Kelly as Robin?
-Like a chess game, everything Batman does is on purpose, even if that means getting caught by thugs. It's not purely about strength but strategy. As Batman admits in "Checkmate", he learned from the best.
-"Signals" is one of my favorite stories in this volume. It is a story about Gordon confronting someone in his past. Does he opt for vengence or mercy?
-Written in a non-linear way, "The Riddle" is very interesting. There is only one "right" way to read the story to get a happy ending, but it may not be the one you initially think.
-Both "The Man Who Flies" and "Opening Moves" have beautiful artwork by Jamal Campbell and Nick Derington respectfully.
-"A Thousand Words" is the best story to end with. A former photographer wants to know how Batman thinks of himself; some news sources spin him to be a hero, others a villain. Batman's answer: the photo the man took of Batman on the first night the Batsignal was used.
-To begin, I will admit that I did not realize that volume 5 came out in 2021. To put this in perspective, volume 4 is from 2014. "Weight" by J.H. Willams III is amazing. One of the most iconic images from Batman is Martha Wayne's pearl necklace breaking and the pearls scattering in the alley. The text boxes are those pearls, but then they change into a similar shape. While the name is never said, it is (probably) very recognizable as the COVID virus. This is one thing that Batman cannot fight with his fists and utility belt. It is up to others: nurses, doctors, essential workers, etc.
-"Sisyphus" is another Batman + Greek Mythology story. I don't know if I understand it properly. Is this how Batman feels?
-"The Unjust Judge" made my cry. An old priest is dying after the cathedral collapses and Batman feels like he failed. He took an oath to save people, but he cannot save the priest. His wounds are too great. Bruce just stays with him until the end. (Note: I went back and noticed that it's by Tom King. No wonder I like it.)
-"Dual" was weird.
-At first, I though "A Kingdom of Thorns" was a story with Poison Ivy. It's not (I think). It's the relationship between Gotham (the spirit of the city) and its/her champion, Batman.
-"The Davenport House" was interesting, but I don't know if it should really be a Batman story. I feel like you could substitute anyone in Batman's place. Also, is that Carrie Kelly as Robin?
-Like a chess game, everything Batman does is on purpose, even if that means getting caught by thugs. It's not purely about strength but strategy. As Batman admits in "Checkmate", he learned from the best.
-"Signals" is one of my favorite stories in this volume. It is a story about Gordon confronting someone in his past. Does he opt for vengence or mercy?
-Written in a non-linear way, "The Riddle" is very interesting. There is only one "right" way to read the story to get a happy ending, but it may not be the one you initially think.
-Both "The Man Who Flies" and "Opening Moves" have beautiful artwork by Jamal Campbell and Nick Derington respectfully.
-"A Thousand Words" is the best story to end with. A former photographer wants to know how Batman thinks of himself; some news sources spin him to be a hero, others a villain. Batman's answer: the photo the man took of Batman on the first night the Batsignal was used.
November 25, 2021
actually 3.75 stars!
read as single issues!
issue #1: emma rios’ writing in “sisyphus” is really lyrical i love it.
issue #2: the art for “the unjust judge” is rly interesting to the eye. sophie campell’s art in “all cats are grey” is really striking esp just in black & white! dustin weaver’s “batman: dual” just reminds me of us (2019) dir. jordan peele which is kinda cool.
issue #3: “a kingdom of thorns” by bilquis evely… the ART!!! HE’S A KNIGHT!!!! I LOVED IT!!! omg “i art the bat” Hello I Am :o !!!
issue #4: i love alfred & bruce’s relationship in “checkmate.” oh my god the flying graysons in “the fool’s journey.” i am, and always will be, a grayson simp so love that one.
issue #5: AYOOO JORGE JIMENEZ BRUCE & DAMIAN STORY N ART HELL YEAH! i love the way he draws bruce <3 also i just love good bruce and damian interactions it makes me happy! omg bruce as harvey’s best man in “blue” tell me why that made me mentally ill. this is so sad actually gilda pls seek help. oh my god “the riddle” hurt my brain JAKHSDFGSJADFH. oh my god oh my god nightwing story NIGHTWING STORY HELPPPPP i LOVE HIMMM!! JAMAL CAMPBELL’S ART!!! THE BATFAMILY POLAROID!!! DICKKORY!!! DICKBABS!! BATMAN!DICK!!! IM SOBBING… WHY WAS THIS MY FAVORITE THING OUT OF ALL OF THE ANTHOLOGIES.
issue #6: i rly do like the pic in “a thousand words” but that’s all i have to say for this issue rip
read as single issues!
issue #1: emma rios’ writing in “sisyphus” is really lyrical i love it.
issue #2: the art for “the unjust judge” is rly interesting to the eye. sophie campell’s art in “all cats are grey” is really striking esp just in black & white! dustin weaver’s “batman: dual” just reminds me of us (2019) dir. jordan peele which is kinda cool.
issue #3: “a kingdom of thorns” by bilquis evely… the ART!!! HE’S A KNIGHT!!!! I LOVED IT!!! omg “i art the bat” Hello I Am :o !!!
issue #4: i love alfred & bruce’s relationship in “checkmate.” oh my god the flying graysons in “the fool’s journey.” i am, and always will be, a grayson simp so love that one.
issue #5: AYOOO JORGE JIMENEZ BRUCE & DAMIAN STORY N ART HELL YEAH! i love the way he draws bruce <3 also i just love good bruce and damian interactions it makes me happy! omg bruce as harvey’s best man in “blue” tell me why that made me mentally ill. this is so sad actually gilda pls seek help. oh my god “the riddle” hurt my brain JAKHSDFGSJADFH. oh my god oh my god nightwing story NIGHTWING STORY HELPPPPP i LOVE HIMMM!! JAMAL CAMPBELL’S ART!!! THE BATFAMILY POLAROID!!! DICKKORY!!! DICKBABS!! BATMAN!DICK!!! IM SOBBING… WHY WAS THIS MY FAVORITE THING OUT OF ALL OF THE ANTHOLOGIES.
issue #6: i rly do like the pic in “a thousand words” but that’s all i have to say for this issue rip
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2021
Read as single issues. I love the idea of BATMAN BLACK & WHITE, and getting to see a diverse group of creators hit us with short 6-8 page stories is kind of perfect for a character so established and with so much mythology at this point. There are some weaker pieces, as always with an anthology, but the best stuff here gives me exactly what I want from a comic book. Standouts include J.H. Williams’ WEIGHT, G. Willow Wilson and Greg Smallwood’s METAMORPHOSIS, David Aja’s THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL, Keiron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie’s THE RIDDLE, and Scott Snyder and John Romita Jr’s A THOUSAND WORDS. I mean, just look at that collection of names!
September 19, 2023
The Demon's Fist, ☆☆☆☆
Weight, ☆☆☆☆
First Flight, ☆☆☆
Sisyphus, ☆☆
Metamorphosis, ☆☆☆☆☆
The Unjust Judge, ☆☆
All Cats Are Gray, ☆☆☆☆
The Spill, ☆☆☆☆
Dual, ☆☆☆
The Devil is in the Detail, ☆☆☆
The Cavalry, ☆☆☆☆
Kingdom of Thorns, ☆☆☆
I Am the Bat, ☆☆☆☆
Unquiet Knight, ☆☆☆☆
Legacy, ☆☆☆
A Night in the Life of a Bat in Gotham, ☆☆☆
Davenport House, ☆☆☆☆☆
The Green Deal, ☆☆☆☆
Checkmate, ☆☆☆☆
The Fool's Journey, ☆☆☆
A Father and Son Outing, ☆☆☆
Signals, ☆☆☆
Blue, ☆☆☆
The Riddle, ☆☆☆☆☆
The Man Who Flies, ☆☆☆☆☆
The Second Signal, ☆☆☆
The Abyss, ☆☆☆
Opening Moves, ☆☆☆
Like Monsters of the Deep, ☆☆☆☆
A Thousand Words, ☆☆☆
Weight, ☆☆☆☆
First Flight, ☆☆☆
Sisyphus, ☆☆
Metamorphosis, ☆☆☆☆☆
The Unjust Judge, ☆☆
All Cats Are Gray, ☆☆☆☆
The Spill, ☆☆☆☆
Dual, ☆☆☆
The Devil is in the Detail, ☆☆☆
The Cavalry, ☆☆☆☆
Kingdom of Thorns, ☆☆☆
I Am the Bat, ☆☆☆☆
Unquiet Knight, ☆☆☆☆
Legacy, ☆☆☆
A Night in the Life of a Bat in Gotham, ☆☆☆
Davenport House, ☆☆☆☆☆
The Green Deal, ☆☆☆☆
Checkmate, ☆☆☆☆
The Fool's Journey, ☆☆☆
A Father and Son Outing, ☆☆☆
Signals, ☆☆☆
Blue, ☆☆☆
The Riddle, ☆☆☆☆☆
The Man Who Flies, ☆☆☆☆☆
The Second Signal, ☆☆☆
The Abyss, ☆☆☆
Opening Moves, ☆☆☆
Like Monsters of the Deep, ☆☆☆☆
A Thousand Words, ☆☆☆
November 25, 2025
Durchwachsene Anthologie. Manche Geschichten sind nichtssagend, andere herzergreifend. Einen guten Teil der Zeit überwog aber für mich leider das Gefühl "keinen Mehrwert" zu haben. Dafür waren die unterschiedlichen Zeichenstile einfach grandios und abwechslungsreich.
Besonders schrecklich fand ich "Das Rätsel", weil hier scheinbar Panels oder Verweise fehlen und manche gar nicht "angesteuert" werden können.
Bessere Geschichten waren für mich u.a.:
- Der ungerechte Richter
- Im Davenport Haus
- Schachmatt
- Der Weg des Narren
- Ein "Vater & Sohn" Ausflug
- Signale
- Das zweite Signal
- Der Abgrund
- Eröffnungszüge
- Tausend Worte
Besonders schrecklich fand ich "Das Rätsel", weil hier scheinbar Panels oder Verweise fehlen und manche gar nicht "angesteuert" werden können.
Bessere Geschichten waren für mich u.a.:
- Der ungerechte Richter
- Im Davenport Haus
- Schachmatt
- Der Weg des Narren
- Ein "Vater & Sohn" Ausflug
- Signale
- Das zweite Signal
- Der Abgrund
- Eröffnungszüge
- Tausend Worte
January 22, 2023
Gathering the works of Batman: Black & White #1-6, these tales of Gotham grasp every aspect of the Dark Knight, his darker turns and lighthearted theatrics that span battles against petty thieves, familiar villains, and at times his own mortality. Tynion IV and his fellow artists deliver an engaging collection of short stories, vibrantly unique in every panel and offering a plethora of chilling scenes, heartfelt moments and stunning action. Every shadow and light can convey a hundred meanings in the city that always fears...
July 3, 2025
lots of goodies and a few stinkers. my favorites are by tradd moore, JH williams and Paul dini. A huge variety of Batman stories from all different kinds of perspectives. it CAN be frustrating because some of the best ones deserve more pages. this is more of an inspirational art book, the stories don't have enough time to develop but there's so much eye candy.
An example of a stinker being the story told by Emma rios. it doesn't feel like a Batman story, doesn't try to at the least and it looks like a high school art class project done with vectors in Photoshop.
An example of a stinker being the story told by Emma rios. it doesn't feel like a Batman story, doesn't try to at the least and it looks like a high school art class project done with vectors in Photoshop.
October 9, 2021
I read this in single issues as they came out. I’m glad I collected them, but nine months later when the trade is out, I don’t remember most of them beyond thinking they looked really good. Without looking up the list of stories on Wikipedia, the only two I remembered were the characteristically somber story from Tom King and Mitch Gerads and the choose your own adventure romp from Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie.
January 29, 2022
As with most anthologies, some stories better than others. Unlike most anthologies, damn awesome art throughout. I loved my favorite styles and didn't mind the entries in styles I don't usually intake. And honestly I'll buy any anthology including work by Daniel Warren Johnson AND Elsa Charrtier, just a bonus that this one includes work by so many other rockstars.
July 31, 2022
A very diverse collection of Batman short stories, with mostly fabulous artwork.
As with all Anthologies, the quality of the stories vary, but I never felt any of them went below good, and most were very good, to great.
A very solid collection, where the artwork is the main draw, and in that regard in particular, it delivers.
As with all Anthologies, the quality of the stories vary, but I never felt any of them went below good, and most were very good, to great.
A very solid collection, where the artwork is the main draw, and in that regard in particular, it delivers.
September 3, 2021
30 stories, across 6 comic books. All in black and white. They ranged in quality from okay to great, in terms of both art and story. Overall I really like the black and white aesthetic, especially when the artists got super weird with it.
September 14, 2022
The good stories are far outweighed by the mediocre and the openly preachy, and I don't even care enough to go back and make of list of which ones are which. After the first 40% it becomes a complete crapshoot, and the odds are against you enjoying yourself.
August 5, 2023
the batfamily content alone made this book very special to me. but i do think these stories encapsulate who i believe batman is, what kind of a hero he is. so this series will always mean a lot to me, and i'm happy to end on such a high note
April 27, 2024
Pas détesté! J’ai préféré les tomes précédents on dirait..
Drôle à dire, mais le papier est vraiment plus fin que les éditions précédentes!
Certaines histoires feraient vraiment de bons courts métrages!
Drôle à dire, mais le papier est vraiment plus fin que les éditions précédentes!
Certaines histoires feraient vraiment de bons courts métrages!
April 29, 2025
Really couldn’t get into this book. The chapters are just too brief, and by the time you care - it’s over.
Some are definitely better than others, but eventually I had to give up.
Maybe some point in the future I will give it another go…
Some are definitely better than others, but eventually I had to give up.
Maybe some point in the future I will give it another go…
May 23, 2021
3 1/2 stars. Some really good stuff here, and some really mediocre stuff, too. Overall, my impression is positive.
January 16, 2022
More duds than studs. The studs were great though! Love to see more Daniel Warren Johnson and James Harren on Batman.
February 8, 2022
Often interesting art with a mix of stories in quality.
June 6, 2022
Collection of good stories and good art
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews