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Batman: Urban Legends (2021)
Batman: Urban Legends, Vol. 3
Batman and his allies shine across multiple tales in Batman: Urban Legends Vol.3. From a magical journey with Zatanna to an emotional story with the Ace The Bat-Hound and the Super-Pets, discover these can’t-miss legends of Gotham.
In one magical adventure, Zatanna and Batman come together every year the two to defeat an evil curse. This year they fail, and the world is in peril because of it.
Mark Russell and Karl Mostert weave an emotional tale of Ace the Bat-Hound, the goodest boy in the DCU, who has his day in an epic story featuring many DC Super Pets.
Collects:
- Batman & Zatanna in BOUND TO OUR WILL
- Ace the Bat-Hound in HOUNDED
In one magical adventure, Zatanna and Batman come together every year the two to defeat an evil curse. This year they fail, and the world is in peril because of it.
Mark Russell and Karl Mostert weave an emotional tale of Ace the Bat-Hound, the goodest boy in the DCU, who has his day in an epic story featuring many DC Super Pets.
Collects:
- Batman & Zatanna in BOUND TO OUR WILL
- Ace the Bat-Hound in HOUNDED
296 pages, Paperback
First published September 6, 2022
54 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
January 11, 2023
"Three basic rules for surviving in this business -- always do your homework; never use the door; and always have a partner you can trust." -- introspection from Batman, during a climactic moment
Scaling back from the ten stories in the lackluster Vol. 2 to just a dual narrative like in Vol. 1 (which is thus far my favorite of these books), Vol. 3 unfortunately seems to be another inferior addition to this series. While I like it when the writers tap into that unusual relationship between crimefighter Batman and sorceress Zatanna - an unlikely but pleasingly deep friendship and understanding which occasionally blurs the line into romantic feelings - this drawn-out and magic-heavy storyline was not very involving except for the bookending segments. (*I was also not a fan of the cruel scene where a guileless Corgi puppy appears to be zapped of its life-force by the otherwise-unmemorable villain and villainess, and apparently left for dead.) Then readers might expect that the second tale, which features Batman and his trusty canine companion Ace the Bat-hound, to be of a more light-hearted or family-friendlier fare but no, the featured wrongdoer here - supposedly an upstanding 'pillar of the community'-type who runs a pet cemetery - is shown to mistreat both caged animals and also animal corpses. While there is some rough and particularly violent justice administered by the conclusion, the aforementioned four-legged scenes cast a pall of tastelessness over this edition.
Scaling back from the ten stories in the lackluster Vol. 2 to just a dual narrative like in Vol. 1 (which is thus far my favorite of these books), Vol. 3 unfortunately seems to be another inferior addition to this series. While I like it when the writers tap into that unusual relationship between crimefighter Batman and sorceress Zatanna - an unlikely but pleasingly deep friendship and understanding which occasionally blurs the line into romantic feelings - this drawn-out and magic-heavy storyline was not very involving except for the bookending segments. (*I was also not a fan of the cruel scene where a guileless Corgi puppy appears to be zapped of its life-force by the otherwise-unmemorable villain and villainess, and apparently left for dead.) Then readers might expect that the second tale, which features Batman and his trusty canine companion Ace the Bat-hound, to be of a more light-hearted or family-friendlier fare but no, the featured wrongdoer here - supposedly an upstanding 'pillar of the community'-type who runs a pet cemetery - is shown to mistreat both caged animals and also animal corpses. While there is some rough and particularly violent justice administered by the conclusion, the aforementioned four-legged scenes cast a pall of tastelessness over this edition.
September 27, 2022
Batman & Zatanna in Bound to Our Will by Vita Ayala & Nikola Cizmesija - ★★★
Batman and Zatanna have a secret from years past when they were in love. They unwittingly released a magical being that lives off the life force of others. Each year they have to meet to keep the rift closed. Constantine arrives to help them out after they severely botch this.
The art was really inconsistent. At times it would be fine. Others it would be little more than sketches hidden behind swirling magical effects.
Batman & Ace the Bat-Hound in Hounded by Mark Russell & Karl Mostert - ★
This was stupid. Batman gets captured by some random rich dude and put up for auction. Meanwhile Ace is given over to a facility that experiments on animals. He teams up with a tortured bear, a speedster turtle, a talking chicken in a wheelchair and a squirrel thief to go rescue Batman. This should be right in Mark Russell's wheelhouse but for some strange reason he plays it straight instead of the obvious comedy this should have been. This is also oddly out of continuity as a midlevel Batman villain, , kills themself at the beginning of this. I thought all of these stories were set in the regular DC universe.
Batman and Zatanna have a secret from years past when they were in love. They unwittingly released a magical being that lives off the life force of others. Each year they have to meet to keep the rift closed. Constantine arrives to help them out after they severely botch this.
The art was really inconsistent. At times it would be fine. Others it would be little more than sketches hidden behind swirling magical effects.
Batman & Ace the Bat-Hound in Hounded by Mark Russell & Karl Mostert - ★
This was stupid. Batman gets captured by some random rich dude and put up for auction. Meanwhile Ace is given over to a facility that experiments on animals. He teams up with a tortured bear, a speedster turtle, a talking chicken in a wheelchair and a squirrel thief to go rescue Batman. This should be right in Mark Russell's wheelhouse but for some strange reason he plays it straight instead of the obvious comedy this should have been. This is also oddly out of continuity as a midlevel Batman villain, , kills themself at the beginning of this. I thought all of these stories were set in the regular DC universe.
February 23, 2025
Like the format of this TPB. They print all sox issues of the first story arc of the six of the second. I did prefer the first story, but that was purely personal preference.
Batman and Zatanna have been friends for a long time. Unfortunately, one of their teenage experiments did not go well. A bond that was supposed to bring them closer could tear them apart. A good dark magic story guest staring John Constantine. Just one question when did Constantine change orientations? This story was 5 stars for me.
Batman and Ace have been set up and captured. Now Ace must mount a rescue mission with unexpected allies. Dispite not bring a big supersets fan I did like this story. What brought it done to 4 stars for me was that I am not a fan of the Tolstoy stories in the Russian gangster has a passion for. I have to agree with one of the other characters, "What is the point of this story?"
An all round good book, the different artworks complicated both stories perfectly. The book finishes with a character design page.
Batman and Zatanna have been friends for a long time. Unfortunately, one of their teenage experiments did not go well. A bond that was supposed to bring them closer could tear them apart. A good dark magic story guest staring John Constantine. Just one question when did Constantine change orientations? This story was 5 stars for me.
Batman and Ace have been set up and captured. Now Ace must mount a rescue mission with unexpected allies. Dispite not bring a big supersets fan I did like this story. What brought it done to 4 stars for me was that I am not a fan of the Tolstoy stories in the Russian gangster has a passion for. I have to agree with one of the other characters, "What is the point of this story?"
An all round good book, the different artworks complicated both stories perfectly. The book finishes with a character design page.
January 22, 2023
Two arcs:
Batman / Zatanna / Constantine :
The better of the two stories with an interesting dynamic revealed between Batman/Zatanna that could be explored more...I hope
Ace : Bat Hound/DC Super Pets :
A little better than I expected...at least none of the Super Pets could talk...though saying that it's hinted the Chess Playing Chicken may have that capability in the future!!
Batman / Zatanna / Constantine :
The better of the two stories with an interesting dynamic revealed between Batman/Zatanna that could be explored more...I hope
Ace : Bat Hound/DC Super Pets :
A little better than I expected...at least none of the Super Pets could talk...though saying that it's hinted the Chess Playing Chicken may have that capability in the future!!
October 2, 2025
Magic, Super-pets, friendship, loyalty, and the adventure of a lifetime are all themes that are presented within this well-written Batman graphic novel.
We focus on two opposed plots with one involving an ancient curse that has annually tied Bruce & Zatanna to a specific dying garden for years due to a foiled spell, and the other involving the determination of man's best friend to search for his owner, the Caped Crusader, when human traffickers threatened to sever their ties.
In our first arc, we begin with what seems to be a man on the run named Eos who is running from what can only be believed to be a deal gone wrong and hides in a trash can. When a woman named Celeste appears with a corgi and begins draining the life force out of Eos and turning him into her energy demon, who immediately begins consuming the life force of the corgi.
Meanwhile, in the Hall of Justice after a League meeting, Zatanna tells Batman that it's 'time' and nd then leaves towards the javelin bay. Superman becomes intrigued and shares his concern with Batman regarding how these meetings with Zatanna, although infrequent, have become regular over the years, and how he has noticed that their friendship after the event is often very distant as a result. Batman assures Superman that everything is fine then goes to meet up with Zatanna. The two take a ride in the Batwing to the desolate area of land and recount a bit of how this all began with a simple spell from Zatanna meant to bring the two closer together. Still, instead, the earth opened a portal and since that point, the two have been bound to each other and forced to fight the unknown evil to dormancy for the sake of the planet. When they arrive at the wasteland, Zatanna begins to perform a ritual that ties Batman & her even closer together, but also allows the magic to feed on their physical existence. This unleashes a tidal wave of magic throughout the entire universe drawing the attention of John Constantine. Batman & Zatanna continue to fight the unknown magic by walking across the spectrum to reunite, and when they do, the portal momentarily releases, allowing them to escape to a safehouse of a rundown church that Batman owns. They lick their wounds and try to find reasonable solutions to what is feeding the magical demonic entity keeping the portal open when Constantine shows up and announces his presence. Zatanna & Batman are on edge to be greeted by Constantine, but he performs a spell revealing the two to be fading from existence due to the essence the magic was able to consume, and how they are barely holding onto the physical spectrum. Zatanna takes a moment to cool her head in the chapel while Batman & John continue to research on the portal. The two purposes and a few theories then John questions why Batman is harboring hostility towards him to which Batman retorts that although he generally despises the man for being a degenerate and having sold his soul many times over that his real disdain is due to Zatanna's ability to easily become vulnerable with him. John then goes to meet up with Zatanna and they share a laugh then a moment of intimacy while she lays her head on John asking him how bad the situation is to which he replies that it will get worse before it gets better.
The three then gather to perform a ritual when intruders enter their base and it's revealed to be Celeste & Eos. An intense battle of magic occurs with John & Batman taking on Eos while Zatanna manages Celeste. As the fight drags on Eos manages to capture Constantine and drags his soul to the 'great between realms'. Batman & Zatanna are left with a difficult decision to make with Celeste regaining her ability to block Zatanna's attacks and the joined power of Eos who drops some helpful clues about locks & keys. Batman takes a moment before telling Zatanna to run then distracts Eos with a solid headbud who then banishes Batman to the 'great between'. Zatanna returns to the safehouse and begins gathering every magical artifact in the church while Batman, Constantine & the corgi take a trip through time to reveal that the curse between the uncontrollable magic and the earth stems from a battle between brothers in Egyptian mythology and continued until the age of the Roman Empire.
Throughout this course of events, Batman & Constantine discover that they were placed on the opposite end of the magical portal which will allow them to close it if they can capture the demons in the great between & pull it closed with Zatanna on the opposite side initiating the ritual. Constantine allows Batman to possess EOS who then returns to the safehouse to locate Zatanna to tell her their plans. When Batman begins to lose control he takes off and returns Eos to his base. Once free Constantine asks what the code word 'Reviver' means and Batman while at first extremely hostile releases Constantine and tells him that it is code for forcing the other to listen no matter how much they may want to block the other out. Batman then retells a story about his past in the early stages of his career as Batman and how he locked himself in a cave on the verge of a breakthrough or insanity and how Zatanna visited him initiated their code word as she sought to help him and Bruce shut her down. Constantine shivers at the story but concurrently agrees that the circumstance may be the reason why the two are not bonded.
Meanwhile, Zatanna initiates a surprise attack upon Celeste & Eos initiating the ritual pulling from one side to banish the demons to the great in-between in their true form. Constantine leaps into action as Zatanna unites forces with Batman tying their energies together to grant him magical powers to fight back the demons. After an extensive but rather swift fight, Batman & Constantine return to the physical realm unharmed with the souls of the corgi, Celeste & Eos returning to their proper places.
The next morning the three awaken in the safe house. John promises to take Celeste back to her sister's and Eos aka Jack finds his own home while Batman retreats to the chapel to begin refining the building to its natural state when Zatanna arrives and seeks to speak with the Dark Knight. Batman insists on beginning the conversation where he confesses that it was wrong of him to push those he loves away and how in that moment in the cave he was on the brink of insanity but had to discover himself on his own and that although what he did was harsh and wrong he did so to find his purpose. He takes accountability and asks for forgiveness to which Zatanna retorts that this is a common behavior Batman does and how she can't allow him to be the sole responsible person leading toward their distant friendship. Zatanna expresses that she is also to blame for separating herself from Bruce and that although they may lead different lives and have grown apart that this is not a reason for them to separate and dissolve their friendship. It takes two to maintain those ties and now the curse is lifted it is up to them to make that decision. The two end their interment conversation with a hug and the simple word 'revive'.
The following week post another JLA meeting in the Hall of Justice, Superman catches Batman once more to check up on his friend post the event with Zatanna. When all of a sudden Zatanna walks by stating how she is looking forward to family dinner with Batman and his kids. Superman sheepishly tries to back off the conversation now aware that everything is fine between the two of them when Batman tries to invite Clark to their dinner as well. We end with Zatanna joining Bruce & his kids at the dinner table filled with take-out fast food including Chinese & pizza after the kids' failed cooking attempts.
Our second arc begins with Batman & Ace en route to stop a human trafficking ring with live hostages set to be given to a mysterious buyer. Batman uses the Batmobile to enter the old Romanov hotel to take down the gang of thugs. As more goons run to help the others Batman initiates a bomb centered on the staircase that separates the upstairs from the rest of the floor. He gives Ace a boost the the 2nd floor and the two go their separate ways to locate the hostages. Batman fights his way through the lower-level horde of armed guards while reflecting on the time when he first met Ace who was left abandoned by the Joker in a cage in a fear-bound and aggressive state willing to protect his past owner to the death. Batman recounts how he blindfolded the German Shepherd dog and brought him home into the manor with the knowledge that if he failed to rehabilitate the dog that it would he certain death in a shelter. With time Bruce managed to gain Ace's trust and begin to show Ace how to rebuild from a life of past abuse. We then transfer our attention back to the present day as Ace manages to regroup with Dark Knight at a key moment by dropping down from the ceiling. Batman instructs Ace to locate the hostages while he leaves for the top floor to locate the buyer.
Ace enters an abandoned kitchen alerting two guards. The brilliant K9 manages to overpower the goons and goes to rescue the three victims by untieing their restraints. A woman named Katrina is freed first by Ce and remarks how smart the dog was to locate them before tasering Ace. Katrina then inbounds Yuri & their other friend before taking Ace with them.
Meanwhile, on the penthouse floor, Batman encounters the buyer who is revealed to be Hugo Strange. Hugo rattles on about the making of a criminal legacy and how he has failed to subdue Batman in the past. Batman remarks by expressing that human traffickers are beneath Hugo and asks why he did it as Hugo sits sanctimoniously on a thrown in a C-4 suicide vest. Hugo Strange expresses that human traffickers are desperate and that he has nothing else to lose as he explains that he has stage IV cancer before blowing himself up. Batman takes on the brunt of the blow as he is flown out of the penthouse and across the main hall floor covered in blood and injuries. Katrina, Yuri, & their companion reveal themselves to be the secret team of traffickers as they unite a passed-out Ace with a fading Batman. Batman struggles to remain conscious until he ultimately submits to rest but the traffickers remain curious as they attempt to determine the secret identity of Batman but Katrina stops them reminding them that Batman will lose his value if his ID is known. Katrina makes a call to an animal rights activist, philatelist, and owner of the only Gotham animal cemetery, Herbert Schwann indicating that they will be bringing him a new animal. The guards then load up Batman onto a helicopter out of Gotham while Ace is transported to the Gotham pet cemetery to be restrained into a prized fighter by Schwann for Mr. Tarkov's bidding.
In the following scene, we see one of Tarkov's men do a tour of the facility set up by Mr. Schwann where he goes on to explain that his facility is designed to do intense animal training/retraining for the criminal empire of Gotham for the right price as well as act as a cover-up for murdered undesirable in their cemetery. Schwann shows the man a few of their experiments including a wheelchair bound talking chicken trained to play chess and a fast-running turtle amongst others including a pit-pocketing squirrel and a bear named URSA. Lastly, Schwann shows the man a white dog named Licks Luthor who was trained to be the perfect companion & bodyguard dog to Lex Luthor who returned the dog due to allergies. Schwann then end the tour by standing in front of Bathound's cage asking the man what his employer seeks to do with the dog. The man stands there unsure but trusts Schwann to restore Ace to his natural state as a fighter dog.
In the next scene, we revisit Batman who has been restrained in an undisclosed location guarded by Katrina & Yuri until their boss Mr. Tarkov sets up the auction. Batman begins to come to it and immediately asks what they did with Ace while the two try to convince Batman that there is no escape. We then redirected our attention to Ace as he flips his cage to escape while Batman monologues about how a cage is simply a state of mind. Ace then travels throughout the facility and along the way frees the chicken, turtle, bear, and squirrel. The team reaches a locked door but is able to escape thanks to the squirrel capturing the keys from Mr. Schwann earlier. The guards are baffled but the team of animals who set off the alarm fully expecting human intruders but then move into action. Ace teams up with the squads and they all charge at the guards forcing their way through while Mr. Schwann the philanthropist is given a humanitarian award while discussing the reasons why animals should be treated with respect at a banquet.
We then draw our attention back to Mr. Tarkov who is revealed to be a major Russian Casino owner of Gotham who keeps his debtors in prison for his bidding as he reflects on how he's lost his ability to feel joy due to the case running stale. Mr. Tarkov's then goes to greet his prized auction Batman and expresses how rare a piece he is with little appeasement. He then orders his men to attempt to reveal the identity of Batman but they fail due to the Caped Crusader's many failsafes. After Mr. Tarkov has seen enough of the Dark Knights resilience he orders him to be knocked out and transferred for auction. Meanwhile, Schwann is alerted that the animals in his base have escaped into the woods and demands that they be found alive or dead in order to dissipate the potential legal ramifications if they were found and identified as his leading to a full investigation. The guards take off into the city with Licks Luthor to track down the traveling animals. Our furry sqaud manages to return to the old Romanov hotel where Ace travels to the roof and finds a piece of paper with the scent from Club Siberia where the animals go down to the basement as Ace finds his harness. The team then returned to the surface but encountered the guards who ambushed the animals with tranquilizers. The pack manages to hold their own until a guard calls for Licks Luthor who bites at Ace but URSA retaliates but is ultimately captured and shot down with tranquilizers then placed into the van while the rest are left behind. When the squirrel finds the wallet of a guard with an address on it and so the chase begins.
We then redirected our attention back to Batman who is transported via a helicopter to a warehouse which is revealed to be an underground illegal betting ring & casino designed for the pleasure of their prestige and infamous villains. Batman is put promptly on display while Ace the Bathound and company use a Business card to locate where the guards took URSA. The chicken manages to use a computer at a nearby animal shelter that leads them across town to a wawarehousebut the animals are ambushed by the guards stationed outside. The turtle blocks a bullet for Ace while the Squirrel tries to take out more guards.The team works together before saying their mournful goodbyes to their fallen comrade before entering the warehouse.
Meanwhile, the crowd becomes restless as they wait for Batman to debut. Once the Dark Knight enters center stage, villains begin to question whether the man is really Batman or a cheap imposter. Joker proposes that there needs to be a test and Mr. Tarkov obliges and sends in the bear URSA to fight Batman. The agitated Bear begins fighting the unarmed Dark Knight while the villains watch in awe, identifying combat moves that they have seen and felt before. The guards continue to prod the bear with taser sticks while Batman pleads with them to stop as he takes a moment to rest from his exhaustion. URSA clearly doesn't want to fight the man but pushes on as there are limited options when suddenly Batman uses the extra Batarang on his emblem to hit the guard in the leg wounding him before knocking him out. Batman tells Mr. Tarkov that he doesn't need to do this but the man retorts with a parable story about a dancing bear hired by circus performer and how the bear was able to escape but when it made it's way near the forest the performers played the music and so the bear danced back to them for it is all the animal knew how to do. Mr. Tarkov's then orders the bear to be detained before continuing the bidding for Batman. The highest bidder is revealed to be Joker for 40 million but right as he is about to claim his prize Ace the combat vested Bathound runs into the cage to defend his owner. The guards prepare to fight Batman as they form a half circle around the ring closing them in. Batman reaches for a handful of bat smoke bombs from Ace's harness and it provides them cover as they begin to fight. Ace's animals sqaud assist but in the midst of the scuffle a stray bullet hits a gas tank and an eruption of fire begins to grow. Katrina (the daughter of Mr. Tarkov escapes leaving her father to burn as the warehouse begins to fall apart. Mr Tarkov accepts his fate and dies in the explosion while in the rubble a few emerge including Mr. Schwann who is promptly greeted by Licks Luthor who begins by licking the man before mauling him to death.
Batman manages to pull himself from the rubble but tells Ace to go on without him as he is too physically damaged to escape by himself. Ace locates an exit in a nearby vent when the Joker calls out to Ace to come to him but Ace disobeys and saves his owner.
In the next scene, we see Bruce at Wayne Manor still recovering as he tries to find homes for the remaining animals from Ace's team including giving a turtle to the Flash. Bruce & Ace then walk with URSA into the woods where they release the bear as Bruce leaves us with a thoughtful reflection on Mr. Tarkov's monolog about how we don't have to lead by the hand of fate or accept our destiny but rather make a new path for ourselves before telling his dog Ace that it is time to go home.
Wow this was definitely an excellent set of two compelling stories with a wide range of character development. Although there were elements of the 1st plot regarding the magic story arc set up by Batman, Zatanna, & Constantine, I will have to say that it lacked the cohesive epic conclusion that I was seeking in terms of the overall plot. That being said the emotional connections between Batman & Zatanna ring true and I appreciate the rekindling of an old friendship that occurs at the end of the art. As a result, I have to give the better story centered around human traffickers and the animal experimentation plot established in the Batman & Ace arc. Ace the Bathound is one of my favorite animal protagonists in the Batman/Batfam gallery so to read a story that balances an equal threat for both Ace & Batman as well as gain further details regarding Ace's past and how he came to he adopted by Batman is just an all-around fantastic plot that I was not expecting to he this good. I loved it 😄❤️🦇🐾💯!! 8.5/10 ⭐️. I can't wait to read Batman Urban Legends vol 4 😉👍🦇💯!!
We focus on two opposed plots with one involving an ancient curse that has annually tied Bruce & Zatanna to a specific dying garden for years due to a foiled spell, and the other involving the determination of man's best friend to search for his owner, the Caped Crusader, when human traffickers threatened to sever their ties.
In our first arc, we begin with what seems to be a man on the run named Eos who is running from what can only be believed to be a deal gone wrong and hides in a trash can. When a woman named Celeste appears with a corgi and begins draining the life force out of Eos and turning him into her energy demon, who immediately begins consuming the life force of the corgi.
Meanwhile, in the Hall of Justice after a League meeting, Zatanna tells Batman that it's 'time' and nd then leaves towards the javelin bay. Superman becomes intrigued and shares his concern with Batman regarding how these meetings with Zatanna, although infrequent, have become regular over the years, and how he has noticed that their friendship after the event is often very distant as a result. Batman assures Superman that everything is fine then goes to meet up with Zatanna. The two take a ride in the Batwing to the desolate area of land and recount a bit of how this all began with a simple spell from Zatanna meant to bring the two closer together. Still, instead, the earth opened a portal and since that point, the two have been bound to each other and forced to fight the unknown evil to dormancy for the sake of the planet. When they arrive at the wasteland, Zatanna begins to perform a ritual that ties Batman & her even closer together, but also allows the magic to feed on their physical existence. This unleashes a tidal wave of magic throughout the entire universe drawing the attention of John Constantine. Batman & Zatanna continue to fight the unknown magic by walking across the spectrum to reunite, and when they do, the portal momentarily releases, allowing them to escape to a safehouse of a rundown church that Batman owns. They lick their wounds and try to find reasonable solutions to what is feeding the magical demonic entity keeping the portal open when Constantine shows up and announces his presence. Zatanna & Batman are on edge to be greeted by Constantine, but he performs a spell revealing the two to be fading from existence due to the essence the magic was able to consume, and how they are barely holding onto the physical spectrum. Zatanna takes a moment to cool her head in the chapel while Batman & John continue to research on the portal. The two purposes and a few theories then John questions why Batman is harboring hostility towards him to which Batman retorts that although he generally despises the man for being a degenerate and having sold his soul many times over that his real disdain is due to Zatanna's ability to easily become vulnerable with him. John then goes to meet up with Zatanna and they share a laugh then a moment of intimacy while she lays her head on John asking him how bad the situation is to which he replies that it will get worse before it gets better.
The three then gather to perform a ritual when intruders enter their base and it's revealed to be Celeste & Eos. An intense battle of magic occurs with John & Batman taking on Eos while Zatanna manages Celeste. As the fight drags on Eos manages to capture Constantine and drags his soul to the 'great between realms'. Batman & Zatanna are left with a difficult decision to make with Celeste regaining her ability to block Zatanna's attacks and the joined power of Eos who drops some helpful clues about locks & keys. Batman takes a moment before telling Zatanna to run then distracts Eos with a solid headbud who then banishes Batman to the 'great between'. Zatanna returns to the safehouse and begins gathering every magical artifact in the church while Batman, Constantine & the corgi take a trip through time to reveal that the curse between the uncontrollable magic and the earth stems from a battle between brothers in Egyptian mythology and continued until the age of the Roman Empire.
Throughout this course of events, Batman & Constantine discover that they were placed on the opposite end of the magical portal which will allow them to close it if they can capture the demons in the great between & pull it closed with Zatanna on the opposite side initiating the ritual. Constantine allows Batman to possess EOS who then returns to the safehouse to locate Zatanna to tell her their plans. When Batman begins to lose control he takes off and returns Eos to his base. Once free Constantine asks what the code word 'Reviver' means and Batman while at first extremely hostile releases Constantine and tells him that it is code for forcing the other to listen no matter how much they may want to block the other out. Batman then retells a story about his past in the early stages of his career as Batman and how he locked himself in a cave on the verge of a breakthrough or insanity and how Zatanna visited him initiated their code word as she sought to help him and Bruce shut her down. Constantine shivers at the story but concurrently agrees that the circumstance may be the reason why the two are not bonded.
Meanwhile, Zatanna initiates a surprise attack upon Celeste & Eos initiating the ritual pulling from one side to banish the demons to the great in-between in their true form. Constantine leaps into action as Zatanna unites forces with Batman tying their energies together to grant him magical powers to fight back the demons. After an extensive but rather swift fight, Batman & Constantine return to the physical realm unharmed with the souls of the corgi, Celeste & Eos returning to their proper places.
The next morning the three awaken in the safe house. John promises to take Celeste back to her sister's and Eos aka Jack finds his own home while Batman retreats to the chapel to begin refining the building to its natural state when Zatanna arrives and seeks to speak with the Dark Knight. Batman insists on beginning the conversation where he confesses that it was wrong of him to push those he loves away and how in that moment in the cave he was on the brink of insanity but had to discover himself on his own and that although what he did was harsh and wrong he did so to find his purpose. He takes accountability and asks for forgiveness to which Zatanna retorts that this is a common behavior Batman does and how she can't allow him to be the sole responsible person leading toward their distant friendship. Zatanna expresses that she is also to blame for separating herself from Bruce and that although they may lead different lives and have grown apart that this is not a reason for them to separate and dissolve their friendship. It takes two to maintain those ties and now the curse is lifted it is up to them to make that decision. The two end their interment conversation with a hug and the simple word 'revive'.
The following week post another JLA meeting in the Hall of Justice, Superman catches Batman once more to check up on his friend post the event with Zatanna. When all of a sudden Zatanna walks by stating how she is looking forward to family dinner with Batman and his kids. Superman sheepishly tries to back off the conversation now aware that everything is fine between the two of them when Batman tries to invite Clark to their dinner as well. We end with Zatanna joining Bruce & his kids at the dinner table filled with take-out fast food including Chinese & pizza after the kids' failed cooking attempts.
Our second arc begins with Batman & Ace en route to stop a human trafficking ring with live hostages set to be given to a mysterious buyer. Batman uses the Batmobile to enter the old Romanov hotel to take down the gang of thugs. As more goons run to help the others Batman initiates a bomb centered on the staircase that separates the upstairs from the rest of the floor. He gives Ace a boost the the 2nd floor and the two go their separate ways to locate the hostages. Batman fights his way through the lower-level horde of armed guards while reflecting on the time when he first met Ace who was left abandoned by the Joker in a cage in a fear-bound and aggressive state willing to protect his past owner to the death. Batman recounts how he blindfolded the German Shepherd dog and brought him home into the manor with the knowledge that if he failed to rehabilitate the dog that it would he certain death in a shelter. With time Bruce managed to gain Ace's trust and begin to show Ace how to rebuild from a life of past abuse. We then transfer our attention back to the present day as Ace manages to regroup with Dark Knight at a key moment by dropping down from the ceiling. Batman instructs Ace to locate the hostages while he leaves for the top floor to locate the buyer.
Ace enters an abandoned kitchen alerting two guards. The brilliant K9 manages to overpower the goons and goes to rescue the three victims by untieing their restraints. A woman named Katrina is freed first by Ce and remarks how smart the dog was to locate them before tasering Ace. Katrina then inbounds Yuri & their other friend before taking Ace with them.
Meanwhile, on the penthouse floor, Batman encounters the buyer who is revealed to be Hugo Strange. Hugo rattles on about the making of a criminal legacy and how he has failed to subdue Batman in the past. Batman remarks by expressing that human traffickers are beneath Hugo and asks why he did it as Hugo sits sanctimoniously on a thrown in a C-4 suicide vest. Hugo Strange expresses that human traffickers are desperate and that he has nothing else to lose as he explains that he has stage IV cancer before blowing himself up. Batman takes on the brunt of the blow as he is flown out of the penthouse and across the main hall floor covered in blood and injuries. Katrina, Yuri, & their companion reveal themselves to be the secret team of traffickers as they unite a passed-out Ace with a fading Batman. Batman struggles to remain conscious until he ultimately submits to rest but the traffickers remain curious as they attempt to determine the secret identity of Batman but Katrina stops them reminding them that Batman will lose his value if his ID is known. Katrina makes a call to an animal rights activist, philatelist, and owner of the only Gotham animal cemetery, Herbert Schwann indicating that they will be bringing him a new animal. The guards then load up Batman onto a helicopter out of Gotham while Ace is transported to the Gotham pet cemetery to be restrained into a prized fighter by Schwann for Mr. Tarkov's bidding.
In the following scene, we see one of Tarkov's men do a tour of the facility set up by Mr. Schwann where he goes on to explain that his facility is designed to do intense animal training/retraining for the criminal empire of Gotham for the right price as well as act as a cover-up for murdered undesirable in their cemetery. Schwann shows the man a few of their experiments including a wheelchair bound talking chicken trained to play chess and a fast-running turtle amongst others including a pit-pocketing squirrel and a bear named URSA. Lastly, Schwann shows the man a white dog named Licks Luthor who was trained to be the perfect companion & bodyguard dog to Lex Luthor who returned the dog due to allergies. Schwann then end the tour by standing in front of Bathound's cage asking the man what his employer seeks to do with the dog. The man stands there unsure but trusts Schwann to restore Ace to his natural state as a fighter dog.
In the next scene, we revisit Batman who has been restrained in an undisclosed location guarded by Katrina & Yuri until their boss Mr. Tarkov sets up the auction. Batman begins to come to it and immediately asks what they did with Ace while the two try to convince Batman that there is no escape. We then redirected our attention to Ace as he flips his cage to escape while Batman monologues about how a cage is simply a state of mind. Ace then travels throughout the facility and along the way frees the chicken, turtle, bear, and squirrel. The team reaches a locked door but is able to escape thanks to the squirrel capturing the keys from Mr. Schwann earlier. The guards are baffled but the team of animals who set off the alarm fully expecting human intruders but then move into action. Ace teams up with the squads and they all charge at the guards forcing their way through while Mr. Schwann the philanthropist is given a humanitarian award while discussing the reasons why animals should be treated with respect at a banquet.
We then draw our attention back to Mr. Tarkov who is revealed to be a major Russian Casino owner of Gotham who keeps his debtors in prison for his bidding as he reflects on how he's lost his ability to feel joy due to the case running stale. Mr. Tarkov's then goes to greet his prized auction Batman and expresses how rare a piece he is with little appeasement. He then orders his men to attempt to reveal the identity of Batman but they fail due to the Caped Crusader's many failsafes. After Mr. Tarkov has seen enough of the Dark Knights resilience he orders him to be knocked out and transferred for auction. Meanwhile, Schwann is alerted that the animals in his base have escaped into the woods and demands that they be found alive or dead in order to dissipate the potential legal ramifications if they were found and identified as his leading to a full investigation. The guards take off into the city with Licks Luthor to track down the traveling animals. Our furry sqaud manages to return to the old Romanov hotel where Ace travels to the roof and finds a piece of paper with the scent from Club Siberia where the animals go down to the basement as Ace finds his harness. The team then returned to the surface but encountered the guards who ambushed the animals with tranquilizers. The pack manages to hold their own until a guard calls for Licks Luthor who bites at Ace but URSA retaliates but is ultimately captured and shot down with tranquilizers then placed into the van while the rest are left behind. When the squirrel finds the wallet of a guard with an address on it and so the chase begins.
We then redirected our attention back to Batman who is transported via a helicopter to a warehouse which is revealed to be an underground illegal betting ring & casino designed for the pleasure of their prestige and infamous villains. Batman is put promptly on display while Ace the Bathound and company use a Business card to locate where the guards took URSA. The chicken manages to use a computer at a nearby animal shelter that leads them across town to a wawarehousebut the animals are ambushed by the guards stationed outside. The turtle blocks a bullet for Ace while the Squirrel tries to take out more guards.The team works together before saying their mournful goodbyes to their fallen comrade before entering the warehouse.
Meanwhile, the crowd becomes restless as they wait for Batman to debut. Once the Dark Knight enters center stage, villains begin to question whether the man is really Batman or a cheap imposter. Joker proposes that there needs to be a test and Mr. Tarkov obliges and sends in the bear URSA to fight Batman. The agitated Bear begins fighting the unarmed Dark Knight while the villains watch in awe, identifying combat moves that they have seen and felt before. The guards continue to prod the bear with taser sticks while Batman pleads with them to stop as he takes a moment to rest from his exhaustion. URSA clearly doesn't want to fight the man but pushes on as there are limited options when suddenly Batman uses the extra Batarang on his emblem to hit the guard in the leg wounding him before knocking him out. Batman tells Mr. Tarkov that he doesn't need to do this but the man retorts with a parable story about a dancing bear hired by circus performer and how the bear was able to escape but when it made it's way near the forest the performers played the music and so the bear danced back to them for it is all the animal knew how to do. Mr. Tarkov's then orders the bear to be detained before continuing the bidding for Batman. The highest bidder is revealed to be Joker for 40 million but right as he is about to claim his prize Ace the combat vested Bathound runs into the cage to defend his owner. The guards prepare to fight Batman as they form a half circle around the ring closing them in. Batman reaches for a handful of bat smoke bombs from Ace's harness and it provides them cover as they begin to fight. Ace's animals sqaud assist but in the midst of the scuffle a stray bullet hits a gas tank and an eruption of fire begins to grow. Katrina (the daughter of Mr. Tarkov escapes leaving her father to burn as the warehouse begins to fall apart. Mr Tarkov accepts his fate and dies in the explosion while in the rubble a few emerge including Mr. Schwann who is promptly greeted by Licks Luthor who begins by licking the man before mauling him to death.
Batman manages to pull himself from the rubble but tells Ace to go on without him as he is too physically damaged to escape by himself. Ace locates an exit in a nearby vent when the Joker calls out to Ace to come to him but Ace disobeys and saves his owner.
In the next scene, we see Bruce at Wayne Manor still recovering as he tries to find homes for the remaining animals from Ace's team including giving a turtle to the Flash. Bruce & Ace then walk with URSA into the woods where they release the bear as Bruce leaves us with a thoughtful reflection on Mr. Tarkov's monolog about how we don't have to lead by the hand of fate or accept our destiny but rather make a new path for ourselves before telling his dog Ace that it is time to go home.
Wow this was definitely an excellent set of two compelling stories with a wide range of character development. Although there were elements of the 1st plot regarding the magic story arc set up by Batman, Zatanna, & Constantine, I will have to say that it lacked the cohesive epic conclusion that I was seeking in terms of the overall plot. That being said the emotional connections between Batman & Zatanna ring true and I appreciate the rekindling of an old friendship that occurs at the end of the art. As a result, I have to give the better story centered around human traffickers and the animal experimentation plot established in the Batman & Ace arc. Ace the Bathound is one of my favorite animal protagonists in the Batman/Batfam gallery so to read a story that balances an equal threat for both Ace & Batman as well as gain further details regarding Ace's past and how he came to he adopted by Batman is just an all-around fantastic plot that I was not expecting to he this good. I loved it 😄❤️🦇🐾💯!! 8.5/10 ⭐️. I can't wait to read Batman Urban Legends vol 4 😉👍🦇💯!!
November 7, 2022
The first half of the book is a Batman and Zatanna story. I don’t think Batman and magic are a good mix. He simply is too grounded in reality for it to ever gel. This is, however, not the first nor last story where Batman has encountered magic, so I guess I just have to deal with that.
The story itself left me scratching my head a lot. I still don’t know if Zatanna is the one who opened the portal and let those monsters, which would be bad and terrible characterization. But what irks me most is that Bruce and Zatanna were once a couple? Like how! I feel like this has been explored before, but it feels so weird. Bruce just always comes across as so much older than Zee.
I don’t know why Zatanna is written as so simpering and weepy. She cries in so many panels. And she’s only partly effective—Batman does most of the heavy lifting even with the magic bits. Daft.
I thought Constantine was a nice injection of humour, but he really needs to read the room and not bang on with innuendos when people are literally being erased from existence. Him hitting on Bats was a nice change of pace, but of course the story kept insinuating there was jealousy between the two men over Zee. How dull.
Bruce is unnecessarily brusque here and it’s tedious. Why did Zee even bother trying to have any kind of relationship with him when he reneged?
The art was very weird. Almost unfinished, very inconsistent and looked rushed. I think it was trying to capture the otherworldliness of the situation, but it definitely didn’t work when the characters were missing parts of their faces.
Not my favourite story unfortunately.
The second story is a super-pets story. It got dark, whoa. Very dark. And bleak. Batman is held captive for the majority of it and the pets go through hell to save him. I hated the villains because they were the worst—pedantic, righteous and overly powerful overlords.
Tarkov was written as one of those erudite types, as he keeps referencing Tolstoy stories. I didn’t mind that aspect, because there’s always someone out there believing his witticisms make him sound clever. It’s just that his analogies usually didn’t amount to much, if anything at all. So he came across as idiotic.
The art is good, but the story tried to philosophize and didn’t quite get there. The plot is intense and dark. So read with caution.
The story itself left me scratching my head a lot. I still don’t know if Zatanna is the one who opened the portal and let those monsters, which would be bad and terrible characterization. But what irks me most is that Bruce and Zatanna were once a couple? Like how! I feel like this has been explored before, but it feels so weird. Bruce just always comes across as so much older than Zee.
I don’t know why Zatanna is written as so simpering and weepy. She cries in so many panels. And she’s only partly effective—Batman does most of the heavy lifting even with the magic bits. Daft.
I thought Constantine was a nice injection of humour, but he really needs to read the room and not bang on with innuendos when people are literally being erased from existence. Him hitting on Bats was a nice change of pace, but of course the story kept insinuating there was jealousy between the two men over Zee. How dull.
Bruce is unnecessarily brusque here and it’s tedious. Why did Zee even bother trying to have any kind of relationship with him when he reneged?
The art was very weird. Almost unfinished, very inconsistent and looked rushed. I think it was trying to capture the otherworldliness of the situation, but it definitely didn’t work when the characters were missing parts of their faces.
Not my favourite story unfortunately.
The second story is a super-pets story. It got dark, whoa. Very dark. And bleak. Batman is held captive for the majority of it and the pets go through hell to save him. I hated the villains because they were the worst—pedantic, righteous and overly powerful overlords.
Tarkov was written as one of those erudite types, as he keeps referencing Tolstoy stories. I didn’t mind that aspect, because there’s always someone out there believing his witticisms make him sound clever. It’s just that his analogies usually didn’t amount to much, if anything at all. So he came across as idiotic.
The art is good, but the story tried to philosophize and didn’t quite get there. The plot is intense and dark. So read with caution.
November 21, 2022
This was a solid comic! I really love the concept and ideas behind the Urban Legends series, and this book furthered my love of it. While some stories are better than others (such is the case for anthologies), I had fun reading these. With shorter anthologies, I always want them to be longer, while with longer stories, I sometimes think they go on too long 😂 However, this is a fun look into new sides of the Batman corner of the DCU. I totally recommend it for fans of the character/franchise if you're interested in exploring new and unusual corners of the DCU.
*Zatanna story arc - This was my favorite part! Wacky and mind-bending and trippy and weird. Nice introduction to Zatanna as a character, and I really love her relationship with Bruce. I think she'd be an interesting love interest, but I honestly love that their really deep friends. My only "con" with this arc is that it was confusing/not always explained well, but it didn't keep me from enjoying it.
*Ace the bat hound arc - I had a blast reading about the goodest boy in the Bat-Family! It took me awhile to warm up to the art, but I enjoyed it's style in the end. My biggest "con" with this is that it was too long, I felt that it dragged and I just wanted to see how it all resolved. I really did like some of the themes, but felt like they were trying too hard to make it deep at times, and that led to it dragging too much for me. However, I loved the focus on Ace, showing that every member of the Bat-Family is important, and the ultimate theme of Batman always needing to have a good partner.
*Birds of Prey - My only thing with this one is that it was too rushed! I'm interested in every character from previous stories, but felt like it was just brushed through. Overall fun with interesting ideas.
*Eternity - Interesting and new concept to me, that I really enjoyed. However, a bit too rushed there in the end, but overall a cool concept.
*Wight Witch - The artwork was so trippy and cool, I loved it. The character as a concept is interesting, but would like to dig in and get to know her more.
*Question/Plastic Man/Alfred - I loved these stories and would love to see more team-ups with these characters!
*Zatanna story arc - This was my favorite part! Wacky and mind-bending and trippy and weird. Nice introduction to Zatanna as a character, and I really love her relationship with Bruce. I think she'd be an interesting love interest, but I honestly love that their really deep friends. My only "con" with this arc is that it was confusing/not always explained well, but it didn't keep me from enjoying it.
*Ace the bat hound arc - I had a blast reading about the goodest boy in the Bat-Family! It took me awhile to warm up to the art, but I enjoyed it's style in the end. My biggest "con" with this is that it was too long, I felt that it dragged and I just wanted to see how it all resolved. I really did like some of the themes, but felt like they were trying too hard to make it deep at times, and that led to it dragging too much for me. However, I loved the focus on Ace, showing that every member of the Bat-Family is important, and the ultimate theme of Batman always needing to have a good partner.
*Birds of Prey - My only thing with this one is that it was too rushed! I'm interested in every character from previous stories, but felt like it was just brushed through. Overall fun with interesting ideas.
*Eternity - Interesting and new concept to me, that I really enjoyed. However, a bit too rushed there in the end, but overall a cool concept.
*Wight Witch - The artwork was so trippy and cool, I loved it. The character as a concept is interesting, but would like to dig in and get to know her more.
*Question/Plastic Man/Alfred - I loved these stories and would love to see more team-ups with these characters!
September 9, 2022
The third volume of Urban Legends seems to cement the pattern of every odd volume collecting the longer stories, while every even one collects all the little ones in between.
The first story here, by Vita Ayala and Nikola Cizmesija, brings Batman and Zatanna into conflict with some interdimensional demons. This one's a great examination of the relationship the two have, which has been the subject of other Batman stories in the past, but Ayala takes an unexpected lens to it here. The addition of John Constantine to the mix is surprisingly effective too, especially once Batman leans into the whole 'if I flirt with him he'll shut up' angle. Cizmesija's artwork is like a more refined Riley Rossmo, for better or worse.
Next we have Hounded, by Mark Russell and Karl Mostert. This one's told almost exclusively from the point of view of Ace, as he recruits a League Of Super Pets to rescue a kidnapped Batman. There's an edge of We3 here, with the animals trained and enhanced for fighting, but it does have a happy ending for almost everyone so it won't make you sob quite as much as We3 made me. Mostert's artwork is realistic enough while still remaining comic-booky, so the idea of a turtle with machine guns on its back looks perfect instead of goofy.
And finally there's Ram V and Anand Radhakrishnan's Wight Witch story, which fleshes out a character from V's Catwoman run and ties her into some Ghost-Maker history as well. This can get a little out there, since it's told from the perspective of someone whose memory keeps getting screwed with, but it's a solid addition to the canon and it's a shame this wasn't collected over in one of V's Catwoman trades so that more people will have experienced it. Radhakrishnan's artwork is very Dave McKean, which is definitely a compliment.
Urban Legends' third volume has three very solid stories in it, all very different, and all recommended. Just bring a tissue for the one with the animals.
The first story here, by Vita Ayala and Nikola Cizmesija, brings Batman and Zatanna into conflict with some interdimensional demons. This one's a great examination of the relationship the two have, which has been the subject of other Batman stories in the past, but Ayala takes an unexpected lens to it here. The addition of John Constantine to the mix is surprisingly effective too, especially once Batman leans into the whole 'if I flirt with him he'll shut up' angle. Cizmesija's artwork is like a more refined Riley Rossmo, for better or worse.
Next we have Hounded, by Mark Russell and Karl Mostert. This one's told almost exclusively from the point of view of Ace, as he recruits a League Of Super Pets to rescue a kidnapped Batman. There's an edge of We3 here, with the animals trained and enhanced for fighting, but it does have a happy ending for almost everyone so it won't make you sob quite as much as We3 made me. Mostert's artwork is realistic enough while still remaining comic-booky, so the idea of a turtle with machine guns on its back looks perfect instead of goofy.
And finally there's Ram V and Anand Radhakrishnan's Wight Witch story, which fleshes out a character from V's Catwoman run and ties her into some Ghost-Maker history as well. This can get a little out there, since it's told from the perspective of someone whose memory keeps getting screwed with, but it's a solid addition to the canon and it's a shame this wasn't collected over in one of V's Catwoman trades so that more people will have experienced it. Radhakrishnan's artwork is very Dave McKean, which is definitely a compliment.
Urban Legends' third volume has three very solid stories in it, all very different, and all recommended. Just bring a tissue for the one with the animals.
December 30, 2022
Ah, I just realized that Vol's #1 and this #3 were put together by one team from cover to cover, while the disjointed #2 did have a variety of contributors. The team differed for #1 and #3 and I don't know enough about Chip Zdarsky or here Vita Ayala, but I do like they were given a long enough leash and tenure to add their spins.
Cleaved in two in this volume, the first tale is a love story (where love feels like some mystic explosive world-shattering thang, ahhhh youth) between Batman and Satan, um I mean Zatanna. Bruce struggles towards a kinder, gentler being and tries to use his words, but let's be honest he's better with batarangs and a severely dour view of mankind (and womankinder?) Anyways, ethereal sparks will fly, and John Constantine as their chaperone adds a bit of wry to the catches in their concupiscent connubials. A solid reminder that love conquers all, but also the importance of having your safe word!
The second story is a sweet, PETA-friendly tale of the Ace the Bat Dog and has the ol' tried and true animal adventure, where not just three but a gaggle or pack of customized creatures set out on their way, and just might learn a little something about what it is to be human (or well better than human, as any good Batfan knows that Gotham and beyond is filled with plenty of wretched refuse). Maybe my response was a bit too predictably Pavlovian; I was a bit surprised my young son and social justice leaguer gave a solid meh upon reading. Guess he's not getting a puppy for this Christmas....
Hmmm, while here in the Gotham section of Gotham I see that my library does not yet have Vol. #4, maybe in the future, but I'll not be in a rush to get there tbh. Until next time, Same Bat Channel, New Bat Efforts to Make Revenue...
Cleaved in two in this volume, the first tale is a love story (where love feels like some mystic explosive world-shattering thang, ahhhh youth) between Batman and Satan, um I mean Zatanna. Bruce struggles towards a kinder, gentler being and tries to use his words, but let's be honest he's better with batarangs and a severely dour view of mankind (and womankinder?) Anyways, ethereal sparks will fly, and John Constantine as their chaperone adds a bit of wry to the catches in their concupiscent connubials. A solid reminder that love conquers all, but also the importance of having your safe word!
The second story is a sweet, PETA-friendly tale of the Ace the Bat Dog and has the ol' tried and true animal adventure, where not just three but a gaggle or pack of customized creatures set out on their way, and just might learn a little something about what it is to be human (or well better than human, as any good Batfan knows that Gotham and beyond is filled with plenty of wretched refuse). Maybe my response was a bit too predictably Pavlovian; I was a bit surprised my young son and social justice leaguer gave a solid meh upon reading. Guess he's not getting a puppy for this Christmas....
Hmmm, while here in the Gotham section of Gotham I see that my library does not yet have Vol. #4, maybe in the future, but I'll not be in a rush to get there tbh. Until next time, Same Bat Channel, New Bat Efforts to Make Revenue...
December 12, 2024
This volume returns to much larger stories contained in a book as opposed to a ton (10 I counted in volume 2) of shorter stories. The real winner of this format is the fans! This volume contains only two stories, but I felt both were solid. I felt that they also fit well into the title of the book...Urban Legends! The first story focuses on Zatana and Batman, with some cameos from other characters. What story seems to have Zatanna and not John Constantine? Well...apparently not this one either. The story is good, and I felt invested in the adventure as it unfolded. Vita Ayala (writes) and Nikola Cizmesija (artist) weave a fun tale that hopefully will get reprinted outside of just Urban Legends...or at least gets talked about in Batman circles as a solid piece of storytelling and great art. The second story is all about Batman and his super amazing dog Ace! The artwork is done by Karl Mostert and written by Mark Russell. I was shocked to learn of Mostert's passing at the young age of 43 in October, but I hope that his memory will live on as people should truly enjoy the art in which he has placed in this book. His art reminds me of both Geof Darrow and Dough Mahnke (which to me is ultra-high praise). I loved the read, and Mark Russell really does a great job of writing this piece. These two stories combined equal stellar enjoyment!
February 26, 2025
Batman: Urban Legends Vol. 3 collects issues 11-16 of the DC Comics series.
2/5 ‘Bound To Our Will’ story arc is written by Vita Ayala, art by Nikola Čižmešija and Hayden Sherman, colors by Nick Filardi. While Bruce Wayne was training with discipline masters across the world and learning under the magician Zatara, Bruce and Zatanna had a bond that surpassed just magic. In a spell gone wrong, the two created a magical rift that they have must team up to reclose on a routine basis. But on this latest occurrence, the rift is stronger than ever before and the two will have to deal with their unresolved history.
This first story feels like a young adult adventure with all the characters being very moody. Bruce Wayne is even more mopey than usual here. I wasn’t a fan of the manga inspired art here.
3/5 ‘Hounded’ is a story arc is written by Mark Russell, Karl Mostert, and colors by Trish Mulvihill. Batman is taken hostage by a billionaire who is auctioning him off to the highest bidder. Ace the Bathound teams with a group of enhanced animals to track down Batman and save him.
This arc relies on the reader being emotionally attached due to heavy presence of animals and pets, but it borders on being disingenuous. It’s a bit sappy and leans more to a serious take instead of a more humorous approach that I believe would have worked better. The art was pretty good here.
Both stories are longer than they needed to be. Especially the Zatanna story. Overall this is a just a very average collection of Batman stories.
2/5 ‘Bound To Our Will’ story arc is written by Vita Ayala, art by Nikola Čižmešija and Hayden Sherman, colors by Nick Filardi. While Bruce Wayne was training with discipline masters across the world and learning under the magician Zatara, Bruce and Zatanna had a bond that surpassed just magic. In a spell gone wrong, the two created a magical rift that they have must team up to reclose on a routine basis. But on this latest occurrence, the rift is stronger than ever before and the two will have to deal with their unresolved history.
This first story feels like a young adult adventure with all the characters being very moody. Bruce Wayne is even more mopey than usual here. I wasn’t a fan of the manga inspired art here.
3/5 ‘Hounded’ is a story arc is written by Mark Russell, Karl Mostert, and colors by Trish Mulvihill. Batman is taken hostage by a billionaire who is auctioning him off to the highest bidder. Ace the Bathound teams with a group of enhanced animals to track down Batman and save him.
This arc relies on the reader being emotionally attached due to heavy presence of animals and pets, but it borders on being disingenuous. It’s a bit sappy and leans more to a serious take instead of a more humorous approach that I believe would have worked better. The art was pretty good here.
Both stories are longer than they needed to be. Especially the Zatanna story. Overall this is a just a very average collection of Batman stories.
February 27, 2023
Wow.
Two stories in here - Zantanna/Batman/Constantine and a 21st century legion of super-pets, thankfully w/out a monkey.
Don't know when these came out, assuming it was DCs answer to the Lockjaw books from Marvel or just decided to take 60s Supergirl pets add Ace and make a pretty dark story. i like the Lockjaw stories, this one was just as good, comic book heroism, Batman being Batman and Ace makes a better Robin character than Damian.
Love that Zantanna is now a part of Bruce Wayne's story, she adds a lot of depth to his character - he was human while trying to be the best everything before putting on the cowl. Would be fun to see a Gotham By Gaslight story w/her in it.
Art is always second place to writing for me (unless the art is by P. Craig Russell, then i don't care what the book is, its good), the art is great here!
i borrowed this from the library, but now will be looking to purchase a copy for my collection.
Two stories in here - Zantanna/Batman/Constantine and a 21st century legion of super-pets, thankfully w/out a monkey.
Don't know when these came out, assuming it was DCs answer to the Lockjaw books from Marvel or just decided to take 60s Supergirl pets add Ace and make a pretty dark story. i like the Lockjaw stories, this one was just as good, comic book heroism, Batman being Batman and Ace makes a better Robin character than Damian.
Love that Zantanna is now a part of Bruce Wayne's story, she adds a lot of depth to his character - he was human while trying to be the best everything before putting on the cowl. Would be fun to see a Gotham By Gaslight story w/her in it.
Art is always second place to writing for me (unless the art is by P. Craig Russell, then i don't care what the book is, its good), the art is great here!
i borrowed this from the library, but now will be looking to purchase a copy for my collection.
October 10, 2022
Mark Russell continues to demonstrate that even big-name superhero stories can be profound, moving, thought-provoking, marvelously allusive, and even gut-wrenching -- while simultaneously being exciting and funny AND remaining true to the legacy characters' defining qualities. And Karl Mostert's art was great. All the dialogue-free scenes among the various animals worked because he drew them so well.
Too bad "Hounded" couldn't have been released as its own volume. Putting it AFTER six volumes of extraordinarily tedious, insultingly repetitive and derivative story and action "beats" illustrated with no more than the mediocrity the writing deserved seems a weird way for DC to treat a work of genius, like hiding gold under mounds of coffee grounds, or caviar under several gallons of past-its-shelf-life mayonnaise.
Too bad "Hounded" couldn't have been released as its own volume. Putting it AFTER six volumes of extraordinarily tedious, insultingly repetitive and derivative story and action "beats" illustrated with no more than the mediocrity the writing deserved seems a weird way for DC to treat a work of genius, like hiding gold under mounds of coffee grounds, or caviar under several gallons of past-its-shelf-life mayonnaise.
April 28, 2024
The Zatanna story: 2.5 stars. The artwork is really fun and striking at times, and I always liked the idea of Bruce and Zatanna having this kind of teenage romance that could never have been sustainable as they got older. The story plays on that past relationship well as well as both of their own emotional hang ups, but I couldn’t really get into the story or antagonists. Also Constantine just being whittled down to a walking innuendo got tiring quick.
The Ace story: 4.5 stars. I really love this story. Mark Russell always hits the mark for me, and this story utilizes ace really well. I wish there were more stories featuring the bat hound having a more prominent role in Batman’s life. It is also a bit tragic, as most stories with animal abuse and experimentation tend to be, and reminded me of the Grant Morrison comic We3.
The Ace story: 4.5 stars. I really love this story. Mark Russell always hits the mark for me, and this story utilizes ace really well. I wish there were more stories featuring the bat hound having a more prominent role in Batman’s life. It is also a bit tragic, as most stories with animal abuse and experimentation tend to be, and reminded me of the Grant Morrison comic We3.
February 8, 2023
I disliked the Zatanna story but loved Mark Russell's Ace the Bat Hound story. It was similar to the movie DC League of Super-Pets but not written for children. I would really like see Mark Russell to do a long-ish run on a superhero title because it seems like he's only written miniseries so far (or stuff that might have gotten cancelled pretty early) with the one exception being his Red Sonja run.
February 27, 2024
This book is two parts. One is a nice Batman/Zatanna story about friendship. 3 and 1/2 stars.
The second part is a Super Pets story by Mark Russell and I'm probably hyperbole right now, but it's one of my favorite stories? Ace (don't call him Bat Dog!) helps rescue some Super Pets and rescues Batman and I laughed so much and I cried so much.
The second part is a Super Pets story by Mark Russell and I'm probably hyperbole right now, but it's one of my favorite stories? Ace (don't call him Bat Dog!) helps rescue some Super Pets and rescues Batman and I laughed so much and I cried so much.
September 25, 2022
Two fun story arcs of Batman teaming up with Zatanna and then Ace the Bathound.
A note to anyone considering this book: it collects Urban Legends Issues 11-16, but only 2/4 of the mini-stories from each. So if you’re looking for everything, you’ll have to buy individual issues.
A note to anyone considering this book: it collects Urban Legends Issues 11-16, but only 2/4 of the mini-stories from each. So if you’re looking for everything, you’ll have to buy individual issues.
October 27, 2022
A mixed bag this volume. The first story arc with Zatanna was not very engaging and might have been better with an issue or 2 less.
The second story with Ace was significantly better. Not particularly funny but had I had a chuckle I'm places.
The second story with Ace was significantly better. Not particularly funny but had I had a chuckle I'm places.
March 4, 2023
The first half of the book is a Batman/Zatanna story. It was hard to follow at times. The second half focuses on Ace the Bathound. Although not exactly realistic at points I preferred the art and writing more in this story than the first.
September 9, 2024
I've been enjoying Batman Urban Legends thus far but I feel like we see a perspective of batman that falls out of line with his character in these stories, I really just was not enjoying it unfortunately :(
February 8, 2025
This volume only contained two stories: Bound to Our Will and The Hounded. The first was a Batman and Zatanna story with some John Constantine throw in. It was ok, not my favorite. The second focused on Ace, Batman's dog. I liked this story more but major trigger warnings for animal cruelty.
October 29, 2025
3.5 rounded up because I love stories that focus on Zatanna and Batman's romance turned friendship.
The Ace Story was great, and Wight Witch was alright. Kind of surprised the Birds of Prey story from the single issues (and a few other tales) are omitted from this collection
The Ace Story was great, and Wight Witch was alright. Kind of surprised the Birds of Prey story from the single issues (and a few other tales) are omitted from this collection
December 8, 2022
Cute stories but pretty insubstantial.
February 10, 2023
Overall good anthology. Love the super pets story!
February 10, 2023
I really enjoyed the Zatanna/magic story, but the second feature was even better!
February 27, 2023
Batman & Constantine? I ship it.
March 16, 2023
2.3/5⭐️. Not terrible, but I wouldn’t say I enjoyed it. Felt like the writers didn’t understand the voices of the characters, despite how much I liked Constantine flirting with Batman. Sigh
March 16, 2023
Batman and Zatanna made me feel some feels. Constantine shows up. The animals were a whole lot.
June 23, 2023
Beautiful, absolutely beautiful story of Zatanna and Batman!
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September 19, 2023Really liked the Zatana, Batman, and Constantine story. Really did not enjoy the animals one. Way too many evil villain monologues.
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