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Batman
Batman: Four of a Kind
Batman: Four of a Kind chronicles Batman's battles some of deadliest foes; Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, The Riddler and Man-Bat. Taken from the acclaimed Year One series, Batman must find a cure for Poison Ivy's kiss, but he must find her first. Our hero must face some of his worst fears in a battle with the Scarecrow, stalk down the deadly creature Man-Bat and find the key to the Riddler's questions.
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
12 people are currently reading
371 people want to read
About the author
Chuck Dixon
3,426 books1,029 followersCharles "Chuck" Dixon is an American comic book writer, perhaps best-known for long runs on Batman titles in the 1990s.
His earliest comics work was writing Evangeline first for Comico Comics in 1984 (then later for First Comics, who published the on-going series), on which he worked with his then-wife, the artist Judith Hunt. His big break came one year later, when editor Larry Hama hired him to write back-up stories for Marvel Comics' The Savage Sword of Conan.
In 1986, he began working for Eclipse Comics, writing Airboy with artist Tim Truman. Continuing to write for both Marvel and (mainly) Eclipse on these titles, as well as launching Strike! with artist Tom Lyle in August 1987 and Valkyrie with artist Paul Gulacy in October 1987, he began work on Carl Potts' Alien Legion series for Marvel's Epic Comics imprint, under editor Archie Goodwin. He also produced a three-issue adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit for Eclipse with artist David Wenzel between 1989 and 1990, and began writing Marc Spector: Moon Knight in June 1989.
His Punisher OGN Kingdom Gone (August, 1990) led to him working on the monthly The Punisher War Journal (and later, more monthly and occasional Punisher titles), and also brought him to the attention of DC Comics editor Denny O'Neil, who asked him to produce a Robin mini-series. The mini proved popular enough to spawn two sequels - The Joker's Wild (1991) and Cry of the Huntress (1992) - which led to both an ongoing monthly series (which Dixon wrote for 100 issues before leaving to work with CrossGen Comics), and to Dixon working on Detective Comics from #644-738 through the major Batman stories KnightFall & KnightsEnd (for which he helped create the key character of Bane), DC One Million , Contagion , Legacy , Cataclysm and No Man's Land . Much of his run was illustrated by Graham Nolan.
He was DC's most prolific Batman-writer in the mid-1990s (rivalled perhaps in history by Bill Finger and Dennis O'Neil) - in addition to writing Detective Comics he pioneered the individual series for Robin , Nightwing (which he wrote for 70 issues, and returned to briefly with 2005's #101) and Batgirl , as well as creating the team and book Birds of Prey .
While writing multiple Punisher and Batman comics (and October 1994's Punisher/Batman crossover), he also found time to launch Team 7 for Jim Lee's WildStorm/Image and Prophet for Rob Liefeld's Extreme Studios. He also wrote many issues of Catwoman and Green Arrow , regularly having about seven titles out each and every month between the years 1993 and 1998.
In March, 2002, Dixon turned his attention to CrossGen's output, salthough he co-wrote with Scott Beatty the origin of Barbara Gordon's Batgirl in 2003's Batgirl: Year One. For CrossGen he took over some of the comics of the out-going Mark Waid, taking over Sigil from #21, and Crux with #13. He launched Way of the Rat in June 2002, Brath (March '03), The Silken Ghost (June '03) and the pirate comic El Cazador (Oct '03), as well as editing Robert Rodi's non-Sigilverse The Crossovers. He also wrote the Ruse spin-off Archard's Agents one-shots in January and November '03 and April '04, the last released shortly before CrossGen's complete collapse forced the cancellation of all of its comics, before which Dixon wrote a single issue of Sojourn (May '04). Dixon's Way of the Rat #24, Brath #14 and El Cazador #6 were among the last comics released from the then-bankrupt publisher.
On June 10, 2008, Dixon announced on his forum that he was no longer "employed by DC Comics in any capacity."
His earliest comics work was writing Evangeline first for Comico Comics in 1984 (then later for First Comics, who published the on-going series), on which he worked with his then-wife, the artist Judith Hunt. His big break came one year later, when editor Larry Hama hired him to write back-up stories for Marvel Comics' The Savage Sword of Conan.
In 1986, he began working for Eclipse Comics, writing Airboy with artist Tim Truman. Continuing to write for both Marvel and (mainly) Eclipse on these titles, as well as launching Strike! with artist Tom Lyle in August 1987 and Valkyrie with artist Paul Gulacy in October 1987, he began work on Carl Potts' Alien Legion series for Marvel's Epic Comics imprint, under editor Archie Goodwin. He also produced a three-issue adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit for Eclipse with artist David Wenzel between 1989 and 1990, and began writing Marc Spector: Moon Knight in June 1989.
His Punisher OGN Kingdom Gone (August, 1990) led to him working on the monthly The Punisher War Journal (and later, more monthly and occasional Punisher titles), and also brought him to the attention of DC Comics editor Denny O'Neil, who asked him to produce a Robin mini-series. The mini proved popular enough to spawn two sequels - The Joker's Wild (1991) and Cry of the Huntress (1992) - which led to both an ongoing monthly series (which Dixon wrote for 100 issues before leaving to work with CrossGen Comics), and to Dixon working on Detective Comics from #644-738 through the major Batman stories KnightFall & KnightsEnd (for which he helped create the key character of Bane), DC One Million , Contagion , Legacy , Cataclysm and No Man's Land . Much of his run was illustrated by Graham Nolan.
He was DC's most prolific Batman-writer in the mid-1990s (rivalled perhaps in history by Bill Finger and Dennis O'Neil) - in addition to writing Detective Comics he pioneered the individual series for Robin , Nightwing (which he wrote for 70 issues, and returned to briefly with 2005's #101) and Batgirl , as well as creating the team and book Birds of Prey .
While writing multiple Punisher and Batman comics (and October 1994's Punisher/Batman crossover), he also found time to launch Team 7 for Jim Lee's WildStorm/Image and Prophet for Rob Liefeld's Extreme Studios. He also wrote many issues of Catwoman and Green Arrow , regularly having about seven titles out each and every month between the years 1993 and 1998.
In March, 2002, Dixon turned his attention to CrossGen's output, salthough he co-wrote with Scott Beatty the origin of Barbara Gordon's Batgirl in 2003's Batgirl: Year One. For CrossGen he took over some of the comics of the out-going Mark Waid, taking over Sigil from #21, and Crux with #13. He launched Way of the Rat in June 2002, Brath (March '03), The Silken Ghost (June '03) and the pirate comic El Cazador (Oct '03), as well as editing Robert Rodi's non-Sigilverse The Crossovers. He also wrote the Ruse spin-off Archard's Agents one-shots in January and November '03 and April '04, the last released shortly before CrossGen's complete collapse forced the cancellation of all of its comics, before which Dixon wrote a single issue of Sojourn (May '04). Dixon's Way of the Rat #24, Brath #14 and El Cazador #6 were among the last comics released from the then-bankrupt publisher.
On June 10, 2008, Dixon announced on his forum that he was no longer "employed by DC Comics in any capacity."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
July 21, 2017
Modern Batman #8
Four of a kind is a one of a kind collection. This is a collection of four annuals from four different Batman titles of 1995. We find ourselves with four stories which explore year one tales of four villains: Ivy, Riddler, Man-Bat, and Scarecrow.
Ivy.
There is hardly any origin story here. She was experimented on and she hates men. That's all you are going to get know about Ivy here. Yet she is intrigued by one man: Our Batsy.
*I think it's our hormones*
The plot is very weak here. Especially Ivy's demand and finale. The art.... we need to talk about Brian Apthorp's art: Everyone is freakishly handsome in this story! Ivy, Wayne... hell, even Alfred looks sharp.
Riddler
The Riddler in town! This was a goodish story. I liked the narration from Riddler's point of view. His need to leave a riddle and the eventual breakdown was really interesting.
Scarecrow.
❝ I am on my way to become a legend. As dark as the night itself and as mysterious as the moon.❞
As mysterious as the moon? Seriously, dude?
I didn't exactly like this one. The character design, as well as characterization of Scarecrow, felt very weak. The main theme of the story is fear. But it just doesn't work.
*The only thing to fear here is how bad the writing is*
Man-Bat
The usual "scientist-tries-experiments-on-himself" story. I mean, haven't these scientists learned anything?!
*Well, Why not?*
Yet, I found this one as the strongest of the collection. Yes, it's a cliche, but the story had a heart.
Overall, average.
Four of a kind is a one of a kind collection. This is a collection of four annuals from four different Batman titles of 1995. We find ourselves with four stories which explore year one tales of four villains: Ivy, Riddler, Man-Bat, and Scarecrow.
Ivy.
There is hardly any origin story here. She was experimented on and she hates men. That's all you are going to get know about Ivy here. Yet she is intrigued by one man: Our Batsy.
*I think it's our hormones*
The plot is very weak here. Especially Ivy's demand and finale. The art.... we need to talk about Brian Apthorp's art: Everyone is freakishly handsome in this story! Ivy, Wayne... hell, even Alfred looks sharp.
Riddler
The Riddler in town! This was a goodish story. I liked the narration from Riddler's point of view. His need to leave a riddle and the eventual breakdown was really interesting.
Scarecrow.
❝ I am on my way to become a legend. As dark as the night itself and as mysterious as the moon.❞
As mysterious as the moon? Seriously, dude?
I didn't exactly like this one. The character design, as well as characterization of Scarecrow, felt very weak. The main theme of the story is fear. But it just doesn't work.
*The only thing to fear here is how bad the writing is*
Man-Bat
The usual "scientist-tries-experiments-on-himself" story. I mean, haven't these scientists learned anything?!
*Well, Why not?*
Yet, I found this one as the strongest of the collection. Yes, it's a cliche, but the story had a heart.
Overall, average.
January 19, 2022
Two things:
-Woodrue from Swamp Thing turned Poison Ivy into her namesake!!
-Batman was totally horny for Poison Ivy.
-Woodrue from Swamp Thing turned Poison Ivy into her namesake!!
-Batman was totally horny for Poison Ivy.
December 8, 2024
3/5 Stars
Individual issues rated below -
Batman: Shadow of the Bat Annual #3 - 3/5
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #5 - 4/5
Batman: Annual #19 -2/5
Detective Comics Annual #8 - 3.5/5
Individual issues rated below -
Batman: Shadow of the Bat Annual #3 - 3/5
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #5 - 4/5
Batman: Annual #19 -2/5
Detective Comics Annual #8 - 3.5/5
November 29, 2014
AS the cover says this is a compilation of four stories in one book.Each story focuses on one of the more famous of Batman's foes - Poison Ivy, The Scarecrow, The Man-bat and the Riddler.
In many respects the stories follow the familiar path you would expect and have seen played out on screen and book before. So I guess for some fans there is nothing really that new, you have the artwork and the subtlety how things play out slight different but eventually the results are the same. So am I disappointed - not really as for me this is Batman - in many situations you can see where it will all end up and who wins and who loses (yes there are Batman titles out there where it does not always go according to plan and they are the exception and in many cases the classics everyone remembers, after all for the fans out there who remembers this specific title). But for me this is Batman - you know he faces unique challenges and foes and yet he manages to over come them and that I think is part of the appeal, yes he artwork, the action and the dialogue all add to it but in the end - isn't that why we read them.
In many respects the stories follow the familiar path you would expect and have seen played out on screen and book before. So I guess for some fans there is nothing really that new, you have the artwork and the subtlety how things play out slight different but eventually the results are the same. So am I disappointed - not really as for me this is Batman - in many situations you can see where it will all end up and who wins and who loses (yes there are Batman titles out there where it does not always go according to plan and they are the exception and in many cases the classics everyone remembers, after all for the fans out there who remembers this specific title). But for me this is Batman - you know he faces unique challenges and foes and yet he manages to over come them and that I think is part of the appeal, yes he artwork, the action and the dialogue all add to it but in the end - isn't that why we read them.
January 16, 2017
I'm getting spoiled by the really great DC comics (e.g. Kingdom Come), so I probably am rating the old, standby villain stories lower than I should.
Four good, comfortable vignettes with the classics.
Four good, comfortable vignettes with the classics.
Read
August 6, 20233.5/5
read this and made reviews on all individual issues.
liked poison ivy and man bat the most
liked riddler the least.
read this and made reviews on all individual issues.
liked poison ivy and man bat the most
liked riddler the least.
January 15, 2019
Four separate stories, all a little predictable. Some issued were better than others however nothing really amazed me.
September 23, 2024
Four tales from the Batman year one world , where we witness the debut of Poison Ivy , Riddler , Scarecrow and Man-Bat .
The Ivy story was very sexualised, which is kinda the norm in 90s , but still it was a very anti climatic story and meh overall
The riddler story was fascinating and was more about Riddler than the bat and it had an ironic end that was really fun to read
The Scarecrow story was very close to something you see from Batman the animated series and the same can be said about the Man-Bat story , however i did enjoy this tale of Man-Bat more than the one in TAS .
Overall, it's not quite as gritty and cool as Year one was but it's a fantastic addition, if a bit cheesy one
The Ivy story was very sexualised, which is kinda the norm in 90s , but still it was a very anti climatic story and meh overall
The riddler story was fascinating and was more about Riddler than the bat and it had an ironic end that was really fun to read
The Scarecrow story was very close to something you see from Batman the animated series and the same can be said about the Man-Bat story , however i did enjoy this tale of Man-Bat more than the one in TAS .
Overall, it's not quite as gritty and cool as Year one was but it's a fantastic addition, if a bit cheesy one
June 18, 2018
Four origin stories of Batman villains. I liked the ending of the Riddler story, and the Man-Bat story was okay, but mostly these were just really simplistic "psychological" backstories for the villains. Not compelling.
April 28, 2021
Some of the stories were better than others, but they were all enjoyable. Riddler’s and Scarecrow’s stand out as the best of the four stand alone stories.
May 26, 2022
Last issue is cool
August 12, 2025
Issue 4 çok güzeldi ağladım
October 18, 2025
This collection includes four standalone stories, each focusing on the origin story of one of Batman's villains within roughly the first year of his time as a hero.
In all four cases, these are fairly typical stories for these characters. Typical, but competently written and in a couple instances very well illustrated (for some reason the cover art is the ugliest illustration here).
The Man-Bat story is probably the highlight as it contrasts Kirk Langstrom's transformation into Man-Bat with Bruce and Alfred debating the nature of Batman and Bruce's attempts to become the most effective Batman possible. The sympathetic approach to Man-Bat also gives this story a bit more heart than the others.
All of these stories are decent, I'm glad I read them, but they're certainly not essential.
In all four cases, these are fairly typical stories for these characters. Typical, but competently written and in a couple instances very well illustrated (for some reason the cover art is the ugliest illustration here).
The Man-Bat story is probably the highlight as it contrasts Kirk Langstrom's transformation into Man-Bat with Bruce and Alfred debating the nature of Batman and Bruce's attempts to become the most effective Batman possible. The sympathetic approach to Man-Bat also gives this story a bit more heart than the others.
All of these stories are decent, I'm glad I read them, but they're certainly not essential.
August 31, 2024
The riddler's was the most interesting to me, wish they gave ivy more of a backstory and personality
March 13, 2025
Great but this cover is insane. Also Hugo strange mention 💔
February 27, 2024
Note: The Goodreads star rating is a calculated average of the individual ratings I've given each of the stories in this book. Additionally, this review covers four 1995 annuals featuring the origin stories of four popular Batman villains.
“Poison Ivy: Year One” (Batman: Shadow of the Bat Annual #3): +3 To be honest this story disappointed me - it’s titled as if it’ll show Poison Ivy’s origin with detail, such as her father being distant during her childhood or being experimented on by Professor Woodrue that caused her powers, but these things are only mentioned very briefly as context to why she feels so let down and betrayed by all men.
Despite what I wanted this to be, and was misled to believe, the story is relatively weak with nicely drawn and coloured art, particularly of the people. There was so much that was annoying about the plot though, such as Poison Ivy gave the kiss of death to Batman twice, but we never know how he survives. Did the second kiss negate the first? It is too vague to know what the result was.
The characterisation of Poison Ivy was so off-putting as well - so she hates men, but she was perfectly happy to kill women too. She’s also incredibly bloodthirsty as well, which is very ironic for a character who wants plants to flourish and live. Very strange comic, great art.
“Scarecrow: Year One - Masters of Fear" (Batman Annual #19): +6 Throughout this story, it juggled between the night’s mystery for Batman, and Scarecrows’ life and origin as the A and B stories. This was a very interesting way to pace the plot, consistently switching back and forth.
However, some of the flashbacks seemed quite unnecessary, such as the death of the Dean and four regents. The audience already knew it was Scarecrow within the first four pages, everyone is just waiting for Batman to figure it out, as this is his first time confronting such a bizarre villain. This also partially extends to Scarecrow killing his professor and being reckless in the classroom, but it was also enjoyable to see the character be oblivious to standard societal norms and become incredibly dramatic as a result of his own actions.
The art itself was decent, but particularly how it differentiates between the present and flashback scenes - that was incredibly clear, good! Also love how gangly and stick figure-esque Scarecrow is drawn here, it’s almost comedic.
Besides the pacing issues and unnecessary flashbacks, this was quite good!
“Riddler: Year One - Questions Multiply the Mystery” (Detective Comics Annual #8): +9 Actually a really good and fun origin story!
Hearing The Riddler’s life story from his dramatic and performative perspective made this all the more fantastic and added to his consistent characterisation. Being constantly bullied all his life, no one stood up for him, so he does what he can with trickery, deceit and cheating. It’s actually so cool to see the beginnings of a character who’s literally human go toe-to-toe with Batman, even if he’s scared shitless.
Aside from that, the art’s great too! The pencils have that rough, dirty edge that encapsulates Gotham’s cityscapes and interiors really well, but also makes the characters pop.
This is how you do an origin story!
“Man-Bat: Year One - Wings” (Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #5): +9 Sure, the whole 'scientist is defunded, tries experiment on himself' is cliché in regards to typical rabid terrifying monster stories, but the execution of such a regular origin story here is so good that the predictability is not a negative.
Alongside this, Doctor Kirk Langstrom is a sympathetic villain, only becoming the Man-Bat in a desperate attempt to cure his deafness and test his cure out. Such an ethical grey area makes Langstrom’s struggle within himself and against his girlfriend Francine and co-workers all the more thrilling to read. The B story for this annual has Batman attempting to catch a group of thieves, with him consistently failing to apprehend them - honestly loved watching him fail, try to innovate, and fail again. Francine’s determination and loyalty to Kirk and to cure him is inspiring, even with the temptation of a colleague trying to seduce her, she stays strong.
Liked the art as well, nicely drawn with good layouts and large panels of Man-Bat and Batman to show the penciller/inker Enrique Alcatena’s strengths. Apparently this story takes place over at least nine months, but it’s not clear when these time jumps happen - this should have been better portrayed by Chuck Dixon. However, fantastic annual overall.
[Read and reviewed in February 2023]
“Poison Ivy: Year One” (Batman: Shadow of the Bat Annual #3): +3 To be honest this story disappointed me - it’s titled as if it’ll show Poison Ivy’s origin with detail, such as her father being distant during her childhood or being experimented on by Professor Woodrue that caused her powers, but these things are only mentioned very briefly as context to why she feels so let down and betrayed by all men.
Despite what I wanted this to be, and was misled to believe, the story is relatively weak with nicely drawn and coloured art, particularly of the people. There was so much that was annoying about the plot though, such as Poison Ivy gave the kiss of death to Batman twice, but we never know how he survives. Did the second kiss negate the first? It is too vague to know what the result was.
The characterisation of Poison Ivy was so off-putting as well - so she hates men, but she was perfectly happy to kill women too. She’s also incredibly bloodthirsty as well, which is very ironic for a character who wants plants to flourish and live. Very strange comic, great art.
“Scarecrow: Year One - Masters of Fear" (Batman Annual #19): +6 Throughout this story, it juggled between the night’s mystery for Batman, and Scarecrows’ life and origin as the A and B stories. This was a very interesting way to pace the plot, consistently switching back and forth.
However, some of the flashbacks seemed quite unnecessary, such as the death of the Dean and four regents. The audience already knew it was Scarecrow within the first four pages, everyone is just waiting for Batman to figure it out, as this is his first time confronting such a bizarre villain. This also partially extends to Scarecrow killing his professor and being reckless in the classroom, but it was also enjoyable to see the character be oblivious to standard societal norms and become incredibly dramatic as a result of his own actions.
The art itself was decent, but particularly how it differentiates between the present and flashback scenes - that was incredibly clear, good! Also love how gangly and stick figure-esque Scarecrow is drawn here, it’s almost comedic.
Besides the pacing issues and unnecessary flashbacks, this was quite good!
“Riddler: Year One - Questions Multiply the Mystery” (Detective Comics Annual #8): +9 Actually a really good and fun origin story!
Hearing The Riddler’s life story from his dramatic and performative perspective made this all the more fantastic and added to his consistent characterisation. Being constantly bullied all his life, no one stood up for him, so he does what he can with trickery, deceit and cheating. It’s actually so cool to see the beginnings of a character who’s literally human go toe-to-toe with Batman, even if he’s scared shitless.
Aside from that, the art’s great too! The pencils have that rough, dirty edge that encapsulates Gotham’s cityscapes and interiors really well, but also makes the characters pop.
This is how you do an origin story!
“Man-Bat: Year One - Wings” (Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #5): +9 Sure, the whole 'scientist is defunded, tries experiment on himself' is cliché in regards to typical rabid terrifying monster stories, but the execution of such a regular origin story here is so good that the predictability is not a negative.
Alongside this, Doctor Kirk Langstrom is a sympathetic villain, only becoming the Man-Bat in a desperate attempt to cure his deafness and test his cure out. Such an ethical grey area makes Langstrom’s struggle within himself and against his girlfriend Francine and co-workers all the more thrilling to read. The B story for this annual has Batman attempting to catch a group of thieves, with him consistently failing to apprehend them - honestly loved watching him fail, try to innovate, and fail again. Francine’s determination and loyalty to Kirk and to cure him is inspiring, even with the temptation of a colleague trying to seduce her, she stays strong.
Liked the art as well, nicely drawn with good layouts and large panels of Man-Bat and Batman to show the penciller/inker Enrique Alcatena’s strengths. Apparently this story takes place over at least nine months, but it’s not clear when these time jumps happen - this should have been better portrayed by Chuck Dixon. However, fantastic annual overall.
[Read and reviewed in February 2023]
Read
January 23, 2020In 1995, DC released themed Annual issues across its four Batman titles. After Crisis on Infinite Earths rebooted the DC Universe ten years earlier, some Batman villains hadn’t yet been given origins in the new continuity, at least definitively. Hence, the 1995 Annuals recounted Batman’s first encounters with four villains: Poison Ivy, Riddler, Scarecrow, and Man-Bat.
Frankly, I find it hard to believe this many “colorful” villains were around in Batman’s early days. Hugo Strange and the Joker, sure. But Poison Ivy, Riddler, Scarecrow, and Man-Bat, all showing up just after a year? I don’t buy it. I guess Batman fighting mobsters and everyday thieves gets boring after a while, so I understand the narrative reasoning. Then there’s the argument that Batman (unintentionally) inspires the crazies, which is interesting to think about. But whatever. Batman has some fantastic villains, so I shouldn’t be complaining about when they show up in a fictional timeline. It’s just that I’ve become attached to this character and his world, so it’s natural for me to make logical sense of it all.
But let’s talk about this book. It’s not essential. Only one of the four issues is really good. The focus is certainly on the villains, but seeing Batman react to them and figure out how to overcome their deadly quirks is sometimes fun to see. I can imagine encountering a woman who controls plants and a guy dressed as a scarecrow would shake most people up something fierce – but Batman, naturally, takes it all in stride.
Poison Ivy (Shadow of the Bat Annual 3). So I’m not the biggest Poison Ivy fan. I usually find her silly, and this issue didn’t change my perception of her. Maybe that’s because it’s written in an intentionally Silver Age style, replete with campy, exclamation point-dialogue and 60s-style art. I like the callbacks to her pre-Crisis origin in Batman 181: the society party with Silken Spider, Dragonfly, and Tiger Moth, and Poison Ivy’s scheme to steal money from guests. But I wouldn’t say this issue is good by any means. It’s endearingly goofy, and that’s about it.
Riddler (Detective Comics Annual 8). This issue was better. I like Riddler a lot, but wasn’t wholly familiar with his origin. Edward Nigma was a precocious child, always asking questions – and after he won a puzzle book at school, he was determined to be a “guy with all the answers.” I actually enjoyed seeing his progression from neglected boy to criminal mastermind. Chuck Dixon does a good job of showing how Riddler really does view his riddles as performance, to prove his cleverness. The framing of the issue is also solid: Riddler in Arkham Asylum, telling his life’s story but getting distracted and angry whenever he mentions Batman.
Scarecrow (Batman Annual 19). It’s become apparent to me that Doug Moench is not a good writer. I thought the dialogue was bad in "Prey", but this is a new low. Scarecrow’s not a bad villain, but Moench manages to make him intolerable here. Jonathan Crane studying “crane-style” kung fu, kicking over scarecrow heads? Inspired by Ichabod Crane? Moench probably didn’t mean for this issue to be so silly, but I almost didn’t finish it because of just how bad it was.
Man-Bat (Legends of the Dark Knight Annual 5). This was hands down the best story in the collection. Man-Bat has become one of my favorite Batman villains, especially from his early appearances. He’s sometimes a hero and sometimes a villain, which is why he’s compelling. Here, Dixon retells his debut from Detective 400, adding bits from subsequent appearances. Kirk Langstrom tests himself with a genetic formula, slowly transforming into Man-Bat; he stumbles upon Batman fighting a criminal group, helping to stop them; they have a tense final encounter in the bat-cave, where Batman saves Kirk, determined to cure him. Dixon makes Kirk sympathetic and believable. His relationship with Francie especially feels real. I also love the art in this issue by Enrique Alcatena – the scenes of Man-Bat flying through the sky are fantastic. If you read one issue from Four of a Kind, make it this one.
Frankly, I find it hard to believe this many “colorful” villains were around in Batman’s early days. Hugo Strange and the Joker, sure. But Poison Ivy, Riddler, Scarecrow, and Man-Bat, all showing up just after a year? I don’t buy it. I guess Batman fighting mobsters and everyday thieves gets boring after a while, so I understand the narrative reasoning. Then there’s the argument that Batman (unintentionally) inspires the crazies, which is interesting to think about. But whatever. Batman has some fantastic villains, so I shouldn’t be complaining about when they show up in a fictional timeline. It’s just that I’ve become attached to this character and his world, so it’s natural for me to make logical sense of it all.
But let’s talk about this book. It’s not essential. Only one of the four issues is really good. The focus is certainly on the villains, but seeing Batman react to them and figure out how to overcome their deadly quirks is sometimes fun to see. I can imagine encountering a woman who controls plants and a guy dressed as a scarecrow would shake most people up something fierce – but Batman, naturally, takes it all in stride.
Poison Ivy (Shadow of the Bat Annual 3). So I’m not the biggest Poison Ivy fan. I usually find her silly, and this issue didn’t change my perception of her. Maybe that’s because it’s written in an intentionally Silver Age style, replete with campy, exclamation point-dialogue and 60s-style art. I like the callbacks to her pre-Crisis origin in Batman 181: the society party with Silken Spider, Dragonfly, and Tiger Moth, and Poison Ivy’s scheme to steal money from guests. But I wouldn’t say this issue is good by any means. It’s endearingly goofy, and that’s about it.
Riddler (Detective Comics Annual 8). This issue was better. I like Riddler a lot, but wasn’t wholly familiar with his origin. Edward Nigma was a precocious child, always asking questions – and after he won a puzzle book at school, he was determined to be a “guy with all the answers.” I actually enjoyed seeing his progression from neglected boy to criminal mastermind. Chuck Dixon does a good job of showing how Riddler really does view his riddles as performance, to prove his cleverness. The framing of the issue is also solid: Riddler in Arkham Asylum, telling his life’s story but getting distracted and angry whenever he mentions Batman.
Scarecrow (Batman Annual 19). It’s become apparent to me that Doug Moench is not a good writer. I thought the dialogue was bad in "Prey", but this is a new low. Scarecrow’s not a bad villain, but Moench manages to make him intolerable here. Jonathan Crane studying “crane-style” kung fu, kicking over scarecrow heads? Inspired by Ichabod Crane? Moench probably didn’t mean for this issue to be so silly, but I almost didn’t finish it because of just how bad it was.
Man-Bat (Legends of the Dark Knight Annual 5). This was hands down the best story in the collection. Man-Bat has become one of my favorite Batman villains, especially from his early appearances. He’s sometimes a hero and sometimes a villain, which is why he’s compelling. Here, Dixon retells his debut from Detective 400, adding bits from subsequent appearances. Kirk Langstrom tests himself with a genetic formula, slowly transforming into Man-Bat; he stumbles upon Batman fighting a criminal group, helping to stop them; they have a tense final encounter in the bat-cave, where Batman saves Kirk, determined to cure him. Dixon makes Kirk sympathetic and believable. His relationship with Francie especially feels real. I also love the art in this issue by Enrique Alcatena – the scenes of Man-Bat flying through the sky are fantastic. If you read one issue from Four of a Kind, make it this one.
January 7, 2021
Batman: Four of a Kind is a collection of four one-shot comic stories that deals with the first dealing of Batman with certain villains. Batman: Four of a Kind collects four stories: "Year One: Poison Ivy", "Questions Multiply the Mystery", "Scarecrow – Masters of Fear", and "Wings".
"Year One: Poison Ivy" (★★★☆☆) is a standalone story (Batman: Shadow of the Bat Annual #3), which has Bruce Wayne as Batman dealing with Pamela Isley as Poison Ivy during his first year as a vigilante. It was penned by Alan Grant and penciled by Brian Apthorp.
"Questions Multiply the Mystery" (★★★☆☆) is a standalone story (Detective Comics Annual #8), which has Bruce Wayne as Batman facing Edward Nashton as the Riddler, his origin story, and his dealings with the Dark Knight during his first year of crime fighting. It was penned by Chuck Dixon and penciled by Kieron Dwyer.
"Scarecrow – Masters of Fear" (★★★☆☆) is a standalone story (Batman Annual #19), which has Bruce Wayne as Batman facing Jonathon Crane as the Scarecrow, his origin story, and his dealings with the Bat over his first year of his vigilantism. It was penned by Doug Moench and penciled by Bret Blevins.
"Wings" (★★★☆☆) is a standalone story (Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #5), which has Bruce Wayne as Batman facing Robert Langstrom as Man-Bat, his origin story, and his confrontation with Batman during his first year of crime fighting. It was penned by Chuck Dixon and penciled by Enrique Alcatena.
Chuck Dixon (Detective Comics Annual #8 and Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #5), Alan Grant (Batman: Shadow of the Bat Annual #3), and Doug Moench (Batman Annual #19) penned the trade paperback. For the most part, it is written moderately well. Four of a Kind combines what was originally published as four annuals in the mid-1990s, all looking at events during the first year of Batman's career. His first meetings with Man-Bat, Poison Ivy and Scarecrow are supplied, along with the Riddler running through his background.
Brian Apthorp (Batman: Shadow of the Bat Annual #3), Kieron Dwyer (Batman Annual #19), Doug Moench (Batman Annual #19), and Enrique Alcatena (Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #5) penciled the trade paperback. For the most part, the penciling styles of each artist meshed well with each other, which make the artistic flow of the trade paperback rather smoothly. It is a tad dated and dark at times, but wonderfully depicted regardless.
All in all, Batman: Four of a Kind is a mediocre collection of standalone stories of Bruce Wayne as Batman's first encounters with Poison Ivy, The Riddler, Scarecrow, and Man-Bat during his first year of vigilantism.
"Year One: Poison Ivy" (★★★☆☆) is a standalone story (Batman: Shadow of the Bat Annual #3), which has Bruce Wayne as Batman dealing with Pamela Isley as Poison Ivy during his first year as a vigilante. It was penned by Alan Grant and penciled by Brian Apthorp.
"Questions Multiply the Mystery" (★★★☆☆) is a standalone story (Detective Comics Annual #8), which has Bruce Wayne as Batman facing Edward Nashton as the Riddler, his origin story, and his dealings with the Dark Knight during his first year of crime fighting. It was penned by Chuck Dixon and penciled by Kieron Dwyer.
"Scarecrow – Masters of Fear" (★★★☆☆) is a standalone story (Batman Annual #19), which has Bruce Wayne as Batman facing Jonathon Crane as the Scarecrow, his origin story, and his dealings with the Bat over his first year of his vigilantism. It was penned by Doug Moench and penciled by Bret Blevins.
"Wings" (★★★☆☆) is a standalone story (Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #5), which has Bruce Wayne as Batman facing Robert Langstrom as Man-Bat, his origin story, and his confrontation with Batman during his first year of crime fighting. It was penned by Chuck Dixon and penciled by Enrique Alcatena.
Chuck Dixon (Detective Comics Annual #8 and Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #5), Alan Grant (Batman: Shadow of the Bat Annual #3), and Doug Moench (Batman Annual #19) penned the trade paperback. For the most part, it is written moderately well. Four of a Kind combines what was originally published as four annuals in the mid-1990s, all looking at events during the first year of Batman's career. His first meetings with Man-Bat, Poison Ivy and Scarecrow are supplied, along with the Riddler running through his background.
Brian Apthorp (Batman: Shadow of the Bat Annual #3), Kieron Dwyer (Batman Annual #19), Doug Moench (Batman Annual #19), and Enrique Alcatena (Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Annual #5) penciled the trade paperback. For the most part, the penciling styles of each artist meshed well with each other, which make the artistic flow of the trade paperback rather smoothly. It is a tad dated and dark at times, but wonderfully depicted regardless.
All in all, Batman: Four of a Kind is a mediocre collection of standalone stories of Bruce Wayne as Batman's first encounters with Poison Ivy, The Riddler, Scarecrow, and Man-Bat during his first year of vigilantism.
May 16, 2018
A few years ago, I made a chronology for how to read modern Batman. I was focused quite a bit on creating the order, as opposed to just reading the books for enjoyment, so now I'm going back to see how the chronology holds up.
Four Of A Kind is an anthology of stories about four different characters by three different writers and four different artists. When I originally read it, I thought it was a decent, but not great primer for these characters.. I have changed my mind.
All of these stories contain writing issues. Chuck Dixon's Man Bat story, which closes out the volume is a decent Batman story with very era-specifically on-point art by Quique Alcatena. And, while it's flawed, it's the only one that didn't make me cringe on rereading this.
Alan Grant's Poison Ivy story is a bland, paint by numbers femme fatale story that is buoyed a bit by Brian Apthorp's excellent use of lighting angles in his art, but is still mostly forgettable.
Dixon's Riddler story is the trite My Parents Didn't Love Me backstory that writers give to villains they can't be bothered to understand. Apart from a lazy Riddler suit design, Brian Apthorp's art is filled with great line work, and interesting coloring choices, but it's not enough to hold my interest in this forgettable story.
When I got to Doug Moench's Scarecrow story, I had flashbacks to my previous read, and just skipped it. It's awful. No one should ever waste their time reading it once, I'm certainly not going to subject myself to a second time. Bret Blevins and Mike Manley's art deserves a less trite and poorly executed story.
I'm going to remove it entirely from my recommended chronology, as it's not only not very good, it's also not currently available from Diamond.
I recommend it only to Batman completists, and people willing to spend too much money on a halfway decent Man Bat origin.
Four Of A Kind is an anthology of stories about four different characters by three different writers and four different artists. When I originally read it, I thought it was a decent, but not great primer for these characters.. I have changed my mind.
All of these stories contain writing issues. Chuck Dixon's Man Bat story, which closes out the volume is a decent Batman story with very era-specifically on-point art by Quique Alcatena. And, while it's flawed, it's the only one that didn't make me cringe on rereading this.
Alan Grant's Poison Ivy story is a bland, paint by numbers femme fatale story that is buoyed a bit by Brian Apthorp's excellent use of lighting angles in his art, but is still mostly forgettable.
Dixon's Riddler story is the trite My Parents Didn't Love Me backstory that writers give to villains they can't be bothered to understand. Apart from a lazy Riddler suit design, Brian Apthorp's art is filled with great line work, and interesting coloring choices, but it's not enough to hold my interest in this forgettable story.
When I got to Doug Moench's Scarecrow story, I had flashbacks to my previous read, and just skipped it. It's awful. No one should ever waste their time reading it once, I'm certainly not going to subject myself to a second time. Bret Blevins and Mike Manley's art deserves a less trite and poorly executed story.
I'm going to remove it entirely from my recommended chronology, as it's not only not very good, it's also not currently available from Diamond.
I recommend it only to Batman completists, and people willing to spend too much money on a halfway decent Man Bat origin.
February 16, 2019
Four of a Kind collects 4 "Year One" villain stories from 1995. Reading most of them felt a lot like watching the animated series from around the same time. I thought they were quite fun, excluding Scarecrow's.
Poison Ivy's part (3.5 stars) contains no origin story, although it delivers the background successfully. It is cheesy; but in a fun, cleaver way. I mostly enjoyed the way Batman feels about Ivy, despite seeing how dangerous she is, he couldn't keep himself from falling for her charm. And honestly, the art really helped. I can't describe how much love this man Brian Apthorop has invested in Ivy's beauty. Bruce had his fair share as well, the art is generally fantastic! The story isn't amazing, but it is a fun read non the less.
Manbat's part (4 stars) surprisingly has a very well written story. The experiment which produces the Manbat happens around the same time Batman is chasing a group of parkour thieves called the Ridge Runners. He bumps into the Manbat during one of his attempts to resemble bats more accurately.
The Manbat is originally a man named Kirk, Francine, his girlfriend, is present through most of the story, trying to find him after his transformation in order to reverse the experiment.
The characters are deep enough to make it fun and the art is very good. I think I would have appreciated this story even more if I had read it back when it was published.
Scarecrow's (1 star) is terrible on every level. A bullied kid who wants revenge on the entire world kills his first victim when he is 15 without breaking a sweat, then proceeds to kills everyone in his way in order to advance through life... bleh. So they called him Scarecrow back in high school due to his body proportions (not sure what this has to do with that), he decides to read further about a fictional character with the same name (I think that character from Oz but I am not sure), his reading is very boring and has nothing to do with the story. Then his mates from high school scare him during some party; because of that, he decides that fear is the ultimate emotion, and that he should become a Scarecrow and kill anyone who opposes him.
The Riddler's (3.5) is told from his perspective, it goes neatly through the man's life starting with his childhood. Although his childhood isn't particularly boring, it isn't particularly interesting either, reading it made me question how much I care about the origin stories of average villains in the first place. I mean, Manbat's transformation happens in the present, but going through a villains childhood takes a lot more "dedication". All and all, the narration from the Riddler's perspective is well written, and you can really feel the man, especially during his final scenes, so I am going to say that it is another worthy read.
Poison Ivy's part (3.5 stars) contains no origin story, although it delivers the background successfully. It is cheesy; but in a fun, cleaver way. I mostly enjoyed the way Batman feels about Ivy, despite seeing how dangerous she is, he couldn't keep himself from falling for her charm. And honestly, the art really helped. I can't describe how much love this man Brian Apthorop has invested in Ivy's beauty. Bruce had his fair share as well, the art is generally fantastic! The story isn't amazing, but it is a fun read non the less.
Manbat's part (4 stars) surprisingly has a very well written story. The experiment which produces the Manbat happens around the same time Batman is chasing a group of parkour thieves called the Ridge Runners. He bumps into the Manbat during one of his attempts to resemble bats more accurately.
The Manbat is originally a man named Kirk, Francine, his girlfriend, is present through most of the story, trying to find him after his transformation in order to reverse the experiment.
The characters are deep enough to make it fun and the art is very good. I think I would have appreciated this story even more if I had read it back when it was published.
Scarecrow's (1 star) is terrible on every level. A bullied kid who wants revenge on the entire world kills his first victim when he is 15 without breaking a sweat, then proceeds to kills everyone in his way in order to advance through life... bleh. So they called him Scarecrow back in high school due to his body proportions (not sure what this has to do with that), he decides to read further about a fictional character with the same name (I think that character from Oz but I am not sure), his reading is very boring and has nothing to do with the story. Then his mates from high school scare him during some party; because of that, he decides that fear is the ultimate emotion, and that he should become a Scarecrow and kill anyone who opposes him.
The Riddler's (3.5) is told from his perspective, it goes neatly through the man's life starting with his childhood. Although his childhood isn't particularly boring, it isn't particularly interesting either, reading it made me question how much I care about the origin stories of average villains in the first place. I mean, Manbat's transformation happens in the present, but going through a villains childhood takes a lot more "dedication". All and all, the narration from the Riddler's perspective is well written, and you can really feel the man, especially during his final scenes, so I am going to say that it is another worthy read.
September 27, 2023
Fittingly, four stars for Four of a Kind. This book contains four stories, giving the origins of Poison Ivy, Riddler, Scarecrow, and Man-Bat.
Year One: Poison Ivy
Admittedly, this isn't a true origin story, but there is some mention of how Dr. Pamela Isley became Poison Ivy. This story is intriguing for those unfamiliar with the villainess, but still has enough to satisfy those familiar with the character. I found it interesting that this comic showed Ivy using not just plants and toxic kisses, but also fungi to get what she wants.
Questions Multiply the Mystery
One of the first Batman comics with the Riddler involved a riddle where the answer was banquet/bank wet, and I liked that we, the readers, get Edward Nigma's side of the story. We also see a bit more of his backstory, filling in the years between solving a puzzle as a child and his criminal career and introducing Echo and Query. I liked the small twist at the end.
Masters of Fear
I love this comic; I even own a copy of this issue (Batman Annual #19). It is one of the few stories that deal with Jonathan Crane's childhood and the events leading up to him becoming the Scarecrow.
Wings
Man-Bat is the most sympathetic "villain" in this book. Dr. Kirk Langstrom becomes Man-Bat not because he wants revenge or to commit some crime. It is an accidental side effect of experimenting on himself when he is not given the funds to continue his work with bats. He becomes more animal than man, and his "fight" with Batman is not so much a battle as it is him reacting like a scared and confused animal on instinct to something unfamiliar. Even though this story has a conclusion with his fiancée and collegue finding a cure, Man-Bat does appear again in later comics.
Overall, I liked it. Some may not have the same opinion, but that's fine. Also, I need to point out that the Riddler looks weird on the cover.
Year One: Poison Ivy
Admittedly, this isn't a true origin story, but there is some mention of how Dr. Pamela Isley became Poison Ivy. This story is intriguing for those unfamiliar with the villainess, but still has enough to satisfy those familiar with the character. I found it interesting that this comic showed Ivy using not just plants and toxic kisses, but also fungi to get what she wants.
Questions Multiply the Mystery
One of the first Batman comics with the Riddler involved a riddle where the answer was banquet/bank wet, and I liked that we, the readers, get Edward Nigma's side of the story. We also see a bit more of his backstory, filling in the years between solving a puzzle as a child and his criminal career and introducing Echo and Query. I liked the small twist at the end.
Masters of Fear
I love this comic; I even own a copy of this issue (Batman Annual #19). It is one of the few stories that deal with Jonathan Crane's childhood and the events leading up to him becoming the Scarecrow.
Wings
Man-Bat is the most sympathetic "villain" in this book. Dr. Kirk Langstrom becomes Man-Bat not because he wants revenge or to commit some crime. It is an accidental side effect of experimenting on himself when he is not given the funds to continue his work with bats. He becomes more animal than man, and his "fight" with Batman is not so much a battle as it is him reacting like a scared and confused animal on instinct to something unfamiliar. Even though this story has a conclusion with his fiancée and collegue finding a cure, Man-Bat does appear again in later comics.
Overall, I liked it. Some may not have the same opinion, but that's fine. Also, I need to point out that the Riddler looks weird on the cover.
April 14, 2018
3.75/4 stars
I'll give a short comment about each issue because they are so different from one another.
Poison Ivy: I hated this one. As simple as that. And I barely use the word 'hate' because I feel rude, but that story was total non-sense. There's barely any origin here. It had a lot of potential, but... .Alfred Pennyworthmy hero is the reason why I give this half a star more. 1.5 star.
The Riddler: The Riddler's story does have more development than the previous issue. It was interesting to have him telling his own story. 3.5 stars.
The Scarecrow: The spiral down into madness was very well done. And his story was written in a way that made me feel for him. I cared about Jonathan and I wanted someone to befriend him or something like that. But for anyone who knows about Jonathan Crane it was obvious this was not going to be a 'happy-ending' story for him. And the last sentence in this story? It left me speechless.4 stars.
The Man-Bat: It may have started as a cliche story, but the more one reads the more interesting this gets. Again, this story gave me the feels, and I couldn't put it down until I finished it. The art was amazing. The transition of Dr Langstrome was incredible. In summary: 4.5 stars
I'll give a short comment about each issue because they are so different from one another.
Poison Ivy: I hated this one. As simple as that. And I barely use the word 'hate' because I feel rude, but that story was total non-sense. There's barely any origin here. It had a lot of potential, but... .Alfred Pennyworth
The Riddler: The Riddler's story does have more development than the previous issue. It was interesting to have him telling his own story. 3.5 stars.
The Scarecrow: The spiral down into madness was very well done. And his story was written in a way that made me feel for him. I cared about Jonathan and I wanted someone to befriend him or something like that. But for anyone who knows about Jonathan Crane it was obvious this was not going to be a 'happy-ending' story for him. And the last sentence in this story? It left me speechless.4 stars.
The Man-Bat: It may have started as a cliche story, but the more one reads the more interesting this gets. Again, this story gave me the feels, and I couldn't put it down until I finished it. The art was amazing. The transition of Dr Langstrome was incredible. In summary: 4.5 stars
August 22, 2020
A post-crisis retelling of the origins of Poison Ivy, The Riddler, Scarecrow, and Man-Bat that delivers on every level.
There is some inconsistency between these and other post-crisis Batman stories, but that’s to be expected given that different writers wrote them.
Some of the Riddler’s riddles seem very childish as if they came from the Adam West show, but some of them still leave me baffled.
“How do you sneak into an opera house?”
“Why did the composer stop watching television?”
Batman doesn't give the reader the answers to these riddles, he just comes to the conclusion that this is a music related heist. I have no idea what the answer to either of these is, and I can’t find them on the internet. If you figure them out, let me know.
This is a must-have for every true Batman fan.
There is some inconsistency between these and other post-crisis Batman stories, but that’s to be expected given that different writers wrote them.
Some of the Riddler’s riddles seem very childish as if they came from the Adam West show, but some of them still leave me baffled.
“How do you sneak into an opera house?”
“Why did the composer stop watching television?”
Batman doesn't give the reader the answers to these riddles, he just comes to the conclusion that this is a music related heist. I have no idea what the answer to either of these is, and I can’t find them on the internet. If you figure them out, let me know.
This is a must-have for every true Batman fan.
May 17, 2022
Four Origin stories here. Two bangers two pretty average. Posion Ivy's was very much the standard measure for a solid batman outing. Nothing too memorable, nothing too embarrassing though. Just good enough fun. The Scarecrow one was better than when he last appeared in that Dr Strange story I did. His back story here seemed a lot less cringe worthy but still not great. The two bangers here are both by this Dixon fella. The Riddler and Man Bat. Riddler had some really good writing and flowed nicely. Man Bat was the best looking of the bunch.
It's a shame that the other two bring down the good ones and this gets the rating it does. As it point out, Arkham is coming one scary place. Some real bad chieftains building up in there. 4 more rounded up. Year one goes on and the Batman only grows stronger.
It's a shame that the other two bring down the good ones and this gets the rating it does. As it point out, Arkham is coming one scary place. Some real bad chieftains building up in there. 4 more rounded up. Year one goes on and the Batman only grows stronger.
May 26, 2019
Yikes. I had high hopes for this collection, since most Year One era Batman comics are really good, but these fall so flat. It's quite the injustice that such iconic villains have such poorly told first encounters with the Dark Knight. The Riddler and Man-Bat stories aren't too bad, just mediocre and rather forgettable, but serviceable I suppose. Scarecrow gets the "boohoo I was bullied" treatment, which pretty thoroughly undermines everything interesting about his character. As for Ivy...she's robbing jewelry stores? What is this shit? Why do so few writers seem to understand her? Do they just reject the existence of the concept of eco-terrorism? Have they only read Harley & Ivy teamups? Who knows.
August 30, 2024
Poison ivy one was just a bunch of fanservice, nothing really valuable about her or her backstory other than her hatred for men, hopefully there will be a comic with her full history. 2.5
The riddler. Careful eddie, the fashion cops are calling they said you're under arrest. 2.5
Scarecrow: who tf thought this writing style would be a good idea, almost got a stroke trying to read it. 2.5
The man-bat: i actually liked this one! He was so well drawn i was actually scared and kinda disgusted bc this mf was UGLY. 3.0
Geral note, 3.0 that was pretty cool i guess
The riddler. Careful eddie, the fashion cops are calling they said you're under arrest. 2.5
Scarecrow: who tf thought this writing style would be a good idea, almost got a stroke trying to read it. 2.5
The man-bat: i actually liked this one! He was so well drawn i was actually scared and kinda disgusted bc this mf was UGLY. 3.0
Geral note, 3.0 that was pretty cool i guess
December 11, 2023
Scarecrow backstory was pretty delicious... I loved the artstyle and how freaky the entire tone is. The Riddler is fun as always, and I enjoyed the twist at the end. Man Bat was also interesting, but mostly because of the art style. First time a non-Joker grotesque has truly gotten to me. Poison Ivy is a total disappointment though. Little backstory, too much focus on how hot she is and how down bad Bruce is for her. Alfred is the true MVP as always.
May 20, 2024
Batman: Four Of A Kind is an enjoyable graphic novel with Batman-villain stories written by some of comics' biggest writers: Chuck Dixon, Alan Grant, Doug Moench. I wasn't previously familiar with any of the book's artists, but the artwork throughout is very nice comic-book drawing, inking, and coloring. The stories we get feature Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, Riddler, and Man-Bat. Each was entertaining. A fun read.
June 30, 2020
Four of a kind is a collection of origin stories for the Riddler, Man-Bat, Scarecrow and Poison Ivy (although Ivy’s has very little of her true origin). It’s a fun collection of stories written and illustrated by various people, thus the quality also varies, but on the whole it’s actually pretty good. If you want a quick introduction to these characters this is ideal.
April 26, 2021
A good read if you want to go in depth into Batman's first year. Read along side 'Batman Year One' and some other villian origin stories like the 'Man Who Laughs' if you want to go deep into the lore. 3/5
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