I enjoyed reading this graphic novel and, seeing how the story is developing on the newer issues, it will be incredibly interesting to see what rebirth has on store for the Dark Knight of Gotham.

Batman, Volume 1: I am Gotham by Tom King holds the dubious distinction of being the first Batman story since the end of the glorious Scott Snyder run. That alone would doom it in the eyes of most every Batman fan. Add to it this is a far more serious Caped Crusade with doubts and insecurities that are too often regulated to lesser vigilantes. No, this is a different Batman, a different Bruce Wayne. King is daring to make this own vision and it will only be time before we see if this gamble pays off or becomes another footnote in the long lexicon that is The Batman. Like Timothy Dalton's version of James Bond.

Batman has faced many enemies in Gotham, the Penguin, Clayface and the Joker. But now, in the aftermath of REBIRTH, Batman must face in Gotham something that completely new, a pair of Superheroes wanting to protect the city of Gotham from all, even from the Batman himself.

They are Gotham and Gotham Girl, Superheroes with powers that rival even Superman. What they can do far exceeds what Batman has to offer, at least on the surface. They fly, with super strength and a boy scout attitude that quickly gets under Batman's skin. But there is also the thought, maybe it is a change that Gotham needs, maybe it is a sign that there is no more need of the Batman.

Batman begins to investigate as he also takes the Gotham duo under his wing, teaching them as he had once taught the Robins. He finds the history of the duo disturbing and mirroring his own, a crime in the alley that ended not with death but with the actions of a much younger Batman saving the young Gothams' lives. Then humanitarian missions and a disappearance and then they returned to Gotham, with powers they had no right to have. But how? How did they gain these powers? Who gave them to them? And even more dangerous, will the people who created these superheroes be coming for them, wanting them back, and for what true purpose?

Tom King is the brilliant writer of Sheriff Of Babylon and Grayson, and with the artwork of David Finch, Batman: I Am Gotham is really a well done book. But the Snyder jet lag will hang heavy over this tale and this series and the comparison is terribly unfair. King's vision of the Batman is introspective in a manner we haven't seen in the caped crusader for some time. There is a mortality to this superhero. Almost a willingness and desire for death. A Batman whose burdens are now showing. This could be brilliant or more likely, fall short, its literary guns firing blanks to an audience who have been treated to brilliance just a short year before.

I can't tell you how excited I was to read this book. DC Comics and Netgalley were kind enough to allow me to read this for an honest review and I was crazy excited. I purposely waited till I had read my other comics so I could save the best for last.

One thing I will say about New 52 is that Scott Snyder wrote some amazing Batman stories and it is going to be hard to live up to that expectation. This story was really good. Batman has dealt with a lot in his life and faced even some of the most horrible villains. Yet Gotham and Gotham Girl are something Batman hasn't had to deal with. Super meta humans have decided to take up a mask and fight the crime in Gotham until something goes horribly wrong. Batman now has to fight Hugo Strange/Psycho Pirate and control a crazed meta human.

Batman has his work cut out for him in this opening chapter in Rebirth that only will peak your interest with every passing page. I loved this book and already can't wait for Volume two. I know that coming up in future Batman stories he looks into a smiley face button with blood on it. Now any comic book fan knows the button belongs to the comedian from Watchmen. I can't wait to see Where that story goes and every step of the way to get there.  

This book is written very well and this is the first time I have read anything by Tom King and I loved it. I have my favorite comic authors and if Tom King keeps up this level of quality writing on Batman, he could easily slide in next to Scott Snyder and Geoff Johns as one of my favorite authors. I loved this book and give it 5 out of 5 stars. By the way the artwork is really good. This panel of Gotham is one of the best I have ever seen. Gotham is always portrayed as run down, dark, and decrepit. This one panel not only still portrays the dark, hard edge architecture that makes the city what it is, but this makes it beautiful. I'm really impressed with this one panel and had to share this. This is yet another reason I gave this book 5 stars.

This first volume of DC's new Batman Rebirth relaunch comes out the gate starting with a bad stumble, a one-shot hand-off issue where it seems like literally nothing happens. It's totally a throw-away story. What follows is a six-issue arc that sports an interesting concept but this story also falls a little flat. Two new heroes have risen in the city, Gotham and his sister Gotham Girl, who really look up to Batman and have Superman/Wonder Woman-like abilities. But they might not be ready to be heroes themselves.

The idea of new heroes in Gotham is interesting and the idea of having them corrupted was also cool but the execution is a real missed opportunity and very forgettable. I would've loved to see Gotham's desire to see justice done grow to extreme vigilantism, which is what causes him to kill, leading to Batman having to put him down, but instead he goes bad because a new throw-away villain with the power to control emotions brainwashes him? Meh. Boring.

And we never really got a sense of how powerful Gotham and his sister truly were, so I didn't buy it at all that he defeated every member of the Justice League single-handed like they were just random thugs. That would be kind of a big deal! It just feels like the book wasn't fully conceived to it's full potential and filled half-ass ideas. And what's the deal with Batman always wanting an partner? I've ALWAYS hated that idea.

Oh well, the upcoming second volume, I Am Suicide, has a pretty cool plot and it seems to feature Bane, so I'll check that out and I hope it's better.

Overall a good start to King's Batman run. Some of the characterizations were a bit off (or revisions not entirely to my liking) but King pulls it together.

This Batman story is not much of an origin story like Superman or even Green Arrow’s Rebirth. Instead, we get a creative retelling of Batman’s origin as it relates to two new superheroes in town: Gotham and Gotham Girl.

These meta humans are more like Superman than Batman. Batman takes an interest in them, not as potential adversities, but as potential allies. Batman recognizes that perhaps Gotham City needs more than just the Dark Knight protecting it. He watches, and then criticizes, the sibling duo’s approach to fighting Solomon Grundy. Batman takes them under his wing and teaches them technique.

What is surprising is that there isn’t a greater sense of urgency that Solomon Grundy is roaming around Gotham. Or that Psycho Pirate is too. In fact, there is a whole host of baddies roaming the pages of this graphic novel. One of which is Hugo Strange, appropriate for a Batman rebirth because many of the Dark Knight’s baddies are a result of Strange’s experiments. Yet, there is not enough of Strange in the story. He seems to be limited to the shadows.

Perhaps there is just not enough room. The story is cluttered with characters and side plots that just do not work in the limited space it has. There are a few random and unresolved additions. Bane seems to be lurking deep in the shadows and there is an acknowledgement of the potential rebirth of the Suicide Squad. The plot is cluttered to the point that a conclusion to the story is difficult to find.

Read more at http://jasoncstanley.com/comic-review-batman-vol-1-gotham-rebirth/

Lovbe the images, the story was fine but the pictures were absolutelly awesome

Batman Volume 1 is my first read of DC’s since they started the Rebirth storyline. Going into it, I expected to to be horrible from all the review that I had read; this potentially made me enjoy it more when I did not find it as bad as they made it seem like.

The art style suited Batman and Gotham City very well. The little details were not missed, but the did not detract and draw me away from the focus of the panel like they are susceptible to do.

For me, my main issue with the first volume of the ongoing Batman Rebirth series is the 1st issue. It did not flow into the rest of the story and when I went on to read the 2nd issue, I thought I was reading something completely different. The first issue was around Calendar Man and Batman trying to stop him stop him messing with the seasons amongst other things which I will not spoil.

The second issue onwards were a very cohesive story that is a direct affect of Batman saving the people of Gotham and how some choose to react.

For my first time reading an ongoing series, I was impressed with I Am Gotham and I suspect that majority of people will enjoy it.

New 52/DCYou-era brooding gothic journeys from Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo are traded in for a Rebirth by Tom King and David Finch. I’m not feeling I Am Gotham that much. Batman’s newest sidekicks/assistants/fodder are two eager, but underwritten, young adults, Gotham and Gotham Girl, who are superpowered, but with a cost because there would be little tension if heroic metahumans can roam freely on Batman’s turf. Hugo Strange and Psycho Pirate are plotting to destroy Gotham as we know it; Batman, his new dynamic duo, along with snarky Alfred and Duke (he’s not Robin!) tries to stop them. These comics were first published when around the time of a certain Harley Quinn-helmed blockbuster so Amanda Waller teases/threatens Task Force X.

I Am Gotham has narrative elements all over the place, with one episode containing noirish “My City is” captions as if King was in a Miller-esque mood when he was scripting it. The minor villains are campy pushovers. Line art and colors give a realistic heft to the heroes and villains in my mind’s eye. But the plot is annoyingly incomplete. There’s one touching moment with Batman and Gotham Girl where Bats actually drops his gritty facade to empathize with her. Taken as a monthly piece of the puzzle, is cool, but here I’m thinking of how else the creative team is going to further shoehorn references to the Suicide Squad.

Maybe the next volume, I Am Suicide, completes the plot to improve the latest Batman saga. However, as is, I Am Gotham rises no more to a middling “meh.”

A strong story with amazing art and the haunting plot. If Superman and his villains are the light of DC, then Batman is the silent dark predator of it.

Batman Vol.1: I Am Gotham | DC | Published 1/17/17
 Written By Tom King | Illustrated by David Finch and Mike Janin
 
Following up Scott Snyder and his New 52 Batman, Tom King had some pretty big shoes to fill when it came time to write his own Batman; whether or not he will be deemed successful will come in time. Right now, we have before us, the first volume of King’s Batman that is part of the DC Rebirth. Batman Vol.1: I Am Gotham collects Batman: Rebirth #1 and Batman issues 1-6.
 
With Tom King now in the driver’s seat, it is clear that there will be some awesome (and terrible) things in store for Gotham’s defender. Also, the first several issues of the Batman Rebirth re-launch serve as a giant high-five to fans, as they remind us exactly who Batman is and why we adore him. King’s reasoning here is: to re-define Batman and to challenge the image that fans have formed over years of reading his comics, King must first remind us who the Dark Knight is, or more specifically, who we think he is, before adding depth to our already in-depth understanding. This way, when King decides to bring something new to the table it will be more impressive and will have more impact on long-time readers. To explain this simply, think about Horror flicks. The ‘gotcha’ scenes always follow an eerie silence, right? Batman Vol.1: I Am Gotham is the eerie silence...and the ‘gotcha,’ well, it’s on the way.
 
Spoilers Ahead
 

 One of the main issues that I have with this collection of comics is that the newest threats to Gotham rise as heroes and fall as villains in the blink of an eye. Gotham and Gotham Girl aren’t nearly as developed as I would have liked, and unfortunately, this is a major let-down because I believe that there was some major potential with Gotham. Because of this, and some other plot points that go underdeveloped, Vol.1 reads more like a prologue to a great story than a great story. I feel this way, perhaps, because I am current with the series and know what’s coming, so take what I just wrote as you wish.
 
The ominous, ‘The Monster Men Are Coming’ echoes throughout the tale and incites interest, and perhaps fear, in what King has in store for Gotham City. Terror is on its way.
 
David Finch and Mike Janin both do a great job illustrating throughout the volume. Again, I prefer Janin’s work in the issues to come, but the art here fits well with the writing, and thus, is a success.
 
Overall, this is a solid volume and I recommend reading it. There were some areas that weren’t explored as much as I would have liked - some points that went undeveloped - but it was good nonetheless. Batman Vol.1: I Am Gotham sets up future volumes well, and does so in a way that is entertaining. Pick it up.
 
 
Score: 7 out of 10
 
Following up Scott Snyder’s New 52 Batman is no easy feat, as it was very much beloved by fans. Tom King, although he doesn’t blow away Snyder’s Batman, does a fine job here and, at the very least, keeps up the momentum that Snyder created. Although Batman Vol.1: I Am Gotham isn’t nearly as developed (in terms of plot) it is clear that future volumes will be more intense, and will provide a more in-depth look at the Dark Knight. Despite some shortcomings, Batman Vol.1: I Am Gotham is a worthwhile read and does a fine job setting up what’s to come...which, if you’ve been keeping up with the single issues, you already know what I’m talking about. The takeaway here should be this: the series is in good hands, and is only going to get better as it goes. Read Batman Vol.1: I Am Gotham.

As one dynamic duo, Tom King and David Finch, take over the main Batman title, another dynamic duo appears in town: Gotham and Gotham Girl, two Superman/Supergirl-types out to help Batman in his war against crime! But this fresh-faced pair are about to discover how dangerous the shadows in the city can be even with the Dark Knight at their side… 

Under Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo, Batman unfortunately wasn’t good for a while so I’m glad to say that with a new creative team on board, the relaunched series is firmly back on form - I Am Gotham is a great beginning to Tom King’s run! 

King opens the story explosively with Batman diverting a downed commercial jet away from downtown Gotham. Action-packed describes the book as a whole as we move from one exciting set-piece to another, from one reveal to the next, so the reader’s never bored with what’s happening. The main Batman title is usually the more sensational and superhero-y - Detective Comics is the one where Batman puts on his deerstalker and investigates nuanced street-level crimes - and King fully lives up to that expectation here. He also nails Batman’s character and gives him some damn cool moments like during the climactic confrontation when he gets up and snarls “I am Gotham,” - yeah! 

Like Scott Snyder’s first Batman book, The Court of Owls, King introduces some new characters into Batman canon with his first book. However, Gotham and Gotham Girl aren’t the most compelling characters - though I didn’t dislike them either - especially as Superman-types are hardly original, but they were fine as part of a larger problem Batman has to deal with. 

The story developed well with King setting up intriguing future storylines at the same time - they look like they’re going to be remakes of previous sorta-well-known but crappy Batman books though with King in the driving seat I’m hopeful he’ll find a way to improve them for contemporary readers. I wonder what happened to the “three Jokers” storyline teased in DC Universe Rebirth #1 - will King get around to that later, will someone else write it, or has that idea been abandoned? I wouldn’t mind if it was the latter! 

I also liked how Batman reached out to others when he felt out of his depth, showing he’s learned to ask for help when he needs it and that he’s not alone - a holdover from Scott Snyder’s Batman run. And speaking of Snyder’s Batman, it looks like the New 52 stories are still in play - Rebirth hasn’t wiped out that canon and there are references to Zero Year, the Court of Owls, Joker and Bloom. Under King, Duke, the new Robin, is starting to grow on me, and I was pleased to see Alfred miraculously has his hand back - I hated what Snyder did to poor Alfie in Endgame which felt like pure shock value more than anything. 

I’m not the biggest fan of David Finch’s art but I liked what he did here. It was more restrained than usual, more focused and looked a lot cleaner. The Regan/All-Star Superman homage page was great though the Gotham Girl outfit looked a little corny. Largely though I was very satisfied with the art. 

Easily the worst part of the book was the handover issue that opened the volume, co-written by Snyder. Calendar Man is reimagined as this weird mutant-type dude who literally dies at the end of winter and is reborn in the spring into a new body? Ugh, it was terrible! What a stupid idea - thank goodness Snyder left when he did before he did more damage! Mikel Janin’s art in this issue though was spectacular, very sharp and clear, appropriately big-screen movie-type illustrations to match the dramatic action. 

I’ve never been a fan of either Tom King or David Finch but, credit where credit’s due, these guys created a fine Batman book here - a career best (so far) for both, I’d say. I love the energy in this book the most. Batman feels reinvigorated and I was excited reading a Batman comic in a way that I haven’t been since Zero Year. Batman, Volume 1: I Am Gotham is a great Batman story and an excellent start to a series that hopefully maintains its quality going forward - I Am Entertained!

I am not going to lie.  At first this rebirth or “new” batman was hard to follow.  But it picked up and started making sense by the end.  We are introduced (or at least think we are introduced) to two new superheroes Gotham and Gotham Girl.  They want to protect Gotham and help Batman.  Batman also has another new cohort Mr. Thomas.  He is not a replacement Robin, he is something new. And besides a yellow batsuit, it has not been revealed yet what. We also get a shout out from the Justice League.   Overall not bad.  We shall see what comes.

Now time for complaints.  Why Gotham Girl, why not Gotham Woman.  Plus the cheerleader skirt.  And worst of all the high heel boots.  I am tired of these cliches.  You all can do better.  Why I’m at it, the yellow writing in the blue box is impossible to read.  On my galley it was already blurry, and the color changes just made it worse.

Added Goodreads
Added Litsy

By Tom King, Scott Snyder, David Finch, Mikel Janin, Ivan Reis, Matt Banning, Danny Miki, Sandra Hope, Scott Hanna, Joe Prado and Osclair Albert, Jordie Bellaire, June Chung and Marcela Maiolo

The Batman of DC’s Rebirth is a genuine superhero. He is emotionally accessible, outwardly kind, friendly, and a ray of hope in the otherwise dark and crime-infested city of Gotham. He is more capable than ever at confronting evil, even more so than actual super-powered beings and, as of the first few pages, there is almost nothing he can’t do. After decades of redefining the character – in both major and minor ways – Batman has almost always been as the brooding dark knight who, despite having youthful sidekicks and a growing number of teammates, has kept his feelings locked away in a vault. But here in Batman Vol. 1: I am Gotham, we find Bruce Wayne not only more inclusive than ever, but also welcoming change. You get the usual Batman here in this first volume: unblinking in the face of death, masterfully outwitting his foes, and working around the clock to make his city a better place. But he also offers guidance and support, while even giving out compliments in ways readers may not be used to. This new level of transparency makes him more heroic, more admirable, and well…different, but in the best possible way. This is a great spin on the caped crusader and a welcomed shift in tone.

The story itself, written by Tom King with Scott Snyder, is equally accessible and straightforward. The introduction of new heroes in Gotham City offers a pleasant contrast to the usual story lines, one where Batman is accepting instead of resistant. That alone changes everything, and the dynamic becomes more about mentorship than ever and takes the plot into somewhat uncharted territory. Batman doesn’t mind change as long as it gets the job done in what turns out to be a character driven series. It’s easy to follow, but it’s still an exciting must read for long-term fans as much as it is an excellent jumping on point for new readers.

Make no mistake, tonally the character may be a bit brighter, but the story line is as heavy and dire as ever. This is a highly cerebral psychological superhero thriller. Things happen in this world that change people, leaving them scared and mentally unbalanced. Batman can handle it, but he’s aware that not everyone has that same ability to persevere. He’s mindful of his counterparts’ shortcomings and supportive, affectionate even. But when it comes down to the wire he’s all business and the writers give us a ton of action to witness. Lesser-used villains take center stage in ways that will give you new appreciation for what may have been a silly concept originally. The villain Calendar Man, for example, has never been such a worthy member of Batman’s rouges gallery. He is creepy, powerful and done so well you may wonder why no one thought of this same angle before.

Mega star David Finch leads a team of artist including Mikel Janin, Ivan Reis, Matt Banning, Danny Miki, Sandra Hope, Scott Hanna, Joe Prado and Osclair Albert. Though Finch has a lot of assistance it’s definitely his book. You’d be hard pressed to see the hand of the other artists, which is a good thing really. There are no stark transitions or entire issues where finch’s presence isn’t felt and then some. He is a master of detail and realism while maintaining his own personal style. His take on Batman is fantastic, but his cityscapes are even better. Gotham is as much a character as anyone. There is so much depth, detail and finesse, that you would think David Finch was spending weeks on each page. He can draw anything and handle any character, but seems to be more at home with Batman. Everything about this book is exceptional, but Finch makes it feel perfect. The rest of the art team, including colorists Jordie Bellaire with June Chung and Marcelo Maiolo, only continue to round out what is possibly the most downright fun Batman series in a long time. The colors are as emotional as the plot with dashes of purple in place of draping black shadows and vibrant blues, greens and yellows in place of de-saturated grays and moody browns. There’s a textured element that blends with Finch’s work in ways that heighten the overall storytelling, without shoving it in your face. It’s a subtle new level of excitement that seems as apparent among the creators as the end results.

This brand of comic book, as it should be, let’s you know what it’s like to be blasted out of a cannon without sacrificing genuine dialogue and character portraits. It’s witty, funny even, but as daring and creative as ever. There’s plenty to love and almost nothing to hate. Even when things start to feel as if they may be taking too sharp a left turn, it turns out the book is faithful to its legacy. This is practically a Batman for everyone and 100% worth checking out, especially now that it’s collected in trade paperback. On top of that, you get all of the variant covers in a single gallery along with a bunch of supplemental material including some of David Finch’s pencils. Really, with Batman Vol. 1: I am Gotham, there’s nothing to lose.

Batman is normally a no brainer for me. I can rely on it to be a good title because I know the company puts in the time and the talent.  And who doesn’t love Batman?

But I did not like this.  It’s actually almost a bit of a stretch to say this was just okay.

Batman Volume 1: I Am Gotham collects Rebirth #1 and issues #1-6.  I had a really hard time getting into the story and connecting to the characters and the storyline. Which might make me a bad person… I’m not sure, I’ll worry about that later.

I thought the introduction to Gotham and Gotham Girl was laughable, but they did grow on me. I think Gotham Girl is very intriguing and I’m looking forward to reading more about her.  She started to appeal to me really late in the trade, though.

The best part of this trade was definitely Alfred. He was hilarious and I loved his interactions with Batman.  There’s a great conversation at the end between the two that I won’t spoil, but it’s great. I laughed out loud.

I can’t really point to why I didn’t like this volume.  It wasn’t awful. I was just not intrigued by the story really at all.  I like to be emotionally connected to the story before Batman decides to be martyr.  I don’t think the idea of Batman’s weakness being human is unique. I don’t see it as new, but to have him addressing it might be a new approach, just not attention grabbing enough. If I was reading this by the issue, I don’t think I would have picked up the second issue.

I will be trade waiting this title in the future, which is really a shame because I NEED to read the current issues… Catwoman. That’s all. That’s why.  But based on this trade, I’m fine with waiting it out.

A solid start for the DC Rebirth Batman. After reading this I ran out and picked up issues 9-13 at my friendly local comic shop because I had to know what was coming next.

I didn't know ht to expect the Bateman graphic novel to be.  After all the subtitle "I am Gotham," what did that mean?  When I found out, I was delighted.  Batman is on a plane about to crash and has saved all the passengers but is sure that he will die.  He calls Alfred, his butler and so much more to ask him if his parents would had been proud of him.  Batman does survive as Gotham and Gotham Girl saves the plane he is riding on. Gothamand Gotham Girlare two new superheroes.  Batman challenge the duo to do better when he sees them damaging property unnecessarily and endangering their own lives.  Batman is glad for their help but wants them to be careful.  

There is action galore but also some thought and philosophy involved in this graphic novel.  If you are new to Batman, I think that this is a good beginning for you.  I have read earlier versions but still enjoyed this new story.  I am eager to see where it goes.

sorry but I downloaded the file but it doesn't open!