So Bruce Wayne is not only rich again, he looks like Bruce Wayne again. And, saints preserve us, Alfred looks like Alfred. Could it be that with Rebirth, DC found some artists who know how to draw their iconic characters in a recognizable way?

Duke Thomas is back, not as Robin, there are far too many Robins in Gotham, but as … Golden Bat Dude. Maybe that’s not his official name. Not sure he has a name, really. Maybe I missed it. Maybe he’s just Duke. Why Batman gets to wear a cool black and gray menacing outfit while dressing his sidekicks in glow-in-the-dark uniforms I don’t understand. At least Duke doesn’t have to wear short pants.

Batman’s back in the self-sacrificing, inspirational, heroic mode after being unbearably self-righteous and kind of a dick in the New 52 era, but before he has a chance to be too self-sacrificing, along comes a new heroic duo (“I am Gotham. And this is Gotham Girl.”). They’re sort of like Superman Lite (and Supergirl Lite).

Gotham Girl, by the way, is super cute. Kudos to the artist. Although she was cuter before she cut all her hair off. Of course, she’s a little crazy, but that goes without saying.

The new version of the Batmobile is sort of retro except that it looks like a tank. not that there’s much of the car left by issue 4. Hope Batman has insurance. Fortunately, he’s got a spare Batmobile. Unfortunately …. well, there are only so many claims an insurance company will be willing to pay.

Alfred has developed a staid, laconic wit that refreshes the character. Always liked Alfred. He’s great here.

Ah, but what about the villains?

Calendar Man, like all good supervillains, wants to wipe out Gotham City. This rebooted version of CM sheds his skin every season, rejuvenating in the spring and aging rapidly until winter’s death is followed by another spring rebirth. A little silly but not over-the-top like everything was during the New 52 era. That’s a welcome change.

Solomon Grundy makes a cameo in issue 2. Always liked Solomon.

Hugo Strange. Now there’s a supervillain. First appeared in 1940. Pre-Joker. We’re talking serious nostalgia here. Reaching back to the roots, which is exactly what DC needed to do with Batman.

Psycho Pirate. Not the Golden Age villain (that one was never really a Batman nemesis), but Roger Hayden, the 1960s version. Welcome home to Gotham, PP.

Captain Stingaree. Well, some supervillains should probably stay in the retirement home. Same with Kite Man. Fortunately, they play minor roles, as minor villains should. I mean, seriously, Kite Man?

Bane. Okay, now we’re talking. Worthy villain, no doubt about it, but just gets in at the tail end of this volume, which sets up Batman’s next challenge.

All told, I’m pleased. Practically giddy, really, because DC finally figured out what makes us ordinary nonpowered geeks and dorks and nerds read about superheroes. They’re heroic. They’re better than ordinary people. They’re not bullies, they’re not stupid, they’re not totally self-obsessed. They’re heroes. Thank you, DC, for restoring sanity to the DC brand. And for bringing us a Batman we can recognize.

A nice superhero comic, if I may say.
We were used to a specific kind of Batman, with a specific character and that is what we would expect. This volume describes a different side of him, which is a rather good one though.
New characters are introduced. This is what makes it spicy as a story.

Not as good as expected. Relatively dull parts in comparison to the previous comic adventures of Batman. Could have done better

It was ok, but I have to admit I was a little bit disappointed by the story, too much drama with the two Gotham brother and sister. Looking forward the next installment anyway, Batman is Batman.

Non era male, ma un po' troppo drammatico per i miei gusti con i fratelli Gotham. Comunque non vedo lora di leggere il prossimo numero ugualmente, perché Batman é Batman....

THANKS TO NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

I received an advance review of this comic book compilation from the publisher (thank you DC!) through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I must say that I was a bit daunted when I sat down to read the first installment of this new Batman series.  I felt a bit old and out of the loop since I have not read any superhero comics since I was a kid.  Weirdest thing though—I started into this one and found Batman fighting Solomon Grundy—my favorite super-villain from my childhood.  I remember him fighting the entire Justice League single handedly and wiping the floor with them and he is just as much a bad ass now.  While his appearance brought back memories, this is not the Batman of my youth and not even the Batman of recent films.

Through the introduction of the brother and sister Gotham superhero team we examine the genesis of Batman.  At first they appear as figures from a positive and alternative past where disasters were averted and through sheer bravery the wounds of the past are healed.  Not so.  Several characters at different times claim to have the power to “fix” the past, “fix” the wounds, “fix” the situation and restore what is lost but it is ultimately futile.  Batman and the Gothams writhe in angst and psychological pain and there is no end in sight--and that really appears to be the whole point of the story.   In fact the concentration is so focused on the internal conflicts of these three characters that I found the heroic action elements of the plot to be circular, at times disjointed, and the supporting cast of superheroes and villains to be almost a stream of haphazard cameos.  I did find the ending to be very interesting and I am looking forward to the second part of this story—the Monster Men.

Since this is a graphic novel the art must also be addressed and I have to say that with the exceptions of a few blue on blue font combinations that I found difficult to read on my tab, I was blown away by the amazing visual presentation.  I almost moved this up another star for that alone.

Over the last year and a half I have really become a fan of Batman.  So as a new fan I could not wait to get my hands on this new Batman work titled “I am Gotham.”  This particular work is volume one in the new Batman in DC Comics’ 2016 relaunch which they have called “Rebirth.”  With this graphic novel as my first exposure to DC Comic’s Rebirth universe I must say that I’m excited to read and explore what else DC is doing with their other titles.
At first when I read this book I was not sure where the direction was going.  I thought it was going to be focused on Batman battling a certain villain that was introduced at the beginning of the book.  Instead eventually we are introduced to two new characters (or at least new to me) name Gotham and Gotham Girl both of whom remain the focus of Batman’s interactions.  I was rather pleasantly surprised and the artist and the writer did a good job introducing these characters to the readers in a way that gave you a sense of awe and curiosity that gave readers a greater appreciation for what Batman must have felt when he first met them.  While the story has action against various villains I did not feel that was the main focus; instead the story focuses largely on the character of Batman, Gotham and Gotham Girl in terms of their psyche, motivation and fear.  Surely this graphic novel gave readers a deeper character development than some of the old school comics.  I thought the writer did a good job here.  The story telling was good; the book left me thinking about for some time after I was done; I thought it was well crafted how both Gotham and Gotham Girl parallel Batman in more ways than one.  Truly the two new characters are foils that allow the readers to better understand Batman himself.
This graphic novel was truly a thriller.  There were unexpected twists and turns that the book was able to pull off even though I felt I have read a decent amount of the best Batman stories.  There were times you read the inner dialogue but you were not sure who it was that speaking and at other times readers may assume they were thoughts of a particular character only to have it revealed that it was someone else.  I liked that since it added a sense of mystery and twists.  I also valued the theme of fear, one’s question of motivation and vulnerability found throughout the book.  It wasn’t just the vulnerability of Batman that is explored; it’s the vulnerability of the other characters as well, of how you understand one gave you insight to another character. 
Again a nice story.  The title itself captures the many dimensions of the story since there is more than one sense to the phrase “I am Gotham.”  I recommend this book for the enjoyment of the readers!
NOTE: This book was provided to me free by DC Comics and Net Galley without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

Well Batman was always Batman, and always will be Batman.  But he's branded with this nonsensical Rebirth thing, which has just pulled a switcheroonie on some minor things here, and left Batman doing what Batman does.  And this is a very minor story in his history, meaning this is the least effectual and interesting volume launch in the man's existence.  Seriously, how can they really go back to issue number one, and have two inexplicable superhero siblings floating around and not leading to much?  Is that the best we can expect?  I didn't mind the Rebirth story itself, as it seemed to be a set-up for an EVENT without all the bollox bluster, but we've seen these stories waffle on with no drama, so I'm almost left regretting my opinion and wanting the bluster back.  Not the horrific Scott Snyder bluster, but some guts all the same.  This is just meh, and only gets a 2-star rating because the Green Arrow launch arc is straight out the recycling pile, and the Superman trade was just fugly.

Batman, Volume 1: I Am Gotham (Rebirth) by Tom King et. al. is a free NetGalley e-comicbook that I read in mid-January.

Have you ever gone to a buffet or banquet where you see a dish you love, portion a heaping helping, then, on your way back to the table, you spot something else across the room that could be equally delicious, possibly even better? That entire experience - the indecision, the mulling-it-over, the weighing of consequences, and the multitude of option - is exactly what this comic volume is all about. You really start to become enamored by this new Batman, a Batman that can rely on other people, and someone that doesn't overwhelm himself too much about how Gotham City has gone to pot, but then there's so many B-grade villains popping up and so many nudges toward outside administrative plot devices (i.e. Task Force X, Gotham & Gotham Girl, and Hugo Strange) that the entire comic becomes tangled up in itself. A worthwhile read, but there's just way too much going on.

From the publisher: A part of DC Universe: Rebirth! "I AM GOTHAM"

The Caped Crusader has never been stopped. Not by the Joker. Not by Two-Face. Not even by the entire Justice League. But now, in the wake of DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH, Batman must face his most challenging foe ever--a hero who wants to save Gotham...from the Batman!

From one of the biggest breakout writers in years and former CIA analyst, Tom King (GRAYSON, THE SHERIFF OF BABYLON) and superstar artist David Finch present BATMAN VOL. 1! Collects BATMAN: REBIRTH #1 and BATMAN #1-6.

Rebirth honors the richest history in comics, while continuing to look towards the future. These are the most innovative and modern stories featuring the world's greatest superheroes, told by some of the finest storytellers in the business. 

Honoring the past, protecting our present, and looking towards the future. This is the next chapter in the ongoing saga of the DC Universe. The legacy continues.

Batman Vol. 1: I Am Gotham, by Tom King, is the first Batman arc after the Rebirth event. Because the New 52 didn’t drastically change the character of Batman, there isn’t a huge shift in this version. In fact, a most, if not all, of Scott Snyder’s run is still valid, which is nice for long-time readers.

I Am Gotham details Batman’s discovery that there are two new heroes, Gotham and Gotham Girl, working to protect the city of Gotham. It follows his attempts to guide them through their learning curves, while still trying to stop a rash of suicide bombings in which the trigger-men warn “The monster men are coming” before detonating. King provides an origin story for the heroes that echoes Batman’s, with a few crucial differences. Meanwhile, Hugo Strange and the Psycho Pirate are on the loose and causing havoc. This combination has a lot of potential, due to Strange’s manipulative nature and Psycho Pirate’s control of emotions. Ultimately, I Am Gotham is a tragic story that lays the groundwork for King’s run on Batman, allowing him to carve his own take on the character in the wake of Snyder’s epic run.

One of the subplots that I really enjoyed is Bruce Wayne’s approach to Duke Thomas, a young man who was acting as one of a group of Robins. As a result of the fallout from an attack by the Joker, Duke is brought in to contact with Bruce and learns he is Batman. King’s approach to this relationship allows Bruce to take on a new partner without it being yet another Robin, and I’m really interested to see how this develops in future story arcs. There is also an undercurrent of Bruce dealing with his mortality, and what that means for his “family”, as a result of the trauma of his last encounter with the Joker. This lends itself to some intriguing storylines, as well.

Overall, Batman Vol. 1: I Am Gotham is a terrific start to Tom King’s run on this title, and a fine way to begin the Rebirth era of Batman. I highly recommend it to Batman fans. It’s also a great jumping on point for new readers.

I received a preview copy of this book from DC Comics and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Batman Rebirth. Even after reading this TPB I'm not sure what they plan to do with the Batman and Bat family, but this was an intriguing start to whatever is going to happen.

Hugo Strange is back, as is a Monster Men storyline. There's a little bit of Waller, some Duke Thomas, and a couple of newbie protectors of Gotham with mysterious pasts.

I think my favorite part of the TPB was the back and forth between Alfred and Bruce. I generally like better the TPBs where they have a banter-y sort of relationship with caring underneath, and this one had a ton of (sometimes hilarious) banter in it.

I was given this galley through Netgalley on behalf of DC Entertainment.

Better than I'd been afraid it would be, but not as good as I had hoped. It seemed like every time I felt like King was getting into the swing of things with the story, something would happen that was jarring at best and just plain bad at worst. Hugo Strange and the Psycho Pirate are genuinely interesting, but there isn't nearly enough of them. The whole book is little more than a prologue for the next crossover event, and it feels like it. I sort of liked Gotham and Gotham Girl, but a lot of their scenes dragged on or felt repetitive, and I just can't shake the feeling that they won't get through their first year in the DCU. Some of the scenes between Alfred and Bruce felt a bit off, though some were really nice. And let's just all agree that we don't need to see Alfred in a cowl again.

I might be sounding a bit harsh, but I really did like this book more than not. I'm hoping that King will settle in with more time, because there's definitely some promise here. And maybe once he doesn't have to set up the next crossover event, he'll rise to the occasion. Assuming, of course, that there's ever a time when this book isn't setting up the next crossover event.

- Bruce Wayne doing pull ups on the top rings of a skyscraper. This doesn't seem right. This is a Nightwing sort of thing.

- Gotham and Gotham Girl? Really?!? Could no one think of better names? There has to be an incredible tie in or backstory for this in future volumes.

- Great yammer between Batman and Alfred.

Not a whole lot to this story, and it left me feeling sort of "meh". It does pave the way for the next story arc with Hugo Strange, Bane, and the Suicide Squad. Sounds like it has potential going forward.

It has been a while since I started a comic book, so my interpretation might just be off the tangent. But It's batman, and you gotta be brave!!!

Fabulous illustrations, each image looks well orchestrated and have a definition that will capture your imagination. The graphics can not be discounted. The story does come together in the end, but I did get a bit lost in the middle. But that can be due to the fact that I am very out of loop when it comes to comic books and their various plotlines!!!

Well, that was an unexpected disaster to walk into! Got this off Netgalley, which was super-exciting because I never succeed with the comics department. But, unfortunately, despite my initial excitement to get into another of Tom King's works, this was achingly bad.

Having recently completed King's superlative The Vision, Volume 1: Little Worse Than A Man, I couldn't wait to see what he would do now that he had his hands on a Batman title - what I didn't expect was the disparity between this volume and all of The Vision. 

'I Am Gotham' is a frenetic, poorly paced, poorly judged series. Batman has no substance, and the newly introduced characters are nothing more than extras fighting for panel space. There's Duke Thomas, whose role is little more than that of an analyst - I didn't see the point of him cropping up from time to time, only when Batman needs him. He has no personality, no ambition, no plot.

The characters this series is based on, Gotham and Gotham Girl (yes, commence eye-rolling now), are haphazardly thrown into the mix. Suddenly they are of importance, yet they add no value to the series, or to Batman. Bats decides to team up with them, but his dealings with them are all backwards. Their entire story arc is cliched - it's painful how cliched it is. And Gotham Girl is there only for decoration. She's hardly ever on screen (or on page, as it were). She's badly drawn (what's new, she's a typical anime recreation with bobble-head and giant eyes) and has the most ridiculous outfit ever (seriously, how have her legs not frozen from all that flying?). I don't get why she's called Gotham Girl, but her brother is just Gotham. Why not Gotham boy? Just because he's male, he doesn't need a gender tag for his codename? Then why does she? I initially thought she was his daughter (she's drawn small enough to be a young girl, especially next to his oversized muscular frame), which would at least have made the discrepancy in their codenames understandable - but no, they're siblings, and that makes it worse.

Spoilers up ahead.

Not only is the dawning of their superhero cravings contrived (yet another young boy almost witnesses the death of his parents in front of him), but their story hinges on yet another emotion-manipulating villain who turns her - get this - scared, and him, angry. But, of course. Gotham Girl spends an entire issue shaking like a leaf, while her macho dudebro smashes Gotham to pieces. She then goes totally crazy, shaving off her head, talking to her dead brother and weeping all over Bats. My eyes have rolled so far back in my head it's not even funny.

End spoiler.

The writing and dialogue is atrocious. Dialogue is re-hashed over and over again, running around in circles and not making much sense. Alfred is the king of snark, which would work well were it not for the timing of it all. People are dying, Bats is headed to his death, this is hardly the appropriate time to be making jokes.

Oh, and Amanda Waller is thrown into the mix as well, but I still can't figure out what the deal is with that.

There's a Justice League moment in this series, which... honestly, it lasts like one page, I can't even remember what they were doing here.

I read DC comics sporadically, but more often than not I find myself regretting the decision. This series is truly appalling, and I can't get my head around the fact that Tom King wrote this one. I feel like his connection and love for The Vision far outweighs his interest in Batman, but Bats is a gig no one can refuse; the lacklustre result appears to prove this theory anyway. I'm guessing it's quite similar to how JJ Abrams pretty much took Star Trek through the mud, but successfully embodied the Star Wars universe in The Force Awakens because that's the one he's a real fan of. 

This is all conjecture, but the worry is that this is but the first volume of 'I Am Gotham', I shudder to think where the rest of the story is going. I hope it gets better, but it's unlikely I'm going to be looking out for it.

I don't envy Tom King and David Finch, having to take over for Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. It was a difficult and challenging task, no doubt. Unfortunately, for me, I was left feeling underwhelmed by this first story arc. It's forgettable, not special, and feels generic overall. I just wasn't really grabbed by the story. And I really wanted to like this. Unfortunately it falls into the okay category for me. The artwork was good. The colors seemed a bit too dark at times. but that's a small complaint.

The flair for smart action Tom King showed on Grayson is in full force in Batman Vol. 1: I Am Gotham, and this is a pulse-pounding Batman story well-drawn by David Finch. King's tongue-in-cheek use of a "fasten seatbelts" sign in the beginning is pretty accurate. In gripping, expertly choreographed action, King is bar none. King also uses the extra space of shipping twice monthly for some wry, amusing sequences, especially with Batman and Commissioner Gordon.

Ugly cover, great interior. A relaunch I can get behind....


 When I reviewed the last volume of Scott Snyder's BATMAN, I had this to say about BATMAN: REBIRTH #1: "... it didn't have anything new or fresh enough to make me want to see what REBIRTH is all about." BATMAN, VOL. 1: I AM GOTHAM starts off with that same issue, but it's the remaining six issues, all written solely by new scribe Tom King, that really made me stand up and take notice. There's a new Batman in town, and I like him.


 No, Bruce Wayne has not been replaced as Batman for the umpteenth time. Tom King, who has been winning acclaim for his writing on THE VISION and THE OMEGA MEN, does something wholly unexpected here- Make Batman a human being.


The plot here is nothing groundbreaking: A new pair of heroes takes up residence in Gotham City. Gotham and Gotham Girl are a pair of Superman/Supergirl power-level newcomers to crimefighting, and King distinguishes himself from the pack by having Batman welcome them both to Gotham. I have never seen Batman welcome ANY super-powered person to Gotham. Batman is grim-and-gritty, obsessed, borderline psychotic...Batman tells capes to get OUT of his city, not invite them to stay!


 Anyone who has ever read a comic can tell you that, no matter how good their intentions are, Gotham and Gotham Girl will eventually cross some kind of line, and find themselves going up against Batman. The fun is in watching how King gets everyone to that point, because Gotham and Gotham Girl really do have selfless, good intentions...and Batman really does welcome them and help to get them up to speed. King's Batman is human, caring, compassionate...These are qualities that I'm not used to Batman possessing. He jokes with Alfred. He offers encouragement to victims of crime. He, in a scene towards the end that nearly brought me to tears, exposes his own weaknesses and psychological scars in order to help someone who is suffering in a way that he is all too familiar with. King's Batman isn't a complete douchebag. I will be sticking around for the rest of his run, and encouraging others to check it out. Highly recommended.


 DC Comics provided a review copy.

Batman was ready to sacrifice himself to save a plane full of innocent passengers when they are saved, not by Superman, but by Gotham and Gotham Girl, two brand new superheroes. But, after that good start, relations between the Bat and the Gs go downhill. And it does not help that Hugo Strange and Psycho-Pirate are in town. As usual in Gotham, things go bad before any hope can appear. Will anyone survive Gotham whole and sane?