Published on October 23rd, 2002
Cover Price: $2.25
This year, DC is doing a Batman "Hush" sequel in the main title, starting with #158 (really #923). The original "Hush" storyline that lasted 12 issues was a big success way back in 2002 and 2003. The reason was that Jim Lee was drawing it and it was his first big post-Image Comics work. Jim Lee didn't last too long at Image Comics. Wildcats started in 1992 and he sold Wildstorm, his Image Comics imprint, to DC in 1998. Jim Lee is a great comic book artist, though, and will always be famous for drawing the #1 best selling comic of all time, X-Men #1. But ever since leaving Image Comics, Jim Lee ended up being like most of the other Image Comics founders and stopped drawing regularly. That meant then when he did actually draw a book it was kind of a big deal. The first part of the original "Hush" storyline takes place in this issue, Batman #608, which was a few months after the ten year anniversary of Wildcats #1. I'm guessing that Jim Lee was still a mega-star in 2002. He sure isn't now, though. "Hush 2" has already started and there have been two issues released and, honestly, nobody is talking about it. I'm sure it's selling well but I guess the idea of Jim Lee and the original "Hush" crew (writer Jeph Leob, inker Scott Williams, and colorist Alex Sinclair) returning isn't a big deal these days. In 2002/2003 I guess I wasn't the biggest comic book fan because I don't recall ever reading "Hush." They ended up making an animated movie based on it and it's still a story people talk about a lot so it definitely was a milestone of sorts. The one thing in reading Batman #608 that jumps out right away is how pure-1990's the Jim Lee art is. All of the original Image Comics art had that over-the-top, in-your-face, bigger-than-life type of art. The women were all super skinny with big tits and the guys were all over-muscled. Everything popped. There isn't much story in this issue, although we get Killer Croc, Catwoman, and Poison Ivy. Batman goes to save a kid that Killer Croc has kidnapped and held for ransom because the kid's father is a rich CEO. Catwoman steals the ransom and delivers it to Poison Ivy. Batman is chasing Catwoman when his grappling hook line is cut and he falls into an alley in a bad part of town where a gang of homeless men approach him ready to apparently stab him to death. This issue is only 21 pages and a brisk read. It looks fantastic for the most part (Lee's Killer Croc is a little shaky) and it's intriguing. Why is Catwoman reporting to Poison Ivy? Why is Hush not even in this issue? Was Robin still around in 2002? Was this storyline only famous because of Jim Lee's art? Or does the story get really good? I guess we'll find out. **1/2
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