ABSOLUTE BATMAN #21

  

   It's probably about time I review Absolute Batman, since it's been the hottest book in comics since it debuted in October 2024. I can't even really think of the last comic book that was this popular for so long. I remember the Image books being popular when the company first started, but that was multiple books. Spawn was probably their #1 book for awhile, but I don't think it got good reviews or anything besides people liking the art. I remember Kick Ass was popular and a hot seller when that debuted, but that popularity surge didn't really last long. What else was there? I mean...Spawn came out in 1993. Kick Ass came out in 2008. It's been awhile, anyway. Absolute Batman has been consistently selling over 400,000 copies per issue, and #20 supposedly sold over 500,000. That's insane. Comics don't usually sell that many copies unless it's a new #1 or a big milestone anniversary issue or something. Comics don't keep selling that amount for years. It's really a monumental achievement that's pretty hard to fathom. The best thing is that Absolute Batman is a really good book. Writer Scott Snyder is the best Batman writer in recent memory, and artist Nick Dragotta has created a singular style that feels totally fresh (a lot of people say it's popular because it looks similar to a manga book). The Absolute line of books is basically DC's version of Marvel's Ultimate line. It's a new take in a new world. With Absolute Batman, this basically means that they just keep introducing the old heroes and villains but in a new way. In #21, Batman fights The Robins, which are a bunch of kids in giant, metal robot suits that have been created by the government to stop Batman. We also get to see Gordon's funeral (he was pushed off a building by Scarecrow). Bruce Wayne's childhood friends are at the funeral, and they're all slowly morphing into the villains The Riddler, Two-Face, Killer Croc, and The Penguin. At the end of the book, Bruce Wayne finally meets The Joker. The catch is that The Joker is basically Bruce Wayne in this world. He's Jack Grimm, the wealthiest guy in Gotham that has a mansion and a secret cave underneath. But he's really an unstoppable monster that can literally turn into a monster. It's not a surprise that this book is so popular. It's very engrossing and over-the-top. It feels kinetically alive and something new. It's already up to #21 and still feels as good as it was when it started. ***1/2

NEW COMIC BOOK DAY: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4th, 2026

ABSOLUTE SUPERMAN #16: The Absolute line of books at DC have been a blockbuster success so far. In terms of quality, though, the only one I really love is Absolute Batman. Jason Aaron is writing the Absolute Superman book. This issue has a fill in artist, Juan Ferreyra. Issue #14 concluded a long arc with Superman battling Ras Al Ghul and Braniac. In this issue, Hawkman shows up to talk to Superman and eventually fight him for no good reason. Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen go to Metropolis to get jobs at The Daily Planet. Braniac goes to Missouri to meet this world's Lex Luthor, who isn't the "real" Lex Luthor but just a random suburban dad. I think the one problem I've had so far with this book is that Superman isn't a great character in this. I literally don't like him or care about him. He comes off more as just a dumb, lost teenager, which I suppose is kind of the point, but it still doesn't mean I want to read about someone like that. The art is unique in this issue but not great. Braniac turning Lex Luthor evil might lead to something interesting in the future. I guess we'll see. I figure I don't hate this book because I have read all 16 issues, but it's certainly not fantastic or anything. *1/2

THE AVENGERS #35: I might've read the first issue of this book when it came out but haven't even glanced at it lately. There's only one more issue until this book disappears until the fall, after Marvel's next big event book that Chad Zdarsky is writing. The best thing about this issue I can say is that art, by Sergio Davila, is pretty good. The colors, by Federico Blee, make it pop and look like a bold, superhero book. I obviously haven't read the previous issues so have no idea what the heck is going on...but, man, this book is fucking terrible and almost nothing happens in it. The Avengers are battling Kang the Conqueror and Kang's B-version of The Avengers. There's some sort of holy grail that does...something. An evil, nightmare group not unlike those creatures from Hellraiser show up and steal the grail. Then...the world ends? I give up. Jed MacKay wrote this and it comes off as a poor man's Jonathan Hickman script. 1/2*

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #21: I'm this close to dropping this book. That's a big deal, as I've been reading The Amazing Spider-Man for probably the last twenty years (and I read a lot of it in the early 90's when I first started getting into comics). This book hasn't been good in a long time, but this current run is God-awful. Writer Joe Kelly's big idea was to put Peter Parker in space and have Norman Osbourne become Spider-Man. Yes, it's as dumb as it sounds. Finally, Parker returns to Earth in this issue after Osbourne as Spider-Man fights The Hobgoblin. The art in this issue is atrocious. John Romita, Jr. drew a few pages, but the bulk was drawn by Todd Nuack. The art just screams amateur hour. I have to wonder, though: how hard is it to write a good Spider-Man book? It can't be this hard! The final page has Parker giving Osbourne a hug. Yes, the man that killed his girlfriend! Give me strength! -No Stars-

BATMAN #6: They recently released the top 100 best-selling comics of 2025. It wasn't a real list, though, just a sampling from comic book stores. The #1 best selling book of the year was Marvel's Deadpool/Batman book. #2 was the first issue of this book, writer Matt Fraction and artist Jorge Jimenez's Batman relaunch. So far it's been good not great. The art is fantastic. It hasn't really gelled into anything cohesive just yet, it's more just scattershot scenes. Tim Drake quits the Bat family. Hugo Strange releases some monsters. There's also the fallout of Bruce Wayne's date when Damian inadvertently told his date he was Bruce's son. Bruce's date was some big shot doctor that villains are trying to kill. There's also some police corruption going on that was caught on film by a kid. So...there is a lot going on, though nothing spectacularly intriguing. I did really like the ending, when Bruce says, "God, what a night," and sits on the stairs ruminating. **1/2

THE UNCANNY X-MEN #23: I haven't been following any of the X books lately, mostly because nobody's been raving about them. This one at least has artist David Marquez, which is a plus. The basic premise has Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Gambit, Rogue, and Jubilee in New Orleans training a fresh crop of kiddie mutants. In this issue, a gang of monsters show up. Like, literal monsters: Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy, The Creature of the Black Lagoon, and The Wolfman. Are they in the public domain or something? I did enjoy the other part where an old man is reading a bedtime story, and the other kiddie mutants slowly approach one by one and end up listening to the story together. Also, Gambit has some sort of talisman that's turning him evil. I think because this book is published twice a month the pace is molasses slow. Not a lot happens in this issue, and I'm not exactly waiting with bated breath to read #24. *1/2

The Best Artist of 2025: HAYDEN SHERMAN "BATMAN: DARK PATTERNS" "ABSOLUTE WONDER-WOMAN"

 

DC's Absolute line was the hottest thing in comics this year, but it wouldn't have worked if the artwork in the books was lousy. While I wasn't the biggest fan of Absolute Wonder Woman, the artwork by Hayden Sherman was fantastic and fit the mythic world perfectly. Sherman also finished drawing the twelve issue Batman: Dark Patterns, a book that was much better thanks to great artwork. Sherman's art is cartoony in a sense but vibrant. It jumps off the page. He plays with panel sizes and different viewpoints which always makes reading the books he works on unique and intriguing. I had no idea who this artist was a year ago, and now he's a fucking star. 

The Best Writer of 2025: MATTHEW ROSENBERG "WHAT'S THE FURTHEST PLACE FROM HERE?" "WE'RE TAKING EVERYONE DOWN WITH US"

 

    I've been a fan of writer Matthew Rosenberg since he wrote the comic book We Can Never Go Home. His mini-series 4 Kids Walk into a Bank was a hell of a lot of fun and What's the Furthest Place From Here? has been one of my favorite comic books since it premiered in 2021. The only reason I never named him the best writer of the year before was because he always ended up writing forgettable, pretty much by-the-numbers books for Marvel and DC that never interested me. How can such a great writer keep knocking it out of the park for Image and Black Mask but write average stuff for the Big Two? I guess he's just better when he gets to do what he wants, and in 2025 he definitely got to do what he was best at. He wrote two issues of What's the Furthest Place From Here? that were just as entertaining, weird, and engrossing as all of the others. His six issue mini-series, We're Taking Everyone Down With Us, was 2025's book of the year. It was hilarious and wild and a so much fun. Both of these books are so creative and so absorbing. The dialogue, the action, the characters, and the worlds brought to life are such a breath of fresh air. I do hope someday he can finally do what he's been doing on the indies and finally get free reign to make a Spider-Man or Superman book his own and, you know, actually make it awesome.

The Best Comic Book of 2025: WE'RE TAKING EVERYONE DOWN WITH US

 

    It's not a surprise that the best comic book of 2025 was written by Matthew Rosenberg. His book What's the Furthest Place From Here? was the best comic book of 2024 and 2022. His book 4 Kids Walk into a Bank was the best comic book of 2017. I guess I can say I'm a big fan. We're Taking Everyone Down With Us was a six issue mini-series that's a bit hard to describe. It's sci-fi, yes, but also about spies, about a family, specifically a father/daughter relationship, and it's both violent and hilarious. It's basically similar to The Island of Dr. Moreau in that a brilliant and villainous doctor has an island with a bunch of weird creations. His island mostly has robots, though, and he ends up uploading his consciousness into a robot when a group of evil spies attacks the compound. He escapes as a robot along with his daughter, who has been scientifically modified to become superior. It's a lot. All of the spy stuff feels like it's from the classic James Bond era. And there's also the daughter's mother, who is akin to a Dr. Doom like villain that controls a country. The book is fucking nuts but also totally compelling and super entertaining. It's also a total blast. I always know when a comic is great when I can't wait for the next issue to come out and I eagerly read it right away. This was one of those. The artwork, by Stefano Landini, fit the 1960's type of sci-fi & James Bond era perfectly. This was wild, funny, bonkers, thrilling, visceral, and totally alive. I loved it.

READING THE CLASSICS: BATMAN #619

Published on September 24th, 2003

    The website Bleeding Cool posted an article a few weeks ago about how comic book stores have seen a rise in popularity in the last year. A few workers at comic book stores commented that it was true and that it was mostly younger kids and that they weren't buying single issues. One new item that's apparently very popular is the DC compact trade paperbacks. They're meant to copy the Japan anime trade paperbacks, which are smaller and cheaper than the usual American comic book trade paperbacks. One of the first DC compact books released was Batman: Hush (the first was Batman: Court of Owls and the second was Watchmen). For $9.99 you can get a small version of all 12 issues of the "Hush" storyline, which is a good price considering single comic books these days are usually $3.99 or $4.99. The "Hush" storyline is a popular Batman story, and I guess will always be. They haven't made a live action movie about it yet, but they did make an animated one. There's been two sequels that I know of, one currently still running (Batman #162, which is technically #927, and part 5 of "Hush 2" is coming out this week). This is part 12 of "Hush" and the big finale. Since it's so popular even all these years later, is it actually any good? No, not really. The fantastic Jim Lee art is truly what saves it. The story is a muddled mess. In this finale, we finally learn that Hush is Dr. Thomas Elliot, which was fairly obvious all along. The reason he went after Batman is because he tried to kill his parents years ago but Bruce's father, who was a doctor, saved his mother. This meant that Tommy had to wait until his mom died of cancer to get his inheritance. Kind of a lame reason to become a villain, truth be told. Hush gets shot by Two-Face, who was surgically repaired by Dr. Elliot. Two-Face is now just a regular, one-faced good guy. Hush falls off a bridge and is swept out to sea. There's more in this issue: The Riddler had cancer and was cured by Dr. Elliot so he helped him go after Batman. Hush put a subliminal message onto Batman's computer so that he would think about Tommy Elliot. Dumb. A few people noted that the sequel, "Heart of Hush," that Paul Dini wrote and was in Detective Comics, is a better story. I guess we'll have to check that one out (a lot of people online rave about Dini being one of the best Batman writers). And I'll have to start reading "Hush 2" which started this year. It's so late that a new Batman book already started. That means that last week Batman #3 came out and this week Batman #162 comes out. And they wonder why comics are so fucking hard to get into. ** (out of ****)

READING THE CLASSICS: BATMAN #618

Published on August 27th, 2003

    In this issue, the penultimate issue of the "Hush" storyline, Jason Todd confronts Batman and they have a fight in a graveyard. Jason Todd was killed by The Joker, so it's strange that he's alive. Well, it turns out it's just Clayface pretending to be Jason Todd. The funny part is that DC actually did bring back Jason Todd from the dead in 2005 and he's currently still alive in the comics. Another amusing anecdote is that because Jason Todd wasn't that popular of a character in the 80's, DC decided to do a fan poll asking if he should die or not. Is it any surprise that in this bloodthirsty world the fans voted to kill him off? So they did! The Joker beat him to death with a crowbar in 1988's Death in the Family. Which always makes me laugh when comics decide to kill a character off. What a joke, because you know they'll be back. It also makes reading books like Batman confusing as hell. There seems to be a new Robin every decade, and they're all still running around. One is Red Hood, one is Nightwing, one is Robin. I'm sure there are others. Hush, the actual big bad in this story, finally shows up at the end of this issue. There's also a strange character, Harold, that shows up only to be shot dead by Hush. Harold was a mute that apparently helped Batman in the Batcave years ago. What? Did he sweep the floor? Harold, of course, was brought back from the dead by writer Scott Snyder in 2003. This from the Batman Fandom website: "Harold has two major disabilities: he is mute therefore cannot speak, as well as having a misshapen body, much like a hunchback, even his mother being repelled by him." He "was Batman's trusty engineer and the resident mechanic of the Batcave." Honestly? That has to be the stupidest idea for a character ever. I'm sure some writer was just thinking that, well, the Batmobile needs a mechanic and can't really just go to the local car mechanic. The problem with that logic is that this is a superhero world, it's not supposed to be realistic! So we have one more issue of this "Hush" storyline. This issue is at least basically just one fight sequence with good Jim Lee art so it's fast paced and fairly entertaining. I started reviewing this storyline in April and it's already October and I still haven't finished it yet. That probably tells you how great I think it is, though. **1/2

READING THE CLASSICS: BATMAN #617

Published on July 30th, 2003

    Two weeks ago, DC published a new Batman #1 with writer Matt Fraction and artist Jorge Jiminez. It wasn't very good to be honest. Hopefully, it'll get better. The strangest thing is that the book was supposed to follow "Hush 2" but that got delayed, so for the next few months there's going to be two main Batman books with different numbers (Batman #3 and Batman #162 are both coming out on November 5th). I don't know how they're going to figure out the legacy numbering in the end but it's kind of a mess. It probably doesn't help that everyone online keeps mentioning how terrible "Hush 2" is. I can't exactly say the original "Hush" storyline is that great, either. The art by Jim Lee is good and you get to see all the famous villains (Scarecrow shows up in #617). The story, though, is getting ridiculous. At first it seemed to just be a murder mystery. Now, who the fuck knows what's going on? In this issue, Catwoman gets invited to the Bat Cave. Catwoman fights with Robin. Catwoman then jumps on a motorcycle and ends up getting in a fight with Huntress, who also shows up riding a motorcycle. Scarecrow eventually jumps on Huntress' motorcycle. Maybe Jim Lee just really felt like drawing motorcycles that month. That, or writer Jeph Loeb was just like, "Wouldn't it be cool if there's a fight between everyone riding motorcycles!" Eventually Hush kidnaps Robin and Batman confronts them in a cemetery. Hush reveals that he's Jason Todd, an ex-Robin that's supposed to dead. First off, there's way too many Robins. The real Robin in this issue is Tim Drake. The original Robin was Dick Grayson. The Robin these days is Damian Wayne. I'm sure there have been others considering Batman has been around since 1939 and Robin showed up in 1940. The art in this issue is a little sloppy and rushed in parts, but it still looks dynamic and in-your-face. There's still two more parts of "Hush" to go and this storyline feels like it's fallen apart. *1/2

READING THE CLASSICS: BATMAN #616

 Published on June 25th, 2003

    It's pretty crazy that the sequel to this storyline didn't come out until this year. It was popular and a big hit when it came out in 2003. You would think they would want to do a sequel pretty soon after it came out, not 22 years later. And nobody is talking about "Hush 2." The books everyone seems to be talking about these days are the Absolute books from DC and the Ultimate books from Marvel. They're the same thing: alternate universe books. It is kind of amusing that the most popular books from both companies are set in alternate universes. That tells you something about how great the regular books are. 

    While "Hush" is entertaining and pretty to look at, the big problem is that it's so scattershot. Every issue seems to just be showcasing one of Batman's villains, so there's no real cohesion to the story. This issue features Ras Al Ghul and Talia Al Ghul. Batman knows that someone is manipulating everything around him and decides that it's probably Ras Al Ghul since he's rich. Okay. To get to Ras Al Ghul, Batman kidnaps his daughter, Talia. While Batman goes to find Ras, Catwoman keeps an eye on Talia but ends up getting beaten up by Talia's assassin, Lady Shiva. Meanwhile, Harvey Dent shows up in Jim Gordon's bedroom to let him know that he's not Two-Face anymore and he's a good guy now. I mean...way to showcase that you're a good guy...showing up in a dude's bedroom when he's asleep. 

    This is one of the weaker issues of this storyline. While Hush is obviously pretending to be Harvey Dent, we're not supposed to know that yet. And this is part 9 of 12. I feel like we're going to end up with a rushed conclusion since the whole mystery behind Hush hasn't even really been hinted at yet. Oh, well. *1/2

READING THE CLASSICS: BATMAN #615

Published on May 28th, 2003

    Tommy Elliot's funeral opens this issue. As usual, since this storyline is basically Batman's greatest hits, The Riddler shows up. The Riddler's riddle is this: "What is it that has four wheels, costs eleven million dollars, and flies?" The answer is a solid gold garbage truck. First off, that's not a riddle. There's no such thing as a solid gold garbage truck. Also, the way it's written makes it seem like the object is flying, not that it has flies around it. Not that I care, since it's just a stupid comic book, but isn't The Riddler supposed to be the master of riddles? Anyway, the end of this issue also makes little sense. Hush, who's had his head wrapped in bandages throughout the storyline, shows up in The Joker's cell at Arkham (The Joker was arrested for Tommy Elliot's murder). Hush takes off his bandages to reveal that he's Two-Face, but that he's had plastic surgery and is back to just being Harvey Dent. Huh? The big reveal is that Hush is Two-Face? I'm guessing the final issue is going to have Hush just laying out an entire bad-guy revelation while Batman just stands there. The end of the issue also has Batman revealing to Catwoman that he's Bruce Wayne. That seems like it should be a big deal. Is it, though? I kind of thought Tom King's big Bat/Cat deal was something novel at the time, but it turns out it was just another re-hash of bygones. The big takeaway from this issue and this storyline is that, while it's not exactly great, it is entertaining. While I love Scott Snyder's Absolute Batman, which is one of the best comic books being published these days, the actual main Batman book hasn't been very entertaining in a long time. Jim Lee's art in this issue is great as usual but the last three pages look rushed and sloppy. **1/2 

READING THE CLASSICS: BATMAN #614

 

Published on April 30th, 2003

    The cover to this issue is pretty cool. It has Batman choking The Joker in close-up. There isn't much to this issue, though. In the last issue, Batman arrives in an alley to find a dead Thomas Elliot and The Joker with a gun. Assuming The Joker killed Thomas, Bruce's childhood friend, Batman decides to finally kill The Joker after reminiscing about all of the dastardly things The Joker has done. Catwoman attempts to stop Batman, then Gordon, who isn't a cop anymore but still running around with a gun, does stop Batman. Some of the flashback panels are drawn in different styles. There's a few watercolor painted ones and then one that's just a sketch without final colors. At the end of the issue, Hush reveals that The Joker is, in fact, innocent. The final sequence has both Hush, who's standing atop a building, and Thomas Elliot's dead body in the alley in the same frame. That means that Elliot isn't Hush! Or, at least, that's what they want you to think. What...is his dead body a dummy or something absurd? Harley Quinn is also in this issue, swinging a giant, cartoon size mallet at Batman. Harley is really comical in this book. I suppose she's always been like that in the comics, which, to me, plays better in a cartoon, where she was first created. I'm not sure there's been a darker, better version of Harley in a comic book. It's always this dumb, zany, comedic version that's oft-putting. Isn't she supposed to be this regular woman turned murderer? Why is she comedic? It's really too bad Alan Moore never wrote a Batman book with Harley in it. He's probably one of the few that could've cracked the code. And this issue is pretty thin in the grand scheme of things. I guess at this point I'm just waiting for the big finale to finally come. *1/2

READING THE CLASSICS: BATMAN #613

 

Published on March 26th, 2003

    This is part 6 of the 12 part "Hush" storyline. I mentioned previously that this storyline was showcasing the greatest hits of Batman. They've already had Killer Croc, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and Superman. This issue has Harley Quinn and The Joker. I wonder if they'll get everyone into this story? Who's even left? The Penguin, Scarecrow, Two-Face, Bane. Anyone else out there? They did have Superman. They could add a bunch of the DC heroes: The Flash, Aquaman, Wonder Woman. Stuffing this story with an all-star cast at least makes it...what? Exciting? Makes it feel like a big deal? It also kind of feels desperate, though. Considering it's supposed to be out the mystery behind a new villain, Hush, why isn't he the focus? He's barely even in it. It also makes Hush seem like a lame villain if he's not good enough to carry the book. I did like the idea behind this issue. Selina Kyle, Bruce Wayne, and Bruce's childhood friend, Tommy, attend the opera for a charity function. Harley Quinn shows up and starts robbing the audience members and shooting a gun around. This reminded me of the circus scene in the movie Batman Forever when Bruce Wayne attends the circus and Two-Face sets a bomb off. Since Batman has been a comic book for almost 100 years now, I think every story has been done, and Bruce Wayne attending a public event when a villain shows up isn't exactly new. Cue Bruce Wayne disappearing and Batman appearing to save the day. The ending to this issue is shocking. In an alley outside the opera, Batman finds The Joker standing above a dead Tommy. Apparently, The Joker has shot and killed Tommy. It's an enjoyable issue with a good ending. We're halfway through this storyline and I think Hush has been in maybe a few panels. I'm guessing we're supposed to think Tommy isn't Hush because he's dead. Writer Jeph Loeb must think we're idiots. Tommy is literally the only suspect. ***

READING THE CLASSICS: BATMAN #612

 Published on February 26th, 2003

    The new Superman movie comes out this week, so I guess it's apt that Superman appears in this issue. Jeph Loeb is really throwing the kitchen sink at this book in terms of character appearances. The Joker hasn't shown up yet but I'm sure he will eventually. This does seem to be the end of Poison Ivy in this storyline, as her power over Superman fades when Superman saves Lois Lane, who Catwoman has thrown off a building. Catwoman then punches Poison Ivy in the face and Superman asks if that was really necessary and both Batman and Catwoman reply, "Yes." Batman also helps to defeat Superman by using a kryptonite ring that's hidden in a sewer. Hush does show up in this, but only to watch the action through binoculars. Hush hasn't done much of anything in this book. It is only 12 parts, right? The art as usual is dynamic and colorful. This is kind of a comic book's comic book. If you think of a comic book, this is it. Which is either a good or bad thing, depending on what you like. It's pretty much forgettable fun. **1/2

READING THE CLASSICS: BATMAN #611

Published on January 22nd, 2003

   Jim Lee's art in this isse, #611, the 4th chapter in "Hush," is pretty dynamic. It also harks back to when every woman looked like a supermodel in a Victoria's Secret catalogue. Bruce Wayne goes to Metropolis in this issue and goes to the newspaper where Clark Kent works. Lois Lane is working at a desk wearing a super tight, super short mini-skirt and high heels. Comics are kind of supposed to be for middle school age boys, so I guess this is apt to appeal to them and their raging hormones. Bruce Wayne also runs into Dr. Thomas Elliot, his friend from childhood. There's a few pages showing a flashback to when Bruce and Tommy were kids, and the art is done in a painted style that reminded me of Dustin Nguyen art on Descender. Bruce suits up as Batman and accompanies Catwoman to find Poison Ivy. They want to know why Poison Ivy needed money by getting Killer Croc to kidnap the child and get ransom money. The shocking conclusion to this issue has Superman showing up but he's been hypnotized by Poison Ivy and he's evil now. I guess the next issue will be Batman vs. Superman. The story is pretty ridiculous, even for a comic book, but the art is great and it's bombastic in terms of being over-the-top. **1/2

READING THE CLASSICS: BATMAN #610

 

Published on December 22nd, 2002

    This storyline is about Hush, a new villain in the Batman universe, yet here we are in part 3 and he makes only a one panel cameo, standing on a rooftop watching Batman and saying, "All men by nature desire knowledge." I suppose the big bad not even being in the story yet is supposed to build suspense. Besides that, Killer Croc escapes from Arkham thanks to Batman because Batman wants to follow him to see where the $10 million in ransom money went. Croc and Catwoman meet up but were told by someone else to meet there. Croc gets captured again by Amanda Waller, who I was surprised was around in DC back then. The final page has Batman and Catwoman kissing on a rooftop. I'm guessing this wasn't the first time they kissed...but I really didn't think that was a big thing until Tom King ramped it up into a non-wedding event. I just looked it up and I was totally wrong. They first kissed in Batman #3 in 1940. Jesus Christ. So it was always a thing. Funny how comic books are still doing this when it was first done in 1940. I'd say something like, "Are they out of new ideas?" But I guess Hush is at least a new character. During the 12 months that this storyline was published in Batman, the book was the #1 best selling comic for 11 of the 12 months. I have two questions: what month was it not the best selling comic book? And if it was so successful, why did they wait 23 years to do a sequel? **1/2

READING THE CLASSICS: BATMAN #609

Published on November 27th, 2002

    This "Hush" storyline only runs 12 issues, and not a lot must happen in it because the plot is moving as slow as molasses. Batman was swinging through the city chasing after Catwoman in the last issue and his rope was cut, sending him plunging down into Crime Alley where some homeless men approach ready to kill him for no apparent reason. In this issue, Huntress shows up to beat up the homeless men and save the day. I read Batman comics all the time and don't even know who Huntress is. Is she even still around? Was she a flash in the pan? She's basically just a female Robin, and these days there are too many Robins to count. There's Nightwing. There's Damian. There's the one that the Joker killed with a crowbar but is somehow still alive now. That might be Nightwing. Nightwing actually has his own book. So do a bunch of the female Robins who are known as The Birds of Prey. I guess considering Batman has been around for, like, a hundred years, there's bound to be a billion characters in the universe. We do finally get to see Hush in this issue, although very briefly as he stands on a building rooftop quoting poetry. It seems that he cut Batman's rope. Poison Ivy also gives the money she got from Catwoman to a mysterious stranger who doesn't appear on the page. The mystery deepens! Batman ends up so beat up that he needs surgery, so he gets an old childhood friend, Thomas Elliot, who's a doctor now, to fly in to Gotham to do the work. Alfred and co. give the press the fake story that Bruce Wayne was in a car accident. Okay. So maybe that is a lot of plot. The shining star in this "Hush" storyline is still the dynamic Jim Lee art. I can't even think of an artist working today in the superhero books that's as fantastic as Jim Lee was. I have heard this complaint before; that there are no great artists on the big superhero books anymore. Where did they all go? Some have mentioned that the pay and schedule sucks now. Or...it could just be old heads bitching about how things were better "in their day." I haven't read "Hush 2" yet so I don't know if Jim Lee's art is still great. Erik Larsen is one of the few original Image artists still working on a monthly book, and his art isn't as good as it once was. I suppose "Hush" is at least an easy, quick read. I swear, though, if Thomas Elliot turns out to be Hush than this is the dumbest storyline ever. **1/2

READING THE CLASSICS: BATMAN #608

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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