Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? (Deluxe Edition)
by Neil Gaiman
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Book Summary Information
Author: Neil GaimanIllustrator: Andy Kubert
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-07-21
ISBN: 1401223036
Number of pages: 128
Publisher: DC Comics
Book Reviews of Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? (Deluxe Edition)
Book Review: Neil Gaiman happens to the Batman
Summary: 5 Stars
The first thing to remember about superhero comics in general is this: Death is Impermanent. Green Goblin's been resurrected, Red Tornado died all the way back in the late 60s, Green Arrow came back a few years ago, and, of course, Superman returned. So let's not make a big deal out of Batman's 'death', shall we?
The important thing here is the central conceit--Batman is a ghostly presence at his own funeral, in which everyone from the Joker to Commissioner Gordon share the room without a conflict. After all, they're there for one purpose--to speak about the Batman. Over the course of the story, several characters, including Catwoman, Alfred, and the Joker, share their tales of the Batman and how he died. The mystery here is that each of them are describing radically different events. When Batman asks his companion what's going on, it replies "You're the detective. Figure it out." Of course he does, and the result is both a compelling Batman story AND a meta-analysis of the enduring nature of the character. I hesitate to say too much, because, like any good story, the reader deserves to discover its intricacies for him or herself.
Neil Gaiman does a masterful job with the writing here. He kept me interested, on the edge of my seat, and even made me laugh out loud at least twice while I was reading. With all of his success in the world of prose over the past 15 years, it's easy for the layman to forget that he made his name initially in the comics world. So this isn't the case of a fan getting a chance to write comics (think Kevin Smith, Joss Whedon, and Brad Meltzer, to name a few--they all did very well, but got their start in other media). This is an artist coming back to a medium that he knows very, very well. Gaiman's comics projects come every couple of years, when he's asked to do something that really catches his notice. Another stellar example is his series Marvel 1602 for Marvel in the early part of this decade. My point here is, only someone as immersed in the comics world as Gaiman had been could write something that not only remains true to the character, but also incorporates much of his history into a meta-analysis of what it means to be a Batman. So to speak.
And you can't discount Andy Kubert's artistic contributions here, either. He captures the essence of Gaiman's writing perfectly, his style subtly altering to reflect both the speaker and the era of Batman being spoken of by the characters. It's comics art at its best.
This is an incredibly well done book, and the best thing is, you don't need to know the minutiae of the current DC Universe in order to appreciate it and enjoy it. All you need to do is know a little about the Batman.
As a bonus, we get three other stories Gaiman wrote during his comics heyday that take place in the Batman mythos. My personal favorite is his entry from "Batman: Black and White," which recasts Batman and the Joker into performers waiting in the green room (because the Commissioner Gordon scene was running long). It's a funny, fond look at the characters divorced from their usual context. The other stories focus on Poison Ivy and the Riddler, respectively, and are fun reads all by themselves.
"Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?" is fantastic and even, at times, awe inspiring in its approach to the character and his history. My only regret is that the tale wasn't longer. If I could give this 6 stars out of 5, I would.
Oh, what the hey--6 stars out of 5.
Summary of Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? (Deluxe Edition)
Best-selling author Neil Gaiman (The Sandman) joins a murderer's row of talented artists in lending his unique touch to the Batman mythos for this Deluxe Edition hardcover! Spotlighting the story "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?" from Batman #685 and Detective Comics #852, Gaiman joins artist Andy Kubert and inker Scott Williams for a story that shines a new light on the Batman mythos. Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? also collects Gaiman stories from Secret Origins #36, Secret Origins Special #1, and Batman Black And White #2. This collection is not to be missed!Book Description
Best-selling author Neil Gaiman (The Sandman) joins a murderer's row of talented artists in lending his unique touch to the Batman mythos for this Deluxe Edition hardcover! Spotlighting the story "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?" from Batman #685 and Detective Comics #852, Gaiman joins artist Andy Kubert and inker Scott Williams for a story that shines a new light on the Batman mythos. Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? also collects Gaiman stories from Secret Origins #36, Secret Origins Special #1, and Batman Black And White #2. This collection is not to be missed!
A Look Inside Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?
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