Batman

A good Batman story pits the hero against insurmountable odds, which he overcomes through sheer determination and ingenuity. It's these qualities, springing from his simple humanity, that Batman has over all his superhuman compatriots. From the start, King engineers the perfect scenario to highlight this: Batman must stop a failing commercial jet from crashing into Gotham City using nothing but equipment in his utility belt. Snyder indelibly defined the Dark Knight's previous era, but King proves a worthy successor as he takes over the title for DC's wildly popular Rebirth initiative. As with his masterful Vision series for Marvel, he employs a deep understanding of what makes a character tick, what makes him distinct, and what makes him appealing, here teaming Batman with a pair of superpowered amateur heroes who he at first tries to shepherd and then, when things go dark, he must bring to justice. Finch is an ideal partner: his Jim Lee-style figures, embellished with a darker line and more substantial detail, capture the humanity amid all the crunching action.--Karp, Jesse Copyright 2017 Booklist

DC's current Rebirth project aims to relaunch the publisher's well-loved core characters in their most iconic forms. King's (The Omega Men) new Batman is accessible to new readers (or fans of the films) while checking off every item on a longtime fan's wish list. There's a properly brooding but heroic Batman; a looming Gotham City with enough atmosphere to function, as the subtitle hints and the dialogue hammers on repeatedly, as a character itself; crisp, detailed artwork by Finch (Brightest Day); and a mix of classic characters (hey, the Calendar Man!) and newcomers like Gotham and Gotham Girl, two mysterious heroes with Superman-level powers. If anything, the book suffers from being too much by the numbers. Batman's adventures are thrillingly drawn but light on emotional heft, despite some stirring moments. Strong themes run through the first volume, but they're delivered unsubtly, with characters forever opining darkly on the symbolism of it all. It's a good, solidly entertaining Batman comic-nothing less, not a touch more. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.