BATMAN STREETS OF GOTHAM #1

Review by: daccampo

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Size: pages
Price: 3.99

So, I wanted to jot down my thoughts on this issue, but I have to be honest: there’s really nothing wrong with this book.

And yet… I was a little bored.

Dustin Nguyen’s art is simple yet expressive. Commissioner Gordon is suitably gruff and rumpled. Batman and Robin are sleek and shadowy. The various denizens of the city are slightly caricatured, but in a way that expresses the diversity of life. All good. The writer, Paul Dini, is no stranger to Gotham, and this series looks to give him an opportunity to really explore Gotham City. In this issue we move around the — ahem– streets of Gotham, weaving in and out of the lives of various inhabitants, from Gordon and Harley Quinn to Firefly and various assorted members of the Gotham nightlife.

So why was I a little bored? I guess because I feel like I’ve read this before. This seems to be approximately the same handle on Gotham that we’ve watched on the 90’s animated series or read in the Brubaker/Rucka era of the comic books. There was nothing that really stood out as “new” to me. This is not really a slight against the book — newer readers probably won’t feel jaded. But for me… I compare this to Batman and Robin, and while that book feels like a new take, this book feels like the same take but with a different Batman and Robin.

And I should mention here: while some folks might think that Robin’s “may I cut out his tongue?” line was funny and in keeping with Damian…. it didn’t quite work for me. It’s subtle, and I can’t quite put my finger on it, but… I honestly felt like Dini’s take on Damian was slightly off from Morrison’s handling. Which isn’t bad in itself, but as Batman and Robin are only players in a larger ensemble, it came off as being everything I DON’T like about the whole Damian-Robin idea.

Morrison’s Batman and Robin felt like a brand new generation of stories was about to begin. Red Robin had shades of that. Streets of Gotham stands as the first of the reinvigorated line that I just don’t feel the need to read. I feel a little sense of “been here, done that.”

That said, maybe it needs time to build since it’s covering a larger canvas than the other bat books. I suspect I’ll keep an eye on the book and maybe pick it up in trade if it looks like it’s taking a turn that appeals to me.

I should also note that I’m a fan of the Manhunter series, and I’m glad to see Kate in the back-up feature here, but the story didn’t do much of anything in this installment — just created a necessary but heavily expository setup.

Story: 3 - Good
Art: 4 - Very Good

Comments

  1. Yeah, this book was GOOD, but it wasn’t quite up to the same level of Batman & Robin, Batman, and Red Robin. Those were GREAT books, this one was just GOOD. I’ll definitely keep reading it, and the Manhunter back-up adds a lot to it. Its a solid book. 

  2. screw Manhunter but I think Dini’s Bat-stories always work better.  I guess it’s just cuz I’m a newer reader though.  I’ve read a lot of Batman trades and I’m pretty caught up now though. 

  3. Yeah, my sentiments are like exactly the same as the reviewer. I didn’t read this issue, but I rated all of Dini’s Detective run (I read like 75% of it) fairly high, just not excellent. And I’ve seen a ton of his stuff, so I don’t need anymore of it. It’s not fresh enough for me. If I were a newer reader, though, I’d definitely be digging it more. As it is, I feel like I’ve already read a hundred of Dini’s Bat stories.

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