Batman Day – Best Batman Girlfriends

DC Comics has dubbed today Batman Day. The Dark Knight has been fighting crime and serving justice for his 75th year since the 1939 debut of Detective Comics #27. Batman has been a big part of our lives, and was responsible for making us into the comic book fanatics we are today, whether it be through comic books and toys or television and movies. To show our appreciation for the man, the myth and the legend, we have compiled a plethora of Bat-themed lists. We hope that we can inspire you to read more about Batman and his legacy, or even give us some feedback if you agree or disagree with the lists. Sound off below! And click on the picture below to take you to all of our Batman Day articles.

So who are Batman’s best girlfriends?  Do you know the name of his first girlfriend?  Or that he hooked up with Lois Lane?  Read our countdown of the top 15 women in Bruce Wayne’s life to find out more!

15: Pamela Isley

Poison Ivy and Batman get hot ‘n heavy in The Animated Series.

Let’s face it, Pamela Isley AKA Poison Ivy and Batman have never been… together.  Poison Ivy has had a strong physical attraction to Batman for a long, long time.  This attraction has only recently been requited by Batman.    Ivy has even saved Batman a few times, granted an antidote for her own poison, delivered by kisses.  While the two have flirted, their relationship has never gone beyond coquettishness.

14: Lois Lane

Batman and Lois Lane in Superman: The Animated Series.

I know what you are thinking.  Lane and Wayne rhyme, so of course their relationship would never work out.  Rhyming names is just silly.  Oh!  How could I forget!  Yeah, Lois is actually Superman’s girl.  How douchey of Batman!  In Superman: The Animated Series, Bruce meets Lois Lane while making a deal with LexCorp.  The two immediately fall for one another and briefly date, much to the chagrin of Clark Kent.  In just a few days, they get so close that Lois tells Clark that she will be moving to Gotham, and she and Bruce are practically engaged.  After getting his cowl pulled off as Batman in front of Lois by a robot in the copy room of the Daily Planet (yeah), she finds out Bruce’s true identity, and Lois decides she can’t be with the Batman.

13: Jezebel Jet

Batman and Jezebel Jet share a kiss in the comics.

Jezebel Jet is the sexy model who Bruce dated right before Batman: RIP.  They both are rich, they both lost their parents, and they both have their secrets.  After some crazy tabloid rumors about a tryst in the mountains, the pair start dating.  After they both get kidnapped by one of Dr. Hurt’s Bat Men, Jezebel deduces Bruce’s secret.  He tell her the truth and takes her to his cave.  Ooh, la la!  But then it turns out she is a spy for the Black Glove, you know, the same guys who drive Batman crazy and buried him alive. As Jezebel is on her flight back to the African country she owns, her plane is ambushed by Talia Al-Ghul’s Man-Bat ninjas and murdered.  Talia then gives Jezebel’s severed head to Batman during a battle.  If it wasn’t for the fact she was an evil spy, ahem, and Bruce’s ex was slightly crazy, Jezebel Jet would have been a great gal for Bats.

12: Lorna Shore

Batman and Lorna Shore in the comics.

In the Lovers and Madmen arc of Batman: Confidential, Bruce meets museum curator Lorna Shore.  This happens during his second year as Batman.  She happens to be the first person to make him happy since the murder of his parents.  Because this is early in Batman’s career, he has yet to make many of his most famous enemies.  When a man named Jack, soon to be The Joker, decides he wants to draw out the Batman, he kidnaps Lorna and slashes her stomach, leaving her in critical condition.  She eventually recovers, but both she and Batman decide it is too dangerous for her to stay in Gotham City and she skips town, and their relationship.

11: Julie Madison

Batman and Julie Madison in Detective Comics during the 1940’s.

Julie Madison.  She ranks so high on this list because she is the first girlfriend of Batman.  Debuting in 1939 in Detective Comics 31 (aficionados will know this is only 4 issues after Batman’s debut), Julie Madison is Bruce Wayne’s fiancé and chief damsel in distress.  Julie is a wealthy socialite and actress.  She also loves Bruce more than he seems to love her.  Bruce can’t keep his second life out of his billionaire life, and often leaves Julie to fight crime as Batman.  Eventually, Julie breaks off their engagement, claiming that Bruce isn’t ambitious enough.  If she only knew.  Julie Madison has made appearances since then, even once as an old woman recounting her time with Bruce Wayne.  Even though they didn’t work out, Julie Madison will always be remembered as Batman’s first girlfriend.

10: Wonder Woman

Batman and Wonder Woman in the comics.

The Amazonian Princess did have a thing for The Dark Knight.  It’s true that the two haven’t always liked each other.  They have had many a fight, but in the Justice League of America comic series, the two had a flirtatious relationship.  At one point, they even shared a kiss before saving Aquaman.  In JLA #90, Wonder Woman uses Martian Manhunter’s Transconsciousness Articulator and finds herself in a dream state of different scenarios of her life with Batman.  To put it lightly, none of them end well.  The couple decide to stay friends and nothing more, even though Wonder Woman still feels something for Batman.  The two also had a relationship in the Justice League and Justice League Unlimited TV Series, leading to an infinite about of fan-fiction.  This pair is really controversial, causing some awesome rifts on many a message board, but we personally think the duo are so strong, they are hard to beat.

9: Vesper Fairchild

Batman and Vesper Fairchild in a flashback in the comics.

Vesper Fairchild wasn’t Bruce Wayne’s girlfriend for long, but their relationship caused a major story arc in the Batman comic series.  Vesper was a late night radio host in Gotham.  After some prodding from Alfred, Bruce agreed to go to the radio show to boost his appearance as Bruce Wayne in Gotham.  Vesper and Bruce form a romantic relationship.  After the earthquake in No Man’s Land, Vesper leaves town.  She returns and begins investigating Batman. At this point, Bruce feels she may find out who he really is and breaks ties with her.  Unfortunately, Vesper is murdered in his home.  Bruce is set up for the murder and sent to jail, the story of Batman: Murderer? and Batman: Fugitive.  It turns out that Vesper was killed by David Cain, a prominent member of the League of Assassins.  While it seems that Vesper and Bruce would never have worked out, their relationship perfectly explains Batman’s relationship patterns.

8: Rachel Caspian

Bruce and Rachel Caspian get in engaged in the comics.

Many a woman has been modeled off of Rachel Caspian, including other list-makers Rachel Dawes and Andrea Beaumont.  Caspian was featured in the 4 issue arc Batman: Year Two, the daughter of Judson Caspian.  Rachel and Bruce become very close, and he even proposes marriage and considers dropping his vigilante ways.  But Rachel’s father turns out to be The Reaper, the original vigilante of Gotham.  When Batman decides to go after the murderous Reaper, he enlists the help of the crime lords of Gotham, needing help against the man who used weapons to defeat his opponents.  The crime lords comply, but only if Batman works with Joe Chill.  Batman decides to kill Chill with the gun he used to kill Bruce’s parents in the same alley they were killed in, but The Reaper shoots Chill first.  In a final battle, Batman realizes The Reaper is also Rachel’s father.  He falls off a rooftop to his death and Batman swears off ever using guns. Rachel is so distraught she breaks it of with Bruce and becomes a nun.  Ouch.

7: Rachel Dawes

Bruce (played by Christian Bale) and Rachel Dawes (played by Maggie Gyllenhaal) in The Dark Knight.

Rachel Dawes is Bruce’s childhood friend, the daughter of one of the house servant’s for the Wayne family.  Rachel’s character only appears in the Christopher Nolan movie franchise in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.  Even though Rachel only appears in two films, she made an impact on many Batman fans.  Rachel and Bruce used to play around Wayne Manor, but when his parents were murdered, Rachel and her mother left.  As an adult, Rachel goes to law school and gets an internship at the Gotham District Attorney’s office.  After talking to Bruce about Joe Chill and Bruce’s intention to murder Chill, Rachel tells him that his parent’s would be disappointed in him.  It is this conversation that leads Bruce to travel the world and learn about the world of criminals.  Upon his return, it is clear the two share a mutual love, but don’t act on it.  At the end of Batman Begins, Bruce hints at his true identity.  Rachel and he kiss, but she decides they can’t be together while he is the Batman.  In The Dark Knight, Rachel is the girlfriend of District Attorney Harvey Dent.  Rachel is eventually killed when The Joker makes Batman decided to save Dent or Rachel.  Batman picks Rachel, but The Joker deceived Batman by switching the addresses where each victim is located.  It is later revealed through a letter that Rachel never planned on choosing Bruce over Harvey Dent because Bruce would always choose to be Batman.

6: Silver St. Cloud

Bruce and Silver St. Cloud share a moment in the comics.

Silver St. Cloud not only has a really cool name, but she is also a really important piece to Bruce Wayne’s insanely complex puzzle.  Silver was a rich socialite who dated Bruce.  That’s not really why she is important.  Bruce Wayne has a way with the ladies, especially rich ones.  What set Silver apart (and it wasn’t her hair), was that she figured out his secret.  It may not sound that hard, but Silver is one of few who figured out that her boyfriend was also Batman.  Also, she is the first woman in the comics shown to bed the Bat.  That may seem odd, but considering she was his 1970’s flame, it was a really big deal.  Silver leaves Bruce because she couldn’t bear losing her lover while he was saving Gotham.  In Justice League of America #159, Batman says he wanted a family with Silver. Awww.

5: Vicki Vale

Batman (played by Michael Keaton) and Vicki Vale (played by Kim Basinger) get ready to fly in Tim Burton’s Batman.

Face it, Vicki Vale is Batman‘s answer to Lois Lane.  Introduced in 1948, Vicki Vale was a photojournalist for The Gotham Gazette.  In the comics, Vale was a minor character and sometime love interest of Bruce Wayne until 1963.  Throughout her run in the series, Vicki often suspects that Bruce and Batman are one in the same, but Bruce always fools her into thinking otherwise.  She never finds out his true identity.  Vicki is perhaps most famous for being Bruce’s girlfriend in Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman film, portrayed by Kim Basinger.  She and Bruce get hot and heavy quickly, but The Joker takes an interest in the blonde beauty.  After a horrific night at an art museum in which everyone is killed by The Joker except Vicki, Bruce decides to tell Vicki the truth.  At the end of the film, Vicki waits at Wayne Manor for Batman to return home.  While Vicki has never had a lasting impression on audiences, most fans know of her because of her portrayal on the big screen.

4: Andrea Beaumont

Picture Perfect couple Bruce Wayne and Andrea Beaumont.

Although Andrea Beaumont was introduced in a Batman animated film and only made a few cameos in other mediums afterwards, her legacy lives on over 20 years later.  You may remember a little movie called Batman: The Mask of the Phantasm.  Ok, it really is the most famous and popular Batman animated film in existence.  Andrea Beaumont was Bruce Wayne’s first true love.  They met while both visiting graves; her mother’s and his parents’.    After having a serious relationship, Bruce proposes to Andrea and even decides not to go through with his plan to become a vigilante.  When Andrea’s mobster father finds out he will be killed soon, he takes Andrea and goes into hiding.  Bruce’s loss is what pushes him into becoming Batman.  After some years later, and the death of Andrea’s father, she returns to Gotham to avenge his death, even donning a masked costume.  The similarities between Andrea and Bruce are countless, but their difference is what sets them apart; Andrea is ok with killing people in order to gain peace.  Eventually, Andrea figures out that Bruce Wayne is Batman, but it is too late for them to reconcile.

3: Talia Al-Ghul

Batman and Talia share a very steamy moment.

O.K.  Here’s the deal.  I am not going to sugar coat this one for you folks.  Talia Al-Ghul is bat-shit crazy.  In case you were wondering, the pun was totally intended, but I do use it in my every day vocabulary.  To put it in a nutshell, Talia is the quintessential girlfriend who you never take home.  When you break up, you may want to go into hiding, or even change your name because she will find you and you new lover and destroy you both.  Also, don’t ever let her drug you.  Talia is the daughter of Ra’s Al-Ghul, leader of the League of Assassin’s.  Ra’s gets it in his head that he wants Batman to become his heir and tries to marry him to Talia.  Even though Batman isn’t too down with the idea of going to the dark side, he still finds Talia attractive.  This turns out to be a huge mistake.  Talia and Batman have sex, and then she uses his goods to make a test tube baby, Damian Wayne.  She is always on the fence about who to follow, Batman or her father, but in the end it turns out that her father always wins in her eyes.  And let’s not forget that she plotted Jezebel Jet’s murder and brought her head back for Batman to see.  C-R-A-Z-Y.  So why is she number 3?  Well, she is the mother of Batman’s child, so we have to give her some credit for that.

2: Justice, Itself

Justice.  No, that isn’t the name of a girlfriend, but the actual idea itself.  Batman loves Justice.  It is what he lives for.  In the 75 years that Batman has existed, only one lady has stayed close to his heart.  Many of his lady lovers choose not to be with him because of his alter-ego, and the others he decides not to be with them for the same reason.  It’s true that he really could give up the cowl.  But women are not what Bruce Wayne lives for; justice is what Batman lives for.  Sorry women of Gotham City, but the most handsome and richest bachelor in town will never love you as much as he loves the smell of Justice.

1: Selena Kyle

The Kiss by Jim Lee in Hush. Batman and Catwoman 4eva!

So maybe Batman does love Justice more than he loves Selina Kyle.  But he really does love her alter ego, Catwoman.  Unlike all the other lover’s Batman has had, Catwoman really understands him.  And even though she has had her times of being the villain, the two have always had a thing for each other.  From the original comics, to Julie Newmar, to Batman Returns, and to Batman: Heart of Hush, these two have been off and on for decades.  There are even universes and parallels that suggest Bruce and Selina had a daughter together, who grew up to be Huntress.  Perhaps Batman and Catwoman’s love affair works because they really get each other.  It has  long been known that Bruce Wayne considers his alter ego to be Bruce Wayne, and Batman is who he really is.  Catwoman knows that, and feels that way about herself, too.  Plus, their kiss in Hush is just too hot to deny.  These two creatures of the night were absolutely meant for each other.  Meow!

all photos are credit to DC Comics.

Denver Comic Con 2014 – From Kitten to Catwoman: How Cosplay Empowered Me

Click on the link to take you to all of our Denver Comic Con 2014 articles

 

Denver Comic Con 2014 was a weekend I will always remember. I spent it with my roommate, cosplaying with her as Sherlock and John from the BBC Sherlock, attending engaging panels and meeting some of our most beloved stars. One of those stars made a huge impact on me. I was able to tell Julie Newmar (in full Catwoman attire) how she and her character had empowered me; she took my hand and inspired me all over again.

In 2009, I was a freshman in high school and had just escaped a tortuous relationship with my middle school peers. I was only starting to discover that my preconceived notions that being a nerd was something undesirable were wrong. The extreme contrast between the Catholic middle school where liking Star Trek warranted harassment and the arts magnet high school that condoned nerd expression had my head spinning. I had two friends who were exceptionally nerdy. Together we would talk for hours about everything from Harry Potter to Rocky Horror Picture Show. We were a nerd trifecta and they had made me realize that reading comic books wasn’t something to be ashamed of. However, it didn’t help me become any less timid or socially awkward.

One day, my friends approached me about a Science Fiction convention called “StarFest”and asked if I was going. I told them I had never heard of it and they promptly said, “Then you’re going.” So I bought my ticket and, a few days after, they asked if I wanted to Cosplay with them. It was as if they were speaking another language. Again, when I told them I didn’t know what they were talking about, they made the decision that I was going to join them in their costumed escapade.

They were going to Cosplay as Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy so I decided I would complete their femme fatale and go as Catwoman. Their costumes were amazing. Mine was…less so. At the time, my Catwoman Cosplay consisted of a long sleeve black shirt that was fraying at the sleeves, black skinny jeans, my mother’s black leather boots and my friend’s mask. If it weren’t for the mask, I would have looked like just another person attending the convention, but it was the funnest weekend I had ever had. Those leather boots and that mask made me feel like a literal superhero, even though I was Cosplaying as a villain. Nothing could cut through the euphoria of running around the convention center and having our picture taken over and over again. Having been bullied relentlessly for liking Catwoman in middle school, the fact that that character empowered me now felt like I had finally won the battle.

Over the years my Catwoman Cosplay evolved, becoming more complex. One year, I traded my shirt and jeans for an actual catsuit. The next, I got my own cat ears and began painting my mask on. I kept my mother’s boots as an homage to her, and because they still worked perfectly for the cosplay. I dawned a belt and this year bought a whip and googles to complete the transformation. To this day, the Catwoman I become every few months is still evolving, much like myself outside the convention center. I’ve gone from an emotionally scarred girl who didn’t think she’d make it to age sixteen to a strong woman on my way to college, determined to achieve my dreams. I’ve gone from kitten to Catwoman.

“Never let any barriers hold you back, Charlotte,” Julie Newmar told me this weekend. “If something feels right, you do it! And if it doesn’t, then you don’t.” I was unable to hold back the tears as she spoke to me. “And look at you! You’ve got the suit, the ears. You even have the whip!” She then signed my cat ears and though it was supposed to cost money, she got out from behind her booth and took a photo with me. Even at age 80, she is inspiring, sassy and purrrfect as ever. I don’t believe in epiphanies, but I think that moment with Julie has set something in motion in me. I no longer have to slip that catsuit on to feel powerful. I am.

“Respect My Craft” – Julie Newmar

In this consumer-based industry, it can be easy to forget the years of hard work that the people in the business put in. Behind every panel, it takes a skilled writer, artist, inker and colorist to make the product complete. Behind each scene goes hours of preparation. Hush Comics’ weekly article “Respect My Craft” will dive into the history of these comic book and pop culture greats that will hopefully give a new perspective on how the men and women behind the pen (or stylus) contribute to the collective awesome-ness of the nerd world, or at least give you a reason to invest in their work.

Click on the link to view all our Denver Comic Con articles!

Name: Julie Newmar

Profession: Actress

Notable Work: Too Wong Foo Thanks For Everything Julie Newmar, Li’l Abner, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and of course, the 1960’s television series Batman

“It’s an honor — it really is — that something stays for so long with people in the sweet depths of their feelings.” – Julie Newmar on her fans reactions to her portrayal of Batman villainess Catwoman

Catwoman ties up Batman. Meow!

Julie Newmar is Old Hollywood.  A lady who exudes class, Julie Newmar has been in show business since she was 17 years old. Newmar was born to Zeigfield Follies girl Helen Jesmer and Donald Newmeyer, a professor of Engineering and Football Coach at Los Angeles City College.  Julie grew up dancing, and studied ballet extensively.  She graduated high school at age 15.  Her intellect is something Newmar prides herself on, even saying, “Tell me I’m beautiful, it’s nothing. Tell me I’m intellectual – I know it. Tell me I’m funny and it’s the greatest compliment in the world anyone could give me.”  Just before turning 18, Newmar became a choreographer at Universal Studios.  She was also a teacher of dance and a dance double.  Newmar was, and still is, known for her build.  She is 5’11 with her legs being over 3 feet of her height.  Her legs were even insured for 10 million dollars.  I repeat, 10 million dollars.  One of Newmar’s first performances on screen was as The Gilded Girl, a woman who danced for Cleopatra and Marc Antony in Serpent of the Nile.  You can watch her bust a move in the video below.

Julie Newmar, the accomplished dancer.

Newmar was the bride named Dorcas in the classic film Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.  She spent a long time on Broadway in the 1950’s, too.  Her first role was in Silk Stockings.  Later, she was the “Stupefyin’ Jones” for 2 years in the Li’l Abner play, based off the famous comic strip.  Newmar reprised her role in the film version made in 1959.  Newmar acquired a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her portrayal of Katrin Sveg in The Marriage Go Round, Newmar’s first speaking role on stage. In 1962, Newmar starred in the TV series My Living Doll.  The series, about a Amazonian-like android who learns about human society through comedic foils, only lasted a season.

Newmar as Stupefyin’ Jones in “Li’l Abner.”

In 1966, Julie Newmar’s career took her from Broadway starlet to household name; she was cast as Catwoman in the TV series Batman.  She describes the initial experience in the following quote: “I had lived in New York at the time on Beekman Place. I remember it was a weekend, Friday or Saturday, and my brother had come down from Harvard with five or six of his friends, and we were all sitting around the sofa, just chatting away, when the phone rang. I got up and answered it, and it was this agent or someone in Hollywood, who said, ‘Miss Newmar, would you like to play Catwoman on the ‘Batman’ series? They are casting it out here.’ I was insulted because he said, ‘It starts Monday.’ I said, ‘What is this?’ That’s how television is done: they never know what they are doing until yesterday. Well, my brother leaped off the sofa. I mean he physically levitated and said, ‘Batman!’ That’s the favorite show at Harvard. We all quit our classes and quit our studies and run into the TV room and watch this show.’ I said, ‘They want me to play Catwoman.’ He said, ‘Do it!’ So, I said, ‘OK, I’ll do it.'”  Newmar played the seductive thief for 13 episodes.  Her looks and mannerisms gained the attention of viewers and of the Bat himself.  It wasn’t until Season 2 of the show that Batman and Catwoman finally admitted their attraction for each other in the episode “The Bat’s Kow Tow.”  To this day, Newmar is one of the first names that comes to mind when thinking of Catwoman.

Julie Newmar as Catwoman.

Since her time on Batman, Newmar has guest starred in a plethora of shows including Star Trek, Bewitched, The Love Boat, and Hart to Hart.  In 1995, a movie was made in honor of her name.  Starring Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo, Too Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar followed three drag queens in their trip across America to compete in a drag competition.  The name was taken from a headshot the writer had seen in a Chinese restaurant in New York of Julie Newmar.  She did make a small cameo at the end of the film.  Aside from her acting career, Newmar patented pantyhose, which she called a “Nudemar” and a brassiere in the 1970’s.  In 1981, Newmar gave birth to a son with now ex-husband J. Holt Smith.  In the 1980’s, she made a successful career out of real estate in the Los Angeles area.  She recently made news because of a feud with Jim Belushi over the height of their neighboring fence.  Newmar felt the fence height would ruin the sunlight on her plants.  Newmar has a zeal for gardening, claiming her garden to be paradise.  After many antics by both parties, they settled out of court and she even appeared on Belushi’s show, According to Jim as a feuding neighbor.

Most recently, Newmar has stayed with the Batman family, voicing Batman’s mother, Martha Wayne in a 2010 episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold.  She also is active on her website julienewmarwrites.com, where she muses about beauty routines, politics, health and so much more.  In two weeks, she will appear along side Adam West and Burt Ward, the original Batman and Robin, at Denver Comic Con!

None of the media in this article belongs to Hush Comics; it all belongs to Julie Newmar, herself. Join us tomorrow as we continue our countdown to Denver Comic Con as we spotlight Batman and Spider-Man artist, Tim Sale.

written by Adrian Puryear

Comic Book Reviews 12-24-13

Pick of the Week:

Avengers #24.NOW – A

After a great run in the Infinity arc, Avengers.NOW begins the Rogue Planet arc with this issue. Thoroughly entertaining and full of mystery, #24.NOW is a great jumping on point for Avenger fans. While Stark and Rogers talk shop in the lab of a potential expansion of Avengers members, are heroes on the balcony, throwing a BBQ, are paid a visit from the future. It’s a great issue to build towards the rest of the arc. I’ve always thought that Esad Ribic’s art was a bit too fantastical for an ensemble cast like The Avengers, but with the subtle humor and nerd talk to break up the talk about other-worldly threats and inter-galactic battles, I feel like I can really relate to the story.

Other Reviews:

DC:

Justice League #26 & Forever Evil #4 (DC Comics) – B

Knee-deep into the Forever Evil/Crime Syndicate story arc, we’re really starting to delve into these mysterious characters – an element missing from their canon material. Introducing the origins of Power Ring, Johhny Quick and Atomica to the readers give a great yin and yang comparison of these characters to their Justice League counterparts is very entertaining. Frighteningly so, Grid, who is the self-actualized machine part of Cyborg’s body, looks like he dropped in from the Terminator series. What really makes this arc great is that, through all the twists, turns and secrets, there is enough juice in the orange to squeeze out another entertaining issue while still keeping enough in the dark to make it suspenseful. It’s evident that DC is going to take their time with this story, and with Geoff Johns at the helm (and some great art by Ivan Reis), did you expect anything different?

Forever Evil #4 (DC Comics) – B

Meanwhile, in the Forever Evil arc (notably also written by Geoff Johns and penciled by the great David Finch), Batman has finally made it above ground. There’s not a lot of breathing time in the issue, which equates to some badass panels and reveals, but really doesn’t do much in terms of story. The tease of Batman wearing a Yellow Lantern ring in the variant cover was poorly realized, but the appearance of another ring bearer more than makes up for it – even though an epic panel by David Finch gave me an 80’s fist-pump moment. I’m also thoroughly enjoying the bromance form between Bizarro and Lex Luthor. It’s okay to let love in, Lex! This is shaping up to be an epic alien invasion, with the gravity of an “us vs. them” mentality amongst the Rogues.

Image:

Saviors #1 – C-

An alien invasion, lots of marijuana and a lizard that practices active listening – that’s what you will find in Saviors #1. Centered around a small-town pothead who is content with his mundane life, he accidentally stumbles upon the town sheriff and another man in stripes casually talking but with lizard faces. His friend tries to convince him that it is just paranoia, but it turns out that there is a much bigger conspiracy at work. The raw art of the book is something that has become a staple of image Comics. I find it endearing, but would like to see a little more detail in a series that can’t quite carry itself based off story alone. I’m interested enough to read the second issue, but not enough to recommend the book to anybody else.

Marvel:

Origin II #1 (Marvel Comics) – A-

After the enthralling first chapter of Wolverine’s origin through Joe Quesada and Andy Kubert’s Origin: The True Story of Wolverine, it’s evident that exploring the primal side of James Howlett is necessary to tell his tale. Fortunately for fans that read the original origin series, you can pick up Origin II and understand what is going on immediately. Wolverine has become an animal, and found his home with a pack of wolves. There is no dialogue, just a narrated internal monologue. The art is crisp and the colors are beautiful; most fans won’t even realize that it was penciled by Andy’s brother, Adam. I mean, the Kuberts are to comic book art what the Kennedys are to politics. The best aspect of this book is the thoughtful pace put into making you want to feel every moment that Logan is feeling, instead of rushing the natural progression. This is a must-read for any fan of Wolverine.

Funniest Panel of the Week:

Welcome to the Thor-B-Q in Avengers #24.NOW

Epic Panel of the Week:

Batman has a surprise for Power Ring in Forever Evil #4

Cover Art of the Week:

Forever Evil #4 Variant cover by Ethan Van Sciver

That about wraps it up for our reviews this week! Look for next week’s previews coming soon. Any comic books you didn’t see reviewed that you want reviewed? Any grades you didn’t agree on? Let us know in the comments!

All images taken from ComiXology app and the credit for them goes to the respective publishers; thanks to IDW Comics, image Comics, Dark Horse, DC and Marvel for putting out great books.

Written by Sherif Elkhatib

Graphic Novel Review – Batman: Hush

Graphic Novel Review: Batman: Hush

Collecting: Batman #608-619

Original Release Date: 2002-2003

Publisher: DC Comics

Batman: Hush brings in the whole cavalry.

Characters: Batman, Hush, Catwoman

Writer: Jeph Loeb (Batman: Dark Victory, Superman/Batman #1-26, Spiderman: Blue, Hulk: Gray, Daredevil: Yellow)

Artist(s): Jim Lee (X-Men, Superman: Unchained, WildC.A.T.S.), Scott Williams & Alex Sinclair (inker and colorist, respectively, that work with Lee)

SCORECARD (each category ranked on a 10-point scale):

Storyline – 10

Art – 10

Captivity and Length – 10

Identity – 10

Use of Medium – 9

Depth – 10

Fluidity – 8

Intrigue/Originality – 10

The Little Things – 9

Overall awesomeness – 10

DISCLAIMER: I will start this by saying that Batman: Hush is hands-down my favorite graphic novel ever. It’s the second graphic novel I ever read and, ultimately, what inspired me to delve deeply into the world of comics. I have two tattoos dedicated to what this book means to me and it’s part of the inspiration behind our name, Hush Comics. That being said, I will try not to blow too much smoke up your butts, because if you haven’t read it for yourself, I don’t want to ruin the experience.

Batman: Hush uses the entire spectrum of the Batverse to tell a sophisticated story about the emergence of a new cerebral villain into the Rogues Gallery and explores the quasi-romantic relationship between Batman and Catwoman. Hush also marks the return of one of Bruce Wayne’s wards, whose previous death marked his greatest failure as the Batman. It spans the length of twelve issues to tell its story, twice as long as traditional six-issue story arcs; with a plot as involved as this one, this allows Loeb space to create a non-formulaic, dynamic graphic novel. This is also a book that both seasoned comic nerds and people new to comics can be receptive to. Hush does a great job of not making you feel like an idiot because every scene portrays the adequate background information to understand what is going on – something that is the exception more than the rule in comics nowadays.

I always feel that writers of Batman books have an automatic leg up because the Batman of the last twenty years always has the answers, always knows what to do, and the writer usually coasts on it. Jeph Loeb takes the task one step further and helps you identify with the man behind the mask. You realize that Batman has been through a lot of trauma and stress, and although he’s the most badass superhero on the planet on the outside, he still struggles with the same things we do: who to love, who to trust, etc. This vulnerability is accomplished by a steady flow of personal monologue that narrates each panel with Bruce’s (sorry, spoiler?) inner thoughts. Each character, and there are a lot of them, has a distinct voice and personality. Long-time fans will also take note that the cast is scripted quite well. Nothing seems out of place or character in the writing and there is enough suspense to keep the reader from knowing what will happen next. The new villain is cunning and knows just where to hit Batman to make it hurt. This type of strategical villain with a large cast hasn’t been portrayed this well since Bane in Batman: Knightfall.

The artwork from the legendary Jim Lee is what really won me over here. Jim Lee, now co-publisher of DC Comics, constructs vividly detailed panels that range from small transitional fight scenes to full-page beauties like the one below (Kissing the Knight). Lee’s team, Alex Sinclair, color, and Scott Williams, ink, add to the already beautiful pencilwork. The team switches up colors and even mediums throughout the book when it suits the mood, helping the reader transition between scenes. All of Lee’s drawings are crisp and have an edgy yet realistic appearance. With so much detail spent on each panel, Jim Lee and his team guide the reader through a completely immersive environment.

Batman: Hush can be viewed as a stand-alone story, but fits in the old Batman continuity pretty nicely. Since launching The New 52 in 2011, DC has pretty much abandoned any continuation of the Batman-Catwoman romance (except for two awful smut-filled issues of The New 52 Catwoman) and there hasn’t been an appearance of Hush in any titles yet. Don’t let this discourage you from reading though, as there is tons of dialogue and events that coincide with other milestones in past Batman publications. There are a few different books written with Hush as the main villain, most notably Hush Returns and Heart of Hush, but these do not boast the big time writers or artists that this book does, and the story feels a little forced in the romance department, but it’s still a decent read. Overall I’d say that while it reads best as a stand-alone story, there are enough bat-nuances to make you want to get deeper into the Batman lore.

General Reception: You will find Batman: Hush on DC Entertainment’s Essential Graphic Novels list and it’s for good reason. An all-encompassing story that spans all of your favorite Batman villains, sidekicks and introduces enough new elements to tell a tale that both seasoned veterans and comic book rookies can all the same. The characters’ dialogue and actions seem familiar without giving away any of the plot twists throughout the book. There are a ton of different transitions in Hush, giving each scene a distinct ambiance by Jim Lee and his brilliant art team.

Related Books: Hush Returns, Heart of Hush, Faces of Evil/Hush Money and Batman Beyond: Hush Beyond (kinda). Hush also makes appearances in videogames LEGO Batman 2 and Arkham City. Batman: Hush has recently been repackaged in Batman: Hush Unwrapped, featuring the sketch-work of Jim Lee. I wouldn’t recommend buying this version first, but if you read Hush the first time through and fall in love with Jim Lee’s art like I did, it’s a sensible purchase. Published in 2011, Absolute Batman: Hush is a completely over-sized version of the original with all its glory. It’s loaded with extras but it’s pretty pricey, so I wouldn’t recommend this unless you are a big-time collector or really love the story.

More by the writer: In terms of Batman books, Loeb has written acclaimed mystery crime graphic novels Batman: The Long Halloween and its sequel, Batman: Dark Victory. Loeb has also written Marvel books in the color-themed Daredevil: Yellow, Spiderman: Blue, Hulk: Grey and Captain America: White. He’s also worked on Superman/Batman, Hulk and Cable series.

More by the artist: If you’re looking for more recent Jim Lee work, look to the first two New 52 Justice League story arc and the ongoing Superman: Unchained. His most distinguished works are X-Men: Mutant Genesis, Alpha Flight and WildC.A.T.S., the latter being a series that he created when he left Marvel to help create Image Comics with the likes of Todd McFarlane, Rob Liefeld, and others.

Written by Sherif Elkhatib