Review by Booklist Review
When Batman was killed by megavillain Darkseid in 2009's Final Crisis series, it was only a matter of time before he returned from the dead in time-honored comic-book fashion; the only question was how. It turns out that Darkseid had actually blasted Batman back to prehistoric times, where he materializes with no memory but dons rudimentary bat-garb to battle a tribe of cavemen. He then finds himself catapulted forward through time to succeeding eras of Gotham City's history the Puritan witch hunts, seventeenth-century piracy, the Wild West, and the gangster era gradually working his way back to the present, unaware that his journey fulfills a grand scheme by Darkseid to destroy the universe or that Superman and other Justice League members are chasing him through the centuries to prevent the plot from succeeding. The individual stories where Batman finds himself instinctively assuming a bat-based role appropriate to the era in which he finds himself are imaginative and entertaining, and if the overarching story line, with its apocalyptic machinations, is wildly convoluted, that's the mode that hardcore superhero fans prefer.--Flagg, Gordon Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
An odyssey for one of the most iconic figures in comics stretches from prehistory to the end of time, revisiting and reimagining Batman's mythology through a complex narrative. Writer Morrison and a team of artists pick up from the end of Morrison's Final Crisis and Batman: RIP. Bruce Wayne is lost in time after killing Darkseid, a godlike being of pure evil. Piecing together the memories of his past that he's lost and slowly realizing he's been turned into a human booby trap meant to destroy the universe by Darkseid, Bruce is pulled through eras of Gotham City's history that include confrontations with cavemen, witch hunters, pirates, cowboys, and 20th-century cultists. These adventures culminate in a return to the present where he must rely on his fellow superheroes to save him from Darkseid's curse. Morrison's story is designed to add to Batman's aura as a timeless, mythical hero, but the time jumps and Bruce's amnesia sometimes create an uneven narrative. The story also asks readers to possess a wealth of familiarity with the character's decades-long history, making the book not as accessible to newer fans. Different artists-all strong, colorful storytellers-give each time period its own mood. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Morrison adds to his body of Batman lore by resurrecting the Dark Knight from an apparent demise at the conclusion of Final Crisis, when he was shot back through time. This set opens in a prehistoric era, in which amnesia-stricken Bruce finds himself battling hordes of cavemen and struggling to remember his identity. Tracking clues he himself has left through the eras, he emerges into a different period in every issue and adopts a batlike persona each time. He fights pirates in one issue, confronts Puritan witch hunters in another, blazes his way through the Old West, and catapults into the period immediately following his parents' death in an arc inspired by the noir tradition. He ultimately emerges in the present to rejoin his comrades in the Justice League. Verdict The capable art by a variety of illustrators including Ryan Sook, Frazer Irving, and Yanick Paquette lends variety to the stories but can also be off-putting. Ditto on the melding of futuristic sf concepts with narrative arcs set in other historical eras. Overall, not Morrison's most compelling work but entertaining enough for DC superhero fans.-Jeff Hunter, Royal Oak, MI (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
