The Dark Knight Rises - Prodigal

DECIPHERING DC

Writers: Chuck Dixon, Doug Moench, Alan Grant
Artists: Mike Gustovich, Ron Wagner, Phil Jimenez, John Cleary, Lee Weeks, Graham Nolan, Bret Blevins, Mark Bright

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Welcome to the final edition of Deciphering DC's coverage of the colossal and epic Knightfall saga. Though Knightfall ended with KnightsEnd, the good people at DC saw it prudent to use this opportunity to bring forth the long out of print, perennially in demand Prodigal, where we see Dick Grayson donning the cape and the cowl as Batman for the first time.

Batman: The Dark Knight Rises - KnightsEnd

DECIPHERING DC

Writers: Doug Moench, Chuck Dixon, Alan Grant, Dennis O'Neil, Jo Duffy
Artists: Mike Manley, Graham Nolan, Bret Blevins, Tom Grummett, Ron Wagner, Jim Balent, Barry Kitson

Hello and Welcome to yet another edition of Deciphering DC. This time, we take a look at the conclusion of the Knights Saga, KnightsEnd. Of course, Bruce comes back to regain the mantle of the Bat. Subsequently, Dick Grayson takes up the Bat costume, albeit for a short time, in the next arc, Prodigal.

The Dark Knight Rises - KnightQuest: The Search

DECIPHERING DC

Welcome to yet another edition of Deciphering DC. We continue our look at Knightfall, now focusing on KnightQuest: The Search. It follows Bruce Wayne and Alfred in their quest for Jack Drake and Shondra Kinsolving. This phase of the Dark Knight has never been collected, and chances are, it still won’t be.

The storyline crosses over three titles –

- Justice League Task Force issues 5 & 6 written by Dennis O’Neil (incorrectly solicited as David Michelinie on one cover) and art and covers by Sal Velluto

- Batman: Shadow of the Bat issues 21-23 written by Alan Grant, art by Bret Blevins and covers by Brian Stelfreeze

- Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight issues 59-61 written by Dennis O’Neil, art by Ron Wagner and covers by Norm Breyfogle

The Dark Knight Rises - KnightQuest: The Crusade (Batman and Catwoman)

DECIPHERING DC

Welcome to yet another edition of Deciphering DC. Continuing our look at KnightQuest, this time we focus on the issues featured in the monthly title Batman and Catwoman. This review covers Batman #501-508 and Catwoman #6 & 7. All issues of Batman are written by Doug Moench and art by Mike Manley. The Catwoman issues are written by Jo Duffy and the art is by Jim Balent. All Batman covers are by Kelley Jones, while Catwoman covers are by Jim Balent.

Batman: The Dark Knight Rises - KnightQuest: The Crusade - Batman: Shadow of the Bat

DECIPHERING DC

This week we continue our look at the entire Knightfall saga and today we take a look at the issues of Batman: Shadow of the Bat featuring KnightQuest: The Crusade. This review covers issues #19, 20, 24-28 of Batman: Shadow of the Bat. Issues 21-23 will be covered in KnightQuest: The Search, next week. All stories are by Alan Grant, while art is by Vince Giarrano on the earlier three issues and Bret Blevins on the later four issues. All covers are by Batman: Shadow of the Bat regular cover artist Brian Stelfreeze.

Batman: The Dark Knight Rises - KnightQuest: The Crusade - Detective Comics and Robin

DECIPHERING DC

Hello and welcome one and all to yet another edition of Deciphering DC. Today, we continue with our look at one of the modern Bat epics, arguably THE modern Bat epic, the Knights Trilogy. While Knightfall chronicled the breaking of an exhausted Bruce Wayne at the hands of Bane, KnightQuest, the second part of the trilogy examines Gotham City without Bruce Wayne as Batman.

Batman: The Dark Knight Rises - Knightfall Vol 2: Who Rules the Night!

Writers : Doug Moench, Chuck Dixon, Alan Grant

Artists : Mike Manley, Jim Aparo, Bret Blevins, Graham Nolan, Klaus Janson

Collects : Batman 498-500, Detective Comics 664-666, Batman: Shadow of the Bat 16-18, Showcase '93 7 and 8

Published by DC Comics

While the new volume of Knightfall collects the whole Knightfall saga in one volume, I prefer to stick with the older volume partition while reviewing, because both the volumes are different beasts.

Deciphering The Dark Knight Rises - Knightfall Vol 1: The Broken Bat

Welcome to another special edition of Deciphering DC with me, Aalok. For quite a few weeks now we've been making our way through the shared history of Batman and one of his deadliest enemies - Bane - all with an eye to the recently released and outright awesome experience that is The Dark Knight Rises.
This week we reach the most critical part of this journey, the fatal confrontation that led to the breaking of The Bat and his rise from the ashes - yes, this is where the movie got the idea!

[Editor : For the previous articles that led up to this epic and legendary story-line in the Batman mythos, see the bottom of this post]


Writers: Doug Moench, Chuck Dixon

Artists: Jim Aparo, Graham Nolan, Norm Breyfogle, Jim Balent

Collects: Batman 491-497, Detective Comics 659-663

Technically, the Knightfall arc has gone through a number of printings with surprising inclusions, as well as equally surprising omissions. The first and second printing collected the basic nineteen-part storyline, plus additional issues, in the form of two trade paperbacks. The third (current) printing chooses to combine the contents of the earlier two trades in one volume. However, both the volumes of the first and second printing are two different beasts entirely, so that is how I choose to analyse and break down the story.

Countdown to The Dark Knight Rises - Prelude to Knightfall

Welcome back to another edition of Deciphering DC. With the Dark Knight Rises all the rage all over the media, I think it’s high time I gave the whole saga a comprehensive look. DC thought the same, and that is why we saw a collection called Batman vs Bane, that collected for the first time ever, Batman: Vengeance of Bane 1 and the miniseries Batman: Bane of the Demon.

Among other collections released were a reprint of Batman: Venom (see review here), with the first appearance of the drug of the same name, which the antagonist Bane uses and Batman: Birth of the Demon (see review here), featuring the trilogy of graphic novels featuring Ra’s Al Ghul, probably a major player in this enterprise as well. And finally, an expanded collection featuring the Knightfall saga and tie ins.

Nish's Notepad: Batman #500

Happy Bat-Week Mates! Since this whole week is for Batman, so I though what would be better than going back in the past? So I digged up my shelf for something like that and found a perfect thing to write a review on: Batman Issue #500..

Script: Doug Moench
Pencils: Jim Aparo, Mike Manley
Inks: Terry Austin, Mike Manley
Colours: Adrienne Roy
Letters: Ken Bruzenak
Editor: Dennis O'Neil

Before I start with my actual review, let me tell you about the Knightfall series of Batman, to which #500 belongs. Before the Knightfall series, i.e. in Issue #491, Bane stages a giant break out of Arkham Asylum, due to which Batman's fiercest foes like Joker, the Scarecrow, Killer Croc, Poison Ivy, Two face etc. start a rampage within the Asylum.