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Title: Batman: Year Two by Alan Mike W./Davis Barr ISBN: 0446391913 Publisher: Warner Books Pub. Date: June, 1990 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $9.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4
Rating: 3
Summary: Weak followup to Year One - an opportunity squandered
Comment: I was disappointed in Year Two; it failed to convincingly follow the groundwork developing Batman's formative years as laid down in Year One (a STRONG story) and The Long Halloween. In Year two, I would have hoped to have the emergence of a longstanding Bats villian, even if a minor one such as The Ventriloquist or The Riddler, but sadly that's not the case. While new villans can be entertaining, the so-called "Reaper" reminded me too much of the "Phantasm" from the animated Bats movie "Mask of the Phantasm"; there was no real depth provided to the villian, and the back-to-pick-up-where-I-left-off bit is a tad stale, even at the time this was written. The art was fine; the story good as a standalone tale, but there was really no reason the tale needed to be set in "Year Two".
Rating: 5
Summary: the best Batman story ever!
Comment: I first got this book when I was about 4 years old. It was the first time I heard of Batman as a comic book character. I hadn't learned how to read yet, so no matter how millions of times I saw the movie, I couldn't read that it was based on a DC character. But since I couldn't read, how could I enjoy this story? The art!!
The first chapter in the book was drawn by Allan Davis, with the remaining chapters drawn with incredible grace by Todd McFarlane. I was able to figure out about 95 percent of the story, because of the art. Many stories need both art and writing to funcion, but this book is great on both. It is written by Mike Barr and it is great! Rather than reading like a typical comic book, it reads like one of the best action movies. Yes, Frank Miller and Geph Loeb are better writers (see Year One and Hush), but Barr is still one gifted writer.
Year Two is obviously a sequel to Batman: Year One. And since he finished corrupt cops in the original, we can now have fun with colorful villains. Here, we get the Reaper. He was vigilante like Batman, but before Batman came. He had much more brutal methods than Batman, so after a several decade hiatus when Reaper returns to "fight" crime, he crosses paths with Batman and they clash.
Reaper is so dangerous, that Batman can't fight him off by himself. Batman needs help and he gets it by none other than Joe Chill, the man who killed Batman's parents! It is incredible seeing Batman fighting the temptation to shoot him! Yes, Batman uses a GUN! The question of why he never used a gun before gets answered in this story!
What makes this story great is the fact that as much the villain as Reaper may seem, in his way, he's the hero. And he believes he's the hero and Batman's the villain. This grey area adds so much dimension and this is something I just love thinking about. Mike Barr should write a prequel about the Reaper fighting crime before Batman came on. That would be cool.
This copy of the book also contains "Full Circle," which is the sequel to Year Two. Here, we get Robin, more Alfred, and the return of the Reaper! I was wondering how Reaper would come back, but he came back in a very clever way and Full Circle is a very good story.
Well, Batman: Year Two-Fear the Reaper (that is this version, the one that contains both stories) is my all-time favorite Batman story and I'm sure when you read it, you will like it too!
Rating: 4
Summary: A Good Placeholder Between Long Halloween and Dark Victory
Comment: As the title suggests, this story takes place during the second year of Batman's crimefighting career. At the start of the story, Jim Gordon has recently been elected Commissioner and the mobs that had such a large foothold in Year One and Long Halloween are ancient history. Batman's adversary this time around is the ghostly masked vigilante called the Reaper. He started out with motives similar to Batman, but he has now become a psychotic killer. The guy that killed Batman's parents is also back, the mob has hired him to take Reaper out. This answers two questions common asked by freshman Bat-fans: Why doesn't Batman use a gun, and why has he taken an oath to never kill anyone. And it sort of answers the question, why does he seem to avoid serious relationships with women. As a special bonus, we have artwork by Spawn creator Todd McFarlane. My only gripe is that NONE of the traditional enemies appear. Two-Face or Catwoman could've easily have made a supporting appearance. All in all, a good read, and when combined with Y1 and TLH, fits into the larger tapestry of Batman's earlier years, taking place after TLH but before it's forthcoming followup, Dark Victory.
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