Lovbe the images, the story was fine but the pictures were absolutelly awesome

Batman Volume 1 is my first read of DC’s since they started the Rebirth storyline. Going into it, I expected to to be horrible from all the review that I had read; this potentially made me enjoy it more when I did not find it as bad as they made it seem like.

The art style suited Batman and Gotham City very well. The little details were not missed, but the did not detract and draw me away from the focus of the panel like they are susceptible to do.

For me, my main issue with the first volume of the ongoing Batman Rebirth series is the 1st issue. It did not flow into the rest of the story and when I went on to read the 2nd issue, I thought I was reading something completely different. The first issue was around Calendar Man and Batman trying to stop him stop him messing with the seasons amongst other things which I will not spoil.

The second issue onwards were a very cohesive story that is a direct affect of Batman saving the people of Gotham and how some choose to react.

For my first time reading an ongoing series, I was impressed with I Am Gotham and I suspect that majority of people will enjoy it.

New 52/DCYou-era brooding gothic journeys from Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo are traded in for a Rebirth by Tom King and David Finch. I’m not feeling I Am Gotham that much. Batman’s newest sidekicks/assistants/fodder are two eager, but underwritten, young adults, Gotham and Gotham Girl, who are superpowered, but with a cost because there would be little tension if heroic metahumans can roam freely on Batman’s turf. Hugo Strange and Psycho Pirate are plotting to destroy Gotham as we know it; Batman, his new dynamic duo, along with snarky Alfred and Duke (he’s not Robin!) tries to stop them. These comics were first published when around the time of a certain Harley Quinn-helmed blockbuster so Amanda Waller teases/threatens Task Force X.

I Am Gotham has narrative elements all over the place, with one episode containing noirish “My City is” captions as if King was in a Miller-esque mood when he was scripting it. The minor villains are campy pushovers. Line art and colors give a realistic heft to the heroes and villains in my mind’s eye. But the plot is annoyingly incomplete. There’s one touching moment with Batman and Gotham Girl where Bats actually drops his gritty facade to empathize with her. Taken as a monthly piece of the puzzle, is cool, but here I’m thinking of how else the creative team is going to further shoehorn references to the Suicide Squad.

Maybe the next volume, I Am Suicide, completes the plot to improve the latest Batman saga. However, as is, I Am Gotham rises no more to a middling “meh.”

A strong story with amazing art and the haunting plot. If Superman and his villains are the light of DC, then Batman is the silent dark predator of it.

Batman Vol.1: I Am Gotham | DC | Published 1/17/17
Written By Tom King | Illustrated by David Finch and Mike Janin

Following up Scott Snyder and his New 52 Batman, Tom King had some pretty big shoes to fill when it came time to write his own Batman; whether or not he will be deemed successful will come in time. Right now, we have before us, the first volume of King’s Batman that is part of the DC Rebirth. Batman Vol.1: I Am Gotham collects Batman: Rebirth #1 and Batman issues 1-6.

With Tom King now in the driver’s seat, it is clear that there will be some awesome (and terrible) things in store for Gotham’s defender. Also, the first several issues of the Batman Rebirth re-launch serve as a giant high-five to fans, as they remind us exactly who Batman is and why we adore him. King’s reasoning here is: to re-define Batman and to challenge the image that fans have formed over years of reading his comics, King must first remind us who the Dark Knight is, or more specifically, who we think he is, before adding depth to our already in-depth understanding. This way, when King decides to bring something new to the table it will be more impressive and will have more impact on long-time readers. To explain this simply, think about Horror flicks. The ‘gotcha’ scenes always follow an eerie silence, right? Batman Vol.1: I Am Gotham is the eerie silence...and the ‘gotcha,’ well, it’s on the way.

Spoilers Ahead


One of the main issues that I have with this collection of comics is that the newest threats to Gotham rise as heroes and fall as villains in the blink of an eye. Gotham and Gotham Girl aren’t nearly as developed as I would have liked, and unfortunately, this is a major let-down because I believe that there was some major potential with Gotham. Because of this, and some other plot points that go underdeveloped, Vol.1 reads more like a prologue to a great story than a great story. I feel this way, perhaps, because I am current with the series and know what’s coming, so take what I just wrote as you wish.

The ominous, ‘The Monster Men Are Coming’ echoes throughout the tale and incites interest, and perhaps fear, in what King has in store for Gotham City. Terror is on its way.

David Finch and Mike Janin both do a great job illustrating throughout the volume. Again, I prefer Janin’s work in the issues to come, but the art here fits well with the writing, and thus, is a success.

Overall, this is a solid volume and I recommend reading it. There were some areas that weren’t explored as much as I would have liked - some points that went undeveloped - but it was good nonetheless. Batman Vol.1: I Am Gotham sets up future volumes well, and does so in a way that is entertaining. Pick it up.


Score: 7 out of 10

Following up Scott Snyder’s New 52 Batman is no easy feat, as it was very much beloved by fans. Tom King, although he doesn’t blow away Snyder’s Batman, does a fine job here and, at the very least, keeps up the momentum that Snyder created. Although Batman Vol.1: I Am Gotham isn’t nearly as developed (in terms of plot) it is clear that future volumes will be more intense, and will provide a more in-depth look at the Dark Knight. Despite some shortcomings, Batman Vol.1: I Am Gotham is a worthwhile read and does a fine job setting up what’s to come...which, if you’ve been keeping up with the single issues, you already know what I’m talking about. The takeaway here should be this: the series is in good hands, and is only going to get better as it goes. Read Batman Vol.1: I Am Gotham.

As one dynamic duo, Tom King and David Finch, take over the main Batman title, another dynamic duo appears in town: Gotham and Gotham Girl, two Superman/Supergirl-types out to help Batman in his war against crime! But this fresh-faced pair are about to discover how dangerous the shadows in the city can be even with the Dark Knight at their side…

Under Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo, Batman unfortunately wasn’t good for a while so I’m glad to say that with a new creative team on board, the relaunched series is firmly back on form - I Am Gotham is a great beginning to Tom King’s run!

King opens the story explosively with Batman diverting a downed commercial jet away from downtown Gotham. Action-packed describes the book as a whole as we move from one exciting set-piece to another, from one reveal to the next, so the reader’s never bored with what’s happening. The main Batman title is usually the more sensational and superhero-y - Detective Comics is the one where Batman puts on his deerstalker and investigates nuanced street-level crimes - and King fully lives up to that expectation here. He also nails Batman’s character and gives him some damn cool moments like during the climactic confrontation when he gets up and snarls “I am Gotham,” - yeah!

Like Scott Snyder’s first Batman book, The Court of Owls, King introduces some new characters into Batman canon with his first book. However, Gotham and Gotham Girl aren’t the most compelling characters - though I didn’t dislike them either - especially as Superman-types are hardly original, but they were fine as part of a larger problem Batman has to deal with.

The story developed well with King setting up intriguing future storylines at the same time - they look like they’re going to be remakes of previous sorta-well-known but crappy Batman books though with King in the driving seat I’m hopeful he’ll find a way to improve them for contemporary readers. I wonder what happened to the “three Jokers” storyline teased in DC Universe Rebirth #1 - will King get around to that later, will someone else write it, or has that idea been abandoned? I wouldn’t mind if it was the latter!

I also liked how Batman reached out to others when he felt out of his depth, showing he’s learned to ask for help when he needs it and that he’s not alone - a holdover from Scott Snyder’s Batman run. And speaking of Snyder’s Batman, it looks like the New 52 stories are still in play - Rebirth hasn’t wiped out that canon and there are references to Zero Year, the Court of Owls, Joker and Bloom. Under King, Duke, the new Robin, is starting to grow on me, and I was pleased to see Alfred miraculously has his hand back - I hated what Snyder did to poor Alfie in Endgame which felt like pure shock value more than anything.

I’m not the biggest fan of David Finch’s art but I liked what he did here. It was more restrained than usual, more focused and looked a lot cleaner. The Regan/All-Star Superman homage page was great though the Gotham Girl outfit looked a little corny. Largely though I was very satisfied with the art.

Easily the worst part of the book was the handover issue that opened the volume, co-written by Snyder. Calendar Man is reimagined as this weird mutant-type dude who literally dies at the end of winter and is reborn in the spring into a new body? Ugh, it was terrible! What a stupid idea - thank goodness Snyder left when he did before he did more damage! Mikel Janin’s art in this issue though was spectacular, very sharp and clear, appropriately big-screen movie-type illustrations to match the dramatic action.

I’ve never been a fan of either Tom King or David Finch but, credit where credit’s due, these guys created a fine Batman book here - a career best (so far) for both, I’d say. I love the energy in this book the most. Batman feels reinvigorated and I was excited reading a Batman comic in a way that I haven’t been since Zero Year. Batman, Volume 1: I Am Gotham is a great Batman story and an excellent start to a series that hopefully maintains its quality going forward - I Am Entertained!

I am not going to lie. At first this rebirth or “new” batman was hard to follow. But it picked up and started making sense by the end. We are introduced (or at least think we are introduced) to two new superheroes Gotham and Gotham Girl. They want to protect Gotham and help Batman. Batman also has another new cohort Mr. Thomas. He is not a replacement Robin, he is something new. And besides a yellow batsuit, it has not been revealed yet what. We also get a shout out from the Justice League. Overall not bad. We shall see what comes.

Now time for complaints. Why Gotham Girl, why not Gotham Woman. Plus the cheerleader skirt. And worst of all the high heel boots. I am tired of these cliches. You all can do better. Why I’m at it, the yellow writing in the blue box is impossible to read. On my galley it was already blurry, and the color changes just made it worse.

Added Goodreads
Added Litsy

Batman is normally a no brainer for me. I can rely on it to be a good title because I know the company puts in the time and the talent. And who doesn’t love Batman?

But I did not like this. It’s actually almost a bit of a stretch to say this was just okay.

Batman Volume 1: I Am Gotham collects Rebirth #1 and issues #1-6. I had a really hard time getting into the story and connecting to the characters and the storyline. Which might make me a bad person… I’m not sure, I’ll worry about that later.

I thought the introduction to Gotham and Gotham Girl was laughable, but they did grow on me. I think Gotham Girl is very intriguing and I’m looking forward to reading more about her. She started to appeal to me really late in the trade, though.

The best part of this trade was definitely Alfred. He was hilarious and I loved his interactions with Batman. There’s a great conversation at the end between the two that I won’t spoil, but it’s great. I laughed out loud.

I can’t really point to why I didn’t like this volume. It wasn’t awful. I was just not intrigued by the story really at all. I like to be emotionally connected to the story before Batman decides to be martyr. I don’t think the idea of Batman’s weakness being human is unique. I don’t see it as new, but to have him addressing it might be a new approach, just not attention grabbing enough. If I was reading this by the issue, I don’t think I would have picked up the second issue.

I will be trade waiting this title in the future, which is really a shame because I NEED to read the current issues… Catwoman. That’s all. That’s why. But based on this trade, I’m fine with waiting it out.

A solid start for the DC Rebirth Batman. After reading this I ran out and picked up issues 9-13 at my friendly local comic shop because I had to know what was coming next.

I didn't know ht to expect the Bateman graphic novel to be. After all the subtitle "I am Gotham," what did that mean? When I found out, I was delighted. Batman is on a plane about to crash and has saved all the passengers but is sure that he will die. He calls Alfred, his butler and so much more to ask him if his parents would had been proud of him. Batman does survive as Gotham and Gotham Girl saves the plane he is riding on. Gothamand Gotham Girlare two new superheroes. Batman challenge the duo to do better when he sees them damaging property unnecessarily and endangering their own lives. Batman is glad for their help but wants them to be careful.

There is action galore but also some thought and philosophy involved in this graphic novel. If you are new to Batman, I think that this is a good beginning for you. I have read earlier versions but still enjoyed this new story. I am eager to see where it goes.

sorry but I downloaded the file but it doesn't open!

So Bruce Wayne is not only rich again, he looks like Bruce Wayne again. And, saints preserve us, Alfred looks like Alfred. Could it be that with Rebirth, DC found some artists who know how to draw their iconic characters in a recognizable way?

Duke Thomas is back, not as Robin, there are far too many Robins in Gotham, but as … Golden Bat Dude. Maybe that’s not his official name. Not sure he has a name, really. Maybe I missed it. Maybe he’s just Duke. Why Batman gets to wear a cool black and gray menacing outfit while dressing his sidekicks in glow-in-the-dark uniforms I don’t understand. At least Duke doesn’t have to wear short pants.

Batman’s back in the self-sacrificing, inspirational, heroic mode after being unbearably self-righteous and kind of a dick in the New 52 era, but before he has a chance to be too self-sacrificing, along comes a new heroic duo (“I am Gotham. And this is Gotham Girl.”). They’re sort of like Superman Lite (and Supergirl Lite).

Gotham Girl, by the way, is super cute. Kudos to the artist. Although she was cuter before she cut all her hair off. Of course, she’s a little crazy, but that goes without saying.

The new version of the Batmobile is sort of retro except that it looks like a tank. not that there’s much of the car left by issue 4. Hope Batman has insurance. Fortunately, he’s got a spare Batmobile. Unfortunately …. well, there are only so many claims an insurance company will be willing to pay.

Alfred has developed a staid, laconic wit that refreshes the character. Always liked Alfred. He’s great here.

Ah, but what about the villains?

Calendar Man, like all good supervillains, wants to wipe out Gotham City. This rebooted version of CM sheds his skin every season, rejuvenating in the spring and aging rapidly until winter’s death is followed by another spring rebirth. A little silly but not over-the-top like everything was during the New 52 era. That’s a welcome change.

Solomon Grundy makes a cameo in issue 2. Always liked Solomon.

Hugo Strange. Now there’s a supervillain. First appeared in 1940. Pre-Joker. We’re talking serious nostalgia here. Reaching back to the roots, which is exactly what DC needed to do with Batman.

Psycho Pirate. Not the Golden Age villain (that one was never really a Batman nemesis), but Roger Hayden, the 1960s version. Welcome home to Gotham, PP.

Captain Stingaree. Well, some supervillains should probably stay in the retirement home. Same with Kite Man. Fortunately, they play minor roles, as minor villains should. I mean, seriously, Kite Man?

Bane. Okay, now we’re talking. Worthy villain, no doubt about it, but just gets in at the tail end of this volume, which sets up Batman’s next challenge.

All told, I’m pleased. Practically giddy, really, because DC finally figured out what makes us ordinary nonpowered geeks and dorks and nerds read about superheroes. They’re heroic. They’re better than ordinary people. They’re not bullies, they’re not stupid, they’re not totally self-obsessed. They’re heroes. Thank you, DC, for restoring sanity to the DC brand. And for bringing us a Batman we can recognize.

A nice superhero comic, if I may say.
We were used to a specific kind of Batman, with a specific character and that is what we would expect. This volume describes a different side of him, which is a rather good one though.
New characters are introduced. This is what makes it spicy as a story.

It was ok, but I have to admit I was a little bit disappointed by the story, too much drama with the two Gotham brother and sister. Looking forward the next installment anyway, Batman is Batman.

Non era male, ma un po' troppo drammatico per i miei gusti con i fratelli Gotham. Comunque non vedo lora di leggere il prossimo numero ugualmente, perché Batman é Batman....

THANKS TO NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

I received an advance review of this comic book compilation from the publisher (thank you DC!) through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I must say that I was a bit daunted when I sat down to read the first installment of this new Batman series. I felt a bit old and out of the loop since I have not read any superhero comics since I was a kid. Weirdest thing though—I started into this one and found Batman fighting Solomon Grundy—my favorite super-villain from my childhood. I remember him fighting the entire Justice League single handedly and wiping the floor with them and he is just as much a bad ass now. While his appearance brought back memories, this is not the Batman of my youth and not even the Batman of recent films.

Through the introduction of the brother and sister Gotham superhero team we examine the genesis of Batman. At first they appear as figures from a positive and alternative past where disasters were averted and through sheer bravery the wounds of the past are healed. Not so. Several characters at different times claim to have the power to “fix” the past, “fix” the wounds, “fix” the situation and restore what is lost but it is ultimately futile. Batman and the Gothams writhe in angst and psychological pain and there is no end in sight--and that really appears to be the whole point of the story. In fact the concentration is so focused on the internal conflicts of these three characters that I found the heroic action elements of the plot to be circular, at times disjointed, and the supporting cast of superheroes and villains to be almost a stream of haphazard cameos. I did find the ending to be very interesting and I am looking forward to the second part of this story—the Monster Men.

Since this is a graphic novel the art must also be addressed and I have to say that with the exceptions of a few blue on blue font combinations that I found difficult to read on my tab, I was blown away by the amazing visual presentation. I almost moved this up another star for that alone.

Over the last year and a half I have really become a fan of Batman. So as a new fan I could not wait to get my hands on this new Batman work titled “I am Gotham.” This particular work is volume one in the new Batman in DC Comics’ 2016 relaunch which they have called “Rebirth.” With this graphic novel as my first exposure to DC Comic’s Rebirth universe I must say that I’m excited to read and explore what else DC is doing with their other titles.
At first when I read this book I was not sure where the direction was going. I thought it was going to be focused on Batman battling a certain villain that was introduced at the beginning of the book. Instead eventually we are introduced to two new characters (or at least new to me) name Gotham and Gotham Girl both of whom remain the focus of Batman’s interactions. I was rather pleasantly surprised and the artist and the writer did a good job introducing these characters to the readers in a way that gave you a sense of awe and curiosity that gave readers a greater appreciation for what Batman must have felt when he first met them. While the story has action against various villains I did not feel that was the main focus; instead the story focuses largely on the character of Batman, Gotham and Gotham Girl in terms of their psyche, motivation and fear. Surely this graphic novel gave readers a deeper character development than some of the old school comics. I thought the writer did a good job here. The story telling was good; the book left me thinking about for some time after I was done; I thought it was well crafted how both Gotham and Gotham Girl parallel Batman in more ways than one. Truly the two new characters are foils that allow the readers to better understand Batman himself.
This graphic novel was truly a thriller. There were unexpected twists and turns that the book was able to pull off even though I felt I have read a decent amount of the best Batman stories. There were times you read the inner dialogue but you were not sure who it was that speaking and at other times readers may assume they were thoughts of a particular character only to have it revealed that it was someone else. I liked that since it added a sense of mystery and twists. I also valued the theme of fear, one’s question of motivation and vulnerability found throughout the book. It wasn’t just the vulnerability of Batman that is explored; it’s the vulnerability of the other characters as well, of how you understand one gave you insight to another character.
Again a nice story. The title itself captures the many dimensions of the story since there is more than one sense to the phrase “I am Gotham.” I recommend this book for the enjoyment of the readers!
NOTE: This book was provided to me free by DC Comics and Net Galley without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

Well Batman was always Batman, and always will be Batman. But he's branded with this nonsensical Rebirth thing, which has just pulled a switcheroonie on some minor things here, and left Batman doing what Batman does. And this is a very minor story in his history, meaning this is the least effectual and interesting volume launch in the man's existence. Seriously, how can they really go back to issue number one, and have two inexplicable superhero siblings floating around and not leading to much? Is that the best we can expect? I didn't mind the Rebirth story itself, as it seemed to be a set-up for an EVENT without all the bollox bluster, but we've seen these stories waffle on with no drama, so I'm almost left regretting my opinion and wanting the bluster back. Not the horrific Scott Snyder bluster, but some guts all the same. This is just meh, and only gets a 2-star rating because the Green Arrow launch arc is straight out the recycling pile, and the Superman trade was just fugly.

From the publisher: A part of DC Universe: Rebirth! "I AM GOTHAM"

The Caped Crusader has never been stopped. Not by the Joker. Not by Two-Face. Not even by the entire Justice League. But now, in the wake of DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH, Batman must face his most challenging foe ever--a hero who wants to save Gotham...from the Batman!

From one of the biggest breakout writers in years and former CIA analyst, Tom King (GRAYSON, THE SHERIFF OF BABYLON) and superstar artist David Finch present BATMAN VOL. 1! Collects BATMAN: REBIRTH #1 and BATMAN #1-6.

Rebirth honors the richest history in comics, while continuing to look towards the future. These are the most innovative and modern stories featuring the world's greatest superheroes, told by some of the finest storytellers in the business.

Honoring the past, protecting our present, and looking towards the future. This is the next chapter in the ongoing saga of the DC Universe. The legacy continues.

Batman Vol. 1: I Am Gotham, by Tom King, is the first Batman arc after the Rebirth event. Because the New 52 didn’t drastically change the character of Batman, there isn’t a huge shift in this version. In fact, a most, if not all, of Scott Snyder’s run is still valid, which is nice for long-time readers.

I Am Gotham details Batman’s discovery that there are two new heroes, Gotham and Gotham Girl, working to protect the city of Gotham. It follows his attempts to guide them through their learning curves, while still trying to stop a rash of suicide bombings in which the trigger-men warn “The monster men are coming” before detonating. King provides an origin story for the heroes that echoes Batman’s, with a few crucial differences. Meanwhile, Hugo Strange and the Psycho Pirate are on the loose and causing havoc. This combination has a lot of potential, due to Strange’s manipulative nature and Psycho Pirate’s control of emotions. Ultimately, I Am Gotham is a tragic story that lays the groundwork for King’s run on Batman, allowing him to carve his own take on the character in the wake of Snyder’s epic run.

One of the subplots that I really enjoyed is Bruce Wayne’s approach to Duke Thomas, a young man who was acting as one of a group of Robins. As a result of the fallout from an attack by the Joker, Duke is brought in to contact with Bruce and learns he is Batman. King’s approach to this relationship allows Bruce to take on a new partner without it being yet another Robin, and I’m really interested to see how this develops in future story arcs. There is also an undercurrent of Bruce dealing with his mortality, and what that means for his “family”, as a result of the trauma of his last encounter with the Joker. This lends itself to some intriguing storylines, as well.

Overall, Batman Vol. 1: I Am Gotham is a terrific start to Tom King’s run on this title, and a fine way to begin the Rebirth era of Batman. I highly recommend it to Batman fans. It’s also a great jumping on point for new readers.

I received a preview copy of this book from DC Comics and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Batman Rebirth. Even after reading this TPB I'm not sure what they plan to do with the Batman and Bat family, but this was an intriguing start to whatever is going to happen.

Hugo Strange is back, as is a Monster Men storyline. There's a little bit of Waller, some Duke Thomas, and a couple of newbie protectors of Gotham with mysterious pasts.

I think my favorite part of the TPB was the back and forth between Alfred and Bruce. I generally like better the TPBs where they have a banter-y sort of relationship with caring underneath, and this one had a ton of (sometimes hilarious) banter in it.

I was given this galley through Netgalley on behalf of DC Entertainment.

- Bruce Wayne doing pull ups on the top rings of a skyscraper. This doesn't seem right. This is a Nightwing sort of thing.

- Gotham and Gotham Girl? Really?!? Could no one think of better names? There has to be an incredible tie in or backstory for this in future volumes.

- Great yammer between Batman and Alfred.