Batman: Nightwalker now has a graphic novel adaptation for us to enjoy! If you read and loved Marie Lu's take on Batman and his earlier days, then odds are good that you'll find yourself enjoying the graphic novel version as well.
Stuart Moore and Chris Wildgoose were brought on for this project, one doing the adaptation (editing down the book into a shorter format, that sort of thing) and the other as the artist. And I've got to say, they did a pretty solid job.
For those not familiar with Batman: Nightwalker, it's part of the DC Icons series, delving into the past of our beloved heroes. In this case, the focus was on Batman, or rather, on Bruce Wayne before he became Batman.
It turns out that Bruce was always a bit of a reckless teenager, which makes sense given the path he'll eventually head down. Here is his first experience with crime fighting – and it explains so much about how he eventually became the masked hero we adore.
Bruce Wayne has found himself in the center of a whole new crime mystery. The Nightwalkers have been targeting the rich, but unlike their Robin Hood inspiration, they're not giving to the poor. They are, however, happily killing the rich they steal from.
Madeleine Wallace is the only break in the ranks – the only member to be arrested and not die within hours of said arrest. And she's become fixated on Bruce. Or is it that Bruce has a fixation with her?

Batman: Nightwalker was a brilliant and animated read on all accounts. Seeing it in graphic novel format only helped to heighten certain elements. You can really see that this plot was designed with a more visual format in mind, as it adapted so well.
Visually speaking, there were certain elements that I absolutely adored. For example, most of the graphic novel was in black and white, but there were exceptions. Anything that the creative team wanted us to pay specific attention to was highlighted in a vibrant yellow. This was striking, to begin with, naturally. But some scenes were amazing thanks to this one small change – such as the moments with origami.
I also adored the design of the breaks between parts. It was dark, yet oddly elegant. It was a perfect fit for this dark and brooding tale, that's for sure. And it fit in nicely with the artwork as well.
Speaking of the artwork, I absolutely adored the character designs in this graphic novel. I know that the artists had something to lean on, knowing how some of these characters would look in later years. But they were able to do what they wanted with their more youthful versions, and I think they did a brilliant job. Bruce, in particular, looked like the pretty and rich boy we all expected – with a complete lack of fear of getting beat up, of course.
I'm really pleased with how this adaptation came out, on the whole. I can't wait to see what the rest of the series is going to end up looking like. And I might have to go back and reread the original novel after this.

A really cool take on the novel! I honestly loved reading this in graphic novel form, the story translated better this way. Highly recommend especially if you didn’t like the book the first time!

A great adaptation of the source material. Pick this one up if you enjoy angular art, you love angsty Batman with a heart of gold, and Marie Lu’s version of a happy ending.

Thank you NetGalley and the published for an eARC of this book!

I'm not a huge DC fan but I have enjoyed reading the DC Icon series. I really liked the novel by Marie Lu...so I was excited to see that they were making it into a graphic novel! I think that the story was summarized well and I loved the artwork! I think that this book is great for readers who enjoy the DC Icon series or for those who can't fully dedicate the time to reading the book. Overall a great read!

*I received am eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Bruce Wayne – Vehicle Code 23103. Reckless Driving.

For the remainder of his senior year, and the summer before college, he has to do community service… at Arkham Asylum. Scared Straight.

Gotham is rocked by the murder of a well-known philanthropist. A group of anarchists has been identified as the perpetrators. One is caught and put in solitary confinement.

Bruce mops the floor and Madeline sits in her cell. The billionaire and the terrorist. The two strike up a cryptic relationship. Neither giving much. But pieces of information start to come out and a plot against other wealthy Gothamites is revealed. Will Bruce be able to help stop the Nightwalker group from menacing the city?

Marie Lu’s writing continues to captivate. Her characterization of the young Bruce Wayne was convincing, especially in his relationship with Alfred. I found the best passages to be Bruce’s times of reflection into his own mythos. Obviously, he doesn’t do this consciously, but he does think about his relationship with his city. Looking back or looking forward, Lu’s insight into Batman’s legacy was very thought provoking.

To adapt this story into a graphic novel would take two things: stay true to the atmosphere and tell the complete story. Moore and Wildgoose accomplish both these things in stunning fashion. This is not some 80-page highly edited version of Lu’s novel… this is every twist of the plot and every facial expression of these characters in crisis. I love the depiction of Madeleine Wallace in Wildgoose’s artwork. He gets her manipulative nature perfectly.

The Nightwalkers graphic novel fleshes out Lu’s original story well. A highly entertaining read.

Recommended.

Batman: Nightwalker by Marie Lu comes to vivid and visual life in this graphic novel. I first read the prose novel a few years back and approached it with great interest as a literacy teacher. Here was prominent young adult novelist tackling one of my favorite characters.

Imagine my pleasure and surprise when I learned that this novel was being adapted into the graphic novel medium -- one of my favorite forms and an always popular way of reading among my middle school students.

It almost goes without saying that I highly recommend this book, and actually suggest pairing it with the prose novel, as well as other novels in this series. Wonderful images and storytelling combine.

couldn't get the file to download in order for me to read but I did get a free sample during batman day at Barnes and noble and im really looking forward to reading the full story. I'm sure it'll be great

Having read the original Batman: Nightwalker novel by Marie Lu a few years ago, it is such a joy to have it adapted for a graphic novel. Once again I thoroughly enjoyed this spin on Bruce Wayne in his younger years, solving crimes and getting up to no good around Gotham. While the story of the Nightwalkers is a little predictable in regards to certain minor characters being apart of the gang, I think the chemistry and friction between Bruce and Madeleine is entertaining and comes across really well through both the images and text in the graphic novel. I am definitely looking forward to seeing more of the DC Icons series adapted!

Everyone and their mother knows about the story of Batman and his motivations. But what about when Bruce decides to become Batman? The period of an eight-year old child to a young man is a long road. Here, a young Bruce Wayne fresh out of high school has to come to terms with his place in Gotham. Not fond of the socialite lifestyles, especially the ones who exploit others, Bruce dreams of doing good. Naturally however, this means getting on the bad side of law enforcement. A law enforcement whose views are so black and white, they do not bother to make the justice system better. Arkham Asylum's reputation as a revolving door prison is on full display complete with staff who are more than willing to lie and cheat their way through things. The police are of good intention but many of them don't realize how little they know.

This is actually the point of the titular Nightwalkers; unlike the League of Assassins, this group is dedicated to fighting corruption but treat it more like a war by stealing their enemies resources. Even Madeline who wants to do good by giving back gets constant backlash for it. Yet it is those views of good that get actively taken advantage of by either of these sides. The wealthy grow more powerful by having a great reach into local government and the Nightwalkers merely work in a way that makes them more extreme versions of the people they stand against.

What really strikes out to me is the line stating roughly: "If all you see is black and white, you try your best to understand color. But in the end, if you can finally see color can you ever understand it?" That is the thing that goes right into the Batman mythos. In fact, it's why the coloring is so great. Flashes of yellow display a clearer understanding of the mood. Other times it tells when things are about to get serious. That is the point of yellow on the modern Batman costume, it is a beacon of hope especially when near the chest area. Stuff like that doesn't belong on just the utility belt. As for narratives, it fits equally as well. While Bruce tries to get a better understanding of the situation, he sometimes misses the ulterior points and even goes into the Black-and-White views of others. The police meanwhile need to be shaken from their pedestal to fully understand things. In the end, Bruce matures and is well on his way to becoming Batman.

Any Batman fan or first-timer will love this.

I loved the illustrations in this book. I felt like it matched Marie Lu's novel very closely. Anything by Marie Lu is an automatic download/purchase for me so this, by extension, was also one I had to read. My students are going to love it!

This was a fast-paced and fun graphic novel. I have no knowledge of Batman-related things, but it was easy to follow along even being a newbie. I also haven't read the novel this is adapted from, but that's something I want to do now. I really enjoyed the illustrations. Bruce has huge eyes and looks quite expressionful (is that a word?), and Madeleine is so pretty and her smirks are the best. I have no complaints at all about this book. It was really nicely done!

*NetGalley provided me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Batman: Nightwalker, is the story of the younger Bruce Wayne, when he turns 18 and begins his rise in Wayne Enterprises, while trying to stop a rogue group of criminals with a huge grudge against the rich people of Gotham City. They threaten to destabilize the city, but can the young Bruce Wayne intervene and save the day?

The portrayal of the young Wayne is excellent. He isn't a snobby rich kid, but a soft-hearted soul who genuinely wants to help people. This made me root for him more than any of the other Batman comics I've read. The artwork is excellent and I found myself unable to simply put the story down. It's a fairly quick read that will bring plenty of entertainment to its readers. Highly recommended.

YES. I read this in novel form and I loved every bit of it. Adding Marie Lu's writing flair to a graphic novel about Batman seems like something that we should have thought of a LONG time ago. This series is 10/10 and one of a kind.

I like the artwork enough and the things that I liked in the book, namely, Alfred, and a less sure of himself Bruce Wayne I like here. What I didn't like--Bruce's friends who could be interesting but have little screen time--is exacerbated here because the graphic novel is short and cuts them out almost entirely. But I still cannot get over the fact that someone thought it was okay to send billionaire teenage Bruce Wayne into Arkham Asylum. In what world does that sound like a good idea??

Bruce Wayne has just celebrated his 18th birthday and is about to inherit his parent’s fortune. He should be thinking about graduation and everything that follows, but after getting involved in a police matter, he is assigned community service at Arkham Asylum. It isn’t just a mental hospital; it is a prison for the most violent convicts. It is at Arkham Asylum that Bruce meets Madeleine Wallace. She is a ruthless killer and one of the Nightwalkers that have been going after the Gotham City elite. What is Madeleine trying to keep secret? Who can Bruce trust in this crazy adult world he is trying to navigate?

Batman: Nightwalker is a graphic novel adaptation of the novel by Marie Lu. Moore and Wildgoose have done a wonderful job pulling the essential components of the original novel and crafting a graphic novel that was hard to put down. Wildgoose’s illustrations gave the story hidden depths while still allowing the reader to enjoy the story without a lot of distractions. Whether you have read the original book or not, this graphic novel is a must-read for all Batman fans (or even just those who like a good superhero story).

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I was able to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
***
Batman: Nightwalker is a graphic adaptation of the book with the same name by Marie Lu.
It was a fun ride with teenaged Bruce struggling to understand what he wants out of life and where he wants to go in it. With best friends Dianne and Harvey, as well as the constant Alfred, Bruce is in a good place for this.
On Bruce’s 18th birthday he gets into trouble interfering with a police chase and has to serve community service at Arkham Asylum where he meets Madeleine, a member of the infamous Nightwalker’s, who starts to talk to him. Is Bruce getting the truth or lies from her? He’s going to have to figure it out quick because the Nightwalkers are escalating and Bruce Wayne may not be safe from their list.

Batman: Nightwalker was an outstanding graphic novel. The story was so grasping that I read it in under two hours. The story follows young Bruce Wayne slowly becoming the Batman that we all know and love. Bruce Wayne just turned eighteen years old and graduated from high school only to get himself mingled with the city’s Nightwalker gang of bandits who target wealthy people. This graphic novel made me fall in love with Batman all over again, and I absolutely love how Marie Lu. Favorite things: page 61, there’s a picture of Bruce Wayne graduating from high school and near it, there’s also a picture of a young Muslim woman graduating, too. Holy smokes! Talk about diversity! Loved the graphics, loved the colors, loved everything about this! Thank you NetGalley and DC Entertainment for this eARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

As a teen librarian, I have been eager to read the DC comics written by bestselling YA authors. Unfortunately, having the name of a popular YA author on the cover does not guarantee an enjoyable book.

Marie Lu's story wasn't interesting and the plot was unbelievable. Eighteen-year-old Bruce Wayne is sent to an insane asylum to teach him a lesson about his privilege. This isn't a believable or appropriate punishment for a high school student. Bruce Wayne is left unsupervised with a hardened criminal. That's a lawsuit waiting to happen. I could go on, but I don't want to give anything away.

I was expecting more. If there's a sequel, I hope the plot will be more believable and exciting.

This book turned out to be quite good. The art was amazing, but I was also impressed by the storytelling. A young Bruce Wayne, perhaps easily manipulated and naive is compelling. I would recommend this book to Young Adults (YA) and not just superhero fans.

I haven’t read the novel version by Marie Lu yet, but when I saw there was a graphic novel version I knew I had to read it. I was not disappointed. It was an enjoyable read.