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jmanchester0's review against another edition
4.0
This is not your usual Batman story.
I've always Iiked the characterization of Batman as urban legend. Something about that resonates with me and seems in keeping with criminals being a "superstitious and cowardly lot". If Batman isn't mysterious and makes public appearances, that would take away from the fear he creates.
But this could almost read like the last Batman story. It pulls him out of the fantasy superhero world he lives in, and puts him in the real world, facing the real ugliness that exists there. And from that, I should think, there's no going back.
And I find it odd that after so many years fighting the dregs of society, he has this existential crisis and suddenly wants fight the lowest of the dregs of this society.
That being said, it's an interesting story, and well-written, though the subject matter is a bit dark. But it's probably good - more awareness always needs to be raised about child trafficking - even if it takes a Batman story to do it. And read the piece at the end, an eye-opening article about the child sex trade.
I've always Iiked the characterization of Batman as urban legend. Something about that resonates with me and seems in keeping with criminals being a "superstitious and cowardly lot". If Batman isn't mysterious and makes public appearances, that would take away from the fear he creates.
But this could almost read like the last Batman story. It pulls him out of the fantasy superhero world he lives in, and puts him in the real world, facing the real ugliness that exists there. And from that, I should think, there's no going back.
And I find it odd that after so many years fighting the dregs of society, he has this existential crisis and suddenly wants fight the lowest of the dregs of this society.
That being said, it's an interesting story, and well-written, though the subject matter is a bit dark. But it's probably good - more awareness always needs to be raised about child trafficking - even if it takes a Batman story to do it. And read the piece at the end, an eye-opening article about the child sex trade.
fil's review
3.0
Good, simple story with heavy, heavy subject matter. Having the Batman (yes, it was always ‘the’ Batman) be clueless - ignorant really - about human trafficking bugged me, as did having him... almost condon killing! My biggest problem was with Vachss adding a purpose to the Waynes’ murder. The etiology of Batman has but one source: senseless violence. Batman can fight cosmic beings and the like but he is at his best when stopping the perpetrators of random violence. The (sort of) anticlimactic ending was a nice touch though. Finally, despite his unwarranted ignorance on that one thing, Batman was well written.
amandat's review
3.0
While I recognize that writing a Superhero book for adults is difficult, I agree with other reviewers that the subject matter is too heavy for this book. In addition, it's handled with such a preachy feel that it takes away from the story (plot isn't strong in this book either).
I didn't like Andrew Vachss's take on the character. I've never bought into that Bruce Wayne and Batman are two different people, as if he has a split personality. Vachss treats Bruce as if he's a hollow shell, which is something I've just never agreed with. Plus, there's a revelation in the book that really doesn't support any other versions of the Batman origin story (at least, not that I know of) and it feels overly dramatic - there's no real reason for the secrecy (other than to create direction for the plot and give Alfred something to do).
Certainly not the best Batman book geared to adults, but not the worst either.
I didn't like Andrew Vachss's take on the character. I've never bought into that Bruce Wayne and Batman are two different people, as if he has a split personality. Vachss treats Bruce as if he's a hollow shell, which is something I've just never agreed with. Plus, there's a revelation in the book that really doesn't support any other versions of the Batman origin story (at least, not that I know of) and it feels overly dramatic - there's no real reason for the secrecy (other than to create direction for the plot and give Alfred something to do).
Certainly not the best Batman book geared to adults, but not the worst either.
whitejamaica's review
3.0
Oh, what I would give to read a good Batman novel (traditional text version, of course). While [b:Batman: The Ultimate Evil|107134|Batman The Ultimate Evil|Andrew Vachss|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1223645611s/107134.jpg|834278] had a few fun moments early on, the sprint turned out to be a marathon and this novel fell short. Many things in this novel made me cringe, and ultimately I had to stop 3/4 of the way through. Here are some of my notes:
- "The Batman", "The Night-Rider", "The Shadow"... Just call him Batman for pete's sake
- relationship with Debrah Kane seems forced (and Kane??? relation to Martha Kane [Bruce's mother's maiden name] not explored... do some research)
- a PLETHORA of unique goons introduced by the author... not a good thing ("The Middleman" was kind of fun, I'll admit but "Rosie the Riveter" and "One-Punch Gary"? Not to mention the name of that kid from Chicago who can predict the weather in any country with nearly 100% accuracy [by using his "secret and complex formulas"] and his younger brother who is an entrepreneurial genius [aka Nick the Quick]. Too much. At times, it reads as if Vachss didn't have the legal right to include any DC characters what with the frequency at which he referred to Wayne as "The Night-Rider" and the odd exclusion of many regulars from the comics.
- Bruce Wayne doesn't sound anything like Bruce Wayne
- What's the deal with Bruce Wayne never addressing Alfred by his name. It's always "loyal friend" or "old friend". Very peculiar. Also, the term "butler" is never used. Is Vachss trying to be political? For what reason?
- "The Batman" doesn't sound anything like Batman
- The final 50 pages of the book take place outside of Gotham, with Batman going rogue and international to stop a kid-smuggling ring based out of a fictitious island near Australia. Stick to Gotham, Batman
- Too political. The story revolves around child abuse and Batman's attempt to stop its proliferation throughout Gotham (Bruce recognizes it as his first legitimate "War on Crime" where as everything else has been "War on Criminals.") Being a Batman story, I want the focus to be on Batman, and not the narrator. The author's voice bled through too many times for me to get absorbed into the book. And, FYI Mr. Vachss, I know that child molestation is bad. I know that rape is bad. I am on your side! Stop throwing all this propaganda and research in my face! I thought this was supposed to be about Batman... Oh well.
2.5/5 Stars
- "The Batman", "The Night-Rider", "The Shadow"... Just call him Batman for pete's sake
- relationship with Debrah Kane seems forced (and Kane??? relation to Martha Kane [Bruce's mother's maiden name] not explored... do some research)
- a PLETHORA of unique goons introduced by the author... not a good thing ("The Middleman" was kind of fun, I'll admit but "Rosie the Riveter" and "One-Punch Gary"? Not to mention the name of that kid from Chicago who can predict the weather in any country with nearly 100% accuracy [by using his "secret and complex formulas"] and his younger brother who is an entrepreneurial genius [aka Nick the Quick]. Too much. At times, it reads as if Vachss didn't have the legal right to include any DC characters what with the frequency at which he referred to Wayne as "The Night-Rider" and the odd exclusion of many regulars from the comics.
- Bruce Wayne doesn't sound anything like Bruce Wayne
- What's the deal with Bruce Wayne never addressing Alfred by his name. It's always "loyal friend" or "old friend". Very peculiar. Also, the term "butler" is never used. Is Vachss trying to be political? For what reason?
- "The Batman" doesn't sound anything like Batman
- The final 50 pages of the book take place outside of Gotham, with Batman going rogue and international to stop a kid-smuggling ring based out of a fictitious island near Australia. Stick to Gotham, Batman
- Too political. The story revolves around child abuse and Batman's attempt to stop its proliferation throughout Gotham (Bruce recognizes it as his first legitimate "War on Crime" where as everything else has been "War on Criminals.") Being a Batman story, I want the focus to be on Batman, and not the narrator. The author's voice bled through too many times for me to get absorbed into the book. And, FYI Mr. Vachss, I know that child molestation is bad. I know that rape is bad. I am on your side! Stop throwing all this propaganda and research in my face! I thought this was supposed to be about Batman... Oh well.
2.5/5 Stars
nbspacegay's review
2.0
This is a bad book. It's clearly just like the author going look at this political issue, but like less subtly than that. It does a decent job of say, raising awareness, but as a book falls very flat. For example no child abuse survivors speak in the book at all. We meet one girl, who does not speak a single word that a random man renames after his dead sister who was also a victim of sex trafficking, which really doesn't send the message I think the author intended. Anyways this dude needs some sensitivity training or something lmao
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