BATMAN AND SON plus BONUS CONTENT: How to read Grant Morrison's entire Batman run!

BATMAN AND SON

Writer: Grant Morrison

Artists: Andy Kubert, JH Williams III, Tony S. Daniel

$19.99, DC Comics, 384 pgs.

ISBN 978-1401244026

In 2006, Scottish comics scribe Grant Morrison launched the most ambitious run in Batman's 75-year history, one ultimately hailed as among the best Batman tales ever told. That storied run begins here, as Gotham's Dark Knight discovers he has fathered a son with Talia al Ghul, daughter of Ra's al Ghul, master of assassins. Will young Damian Wayne take up the mantle of the bat, fighting crime by his father's side? Or will his upbringing by the League of Assassins turn him into Batman's deadliest foe? And who are the three Batman impersonators leaving a trail of bodies across Gotham?

From the very beginning, Morrison's run on Batman is stuffed to bursting with outlandish ideas and strange, magnificent plot twists. The Damian storyline—vital to later Batman continuity—accounts for only the first few chapters of this book. The better part of this volume is devoted to the emergence of the Black Glove, a world-spanning criminal enterprise which factors heavily into the next phase of Morrison's run, Batman R.I.P. However, while this book was clearly written to lay the groundwork for the epic storyline Morrison would tell over the next 7 years (!), BATMAN AND SON is perfectly enjoyable in its own right. Effortlessly blending the action and mystery elements of Batman's world with the absurd convolutions that world acquired in decades past, BATMAN AND SON is a wild ride.

For crying out loud, it has Batman fighting giant, mutated bat-ninjas. Don't even try to tell me that doesn't sound awesome.

TIPS FOR LIBRARIANS: You might be wondering why I'm reviewing this book. This is a new printing, sure, but the book isn't really "new." Well, three reasons. One, Batman: People will be discovering this run for years to come. Two, Morrison: He is writing DC's Multiversity event right now, and has a great deal of buzz built up around him. And three, there's a new Batman-related TV series called Gotham airing on Fox, and if the trailer for the first season is any indication, the series will draw on Morrison's abundance of ideas, thus driving readers to the source comics. In addition, this book is a bargain, as graphic novels go; it costs twenty bucks, yet contains literally twice the quantity of comics that price normally gets you. Between the interest level and the price point, you can be certain BATMAN AND SON is worth your collection development dollar.

READERS' ADVISORY NOTES: Bat-fans will definitely appreciate this title, as will fans of Morrison's other comics work. Though Morrison draws heavily on obscure Batman continuity for inspiration, knowledge of that continuity isn't required to enjoy this book; it serves as a satisfying beginning point. Morrison's Bat-run had a few horror elements in it, too (which makes sense, given that Batman's rogues gallery includes a nigh-endless parade of theme-obsessed psychotic killers), so horror buffs are likely to find something to enjoy here as well.

CONTENT ADVISORY: Superhero action/violence, some horror violence, suggestive content. If BATMAN AND SON were a film, it would carry a PG-13 rating.

BONUS: The rest of the story...

Reading Morrison's entire Batman run is a little tricky, since there's no over-arching numbering to walk you through the whole thing. If you want to read and/or purchase the whole globe-spanning epic (and why wouldn't you?), here's the reading order from beginning to end. (Note: Morrison wrote some Batman appearances in other titles, including the crossover event Final Crisis, but those appearances aren't required reading. The run itself is contained in these volumes, and events that take place outside the run are summarized in these pages.)

BATMAN AND SON (ISBN 978-1401244026)

BATMAN R.I.P. (ISBN 978-1401225766)

BATMAN: TIME AND THE BATMAN (ISBN 978-1401229900)

Strictly speaking, Time and the Batman isn't mandatory for understanding Morrison's run, as it's possible to go from the ending of Batman R.I.P. directly into Batman & Robin Vol. 1. That said, it greatly enhances the reading experience and makes the transition much more satisfying on a narrative level.

BATMAN & ROBIN Vol. 1: BATMAN REBORN (ISBN 978-1401229870)

Be careful not to confuse this series with the New 52 series Batman and Robin. Note that one uses the word "and" in the title, the other, the "&" sign; note also that the individual volumes have different titles and that Morrison is credited on one series and not the other.

BATMAN & ROBIN Vol. 2: BATMAN VS. ROBIN (ISBN 978-1401232719)

BATMAN: THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE (ISBN 978-1401233822)
The events of this book actually take place parallel to the first three or four chapters of Batman & Robin Vol. 3. It's a time travel story, though, so make of that what you will. A word of warning: this volume is tied into DC's pre-New 52 continuity in a myriad of ways, which might make it tough to follow if you're not a longtime DC reader. That said, this story explains a number of plot points key to the second phase of Morrison's run, so it's worth the confusion.

BATMAN & ROBIN Vol. 3: BATMAN & ROBIN MUST DIE (ISBN 978-1401235086)

BATMAN INCORPORATED (ISBN 978-1401238278)

This volume collects the first comics released under the Batman, Incorporated title; the next two on the list collect the second series to bear that title. Both series are vital to understanding the run, as this is where the whole thing builds to its conclusion.

BATMAN INCORPORATED Vol. 1: DEMON STAR (ISBN 978-1401242633)

BATMAN INCORPORATED Vol. 2: GOTHAM'S MOST WANTED (ISBN 978-1401246976)

Review copyright©C. Michael Hall, 2014.