Batman: Heart of Hush [Hardcover]

Paul Dini (Author), Dustin Nguyen (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 7, 2009

The villain named Hush, created by comic superstars Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee, makes a dramatic return to the life of Batman. What will this mean for Bruce Wayne? Secrets shared years ago between Bruce Wayne and Tommy Elliott begin to have dangerous repercussions in the present. Why is this mystery driving Hush to destroy Batman's life? What part does Catwoman play in Hush's plans?

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Paul Dini is the multi-award-winning writer of many scripts for Batman: The Animated Series, and has also written for the Superman and Justice League animated series. His comics work includes Batman: Black and White and Batman Adventures. Dustin Nguyen has pencilled the critically acclaimed WildCats 3.0 and The Authority. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: DC Comics (April 7, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401221238
• ISBN-13: 978-1401221232
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.4 x 10.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #156,678 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An affair of the heart, April 7, 2009

By 

Jon Repesh (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Batman: Heart of Hush (Hardcover)

It's probably fair to say that Paul Dini's five part Hush arc was anxiously anticipated on two counts, the first in observing what he could finally deliver on a Batman tale benefitting from a more accomodating longer format, and the second in discovering how much further he could expound and embellish on Tommy Elliot's mysterious and controversial background. While we do learn more about his troubled childhood and the subsequent vengeful behavior that arose from it, this may be a prime example where less is more and things are best left shrouded, as some characters are more intriguing if certain aspects about them remain a riddle. Most of the revelations do come about from the debatable yet probably unavoidable use of expository flashbacks, whose primary purpose was to both illuminate Tommy's enigmatic past plus possibly give him a sympathetic slant and more rational motivations for his ultimately becoming Hush. The flashbacks however are somewhat excessive, comprising a significant chunk of the narrative, given that the technique itself is most effective when used sparingly. More importantly, the story clearly suffers from its' totally over the top and implausible situations that diminish its' logical credibility, from the medical predicament inflicted upon Selina combined with Hush's surgically altered "new" face, to the overly coincidental encounters in his youth with Jonathan Crane and Peyton Riley, who would eventually go on to become the Scarecrow and new Ventriloquist. Peyton's dastardly role in Tommy's past is especially troublesome considering it contradicts and undermines her empathetic plight and portrayal in a recent two-parter from a few months past. What fortunately does spark is the poignant and passionate reigniting of Bruce's feelings toward Selina, an affair of the heart that aptly and succinctly symbolizes the story's metaphoric title. Despite its' flaws, many critics of Hush will undoubtedly welcome this tale strictly for its' elaboration on his persona alone, but regrettably it falls short of the expectations that his much awaited return and the added length generated in comparison to the rest of Dini's exceptional tenure on 'Tec.

15 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What Came To Be Before Batman R.I.P., April 10, 2009

By 

A. Vickers - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Batman: Heart of Hush (Hardcover)

I won't bore you with a recap (and I won't give away any plot spoilers), but I will give some background information. Heart of Hush is officially part of the Batman R.I.P. storyline, but takes place a couple of nights before the events of RIP proper (and therefore, before Final Crisis). Hush, upon learning of the Black Glove's intentions for Batman, returns to Gotham to make one final attempt on his nemesis. What happens in the story, I won't say, but it is a very good story. The Heart of Hush storyline officially ends within this book, but an epilogue of it takes place in the 'Faces of Evil' issues of Batman and Detective Comics (Not collected in this), but they aren't necessary and only serve as to give closure to some of the characters in this story. The story officially picks up in Batman RIP and then Final Crisis, telling the story of the 'last' adventure of Batman.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Dark Knight vs. The Bandaged Man: Round 3, March 24, 2010

By 

JME2 "Geek" (Monterey, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Batman: Heart of Hush (Hardcover)

I have a number of problems with "Batman: Hush". It is, at best, an average Bat-story that happens to have very good artwork. One of my main problems was the titular villain. Writer Jeph Loeb and Artist Jim Lee simply failed to create an engaging villain. His motivations for launching his scheme were weak and cliched. To me, Hush was a one-trick pony who should have stayed dead, but naturally, DC milked the cash cow with "Hush Returns". So when Paul Dini revealed that he had plans for Hush, I was worried, even with Dini's knack for characterization. Thankfully, I was more or less wrong.

The book opens in the days leading up to the events of "Batman: RIP" and essentially serves as Dini's final storyline for Detective Comics (though elements have been continued through the current Batman: Streets of Gotham and Gotham City Sirens books). Hush has resurfaced in Gotham and is ready for Round 3 with the Dark Knight. However, his plans for revenge against Batman are accelerated by the Black Glove's own campaign against the pointy-eared one. Parallel to this new campaign is a re-examination of Hush's childhood and his transformation into the bandaged villain. Dini doesn't work miracles, but he does manage to inject some needed complexity into the character by expanding on the flashbacks from "Batman: Hush". He even manages to tie in elements from his earlier stories and give a sense of unity to his entire tenure on Detective comics. His characterization of Batman and the world of Gotham is spot on, from a perfect summation of his relationship with Selina Kyle to an absolutely hilarious Joker cameo. Artist Dustin Nguyen is also right at home with his style which is equal parts Scott McDaniel and Mike Mignola.

Ultimately, Heart of Hush is another worthwhile outing from Paul Dini and Company.