Customer Reviews

Batman & Houdini: The Devil's Workshop

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Veering away from the usual superhero meets other company's superhero crossover, DC has Batman meeting up with a real historical figure - Harry Houdini. Although their adventure (they're after a smiling serial killer) is pretty much what is expected, it is the atmosphere and art that makes it memorable. Read this back to back with Gotham By Gaslight and you'll be clamoring for a Batman/Sherlock Holmes crossover.

Not unusual for Houdini, actually. What is unusual is his involvement with a certain man in a bat costume. Yes, another Elseworlds Batman story in the world of Gotham By Gaslight.

This story is narrated by Houdini. An interesting twist has been added to Batman lore. If Houdini is a contemporary, then Wayne could not study his posthumous writings. Thus Batman is not very good at picking locks or making escapes. I do not want to give away the plot other than it involves missing children and a very interesting twist on the Joker (who shows up in style but not name). It also adds an interesting twist to the life of Houdini, a man who spent a great deal of time debunking the supernatural.

This Batman book was my first introduction to any Elseworlds storylines (I guess I should get Gaslight now) and I wasn't disappointed. I'm not saying it was awesome but not bad. The art was good once you get used to it and the storyline isn't too bad either. I like the fact that the writer gave Bat-Man (as he is called) more flaws than the one we're used to such as inablities to pick locks or change his voice when Bat-Man. Batman is portrayed as a rich man with a suit and a mission. No kung-fu, master detective and two gadgets in the whole book gave him a realistic look. And it made Houdini look better too. The plot wasn't too bad but could've been better but I like the portrayal of Joker. So . . .if you want something you don't have to think too much about and would like to see a Batman that is a little bit more realistic (or what he was probably like when he first started in contemporary books) then pick this up.

Bad art and a weak plot dont waste your time