Three and a half stars.
Back in 1999, DC Comics came out with BATMAN: NO MAN'S LAND, a momentous year-long event which ran thru the Batman-related titles, including that of Nightwing and Robin (although, unfortunately, none of their issues were collected in the five No Man's Land trades). In the wake of the filovirus and the earthquake which ravaged Gotham and its denizens, Congress shockingly withholds federal aid and declares the ruined city unsalvageable. Gotham is evacuated and then cut off from the rest of the world. With Batman nowhere in sight, what's left of Gotham rapidly devolves into a savage, near feudal state, with city blocks carved up into fiefdoms by vicious gangs and Arkham Asylum escapees. This is the worst Gotham has ever been.
One hundred days later, Batman finally shows up.
Okay, this stuff happened almost a decade ago, but, what the heck - minor SPOILERS follow now.
BATMAN: NO MAN'S LAND, Vol. 2 continues Batman's attempts to reclaim the city from the lawless, except that in this volume he suffers a setback. In Volume 1, he'd already drawn the help of Oracle and the Huntress; here, he forms temporary alliances with the Penguin, who ramrods Gotham's largest black market, and Lock-Up, who now controls Blackgate Prison, which Batman uses to hold captured criminals.
On the GCPD end of things, the GCPD Blue Boys (ex-cops who volunteered to stay in Gotham to uphold law & order) attempt to expand their territory by crossing into the Penguin's border. Ex-Commissioner James Gordon strives to hang on to his principles, even as he feels control of his men eroding away. These issues continue to explore Gordon's bitter disenchantment with Batman, who he feels had abandoned Gotham in its direst need. The two-part "Mosaic" pits Batman against Black Mask and has Barbara Gordon finally finding out about the new Batgirl. "Shades of Grey" has Batman questioning himself, so distracted is he that he puts his costume on backwards.
Also several stand alone stories here, including a story taking place just prior to No Man's Land, an account of an encounter between Detective Renee Montoya and Two-Face. This is significant because it sets the stage for a sub-plot later down the line, as Two-Face would fall in love with Montoya and act on it, but in his own special, deranged fashion. Volume 2 closes with the two-part "Claim Jumping," in which Two-Face finally makes his big move. Come to think of it, everyone makes their big move (Batman doesn't come off too well).
How tricky must it have been, juggling several Bat titles and having to keep tabs on the various storylines. The writers, the excellent Greg Rucka among them, do a good job of keeping things consistent and chronological. The beef is with the artwork, as a dizzying host of illustrators parade in and out. The most grating is D'Israeli, who handles the art chore for the "Bread and Circuses" two-parter. Dude's style is cartoony and is so NOT tailored to the grim goings-on in No Man's Land. The best artist in the bunch is Frank Teran ("Mosaic"), whose gritty, shadowy take is spot on. I also dig his wiry muscular Batman.
For those who care, BATMAN: NO MAN'S LAND Vol. 2 collects BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #117 & 119, BATMAN: SHADOW OF THE BAT #85-87, BATMAN #565, DETECTIVE COMICS #732-733, and BATMAN CHRONICLES #16.
If you simply don't have the time to read all five trades compiling No Man's Land or if you just want to read an exciting, well-written book, check out Greg Rucka's novelization of
Batman: No Man's Land. I happen to think it's the best book adaptation from a comic book story ever.
