Customer Reviews

Batman: War on Crime

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is one of the four large formatted books written by Paul Dini (Batman The Animated Series, Mad Love) and illustrated by Alex Ross (Kingdom Come, Marvels, Uncle Sam). The premise of the story is simple...it is basically a day/night in the life of Bruce Wayne/Batman. However, just because it is a simple premise does not mean that it is not enjoyable. The story basically revolves around a boy whose parents are killed in a robbery. This case interests the Dark Knight because it has intimate parallels with his life. But the similarities end there because unlike Bruce Wayne, the boy has no financial endowment left by his parents and soon turn to crime. This leads the Batman to question his own life and motivation as to whether he would not do the same thing if he had the financial backings stripped away as well. A pretty standard premise but with Paul Dini's writing style, it is quite enjoyable.

Now for the art....stunning. There is no other way to describe it. This is how Batman would look in real life. The costume stays true to the comics and is a far departure from the rubber and leather outfits shown in the movies. Also, forget the overly muscled, vein popping, juiced up characters usually portrayed in comics. This is how Batman should and would look. Alex Ross is truly a master of his craft and this book is mainly a showcase for his talent.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone. It is recommended for adults and children (there are no graphic violence as prevalent in some comics). You do not have to be familiar with any of Batman's history or complicated continuity in order to enjoy this book. Highly recommended.

First of all, the art is basically the reason to buy this book. Yeah, there's a story, and yeah, it ain't bad, and yeah, Dini can write this stuff really well, but come on, people: ALEX ROSS! That said, the art, in case you hadn't yet gotten the impression, is incredible, as it is in the book's predecessor, Superman: Peace on Earth. One thing you should know: this isn't really a comic book in the sense that you normally think of comic books, as pictures with speech and thought bubbles on them. It's narrated by Batman, and nobody else gets to say anything that we don't hear from Batman's perspective. It's kind of a cross between a comic book and a picture book. If you're a fan of Batman, this is definitely worth owning. Just don't expect it to be in comic book format. Not that you'll be disappointed anyway.

The amazing craftsmanship of art truly does transcend words. a piece of art can speak volumes and in many different languages all together. The little subtle details truly makes the difference between that kind of art and that which is in truth can be rightfully called a masterpiece. Batman: war on Crime, albeit not a literary wonder, is a gem of a work of art.

Alex Ross popped into the comic world with MARVELS. A project so ambitious that it catapulted Ross into comic book stardom and helped bring in the world of realistic painted art and that of comic book storytelling. Ross became a very crucial and influential player in the comic book scene, where comic book fans would purchase a whole comic just to look at a cover he had painted without caring who really is drawing or writing the comic itself. His approach to characters was one of a kind and his take on certain heroes truly helped define them into the mainstream.

With this work, Ross teams up Paul Dini, the producer of the critically acclaimed animated Batman show. Though the story and plot is not thought-provoking and searing as one might want it to be, the art compensates for that. Here you look at Batman, with the most human of all attributes. He never looked more human, even in his movies. The physique is drawn just right with no bulging muscles ready to tear apart from the skin. The detail works into such that you can actually feel what the cape's material is even, which is more of a polyester, nylon look rather than the rubber associated with the movies. Ross excels in bringing out the right facial expressions with the right kind of actions. Any reader would feel he or she is reading through a photography book of a man wearing a Halloween costume of a large Bat, patrolling the streets of Gotham.

All in all, the book truly reads like a graphic novel. No dialogue bubbles to ruin the artwork which is a plus. Dini tries hard making the reader notice his story and what he's trying to say by it, but in the end, it is Ross who manages to pull things together and creates magic with painting brush.

Continuing the collaboration started with Superman: Peace on Earth, Dini/Ross continue their look at DC's Big Three (+ Captain Marvel) :-) with Batman: War on Crime.

No one--and I mean *no one* (I'm looking at you, Frank Miller!)--knows Batman better than Dini. How he continues to have fresh ideas after writing x number of Batman: The Animated Series episodes I'll never know, but god bless him for it.

His Batman is an amalgamation of the Batman shown to us by all the major creators who have come before: at once campy, grim, obsessive, frightening, determined, even possibly crazy.

And yet Dini puts his own mark on the Dark Knight Detective.

Ross's artwork, of course, is unspeakably gorgeous.

Highest possible recommendation.

This book is a must have for anyone who enjoys comic books, anything about Batman, and a good, thoughtful adventure. Like Superman: Peace on Earth, this story is narated by Batman and tells of an introspective adventure that defines the character. The premise is that Batman stops a theif, only to learn that the guy murdered the parents of a small boy before his eye. Sound familiar? This hits a little close to home for Batman, and so he sets out on a quest to redeam this section of Gotham, and hopefully the boy too, as he has no one else to look out for him. The art, by the famed Alex Ross of Marvels and Kingdom Come, is actually full page paintings, (no, not drawings, real paintings!) with living models used for the characters. His portrayals of Batman in action are excellent, perfectly capturing the grace and power of Batman's moves. So if you haven't gotten the picture yet, BUY THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW AND KEEP IT ON YOUR COFFEE TABLE WHERE EVERYONE WILL PICK IT AND SAY "WOW!"!

If anyone else had done the artwork for this book, it would rank as 2 or 3 stars, at best. The storyline, while interesting, is nothing all that original or captivating and certainly is not some of Paul Dini's best work. However, Alex Ross is one of the few artists whose art alone makes a graphic novel worth buying. He is among an elite few in the comics industry whose sensational artwork can make even a substandard plotline seem marvelous (some others being early '90's Todd McFarlane, and perhaps Frank Miller -- although Miller's writing is so good that the artwork scarcely needs to make up the difference). Ross beautifully captures the "dark, gritty" feel of the classic Batman tales from the last 15 years; but the painted artwork makes the images feel as if they transcend mere artwork. When I finished reading this book, I didn't remember much of the storyline and I didn't care -- the artwork is simply too good to overlook. If you are a Batman fan of any age, this is not one to be missed!

Warning: there are no arch-villains or spectacular fights in this book; there is not much of a plot either.
But if you belong to one of these types of people, this book MUST reside in your library:
* Batman followers
* Classic Graphic Novel enthusiasts
* Alex Ross' art collectors

The story line is simple - Batman sees a reflection of himself in a young boy whose parents are killed by an act of futile violence, which Batman was too late to prevent. Unlike young Bruce Wayne who had the family wealth and a loyal butler to fall back on, the boy has nobody to look out for him, and he is just on the brink of submitting himself to a life of violence. Batman reaches out through both his identities to make better of the boys life as well as the part of town he lives in.

But don't buy this book for the story.
Batman has never been more human then in this book. Both in text (which, thank God, is elegantly placed amongst the pictures, without the typical "balloons") and in the artwork.

What can I write about the artwork that has not been already written?
If you are not familiar with the work of Alex Ross, this is a very good starting point. If you are, you may appreciate it even more.
I find his work in this book downright touching. Unlike works like "Kingdom come" where the fine lines of the muscular superhero forms and the details of their costumes and weapon sometimes compete with the amazing depiction of human faces and bodies, in "War on Crime" there is more then enough canvas space to let a true master show off his skill. Here Alex Ross shows you Batman for what he is, a man in and out of a costume, his face showing a spectrum of human expressions, and his body showing the scars of many years of harsh crime fighting. The sheer power and strength embodied in this human form are ever so evident, without the anatomically-exaggerated, pumped-up, vein-throbbing muscles so frequently found in other comic artists works.
In addition, some of the full-pane pictures are utterly breathtaking, like the classical two-page view of Batman looking down on Gotham, understanding that he may never have a complete victory over crime.

Well, this is one of the cornerstones of *my* graphic novel library, anyway...

This book, beautifully illustrated by Alex Ross and written by Paul Dini, is nothing short of spectacular. It brings a new and interesting look into the graphic novel format with a surreal/nostalgic look that transcends one's visual perception into a world of intense imagination.

This is done because this "comic" is dimensionally much larger than most; Therefore, the pictures are bigger. This extra size allows the viewer (I say viewer instead of reader because it is the strength of the art work by Ross that makes this novel so good) to become absorbed with the visual story first. Then read with the proper mind set (leaving the analytical mind at the door) one see's and thinks as Batman see's and thinks. Get this book today!

Alex Ross continues to amaze with his range of artwork. He is a worthy successor to Norman Rockwell (what would a Batman by Rockwell be like?) The story is good but its the artwork that tells the tale of the caped crusader in his daily efforts to rid Gotham City of crime. Bruce Wayne also plays a large role in this story. Very fine addition to the DC mythos.

Hey Bat-Squad Blue Boys and Girls! Greetings from the soon-to-be-no-more No Man's Land! Oh yeah Happy New Year 2000...anyways, down to business. BATMAN: WAR ON CRIME is a phenomenal work by Alex Ross and Paul Dini because it captures the Dark Knight's raison d'etre...to fight crime in all its elements. Whether it be the grim and gritty streets or the jaded halls of high society, Batman/Bruce Wayne is there to go about the business of justice, and it is this principle that is so eloquently captured by this book: justice. It was refreshing to see Batman not just combat the symptoms of crime but also its causes in his guise as Bruce Wayne, and this is something that you rarely see in comics or superhero-related literature. Alex Ross' artwork is breathtaking, and I wholeheartedly agree with the previous reviewer about making a comparison to Norman Rockwell's art...Ross has certainly done 'im proud. Paul Dini once again offers us a concise, heartfelt story that is touching on many levels. All in all, BATMAN: WAR ON CRIME is a worthy successor to the legacy created by the team who did SUPERMAN: PEACE ON EARTH...in fact, I must say that B:WOC is a timeless story that encapsulates the fight for justice in fiction as well as in real life. Until next time, swingin' around the city on a nearly broken line...

- Gary da M3 Jetstorm