Customer Reviews

Batman the Cult

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This is one of the few Batman tales that deserve to be mentioned with "The Killing Joke" and "Return of the Dark Knight". It may even top those other two. A story in which the theme "Why doesn't Batman just finish his enemies ?" is well handled by attaching it close to reality and detailed storytelling. It's solid as can be, everything that happens is backed up by logical reasoning.

A lot of people have been disappearing off the Gotham streets lately when Batman decides to investigate. He winds up in some place hidden in the sewers. There he is told the legend of an ancient wronged shaman, one that amazingly enough appears to be in front of him at that moment. The Bat learns what the man and his followers are about and he is mildly disgusted, but after hearing more and more arguments he's slowly converted. While deacon Blackfire's group grows bigger and bigger, Gotham becomes a place of chaos. And the police are puzzled by the info they dig up on the deacon.

This is more than your ordinary 'Good guy vs. Bad guy' story in which Batman has to fight an idea, rather than a man. An idea most of Gotham gets to be convinced of. Ironically, Jason Todd a.k.a. the most unpopular Robin plays an important role in one of the best Batman stories there is. One in which Batman is broken so much worse than in 'Knigthfall'. The art is quite detailed (like Gibbons in "Give me Liberty") but fluid, while the follow-up of panels reminds of Dark Knight Returns. It's very cinematic and keeps you interested. If you're a fan of Batman-books or interested in `religious hype & suggestion' this is for you. It amazes me this book hasn't gotten more credit.

Frank Miller changed the rules in 1986 with The Dark Knight Returns. Jim Starlin follows up on that success, borrowing certain ideas from Miller's landmark story -- including a wicked new Batmobile -- while keeping elements of The Cult firmly within the bounds of current comic-book chronology.

The Cult is one of the stand-out stories from the brief period when Jason Todd filled Robin's pixie boots. It also manages to mess with the Batman's sanity and create a major, citywide crisis in Gotham without DC's usual several-month crossover extravaganza.

I actually have only the first part of the comics series, but even that is amazing. I wish could find the other ones, but I think I'll ask my parents for this on Christmas. It's kind of creepy, since this is how most cults pull in people in. But I don't think most of them make the followers murder people. I really recommend it.

The picture used to represent the item being sold is inaccurate, and furthermore, I believe it's causing sellers to sell their items under the wrong listing. The 1991 print, which is being sold under this listing, is a complete collection of all four books/volumes bound into one book. If someone is selling any of the books/volumes individually, they are selling the 1988 print which is incorrect. Some sellers are selling "Book One: The Ordeal" because that is the picture that was used for this listing, and it is wrong. The correct cover shows a picture of a tattered Batman in what appears to be a dirty, underground tunnel, and there is no mention as to specific volumes such as "Book Four: Combat" on the front cover. If you purchase this item from a seller that does not provide an accurate description concerning the content of the book and you receive "Book One: Ordeal" instead of getting all the volumes in one book, then that seller has made an error and is accountable to you. In that case, you should be able to contest that error and receive a refund. I have not actually read the series, but I'd really like to; unfortunately, many of the descriptions are inaccurate, so I decided to do a bit of research before making a purchase.