Customer Reviews

Spawn: Batman

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

When I bought this book, I really wanted to like it. For me, Frank Miller has always seemed to take ordinary comics heroes, give them a few twists, portray them in a new light, and still entertain you while he's doing it. He did that in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and Daredevil:Born Again. Unfortunately this time Miller's script really is just the "same old thing" with all the cliches that come with super character team-ups. Two supercharacters are drawn together by common problem, the two characters fight for a while, two characters put aside differences to solve common problem (that isn't all that interesting anyway), and finally two characters go their seperate ways. McFarlane doesn't help the cause for the fact that he is well known for drawing flashy pin-up type pictures instead of panels that help to tell the story. If you want to look at a couple nice shots of Spawn and Batman jumping off rooftops and looking "intense", then maybe you'd like this. But, if you are looking for a well-written and drawn story that will enthrall you or make you think, then stay away from this one folks! Go buy Batman: Year One or one of Miller's Sin City collections and enjoy.

I expected more from Frank Miller, but this book is gharish, irritating, and just plain stupid. I blame the inclusion of Spawn in this crossover.

For example, 70% of the time, Batman in this book is mumbling about how Spawn has no disipline. I never thought mumbling could come through on paper, but that's what we got here. I lost count how many times Batman says "punk" in this book. If Spawn wasn't in this book, perhaps Batman might not find it necessary to mumble.

Sure, there are pretty drawings and panels (Which is why I gave this book two stars instead of one), but this story is so unintelligible, it isn't even worth your time to buy this book for those pretty drawings. I don't even know what the plot is about, other than doctors using humans for robots. I'm not sure if this problem was solved, and I read through the book twice!

If you want the best of Frank Miller, get "The Dark Knight Returns" or "Year One." At least with those stories, you won't be able to spot Spawn anywhere.

Unfortunately this is a terrible book. I simply cannot for the life of be believe that Frank Miller wrote this. Of all the stuff he has written this is by far his worst. Hey, I even like his much malaigned The Dark Knight Strikes Again, but this is just ridiculous.
Batman is written to be some absurd caped crusader that keeps on called Spawn a punk. Batman has seriously lost his marbles in this book. Spawn, ironically enough, is portrayed much more human than his counterpart.
The plot involves some absurd story of doctors using robots and voodoo. I kid you not.
Frank what happened?

Mediocre story, could've been ok if it wasn't for the objectionable interaction between Spawn and Batman. Batman repeatably calls Spawn a punk, but they basically both act like arrogant punks. Batman's personality seems like something of a parody of his Dark Knight Returns self. Lot's of things could've easily been so much better but I still think the book was a decent read through, despite it being very dissapointing in most ways.

So why am I giving it three stars? The art. I love it. The panels are simple but beautiful in that special Todd McFarlane way.

Let's face it kids: Miller and McFarlane are two of the most talented (or at least popular) people to ever work in the comic medium. And this is, hands down, the BEST Spawn/Batman crossover there is. Is it a bit short on plot? YES. Is the artwork a bit too flashy in places? OH, YES. But, as a crossover book, this is definitely top draw for my dollar. Nobody writes either Spawn or Batman as well as Frank Miller, and he manages to pull through in most cases here. McFarlane's artwork is, well, McFarlane's, so if you don't like it, don't pick this one up. But if you're a fan of either Miller or McFarlane, and if you have a real interest in how these two characters would interact (which is really what this is about, not the villian), then this book is definitely worth your money.

wow,this brings back memories.the first time i saw the cover of this book was way back in '94, in batman nightquest days,azrael days.and after nine years ,i managed to get hold of a copy,thanks to amazon.
about the book:good art,good coloring,but bad story.
the book says it's a companion piece to dc's the dark knight returns. a frank miller story.batman in it has the same feelings as in the dark knight returns, old and grumpy,minus the great story of course.and it's about illegal military weapon experiments with robots,which batman accidentally discovers,and takes him to new york,were he collides with spawn for vigilante methods differences,until the obviuos end. spawn looks great and angry as usual .mcfarlane's art is good.and there is a nice surprise on the last page.but the boring story...
for collectors only.
p.s can somebody asks dc to print more azrael graphic novels?
there is only knight's end knightfall,and the sword

This story outside the DC Batman story line depicts the Caped Crusader as a borderline psychotic that refuses to compromise with Spawn or admit that he is overmatched when fighting him. The two become unlikely allies when a sinister force captures skid row derelicts, removes their heads and places them inside a powerful robotic body. There is a great deal of gore and blood, some of which is Batman's as he senselessly fights with spawn.
Eventually even the semi-crazy will see the logic of reason and Batman and Spawn momentarily team up to thwart an attempt to ignite a war that will largely cleanse the planet of its human infestation. However, once the battle is won, Batman's hatred for Spawn remains and he gives him a prejudicial batarang as a parting "gift."
This story has a fundamental weakness, Batman's irrational hatred for Spawn. After getting systematically clobbered in a fight with him, Batman plots revenge and you reach the point where if he utters the phrase "lack of discipline" one more time you will fold the magazine and leave. While portraying Batman as a little nuts is a proven story line, having him this far gone reduces the story to the machinations of a wild man.

Ripping into Todd McFarlane is the in thing to do these days, but I loved his art back in the day, and I love it now. When Todd and the rest left for Image, it was huge. The first few issues of Spawn were incredible, with a color pallatte no one had ever seen in comics, and Todd unleashed to go as splashy as he wanted. When this was announced, people were foaming at the mouth, especially with Miller penning it. I look at this book as a summer blockbuster. I ain't expecting the Bard! This is exactly what a good summer movie should be, fun and larger than life. The writing is weird, but then, so is Frank. The art is classic Todd, and seeing Todd's version of Batman again is worth the price of admission. is it highbrow ? Heck no, but who cares, it is FUN

Spawn comics are typically thin emotionally. Since hischaracter is pretty awfully constructed, Batman has to dumb himselfdown to fit into his comic book. The colors are garish, the dialogueis awful, and the layouts stink. As others have said, the pinups(i.e. every panel) are cute. The inside back cover is a dedication toJack Kirby, which, when you think about it, is absolutelyhilarious. Frank Miller is an enigma; it seems that he has a severecase of multiple personality disorder... hopefully, his forthcomingsequel to "The Dark Knight Returns" will be written on agood day.

An inter-company crossover tale. Batman doesn't like the guy that he meets from the other universe. There's a huge, massive, shocker. After some posturing and much flowing around of cool looking capes they realise they have to take on the crazed supervillain type out to do really, really, bad things.

Good capes, not much else.