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Batman
Batman: Other Realms
This volume takes Batman on two surreal journeys: the first to ancient Norway for an encounter with a mythic Bat Man; the second, following a near-fatal car cash, leads him into a strange realm of the subconscious.
135 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1998
2 people are currently reading
186 people want to read
About the author
Scott Hampton
229 books37 followersA freelance comic book artist known for his diversity, Hampton has illustrated such iconic properties as Batman, Sandman, Black Widow, Hellraiser, and Star Trek in addition to work on his creator-owned projects such as The Upturned Stone.
He began his career following in the footsteps of brother and fellow comic book creator Bo Hampton. Both Scott and Bo studied under Will Eisner in 1976. Scott's first professional comics work was the three-page story "Victims" published in Warren Publishing's Vampirella #101 in 1981. Scott's work on Silverheels from Pacific Comics in 1983 is regarded as the first continuing painted comic. His latest works include "Spookhouse," released in 2004 by IDW Publishing, in which he adapted his favorite ghost stories into sequential form, and Batman: Gotham County line from DC comics in 2005. Scott is currently working full time on the creator-owned series "Simon Dark" with writer Steve Niles for DC Comics.
"The Upturned Stone" was optioned in Summer of 2005 for film production by David Foster, but the studio lost the option and the story was recently optioned by another producer. Scott is also pursuing a passion outside of comics: film making. He completed his first short independent film "The Tontine" in April, 2006. It's his loose adaptation of a 21 page comic piece that he worked on and appeared by the same name in the Hellraiser comic series. The 29 minute film was shot at the same cabin used in Eli Roth's "Cabin Fever (film)". There are versions of it available to view on Myspace (partial), Google Video (full), and Youtube (split into 3 parts).
Scott lives with his wife Letitia in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
He began his career following in the footsteps of brother and fellow comic book creator Bo Hampton. Both Scott and Bo studied under Will Eisner in 1976. Scott's first professional comics work was the three-page story "Victims" published in Warren Publishing's Vampirella #101 in 1981. Scott's work on Silverheels from Pacific Comics in 1983 is regarded as the first continuing painted comic. His latest works include "Spookhouse," released in 2004 by IDW Publishing, in which he adapted his favorite ghost stories into sequential form, and Batman: Gotham County line from DC comics in 2005. Scott is currently working full time on the creator-owned series "Simon Dark" with writer Steve Niles for DC Comics.
"The Upturned Stone" was optioned in Summer of 2005 for film production by David Foster, but the studio lost the option and the story was recently optioned by another producer. Scott is also pursuing a passion outside of comics: film making. He completed his first short independent film "The Tontine" in April, 2006. It's his loose adaptation of a 21 page comic piece that he worked on and appeared by the same name in the Hellraiser comic series. The 29 minute film was shot at the same cabin used in Eli Roth's "Cabin Fever (film)". There are versions of it available to view on Myspace (partial), Google Video (full), and Youtube (split into 3 parts).
Scott lives with his wife Letitia in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 9, 2017
Contains SPOILERS and MY PERSONAL OPINION
Since this collects both the Destiny and The Sleeping story lines, I thought it would only be fair to make two separate reviews of them. Well, here goes
Destiny (2/5)
The plus points:
-The atmosphere. I loved the atmosphere Scott Hampton drew for the setting in ancient Gallund. It's charismatic, mesmerizing and magical in both drawing and writing. It almost has this dreamy feeling to it that just sucks any reader into the story. Despite the (honestly a little laughable) concept of Batman being a warrior in Norway who fights with an ax, it turned out to be an absolutely believable and even beautifully solemn one. This is all thanks to Hampton's success in conveying the feeling and the haunting atmosphere of ancient Gallund. It made me feel like I was reading a timeless, classic tale of dragons and knights. Just that this one had Batman in it!
-Bat man's distrust. We all know that modern-day Batman does not exactly wear his heart on his sleeve but, more often than not, his distrust and feelings towards other people are left obscure. In the case of Bat man from Gallund, his distrust and feelings for those around him were made more clear for the readers. Bat man's conscience and morals are still as hard and rigorous as Batman's, but it's still more transparent. Personally, I see this as a chance to get a little more insight at the way Bruce's mind works and the way he sees and thinks of his allies and friends. I'm aware that Bat man is not Batman, but they both still have the same basic mentality.
-Bat man's failure. Apparently, Bat man deals with his failure in very much the same way as Bruce Wayne does. They both blame themselves excessively and hurt themselves further by mulling over it again and again. The difference I see is that Bruce Wayne is more obsessive than Bat man is. Where Bat man merely hides in his caves, Bruce would probably not stop looking for a solution until he finds one (whilst also hiding in his cave). It's not really the sight of Bat man torturing himself that drew me to this, but maybe it's the sight of Bat man needing the help of another to regain his self confidence. Without Jon, Bat man would probably never have left his cave again, fearing that he would fail once more. It's nice to see this for a change.
The minus points:
-Asgard International. I'm sorry to say, but the entire concept of Asgard international is unclear and frankly very one-dimensional. They're some kind of company that forces the people of Gallund out of their village to... built a nuclear waste disposal area. Firstly, I still have no idea why Asgard International would ever go through all the trouble of scaring a few villagers just to make them move out. Can't they find another place? What's so special about Gallund? Secondly, the name. I get it that Scott Hampton is trying to make everything related to Norse mythology, but Asgard International is supposed to be a company in the real world. The company didn't even have anything to do with the story Batman and Jon were reading! So why? It would have made much more sense if he named it Frost International or even Hroth International. But even then, it would still be very uninspired and cheesy. Thirdly (and most importantly), their motives are unclear! I don't know what they want out of the entire ordeal, I don't know what they'll gain if they manage to get Gallund and I don't even know what kind of company they really are. Again, I'm sorry, but Asgard International was nothing but the 'necessary villain' in this entire story. Literature has grown out of the age to create stereotypes ages and ages ago. There could have at least been some kind of back-story.
-Batman on killing people. Okay, here is where it gets very frustrating. Multiple times in this story, I had seen Batman actively killing an entire group of people or passively watching as people get killed. We all know that's the one rule Batman will never ever ever break! And yet, he does it here. With no second thought. As we discussed before, Batman feels guilty for many things, but apparently breaking his #1 rule stirs no remorse in him whatsoever. I can forgive the times Bat man lets Jon kill people in the story book, because well, it's a story out of a storybook. But when he blows up the cave and actively drowns an entire group of people, I just couldn't tolerate that. Batman's compassion for life and obsession about justice is what defines him, and from there, his vow to never take another human life. And yet, he does it in this story. *sigh* I hope you share my frustration on this. This is one of the worst transgressions against Batman I had ever come across. (not counting the Batman & Robin movie by Joel Schumacher, but that's another story.)
-The weird people who run Asgard International. Again, like the entire concept of Asgard International, they're just as one-dimensional, mindless and uninspired. But they're even worse on one thing: they have goblin green eyes! I'm not sure what they're supposed to be. Are they some kind of mystical being? Well, they have to be humans, right? Or else, how could they run a company without raising questions from everywhere. But then, why do they look almost deformed and have weird glowing green eyes? Plot holes, plot holes everywhere.
-Jon. This may be one of the milder minus points against Destiny that I have. Unlike the other three, I simply thought Jon was a little bland. His characterization isn't well-defined and a little unclear at times. Again, I thought Jon as a character was a little too one-dimensional for my liking, although he definitely still has more character than the weird people from Asgard International. This is especially distracting since Batman and Jon's destinies are supposed to cross paths.
-Batman's destiny. I know that this is the story's main idea: that Batman and Jon meet to take down a common enemy. But, I just can't seem to accept that. I don't like to think of Bruce Wayne, an angry and lonely orphan all those years ago, becoming Batman by destiny. I prefer to think about it as a choice, or rather, sacrifice he made to defend what he believes to be right. If Batman and Jon were destined to meet each other, then naturally, it had also been destiny that Bruce became Batman. And now that I think about it, the fact that there's a book about a Bat man and a viking prince going on an adventure together makes everything just a little weirder. So, Batman's family was actually Norse? Doesn't anybody else read that book and think something was a little off?
Anyway, all in all, I thoroughly enjoyed some parts of it but the book in its entirety was quite a disappointment. :(
The Sleeping (4.3/5)
After I finished reading Destiny, I pinned my last hopes on The Sleeping. And I definitely was not dissapointed! This was one of the best Batman stories I have read so far; even rivaling Batman: Year One and Batman: Venom (which are my favorites when it comes to Bruce's psychological demons.) Now to get on with the review.
The plus points:
- The atmosphere. Some things don't change. And, fortunately, Scott Hampton's remarkable skill at creating a beautifully dreamy setting for Batman succeeded to take my breath away once more. The 'place of dreams' Bruce had ended up in was as surreal and otherworldly as it was alluring. I'm sure that everyone had at least once imagined what it would be like to explore the world where dreams come from. Well, Scott Hampton's version of this world just made me feel like I got pulled into the very fabric of our consciousness and fears. Exploring this world with the ever-so-stoic Batman just made it all the more exciting.
- The River of Forgetfulness. It's not clear what this river does to each different individual but in Batman's case, it shows him the happy and fulfilling life that could have been. This reflects (as I have mentioned before) the harsh choice Bruce had made for himself. By becoming Batman, he had chosen to pursue a dark and lonely path in a selfless war against injustice. This could very well be devotion at its coldest and most selfless. But if only he could have found it in himself to forget the tragedy that took his parents away, he could have lived a happy life alongside a loving wife and three healthy, happy children. But Batman had made the choices he wanted to make. And, the best thing about this is: he does not seem to regret any of it.
-Mary. Not the ordinary damsel in distress and also not the morally ambiguous femme fatales Batman meets in Gotham all too often. Mary is a completely different character to what readers are used to see in Batman comics. She's just a girl who made a couple of wrong decisions. Like Batman, she refuses to take another human life. And like him, she fights for what she believes to be right. But what makes her stand out is how strong she is. Even after what happened, she stubbornly clings to her own fight for freedom. Somehow, Mary managed to bring some much needed humanity into the unsettling and whimsical world of dreams.
-The lake of fire. The fact that it erases all memories means that Batman can basically do and reveal anything he wants in this world without jeopardizing his personal life. Although hesitant at first (apparently, Bruce had forgotten how to trust anyone anymore at this point), it slowly began to dawn on Bruce that everything that happened in that place would not matter anyway. This is an opportunity to see what Bruce would do and say when he doesn't have to worry about secrecy and safety all the time. We all know that Bruce wears more than just the Bat cowl, he also has to act the persona of rich-boy Bruce Wayne too. Could the Bruce in the dream-world, be the real Bruce?
-The car crash. If something would ever happen to Bruce, it would most likely be a result of his nightly activities as Batman. And yet, when he ended up lying in coma with severe head injuries it was while he was being Bruce Wayne, the billionaire playboy. It's almost ironic. I guess this shows us that while Batman appears to be as untouchable and intimidating as he is, he's still and always will be just a man.
-Alfred. I know that we didn't really get to see him much in this entire story, but in the few panels we saw him at the ending (together with the moment that showed him playing with Bruce's children in Bruce's vision) almost made me cry. After what Bruce had gone through (although he does not remember any of it) and no matter what choices he had made and would make, we know that Alfred would always be there. His love for Bruce is unconditional in that way. In Batman's dark life of violence and hatred, at least we know that there is someone out there who cares and had cared for him since before everything had even begun. His significance in Bruce's life is shown remarkably well in this story. Alfred is just one of those characters that never fails to move me in ways I can't begin to explain.
-Henry. Gosh, I think all the characters in this story all deserve a point of their own. Henry, who's basically a coward and a pessimist, had given the entire story just that little push to make it complete. Throughout the story, it was hinted that he had been wandering in this land for years. Despite knowing where the lake lies, he never seemed to find the courage to jump into it. But at the end, when the people he trusted were in danger and when his silver cord started breaking, he found the courage he needed. Perhaps, he didn't have anything to lose anymore, but he still found it in himself to do what had to be done. And, eventually, he found the courage to jump into the lake of fire and back to the waking-world where his wife waits for him. I always love to see some character development in a story, and Henry is one of the best examples I have come across.
The minus points:
-The soul-eater. I thought it was a little cliche to have Batman fight a monster before he could reach the final goal. But what I was bothered by more was the soul-eater's existence. I'm not sure what it actually is or symbolizes. Okay I get it, it's a soul eater. But why does it only select a few souls to eat? Maybe it only eats those who are worthy? But what are the specific things the soul-eater looks for in a soul? I think it would have been much more engaging to know what the soul-eater actually wants.
Well, that was definitely a long long long review! But, what can I say, this is basically a review for two books. Anyway, I decided that this book deserved 4 stars instead of its actual 3.15 average.
To all of you who read the entire review, thanks a lot and sorry for its length! :)
Since this collects both the Destiny and The Sleeping story lines, I thought it would only be fair to make two separate reviews of them. Well, here goes
Destiny (2/5)
The plus points:
-The atmosphere. I loved the atmosphere Scott Hampton drew for the setting in ancient Gallund. It's charismatic, mesmerizing and magical in both drawing and writing. It almost has this dreamy feeling to it that just sucks any reader into the story. Despite the (honestly a little laughable) concept of Batman being a warrior in Norway who fights with an ax, it turned out to be an absolutely believable and even beautifully solemn one. This is all thanks to Hampton's success in conveying the feeling and the haunting atmosphere of ancient Gallund. It made me feel like I was reading a timeless, classic tale of dragons and knights. Just that this one had Batman in it!
-Bat man's distrust. We all know that modern-day Batman does not exactly wear his heart on his sleeve but, more often than not, his distrust and feelings towards other people are left obscure. In the case of Bat man from Gallund, his distrust and feelings for those around him were made more clear for the readers. Bat man's conscience and morals are still as hard and rigorous as Batman's, but it's still more transparent. Personally, I see this as a chance to get a little more insight at the way Bruce's mind works and the way he sees and thinks of his allies and friends. I'm aware that Bat man is not Batman, but they both still have the same basic mentality.
-Bat man's failure. Apparently, Bat man deals with his failure in very much the same way as Bruce Wayne does. They both blame themselves excessively and hurt themselves further by mulling over it again and again. The difference I see is that Bruce Wayne is more obsessive than Bat man is. Where Bat man merely hides in his caves, Bruce would probably not stop looking for a solution until he finds one (whilst also hiding in his cave). It's not really the sight of Bat man torturing himself that drew me to this, but maybe it's the sight of Bat man needing the help of another to regain his self confidence. Without Jon, Bat man would probably never have left his cave again, fearing that he would fail once more. It's nice to see this for a change.
The minus points:
-Asgard International. I'm sorry to say, but the entire concept of Asgard international is unclear and frankly very one-dimensional. They're some kind of company that forces the people of Gallund out of their village to... built a nuclear waste disposal area. Firstly, I still have no idea why Asgard International would ever go through all the trouble of scaring a few villagers just to make them move out. Can't they find another place? What's so special about Gallund? Secondly, the name. I get it that Scott Hampton is trying to make everything related to Norse mythology, but Asgard International is supposed to be a company in the real world. The company didn't even have anything to do with the story Batman and Jon were reading! So why? It would have made much more sense if he named it Frost International or even Hroth International. But even then, it would still be very uninspired and cheesy. Thirdly (and most importantly), their motives are unclear! I don't know what they want out of the entire ordeal, I don't know what they'll gain if they manage to get Gallund and I don't even know what kind of company they really are. Again, I'm sorry, but Asgard International was nothing but the 'necessary villain' in this entire story. Literature has grown out of the age to create stereotypes ages and ages ago. There could have at least been some kind of back-story.
-Batman on killing people. Okay, here is where it gets very frustrating. Multiple times in this story, I had seen Batman actively killing an entire group of people or passively watching as people get killed. We all know that's the one rule Batman will never ever ever break! And yet, he does it here. With no second thought. As we discussed before, Batman feels guilty for many things, but apparently breaking his #1 rule stirs no remorse in him whatsoever. I can forgive the times Bat man lets Jon kill people in the story book, because well, it's a story out of a storybook. But when he blows up the cave and actively drowns an entire group of people, I just couldn't tolerate that. Batman's compassion for life and obsession about justice is what defines him, and from there, his vow to never take another human life. And yet, he does it in this story. *sigh* I hope you share my frustration on this. This is one of the worst transgressions against Batman I had ever come across. (not counting the Batman & Robin movie by Joel Schumacher, but that's another story.)
-The weird people who run Asgard International. Again, like the entire concept of Asgard International, they're just as one-dimensional, mindless and uninspired. But they're even worse on one thing: they have goblin green eyes! I'm not sure what they're supposed to be. Are they some kind of mystical being? Well, they have to be humans, right? Or else, how could they run a company without raising questions from everywhere. But then, why do they look almost deformed and have weird glowing green eyes? Plot holes, plot holes everywhere.
-Jon. This may be one of the milder minus points against Destiny that I have. Unlike the other three, I simply thought Jon was a little bland. His characterization isn't well-defined and a little unclear at times. Again, I thought Jon as a character was a little too one-dimensional for my liking, although he definitely still has more character than the weird people from Asgard International. This is especially distracting since Batman and Jon's destinies are supposed to cross paths.
-Batman's destiny. I know that this is the story's main idea: that Batman and Jon meet to take down a common enemy. But, I just can't seem to accept that. I don't like to think of Bruce Wayne, an angry and lonely orphan all those years ago, becoming Batman by destiny. I prefer to think about it as a choice, or rather, sacrifice he made to defend what he believes to be right. If Batman and Jon were destined to meet each other, then naturally, it had also been destiny that Bruce became Batman. And now that I think about it, the fact that there's a book about a Bat man and a viking prince going on an adventure together makes everything just a little weirder. So, Batman's family was actually Norse? Doesn't anybody else read that book and think something was a little off?
Anyway, all in all, I thoroughly enjoyed some parts of it but the book in its entirety was quite a disappointment. :(
The Sleeping (4.3/5)
After I finished reading Destiny, I pinned my last hopes on The Sleeping. And I definitely was not dissapointed! This was one of the best Batman stories I have read so far; even rivaling Batman: Year One and Batman: Venom (which are my favorites when it comes to Bruce's psychological demons.) Now to get on with the review.
The plus points:
- The atmosphere. Some things don't change. And, fortunately, Scott Hampton's remarkable skill at creating a beautifully dreamy setting for Batman succeeded to take my breath away once more. The 'place of dreams' Bruce had ended up in was as surreal and otherworldly as it was alluring. I'm sure that everyone had at least once imagined what it would be like to explore the world where dreams come from. Well, Scott Hampton's version of this world just made me feel like I got pulled into the very fabric of our consciousness and fears. Exploring this world with the ever-so-stoic Batman just made it all the more exciting.
- The River of Forgetfulness. It's not clear what this river does to each different individual but in Batman's case, it shows him the happy and fulfilling life that could have been. This reflects (as I have mentioned before) the harsh choice Bruce had made for himself. By becoming Batman, he had chosen to pursue a dark and lonely path in a selfless war against injustice. This could very well be devotion at its coldest and most selfless. But if only he could have found it in himself to forget the tragedy that took his parents away, he could have lived a happy life alongside a loving wife and three healthy, happy children. But Batman had made the choices he wanted to make. And, the best thing about this is: he does not seem to regret any of it.
-Mary. Not the ordinary damsel in distress and also not the morally ambiguous femme fatales Batman meets in Gotham all too often. Mary is a completely different character to what readers are used to see in Batman comics. She's just a girl who made a couple of wrong decisions. Like Batman, she refuses to take another human life. And like him, she fights for what she believes to be right. But what makes her stand out is how strong she is. Even after what happened, she stubbornly clings to her own fight for freedom. Somehow, Mary managed to bring some much needed humanity into the unsettling and whimsical world of dreams.
-The lake of fire. The fact that it erases all memories means that Batman can basically do and reveal anything he wants in this world without jeopardizing his personal life. Although hesitant at first (apparently, Bruce had forgotten how to trust anyone anymore at this point), it slowly began to dawn on Bruce that everything that happened in that place would not matter anyway. This is an opportunity to see what Bruce would do and say when he doesn't have to worry about secrecy and safety all the time. We all know that Bruce wears more than just the Bat cowl, he also has to act the persona of rich-boy Bruce Wayne too. Could the Bruce in the dream-world, be the real Bruce?
-The car crash. If something would ever happen to Bruce, it would most likely be a result of his nightly activities as Batman. And yet, when he ended up lying in coma with severe head injuries it was while he was being Bruce Wayne, the billionaire playboy. It's almost ironic. I guess this shows us that while Batman appears to be as untouchable and intimidating as he is, he's still and always will be just a man.
-Alfred. I know that we didn't really get to see him much in this entire story, but in the few panels we saw him at the ending (together with the moment that showed him playing with Bruce's children in Bruce's vision) almost made me cry. After what Bruce had gone through (although he does not remember any of it) and no matter what choices he had made and would make, we know that Alfred would always be there. His love for Bruce is unconditional in that way. In Batman's dark life of violence and hatred, at least we know that there is someone out there who cares and had cared for him since before everything had even begun. His significance in Bruce's life is shown remarkably well in this story. Alfred is just one of those characters that never fails to move me in ways I can't begin to explain.
-Henry. Gosh, I think all the characters in this story all deserve a point of their own. Henry, who's basically a coward and a pessimist, had given the entire story just that little push to make it complete. Throughout the story, it was hinted that he had been wandering in this land for years. Despite knowing where the lake lies, he never seemed to find the courage to jump into it. But at the end, when the people he trusted were in danger and when his silver cord started breaking, he found the courage he needed. Perhaps, he didn't have anything to lose anymore, but he still found it in himself to do what had to be done. And, eventually, he found the courage to jump into the lake of fire and back to the waking-world where his wife waits for him. I always love to see some character development in a story, and Henry is one of the best examples I have come across.
The minus points:
-The soul-eater. I thought it was a little cliche to have Batman fight a monster before he could reach the final goal. But what I was bothered by more was the soul-eater's existence. I'm not sure what it actually is or symbolizes. Okay I get it, it's a soul eater. But why does it only select a few souls to eat? Maybe it only eats those who are worthy? But what are the specific things the soul-eater looks for in a soul? I think it would have been much more engaging to know what the soul-eater actually wants.
Well, that was definitely a long long long review! But, what can I say, this is basically a review for two books. Anyway, I decided that this book deserved 4 stars instead of its actual 3.15 average.
To all of you who read the entire review, thanks a lot and sorry for its length! :)
March 17, 2025
3/5 Stars
Individual issues rated below
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #35: 2/5
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #36: 1/5
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #76: 3.5/5
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #77: 3.5/5
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #78: 3.5/5
Individual issues rated below
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #35: 2/5
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #36: 1/5
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #76: 3.5/5
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #77: 3.5/5
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #78: 3.5/5
June 1, 2019
*sighs* It's the case of 'It is not the book it's me', I don't mean to say you won't enjoy it just because I don't enjoy it. The ideas beyond the stories have potential but the mood just feels.......off to me? If you wanted to see a dark and gritty Batman.........he only shows up in the first 10 or so pages. In the rest of the comic, the B-man just feels off to me---not that he suddenly goes all sunny and OOC but.....something is just missing.
But it's only my opinion.
But it's only my opinion.
July 25, 2008
The second story in this was my favorite. Both stories in this book are very different from most other Batman stories. They're gothic, even supernatural. It's a kind of story-telling that is not for everyone - the average Batman fan may not like the style here - but it really appealed to me.
August 14, 2021
Honestly, the first story was about 3 stars
The second one more than made up for it though
The Jeff thing killed me
The second one more than made up for it though
The Jeff thing killed me
January 31, 2025
first story was absolutely terrible. second story started off strong and then ended up being horrible. woof :/
December 28, 2020
Boy this was supremely weird. This collects two short arcs that featured in Legends of the Dark Knight. The first of which involves Batman discovering that there was an ancient Norse incarnation of Batman that fought against the Aesir. That story is bad. The second arc finds Batman in something like Limbo (a bit reminiscent of the version of Hell from Sandman) after a car crash. Batman meets some people also trying to escape Limbo and there's a lot of walking. It was better than Bat-Thor but still not that good. Just a very weird collection of stories that have no real through-line connecting them.
December 9, 2017
Antología de Legends of the Dark Knight con la obra de los hermanos Bo y Scott Hampton. Me quedo con el episodio de Bo Hampton, en el que presenta dos líneas narrativas, una de ellas relacionada a cierto héroe vikingo... con traje de murciélago. La del otro Hampton, Scott, es una pesadilla en la que cae Batman luego de un accidente automovilístico, pero tampoco es que tenga mucho sentido. Eso sí, el dibujo está bastante bien, de parte de ambos.
October 6, 2021
I'm giving this a reluctant 5/5 because of the story The Sleeping. It's not often we get true metaphysical stories for Batman. Usually it's given a scientific excuse through strange chemicals and drugs, here it's purely up for interpretation though. Like a dream is.
Really beautiful work in text and image by Scott Hampton. Strange especially given just how much of a slog I found the first story in this collection, Destiny.
Really beautiful work in text and image by Scott Hampton. Strange especially given just how much of a slog I found the first story in this collection, Destiny.
May 9, 2021
The first story, the one about the vikings, was horrible and I hated it. But the second story was incredible, original, and I really enjoyed it.
August 1, 2024
Bold concept, average execution. Fun though.
December 12, 2024
Destiny: 3.5/5
The Sleeping: 5/5
The Sleeping: 5/5
October 19, 2025
2 stars for Destiny arc.
Easy 4 for Sleeping arc.
Easy 4 for Sleeping arc.
September 11, 2022
Batman: Other Realms collects two Legends of the Dark Knight Stories, i.e., Destiny and The Sleeping.
Destiny was written by Bo Hampton and scripted by Mark Kneece. In this story, a Norwegian named Jon Riksson went to Gotham City wearing a Viking costume to publicize the plight of his people. It turns out that they are coerced to leave their village by the officers of Asgard International.
Batman feels obligated to help Riksson because of the medallion in Riksson's possession, which has been in the latter's family for centuries. Batman has the other half of the medallion. Apparently, Batman has a mask-wearing ancestor called the Bat Man (what are the odds?), who teamed up with a Viking prince, presumably the ancestor of Riksson, to defeat a frost giant. The first part of the story focuses more on the adventure of Bat Man and the Viking prince, while the second part focuses on Batman and Riksson's mission.
The second story, The Sleeping, was written and illustrated by Scott Hampton. It is called The Sleeping because Bruce Wayne is in a coma in this story after his car gets hit by a drunk driver. His soul then goes to a different realm. For Bruce's soul to return to his body, he must look for his twin soul, who is drawn to evil, and they both must travel to the Lake of Fire.
As you can see, these stories are not for everyone. I enjoyed these stories, though. These stories are similar to the adventure stories I read when I was young, where the protagonist goes on a grand adventure to fulfill a quest. However, I cannot recommend this book because I might be the only person who enjoys these stories. However, if you are a completist, this book is hard to find, so go pick this up.
My Batman Collected Editions Instagram page
Destiny was written by Bo Hampton and scripted by Mark Kneece. In this story, a Norwegian named Jon Riksson went to Gotham City wearing a Viking costume to publicize the plight of his people. It turns out that they are coerced to leave their village by the officers of Asgard International.
Batman feels obligated to help Riksson because of the medallion in Riksson's possession, which has been in the latter's family for centuries. Batman has the other half of the medallion. Apparently, Batman has a mask-wearing ancestor called the Bat Man (what are the odds?), who teamed up with a Viking prince, presumably the ancestor of Riksson, to defeat a frost giant. The first part of the story focuses more on the adventure of Bat Man and the Viking prince, while the second part focuses on Batman and Riksson's mission.
The second story, The Sleeping, was written and illustrated by Scott Hampton. It is called The Sleeping because Bruce Wayne is in a coma in this story after his car gets hit by a drunk driver. His soul then goes to a different realm. For Bruce's soul to return to his body, he must look for his twin soul, who is drawn to evil, and they both must travel to the Lake of Fire.
As you can see, these stories are not for everyone. I enjoyed these stories, though. These stories are similar to the adventure stories I read when I was young, where the protagonist goes on a grand adventure to fulfill a quest. However, I cannot recommend this book because I might be the only person who enjoys these stories. However, if you are a completist, this book is hard to find, so go pick this up.
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July 27, 2013
Scott Hampton attempts to look at Batman in to very different lights with this graphic novel. The first half of the book teams Batman with former Olympian Jon Rikkson, as they explore a corrupt company's plot to dump illegal chemicals. The newly garbed Viking and Batman uncover an ancient book that details how their ancient counterparts defeated a giant by working together; naturally, that is how they solve their present-day problem. In the latter half of the book, a car accident leaves Bruce Wayne in a coma. In this dream-like state, he teams with other comatose victims to escape the nightmare and the vicious Soul Eater. While both present Elseworld-like takes on the Dark Knight, both fail due to leaving the stories set in the "real" world. A Nordic Bat-Man and a dream-protector Batman are intriguing concepts, but are held back by ties to the world from which they originate. One is better off finding Elseworld tales for more convincing Bat-realms.
February 25, 2013
Batman: Other Realms collects two stories originally printed in Batman: Legends Of The Dark Knight. That comic was about telling completely separate Batman stories that could take place anywhere and any when. They didn't need to be bogged down by current continuity. It was just supposed to be able to let creators tell great Batman takes. Unfortunately, these tales weren't great...or good. The first story by Hampton and Kneece saw a Batman team-up with a Thor like character but it was really lacking in creativity and the art didn't do it any favor. The second story, while better didn't really make you care or want to read more by the creator or involving the characters. Overall, this is something you read when you haven't read every other Batman book yet and that's about it.
August 1, 2015
I didn't expect to like this book based on the premise. The whole "other realms" concept seemed to imply that very little of consequence would happen. I'm also not a fan of the device of a protagonist experiencing some alternate version of reality due to injury, drugging or deception (i.e. in the 2-issue "Mask" arc collected in Dark Legends). But these two storylines actually feel very consequential. There's real learning and character development for Batman, and both stories are very moving. While "Mask" felt like Batman temporarily had the wool pulled over his eyes, and at the end of the story he was in the same place emotionally as when it started, he seems genuinely changed by the events in both these storylines. This was a pleasant surprise. A very rewarding read.
November 19, 2014
Not realy my cup of tea. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't good either. The book consists of 2 supernatural Batman stories.
The first story's part that takes place in the time of the Viking kind of made me think of a Conan story.
The second story was kind of weird. Bruce Wayne gets in a car accident and falls into a coma where he meets someone who was or could have been his wife in another life.
If you're looking for a good Batman story, there are other stories to check out.
I bought this book from a comicbook store in Venice Italy through ebay.
I don't regret buying it. It's an addition to my ever expanding Batman collection. It just isn't a great addition.
The first story's part that takes place in the time of the Viking kind of made me think of a Conan story.
The second story was kind of weird. Bruce Wayne gets in a car accident and falls into a coma where he meets someone who was or could have been his wife in another life.
If you're looking for a good Batman story, there are other stories to check out.
I bought this book from a comicbook store in Venice Italy through ebay.
I don't regret buying it. It's an addition to my ever expanding Batman collection. It just isn't a great addition.
June 28, 2014
Two good, if unusual, Batman stories.
The first story features legendary heroes from the past whose lives link in to a present day adventure. A fantastical tale with magical themes.
The second story features Bruce Wayne in a coma fighting monsters in an astral limbo.
Although interesting this collection is in no way exceptional. Although good, neither story is great and there is not a particularly strong link between them. This is certainly worth reading for fans of Batman comics, but it is probably not ideal for (or aimed at) a casual reader.
The first story features legendary heroes from the past whose lives link in to a present day adventure. A fantastical tale with magical themes.
The second story features Bruce Wayne in a coma fighting monsters in an astral limbo.
Although interesting this collection is in no way exceptional. Although good, neither story is great and there is not a particularly strong link between them. This is certainly worth reading for fans of Batman comics, but it is probably not ideal for (or aimed at) a casual reader.
January 25, 2015
I love stories of alternate realities. Here are a couple from The Legends of the Dark Knight monthly series that was popular in the 90s.
While both start in this world, each branches off with tales that exist in other realities.
Destiny explores the idea of a Viking Batman. I used to have this action figure! An interesting, but not quite satisfying story.
The Sleeping shows where Batman's mind goes while he's in a coma. I thought this was much more interesting.
Favorite quote:
"Call me…Jeff."
While both start in this world, each branches off with tales that exist in other realities.
Destiny explores the idea of a Viking Batman. I used to have this action figure! An interesting, but not quite satisfying story.
The Sleeping shows where Batman's mind goes while he's in a coma. I thought this was much more interesting.
Favorite quote:
"Call me…Jeff."
July 28, 2016
I read the two stories in this book as issues of Legends of the Dark Knight. The second story is one of my absolute favourite Batman stories ever (I love Sandman as well, so that explains a lot.) It is one of the most moving stories you'll ever find in comics. Both stories are brought to another level by Hampton's expressive, ethereal art. I cannot recommend this book enough.
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November 22, 2015Another mixed collection of short runs. Decent but kinda corny too. A dip into the supernatural, which is weird to complain about in a universe with so much supernatural stuff (man from Krypton, anyone?) but for my tastes, I prefer Batman without that stuff.
June 11, 2014
Two stories here. Destiny was okay, but it was The Sleeping that earned the four stars.
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