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Batman: Shadow of the Bat (Collected Editions) #1
Batman: Shadow of the Bat, Volume 1
Arkham Asylum is known for its lunatic inmates, and, now, one in particular: Batman. After the murder of a police officer, the caped crusader has been sentenced to Arkham Asylum. While locked away, a serial killer lurks in the streets of Gotham, including the halls of Arkham. Can Batman capture this knife-wielding fiend or will his enemies reach him first?
Collects BATMAN: SHADOW OF THE BAT #1-12.
Collects BATMAN: SHADOW OF THE BAT #1-12.
320 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1993
52 people are currently reading
197 people want to read
About the author
Alan Grant
1,712 books144 followersAlan Grant was a Scottish comic book writer known for writing Judge Dredd in 2000 AD as well as various Batman titles during the late 1980s and early 1990s. He is also the creator of the character Anarky.
Alan Grant first entered the comics industry in 1967 when he became an editor for D.C. Thomson before moving to London from Dundee in 1970 to work for IPC on various romance magazines. After going back to college and having a series of jobs, Grant found himself back in Dundee and living on Social Security. He then met John Wagner, another former D.C. Thompson editor, who was helping put together a new science fiction comic for IPC, 2000 A.D., and was unable to complete his other work. Wagner asked Grant if he could help him write the Tarzan comic he was working on; so began the Wagner/Grant writing partnership.
The pair eventually co-wrote Judge Dredd. They would work on other popular strips for the comic, including Robo-Hunter and Strontium Dog using the pseudonym T.B. Grover. Grant also worked on other people's stories, changing and adding dialogue, most notably Harry Twenty on the High Rock, written by Gerry Finley-Day. Judge Dredd would be Grant's main concern for much of the 1980s. Grant and Wagner had developed the strip into the most popular in 2000AD as well as creating lengthy epic storylines such as The Apocalypse War. Grant also wrote for other IPC comics such as the revamped Eagle.
By the late 1980s, Grant and Wagner were about to move into the American comic market. Their first title was a 12-issue miniseries called Outcasts for DC Comics. Although it wasn't a success, it paved the way for the pair to write Batman stories in Detective Comics from issue 583, largely with Norm Breyfogle on art duties across the various Batman titles Grant moved to. After a dozen issues, Wagner left Grant as sole writer. Grant was one of the main Batman writers until the late 1990s. The pair also created a four issue series for Epic Comics called The Last American. This series, as well as the Chopper storyline in Judge Dredd, is blamed for the breakup of the Wagner/Grant partnership. The pair split strips, with Wagner keeping Judge Dredd and Grant keeping Strontium Dog and Judge Anderson. Grant and Wagner continue to work together on special projects such as the Batman/Judge Dredd crossover Judgement on Gotham. During the late 1980s, Grant experienced a philosophical transformation and declared himself an anarchist. The creation of the supervillain Anarky was initially intended as a vehicle for exploring his political opinions through the comic medium. In the following years, he would continue to utilize the character in a similar fashion as his philosophy evolved.
Grant's projects at the start of the 90s included writing Detective Comics and Strontium Dog, but two projects in particular are especially notable. The first is The Bogie Man, a series co-written by Wagner which was the pair's first venture into independent publishing. The second is Lobo, a character created by Keith Giffen as a supporting character in The Omega Men. Lobo gained his own four issue mini series in 1990 which was drawn by Simon Bisley. This was a parody of the 'dark, gritty' comics of the time and proved hugely popular. After several other miniseries (all written by Grant, sometimes with Giffen as co-writer), Lobo received his own ongoing series. Grant was also writing L.E.G.I.O.N. (a Legion of Super-Heroes spin-off) and The Demon (a revival of Jack Kirby's charac
Alan Grant first entered the comics industry in 1967 when he became an editor for D.C. Thomson before moving to London from Dundee in 1970 to work for IPC on various romance magazines. After going back to college and having a series of jobs, Grant found himself back in Dundee and living on Social Security. He then met John Wagner, another former D.C. Thompson editor, who was helping put together a new science fiction comic for IPC, 2000 A.D., and was unable to complete his other work. Wagner asked Grant if he could help him write the Tarzan comic he was working on; so began the Wagner/Grant writing partnership.
The pair eventually co-wrote Judge Dredd. They would work on other popular strips for the comic, including Robo-Hunter and Strontium Dog using the pseudonym T.B. Grover. Grant also worked on other people's stories, changing and adding dialogue, most notably Harry Twenty on the High Rock, written by Gerry Finley-Day. Judge Dredd would be Grant's main concern for much of the 1980s. Grant and Wagner had developed the strip into the most popular in 2000AD as well as creating lengthy epic storylines such as The Apocalypse War. Grant also wrote for other IPC comics such as the revamped Eagle.
By the late 1980s, Grant and Wagner were about to move into the American comic market. Their first title was a 12-issue miniseries called Outcasts for DC Comics. Although it wasn't a success, it paved the way for the pair to write Batman stories in Detective Comics from issue 583, largely with Norm Breyfogle on art duties across the various Batman titles Grant moved to. After a dozen issues, Wagner left Grant as sole writer. Grant was one of the main Batman writers until the late 1990s. The pair also created a four issue series for Epic Comics called The Last American. This series, as well as the Chopper storyline in Judge Dredd, is blamed for the breakup of the Wagner/Grant partnership. The pair split strips, with Wagner keeping Judge Dredd and Grant keeping Strontium Dog and Judge Anderson. Grant and Wagner continue to work together on special projects such as the Batman/Judge Dredd crossover Judgement on Gotham. During the late 1980s, Grant experienced a philosophical transformation and declared himself an anarchist. The creation of the supervillain Anarky was initially intended as a vehicle for exploring his political opinions through the comic medium. In the following years, he would continue to utilize the character in a similar fashion as his philosophy evolved.
Grant's projects at the start of the 90s included writing Detective Comics and Strontium Dog, but two projects in particular are especially notable. The first is The Bogie Man, a series co-written by Wagner which was the pair's first venture into independent publishing. The second is Lobo, a character created by Keith Giffen as a supporting character in The Omega Men. Lobo gained his own four issue mini series in 1990 which was drawn by Simon Bisley. This was a parody of the 'dark, gritty' comics of the time and proved hugely popular. After several other miniseries (all written by Grant, sometimes with Giffen as co-writer), Lobo received his own ongoing series. Grant was also writing L.E.G.I.O.N. (a Legion of Super-Heroes spin-off) and The Demon (a revival of Jack Kirby's charac
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
June 17, 2019
Shadow of the Pants collects several Alan Grant Batman comics from way back in the day, and they allllll suck! Woohoo!
The longest story here is the four-part The Last Arkham where a killer with Zsasz’s MO is murdering Gotham citizens – except Zsasz is safely locked up in Arkham. Or is he…? You know how you’d find out for sure? Put a fucking camera on him at all times and see if he sneaks out via a hidden exit! But that’d be, y’know, sensible, so instead Batman has himself admitted as an Arkham inmate, in a cell far away from Zsasz’s, where he can’t see Zsasz sneak out. Batman supposedly has a genius IQ – but not when Alan Grant’s writing him! Four issues! That garbage storyline could’ve been wrapped up in four pages!
There’s a grim story about heroin abuse where a crappy vigilante called Black Spider kills a bunch of drug dealers; a racist beefcake fights Batman in The Ugly American; crappy Z-listers team up to try and win for a change in The Misfits (they predictably don’t); a Scots gentleman hosts a dinner for his enemies at his very own Scottish castle (of course Gotham has one) in The Thane of Gotham (the phonetic Scotch accent is painful to read); and yet another disastrous character, this time going by The Human Flea, fights Kadaver, a poor man’s Joker.
It’s not just that the stories are boring – though they all are – it’s that they’re plotted so stupidly. I already mentioned the flaw in the Last Arkham storyline. But also, putting Batman against the likes of Joker, Ivy, Penguin and Scarecrow in a closed-room – who thinks fatass Penguin and noodle-armed Scarecrow stand a chance of beating Batman in a straight fist fight?? Calendar Man literally throwing number cards at Batman in a fight though did make me smile for its utter idiocy. The art is just bad early ‘90s crap – rushed looking lines, awful, basic colours, terrible character designs, and the Batmobile looks like a Tonka toy reject.
Batman: Shadow of the Bat, Volume 1 is a collection of some of the worst Batman comics you’ll ever read – don’t bother.
The longest story here is the four-part The Last Arkham where a killer with Zsasz’s MO is murdering Gotham citizens – except Zsasz is safely locked up in Arkham. Or is he…? You know how you’d find out for sure? Put a fucking camera on him at all times and see if he sneaks out via a hidden exit! But that’d be, y’know, sensible, so instead Batman has himself admitted as an Arkham inmate, in a cell far away from Zsasz’s, where he can’t see Zsasz sneak out. Batman supposedly has a genius IQ – but not when Alan Grant’s writing him! Four issues! That garbage storyline could’ve been wrapped up in four pages!
There’s a grim story about heroin abuse where a crappy vigilante called Black Spider kills a bunch of drug dealers; a racist beefcake fights Batman in The Ugly American; crappy Z-listers team up to try and win for a change in The Misfits (they predictably don’t); a Scots gentleman hosts a dinner for his enemies at his very own Scottish castle (of course Gotham has one) in The Thane of Gotham (the phonetic Scotch accent is painful to read); and yet another disastrous character, this time going by The Human Flea, fights Kadaver, a poor man’s Joker.
It’s not just that the stories are boring – though they all are – it’s that they’re plotted so stupidly. I already mentioned the flaw in the Last Arkham storyline. But also, putting Batman against the likes of Joker, Ivy, Penguin and Scarecrow in a closed-room – who thinks fatass Penguin and noodle-armed Scarecrow stand a chance of beating Batman in a straight fist fight?? Calendar Man literally throwing number cards at Batman in a fight though did make me smile for its utter idiocy. The art is just bad early ‘90s crap – rushed looking lines, awful, basic colours, terrible character designs, and the Batmobile looks like a Tonka toy reject.
Batman: Shadow of the Bat, Volume 1 is a collection of some of the worst Batman comics you’ll ever read – don’t bother.
May 12, 2018
Collects the first year of Shadow of the Bat, with stories mainly from the villains' perspective all written by Alan Grant. Standouts included the first story, The Last Arkham. Norm Breyfogle draws a fantastic Mr. Zsasz. Arkham Asylum gets a makeover and someone is imitating Zsasz's MO even though he's locked away. I also liked The Misfits. Tim Sale can make any Batman story look great. The story revolves around the losers of Batman's rogue's gallery. I also quite liked The Last Thane of Gotham where Batman is trying to find his way through an M.C. Esther style designed castle to stop a murder.
January 31, 2023
Batman: Shadow of the Bat collects issues 1-12 of the DC Comics series written by Alan Grant with art by Norm Breyfogle, Tim Sale, Vince Giarrano, Dan Jurgens, Sick Giordano, and Nick Collins.
A collection of self contained issues and arcs revolving around Batman but told from the viewpoint of a side character, predominantly villains. The main (and first) arc of the book involves a rebuilt and redesigned Arkham Asylum with a new Director who is treating his patient after the murders a police officer - Batman!
Many of the stories are nothing special and have a major level of early 90s campiness, but it’s fun reading these stories. There is even a character called The Flea whose uniform is derived from the namesake insect and he jumps around the city. My favorite story was a single issue in which Batman investigates an Escher-like maze of a mansion where Batman believes the homeowner has kidnapped prominent Gotham doctors. There is even an arc drawn by Tim Sale before he collaborated on Batman with Jeph Loeb!
A collection of self contained issues and arcs revolving around Batman but told from the viewpoint of a side character, predominantly villains. The main (and first) arc of the book involves a rebuilt and redesigned Arkham Asylum with a new Director who is treating his patient after the murders a police officer - Batman!
Many of the stories are nothing special and have a major level of early 90s campiness, but it’s fun reading these stories. There is even a character called The Flea whose uniform is derived from the namesake insect and he jumps around the city. My favorite story was a single issue in which Batman investigates an Escher-like maze of a mansion where Batman believes the homeowner has kidnapped prominent Gotham doctors. There is even an arc drawn by Tim Sale before he collaborated on Batman with Jeph Loeb!
March 20, 2019
The real standout is “The Last Arkham,” which is legitimately a 4-4.5/5 effort, and then the returns diminish pretty significantly. Overall it’s a good time and a nice nostalgia fix if you grew up reading early-90s Batman comics.
March 5, 2019
There’s a very lovely intro by Alan Grant for this book, outlining what DC was going for by launching yet ANOTHER Baman title, and what his take on it was going to be. That’s the kind of historical background I enjoy!
Grant tells a story about a fan at a convention asking him if he’d seen Silence of the Lambs because SURELY HE MUST HAVE right?? Which is very funny because besides an incarcerated serial killer being the villain, there’s really not much else that links “The Last Arkham” to Lambs.
Speaking of, while there’s plenty of fun one-shots featuring lesser-known villains, I loved “Last Arkham” and Grant’s take on behaviorist psychology taken to extremes (also amusing that his brutal excesses didn’t really move me because LOL Cornelius Stirk and the Scarecrow? Who care frankly).
You can also tell Grant is really on my wavelength with Batman once Arkham releases all his villains in an epic fight and he just… wrecks them all easily?
“He’s a proper athlete… they all just have psychosis going for them”
Haha fuck yeah
Grant tells a story about a fan at a convention asking him if he’d seen Silence of the Lambs because SURELY HE MUST HAVE right?? Which is very funny because besides an incarcerated serial killer being the villain, there’s really not much else that links “The Last Arkham” to Lambs.
Speaking of, while there’s plenty of fun one-shots featuring lesser-known villains, I loved “Last Arkham” and Grant’s take on behaviorist psychology taken to extremes (also amusing that his brutal excesses didn’t really move me because LOL Cornelius Stirk and the Scarecrow? Who care frankly).
You can also tell Grant is really on my wavelength with Batman once Arkham releases all his villains in an epic fight and he just… wrecks them all easily?
“He’s a proper athlete… they all just have psychosis going for them”
Haha fuck yeah
November 30, 2025
Do you want to read Batman comics from the 1990s? This trade paperback might be for you! This first volume collects the first twelve issues of the series Batman: Shadow of the Bat. I’m amazed at how twelve issues come out to 320 pages, but comic book issues had more pages and plot than some of the comics today.
The first story kicks off with a story arc called “The Last Arkham.” This story takes place when Arkham Asylum gets rebuild to be strengthen with its security in its facilities. This spans four issues and it involves the owner of the Asylum, a member of the Arkham family, struggle with his own insanity and trying to mask it while running the Asylum. Batman has to investigate what’s going on in the Asylum since there’s a potential new killing by someone name Zsasz who was supposed to be lock up in the Asylum. Batman has to fake being crazy to get admitted into the Asylum and from there find out what’s going on but that means Batman is taking a lot of risks and danger. Zsasz as a crazy mass murderer is a dark character and some of the villains in this series are more dark and the dregs of society or creepy and cringed. Other stories were shorter and since I wrote this review a few weeks after finishing it, I admit its harder to remember but I do remember
Thane of Gotham as another memorable story that involves someone of noble Scottish descent moving to Gotham and living in a castle isolated away from others in society because of the birth of a difficult son. It did had a good ending.
Overall the art work wasn’t as good as some of the art work of Batman comics today nor was it like the 1980s which were different but interesting. But there’s still interesting stories and it didn’t feel like all issues were fillers.
The first story kicks off with a story arc called “The Last Arkham.” This story takes place when Arkham Asylum gets rebuild to be strengthen with its security in its facilities. This spans four issues and it involves the owner of the Asylum, a member of the Arkham family, struggle with his own insanity and trying to mask it while running the Asylum. Batman has to investigate what’s going on in the Asylum since there’s a potential new killing by someone name Zsasz who was supposed to be lock up in the Asylum. Batman has to fake being crazy to get admitted into the Asylum and from there find out what’s going on but that means Batman is taking a lot of risks and danger. Zsasz as a crazy mass murderer is a dark character and some of the villains in this series are more dark and the dregs of society or creepy and cringed. Other stories were shorter and since I wrote this review a few weeks after finishing it, I admit its harder to remember but I do remember
Thane of Gotham as another memorable story that involves someone of noble Scottish descent moving to Gotham and living in a castle isolated away from others in society because of the birth of a difficult son. It did had a good ending.
Overall the art work wasn’t as good as some of the art work of Batman comics today nor was it like the 1980s which were different but interesting. But there’s still interesting stories and it didn’t feel like all issues were fillers.
August 14, 2024
HOOOOLY WHAAAAT
Alan Grant is back at his PEAK performance here. I think I'm more in love with this set of stories than I was with his initial stories with John Wagner. I think being the mind behind the third ever Batman ongoing was really motivational for him, because these stories come from a place of absolute creativity and excitement to me.
The Last Arkham is the first (and best) story in this volume, and it's a pretty perfect hook right off the bat (get it?): Batman is in Arkham. I swear I've heard this Batman story a million times before but I can't for the life of me remember how it goes, so this was really satisfying for me. It's got mystery! Action! Mental stuff! The first appearance of Victor Zsasz! Gordon and Batman carpooling! Nightwing! Colors! Breyfogle (but was he all there for that one panel in issue 3?)! The biggest 5 star.
I'm also the proud owner of a Shadow of the Bat #1 Collector's Set. 🙂
The Black Spider is certainly not as good, but it's still a solid 4. I love the note to Batman and Grant knows how to write a super satisfying ending while still keeping things Batmanful. The theme of the ongoing also really starts to manifest itself here.
The Ugly American is also 4 stars, and probably the worst story in the collection, and maybe a little over the top… but I liked it. Except for the fact the overwhelming similarity to Daredevil: Born Again. I wonder if Grant was a Frank Miller fan? But I can totally get behind a little anti-government action, even if I can't help but wonder how this didn't make Batman a full-on enemy of the government.
And “I Eat Roadkill” is quite the shirt…
Then, we get back up to full-scale comic bookin' with The Misfits, a C-list supervillain team up. And, oh yeah, TIM SALE. I need to own an issue of this because Tim Sale drawing Robin in beautiful color is a dream come true for me. Tim Drake, no less. Very happy to be reading this. 5 stars!
Thane of Gotham is actually a pretty good subversion of expectations. I was worried it was going to be a “my son was disabled so I hate him!” and ended up being nicely bittersweet. 4 stars.
I have to laugh at myself when I'm giving a story that features the line “It's dat human flea we've been hearing about!” a 4.5, but… Best Kadaver story of all time. And I LOVE how Tim Sale draws him, even if his Batman looks really off here. And a very creative villain plot.
Even though so many of these stories are 4 stars (and I give so many 4 stars), it's rare that so many stories that hit the spot THIS much are put into a single collection. It's a darn good trade when nothing dips below what I consider beyond just “good.”
Alan Grant is back at his PEAK performance here. I think I'm more in love with this set of stories than I was with his initial stories with John Wagner. I think being the mind behind the third ever Batman ongoing was really motivational for him, because these stories come from a place of absolute creativity and excitement to me.
The Last Arkham is the first (and best) story in this volume, and it's a pretty perfect hook right off the bat (get it?): Batman is in Arkham. I swear I've heard this Batman story a million times before but I can't for the life of me remember how it goes, so this was really satisfying for me. It's got mystery! Action! Mental stuff! The first appearance of Victor Zsasz! Gordon and Batman carpooling! Nightwing! Colors! Breyfogle (but was he all there for that one panel in issue 3?)! The biggest 5 star.
I'm also the proud owner of a Shadow of the Bat #1 Collector's Set. 🙂
The Black Spider is certainly not as good, but it's still a solid 4. I love the note to Batman and Grant knows how to write a super satisfying ending while still keeping things Batmanful. The theme of the ongoing also really starts to manifest itself here.
The Ugly American is also 4 stars, and probably the worst story in the collection, and maybe a little over the top… but I liked it. Except for the fact the overwhelming similarity to Daredevil: Born Again. I wonder if Grant was a Frank Miller fan? But I can totally get behind a little anti-government action, even if I can't help but wonder how this didn't make Batman a full-on enemy of the government.
And “I Eat Roadkill” is quite the shirt…
Then, we get back up to full-scale comic bookin' with The Misfits, a C-list supervillain team up. And, oh yeah, TIM SALE. I need to own an issue of this because Tim Sale drawing Robin in beautiful color is a dream come true for me. Tim Drake, no less. Very happy to be reading this. 5 stars!
Thane of Gotham is actually a pretty good subversion of expectations. I was worried it was going to be a “my son was disabled so I hate him!” and ended up being nicely bittersweet. 4 stars.
I have to laugh at myself when I'm giving a story that features the line “It's dat human flea we've been hearing about!” a 4.5, but… Best Kadaver story of all time. And I LOVE how Tim Sale draws him, even if his Batman looks really off here. And a very creative villain plot.
Even though so many of these stories are 4 stars (and I give so many 4 stars), it's rare that so many stories that hit the spot THIS much are put into a single collection. It's a darn good trade when nothing dips below what I consider beyond just “good.”
July 12, 2018
At first, I really didn't think I was going to enjoy this. It seemed a much darker tone than usual from Batman graphic novels I've read in the past, and I was quite dubious to starting it.
However, I finally got up and decided to give it a read. I flipped through the first few pages and ended up in love with it. I devoured through it without any concept of time as I read, and before I knew it, I had read the entire thing. It was a bit of a shock to me, I haven't read a book so fast in a while, and told myself to savour the second volume.
The writing in this is exquisite. There's something about it that's almost V for Vendetta -esque. Something about it that sticks in your mind and brings out some of the worst of the Batman universe. It's invigorating and a reminder that not everything is amazing and ends all perfectly. There's a lot to remind you that the universe is much darker than what we see in most portrayals of Batman these days. The artwork is equally as stunning, and has some of my favourite frames in the entirety of Batman graphic novels. Truly, the creators have given their all in this series, and since finishing the second volume, I hope there's more and can't wait to devour the rest of this series.
However, I finally got up and decided to give it a read. I flipped through the first few pages and ended up in love with it. I devoured through it without any concept of time as I read, and before I knew it, I had read the entire thing. It was a bit of a shock to me, I haven't read a book so fast in a while, and told myself to savour the second volume.
The writing in this is exquisite. There's something about it that's almost V for Vendetta -esque. Something about it that sticks in your mind and brings out some of the worst of the Batman universe. It's invigorating and a reminder that not everything is amazing and ends all perfectly. There's a lot to remind you that the universe is much darker than what we see in most portrayals of Batman these days. The artwork is equally as stunning, and has some of my favourite frames in the entirety of Batman graphic novels. Truly, the creators have given their all in this series, and since finishing the second volume, I hope there's more and can't wait to devour the rest of this series.
April 11, 2021
A pretty strong collection of stories that have aged better than a lot of their early 90s contemporaries. The best of the lot is the opening Arkham storyline, but there's no filler here.
March 10, 2025
Started and finished date - 05.02.25 to 07.03.25.
My rating - Three Stars.
this book was okay read but I hate both art style or the cover of book. I really like the cover of book. The atmosphere was well written and the paced of plot was okay. The ending of book was okay.
My rating - Three Stars.
this book was okay read but I hate both art style or the cover of book. I really like the cover of book. The atmosphere was well written and the paced of plot was okay. The ending of book was okay.
December 22, 2022
Batman: Shadow of the Bat was one of the character’s more unique monthly comics. I discovered it during the Knightfall saga in the early ‘90s, when newcomer Bane infamously broke the back of Bruce Wayne. I loved the sharp lines and angles of Norm Breyfogle’s artwork, and the bleak, mature tone of Alan Grant’s writing. I also learned recently that Grant and Breyfogle co-created some of the best characters from the ‘90s, such as Jeremiah Arkham, Victor Zsasz (one of my favorite Bat-villains), and Ventriloquist and Scarface, two more of my favorite characters.
But I didn’t buy SHADOW OF THE BAT: VOLUME 1 for any of those reasons. Not directly, anyway. This first omnibus doesn’t collect any installment of Knightfall, and while it introduces Zsasz, Jeremiah Arkham, and Amygdala, I wasn’t aware of their origins in this book at the time. I bought this collection because of the first four installments, which comprise the Batman: The Last Arkham storyline.
The setup is that Jeremiah Arkham has ordered a new asylum built, one that resembles a classical labyrinth. His newest patient is Batman, who was declared insane after killing a cop in cold blood right in front of Commissioner Gordon and several officers. He’s innocent, of course, but that’s not the point. The point, for me, is that as a kid, I only ever tracked down issue 1 of Shadow of the Bat, and the first chapter of The Last Arkham. It ends with Batman beaten down by several guards, and left me wondering what Batman had done to be committed (the cop-killing piece of the story wasn’t revealed until chapter 2). I wanted to see the ending.
Chapters 2 through 4 did not disappoint. Grant and Breyfogle were at the top of their game. The writing and artwork are superb, and are some of the darkest in the Batman mythos. “Dark” isn’t always a good thing (see Zack Snyder’s Superman movies for perfect examples of when “dark” does not fit a character), but it fit the subject matter perfect.
SHADOW OF THE BAT: VOLUME 1 collects the first 12 issues of the titular monthly, so you get eight more stories besides The Last Arkham. They’re hit or miss. The first few are good, but the rest, with artwork drawn by artists other than Breyfogle, vary from fine to eye-roll inducing. The villains are hokey; the artwork lacks the edge (in every sense of the word) of Breyfogle’s depictions; and the writing reeks of Saturday morning cartoons. It’s so absurd that I question whether Grant could have written it, even though my research shows he wrote Shadow of the Bat through issue #82.
The Last Arkham is fantastic, and reason enough for Bat-fans to add this omnibus to their collection. As for the rest, you can take them (Black Spider’s story is excellent) or leave them. If you can find The Last Arkham as a standalone graphic novel, pick that up instead.
But I didn’t buy SHADOW OF THE BAT: VOLUME 1 for any of those reasons. Not directly, anyway. This first omnibus doesn’t collect any installment of Knightfall, and while it introduces Zsasz, Jeremiah Arkham, and Amygdala, I wasn’t aware of their origins in this book at the time. I bought this collection because of the first four installments, which comprise the Batman: The Last Arkham storyline.
The setup is that Jeremiah Arkham has ordered a new asylum built, one that resembles a classical labyrinth. His newest patient is Batman, who was declared insane after killing a cop in cold blood right in front of Commissioner Gordon and several officers. He’s innocent, of course, but that’s not the point. The point, for me, is that as a kid, I only ever tracked down issue 1 of Shadow of the Bat, and the first chapter of The Last Arkham. It ends with Batman beaten down by several guards, and left me wondering what Batman had done to be committed (the cop-killing piece of the story wasn’t revealed until chapter 2). I wanted to see the ending.
Chapters 2 through 4 did not disappoint. Grant and Breyfogle were at the top of their game. The writing and artwork are superb, and are some of the darkest in the Batman mythos. “Dark” isn’t always a good thing (see Zack Snyder’s Superman movies for perfect examples of when “dark” does not fit a character), but it fit the subject matter perfect.
SHADOW OF THE BAT: VOLUME 1 collects the first 12 issues of the titular monthly, so you get eight more stories besides The Last Arkham. They’re hit or miss. The first few are good, but the rest, with artwork drawn by artists other than Breyfogle, vary from fine to eye-roll inducing. The villains are hokey; the artwork lacks the edge (in every sense of the word) of Breyfogle’s depictions; and the writing reeks of Saturday morning cartoons. It’s so absurd that I question whether Grant could have written it, even though my research shows he wrote Shadow of the Bat through issue #82.
The Last Arkham is fantastic, and reason enough for Bat-fans to add this omnibus to their collection. As for the rest, you can take them (Black Spider’s story is excellent) or leave them. If you can find The Last Arkham as a standalone graphic novel, pick that up instead.
July 20, 2024
POPKULTUROWY KOCIOŁEK:
Komiksowyh crossoverów jest na rynku cała masa. Do tego grona dołącza kolejna pozycja, którą jest album Dylan Dog/Batman: Cień nietoperza. Połączenie dwóch ikonicznych i charyzmatycznych bohaterów, z których każdy ma swoją szeroką grupę wiernych fanów.
Fabuła rozpoczyna się od zagadkowego sojuszu Jokera, arcywroga Batmana, z doktorem Xabarasem, czarnym charakterem znanym z przygód Dylana Doga. Ich mroczne plany prowadzą do Londynu, gdzie ścieżki obu detektywów nieuchronnie się krzyżują. Mimo początkowych tarć i różnic w metodach, Batman i Dylan Dog zmuszeni są połączyć siły, by stawić czoła rosnącemu zagrożeniu.
Recchioni znakomicie buduje napięcie, stopniowo odkrywając karty i ujawniając coraz więcej szczegółów mrocznej intrygi. Intryga ta miesza elementy horroru z klasycznym kryminałem, a Londyn staje się ponurą scenerią, w której rozgrywa się walka dobra ze złem. Autor umiejętnie łączy ze sobą wątki z obydwu uniwersum, czerpiąc z bogatej historii Batmana i Dylana Doga. Fani obu bohaterów z pewnością docenią liczne nawiązania i smaczki, które Recchioni przemycił do scenariusza. Nie brakuje tu więc akcji oraz wątków okultystycznych, które zadziwiająco dobrze się do siebie dopasowują.
Jednym z największych atutów komiksu jest dynamiczna relacja między Batmanem i Dylanem Dogiem. Obaj bohaterowie są doskonale znani ze swoich silnych charakterów i odmiennych stylów działania. Batman to pragmatyczny racjonalista, działający z cienia i opierający się na zaawansowanej technologii. Dylan Dog natomiast kieruje się intuicją i wnikliwością, a jego metody pracy często balansują na granicy racjonalności. Te różnice prowadzą do początkowych konfliktów, ale z czasem obaj bohaterowie zaczynają się wzajemnie uzupełniać i doceniać swoje mocne strony.
Jedynym mocniej zauważalnym mankamentem scenariusza, do którego można mieć pewne zastrzeżenia są tutaj niektóre dialogi. Wypowiedzi bohaterów są momentami zbyt sztampowe albo niepotrzebnie rozwleczone (nie wnosząc nic istotnego do historii). Część czytelników może mieć również problem z akceptacją powiązanej z dialogami lekkiej warstwy humorystycznej, która nosi w sobie aurę lat 80-tych (bez obecnej poprawności)....
https://popkulturowykociolek.pl/dylan...
Komiksowyh crossoverów jest na rynku cała masa. Do tego grona dołącza kolejna pozycja, którą jest album Dylan Dog/Batman: Cień nietoperza. Połączenie dwóch ikonicznych i charyzmatycznych bohaterów, z których każdy ma swoją szeroką grupę wiernych fanów.
Fabuła rozpoczyna się od zagadkowego sojuszu Jokera, arcywroga Batmana, z doktorem Xabarasem, czarnym charakterem znanym z przygód Dylana Doga. Ich mroczne plany prowadzą do Londynu, gdzie ścieżki obu detektywów nieuchronnie się krzyżują. Mimo początkowych tarć i różnic w metodach, Batman i Dylan Dog zmuszeni są połączyć siły, by stawić czoła rosnącemu zagrożeniu.
Recchioni znakomicie buduje napięcie, stopniowo odkrywając karty i ujawniając coraz więcej szczegółów mrocznej intrygi. Intryga ta miesza elementy horroru z klasycznym kryminałem, a Londyn staje się ponurą scenerią, w której rozgrywa się walka dobra ze złem. Autor umiejętnie łączy ze sobą wątki z obydwu uniwersum, czerpiąc z bogatej historii Batmana i Dylana Doga. Fani obu bohaterów z pewnością docenią liczne nawiązania i smaczki, które Recchioni przemycił do scenariusza. Nie brakuje tu więc akcji oraz wątków okultystycznych, które zadziwiająco dobrze się do siebie dopasowują.
Jednym z największych atutów komiksu jest dynamiczna relacja między Batmanem i Dylanem Dogiem. Obaj bohaterowie są doskonale znani ze swoich silnych charakterów i odmiennych stylów działania. Batman to pragmatyczny racjonalista, działający z cienia i opierający się na zaawansowanej technologii. Dylan Dog natomiast kieruje się intuicją i wnikliwością, a jego metody pracy często balansują na granicy racjonalności. Te różnice prowadzą do początkowych konfliktów, ale z czasem obaj bohaterowie zaczynają się wzajemnie uzupełniać i doceniać swoje mocne strony.
Jedynym mocniej zauważalnym mankamentem scenariusza, do którego można mieć pewne zastrzeżenia są tutaj niektóre dialogi. Wypowiedzi bohaterów są momentami zbyt sztampowe albo niepotrzebnie rozwleczone (nie wnosząc nic istotnego do historii). Część czytelników może mieć również problem z akceptacją powiązanej z dialogami lekkiej warstwy humorystycznej, która nosi w sobie aurę lat 80-tych (bez obecnej poprawności)....
https://popkulturowykociolek.pl/dylan...
February 9, 2022
As one who couldn't enjoy Norm Breyfogle's art in its time,this collection of Shadow of the Bat is a welcome addition to my library. Breyfogle, writer Alan Grant, and some other artist like Dan Jurgens and Tim Sale (The Long Halloween) give their take on a book more focused on the characters in gotham tha are in the shadow of the bat, mainly villians. This collects the first year of the series, as a neat, complete package of stories. If you haven't read this part of Grant library, and you are a fan of his work on Detective Comics or Batman, this should be a fun read. The drawback of this collected series, is that from volume two to four (the last I know is publisdhed as Shadow of the Bat colllection) are at least 90% tie-ins to Batman Knightfall, an event collected many times, so if you have that event collected in their respective trade paperbacks, you pretty much have many of the books that were published after this first twelve issues, minus one or two one-shot stories here and there.
All in all, a product of its time, but pretty fun and interesting for fans of that era, old and new.
All in all, a product of its time, but pretty fun and interesting for fans of that era, old and new.
July 6, 2023
I picked this book up for the 4-part story "The Last Arkham," which was my favorite story out of the ones included. It introduces Jeremiah Arkham, the nephew of Amadeus Arkham, and shows how he treats the patients of Arkham Asylum. I also liked "The Black Spider" (touching anti-drug story) and the 3-part "The Misfits" (where C-list villains, like Killer Moth and Calendar Man, team up). The other three stories I didn't like as much. "The Ugly American" didn't seems like a Batman story, merely a barely-story with Batman appearing. "The Thane of Gotham" had a character with a stereotypical Scottish accent, which can be difficult to read, and . Lastly, "The Human Flea" was...just weird. Kadaver reminded me of the Tally Man from Knightquest. It might be the teeth.
Read
December 22, 2019Shadow of the Bat became the fourth ongoing Batman title when it launched in 1992. To separate it from the other three, DC decided Shadow would focus on villains, with stories usually told from their points of view. It’s a solid idea for a series, as Batman has plenty of fantastic villains. Sadly, the stories aren’t very good. The villains in these first twelve issues are either brand new or C-listers, a lot of whom I actually have soft spots for. But the stories (mostly by Alan Grant) are flatly written and forgettable. I find the early 90’s to be one of the worst eras for Batman comics, and these ones follow suit. I did like the art for the most part, particularly Tim Sale on the three-parter where a group of villains kidnap Bruce, Gordon, and the mayor. And I think i’m warming up to Norm Breyfogle’s style. Still, this collection is not at all essential.
November 17, 2017
Read this review and more on my blog, uncovered-books.
Is Batman as crazy as the rest of the inmates of Arkham Asylum but we only perceive him as good? A valid question that Grant puts across in an interesting way.
Whilst this is not the main premise of Shadow Of The Bat, it does play a major role in how characters react around him and at time how he acts. The main plot is Batman is trying to figure out who is doing the latest string of copy-cat murders, or whether it is the original who has escaped from Arkham Asylum.
Whilst this plot was very interesting, it was the art style that ruined what otherwise could have been an thought provoking comic book. I think that I prefer the more modern art styles used in the DC Rebirth (Batwoman is one of my favourites), so this more traditional look from the 90’s just does not work.
I would call this a middle of the road book, not bad but not great either.
Is Batman as crazy as the rest of the inmates of Arkham Asylum but we only perceive him as good? A valid question that Grant puts across in an interesting way.
Whilst this is not the main premise of Shadow Of The Bat, it does play a major role in how characters react around him and at time how he acts. The main plot is Batman is trying to figure out who is doing the latest string of copy-cat murders, or whether it is the original who has escaped from Arkham Asylum.
Whilst this plot was very interesting, it was the art style that ruined what otherwise could have been an thought provoking comic book. I think that I prefer the more modern art styles used in the DC Rebirth (Batwoman is one of my favourites), so this more traditional look from the 90’s just does not work.
I would call this a middle of the road book, not bad but not great either.
July 26, 2020
A collection of Batman stories, some one-shots and some multi-part arcs. Examines Batman and Gotham through the lens of the villains of Gotham where Batman is a central figure of the story but never really one you are given a clear narrative on. Every story is disconnected and the book reads a collection of short stories rather than a cohesive comic. It's probably best described as a "psychological horror" Batman book but one that lacks enough philosophical edge to be psychological and enough scary moments to be horror. The art is solid throughout the book (particularly when Tim Sale joins) and some moments have good humour but there really aren't many stories in this book I would recommend reading individually.
July 19, 2019
I enjoyed the Shadow of the Bat issues that were part of the Knightfall arc so I was thrilled when they released this volume. I also wanted to read this because it contains The Last Arkham, which is awesome btw. This story arc is really underrated. I personally believe it's better than Morrison's highly acclaimed Arkham Asylum. Victor Zsaz may not be as popular as Batman's other rogues but he was written well in that story. The rest of the stories were okay, although there were a couple that I didn't like. I did enjoy the ones that Tim Sale drew.
January 20, 2022
This is an early 90s collection of short Batman pieces by Alan Grant. Many of the short stories are somewhat like those of Judge Dredd, of which Grant wrote. Whereas short stories in Judge Dredd, which is mostly a social satire, works fine, in Batman, they are straight forward pieces, the irony and black humour aren't really present. The stories are closer to golden age Batman except they are concerned with more every day things.
The artwork and the garish colours do not lend themselves to much. All in all, an uninspired read.
The artwork and the garish colours do not lend themselves to much. All in all, an uninspired read.
January 7, 2025
Make no mistake: this review is biased. Shadow of the Bat 5 is one of the first comics I remember buying from an actual comic book store, setting me down a dark and lonely path that I still walk to this day. And I love Alan Grant’s writing. He was one of the best in the industry. Is this book actually good? I don’t know. It’s near impossible to read without rose colored glasses. But I also don’t pretend my reviews are anything but subjective. And I love and recommend this to any child from the 90s who loved that era of Batman.
November 18, 2025
Definitely enjoyed but with some of the cheesy-ness of that time
Always love batman and the stories i read. This was good and different to a degree. Enjoyed the art but sometimes didn't care for the way the cape looked. Its a nit pick but one I notice when so many artists nail his cape. Enemies are a little of the cheesy type and story from that time. I mean I grew up in the late 80s,early 90s and have read all types if batman and other comics. Again def a good read and any fan of the dark knight will enjoy, not the best but far from the worst.
Always love batman and the stories i read. This was good and different to a degree. Enjoyed the art but sometimes didn't care for the way the cape looked. Its a nit pick but one I notice when so many artists nail his cape. Enemies are a little of the cheesy type and story from that time. I mean I grew up in the late 80s,early 90s and have read all types if batman and other comics. Again def a good read and any fan of the dark knight will enjoy, not the best but far from the worst.
February 12, 2020
This collection of early 90s Batman tales show some serious highs and lows. The original four-parter was great. Classic Batman adventure involving the nature of psychosis and how Batman teeters on the line. The lows involved The Human Flea...yeah. The art throughout was classical and fitting. Overall, while a mixed bag, the opening arc alone is a must read for Batman fans.
January 8, 2025
This was a really mixed bag with the multi-part stories really shining and the single-issue stories being pretty dismal and not enjoyable in the least. That said, nine of the twelve issues were chapters in extended story arcs so I give it a three star rating even though there are some definite sour notes in here.
January 5, 2021
Very 90's comic. Too much 'silly' stuff that just does not give any realistic feel to the stories. The colors are way too bright for a Batman comic, and the art is just not very good. And too many preachy moments. I just want so see Batman solving crimes and hitting bad people.
March 28, 2022
Loved The Last Arkham, The Black Spider & The Ugly American Chapters. Didn’t like the Misfits ( Too Long ) The Thane of Gotham ( Meh, got bored ) & The Flea ( Just meh )
Not my cup of tea in Batman comics but I do appreciate the artwork throughout.
Not my cup of tea in Batman comics but I do appreciate the artwork throughout.
September 3, 2022
I got a taste of this title when I read all the Knightfall stuff a while ago. My understanding is that this was considered the more "psychological" Batman comic, but that seemed to translate as: lots of narration and interior monologue. That element didn't feel too out of control in this set of the first 12 issues, but it does come off as a Batman comic trying to perhaps be a little more literary. Unfortunately, it does so without being much fun, so unlike the Tom King Rebirth-era stuff, I can't really get behind it.
I don't think I'll be seeking out any more Shadow of the Bat, but there's an accomplishment to acknowledge here. Alan Grant wrote almost every single issue*, his 82 issue run ending with the series getting hijacked by the No Man's Land crossover event, and then getting canceled after that. Grant basically owns his own piece of real estate in Gotham City, and that's worth shouting out.
C
*Bulk of the series, Dude.
I don't think I'll be seeking out any more Shadow of the Bat, but there's an accomplishment to acknowledge here. Alan Grant wrote almost every single issue*, his 82 issue run ending with the series getting hijacked by the No Man's Land crossover event, and then getting canceled after that. Grant basically owns his own piece of real estate in Gotham City, and that's worth shouting out.
C
*Bulk of the series, Dude.
September 9, 2025
3.5
El volumen abre con la gran historia The last Arkaham, una de las mejores historias que involucran a Zsaz (y también su primera aparición). Las demás historias contenidas aquí son entretenidas pero poco memorables.
El volumen abre con la gran historia The last Arkaham, una de las mejores historias que involucran a Zsaz (y también su primera aparición). Las demás historias contenidas aquí son entretenidas pero poco memorables.
October 8, 2019
3.5 stars.
Lead story really good, rest variable but always interesting.
Lead story really good, rest variable but always interesting.
May 16, 2020
Started strong with the debut (?) appearance of Victor Zsasz, but ultimately a bunch of b-grade local baddies, and unengaging stories.
November 2, 2020
This is a straight up ok book. The stories are entertaining but quickly forgettable.
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