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Batman: Volume 8: Superheavy [The New 52] by Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo and Danny Miki (graphic novel review).

How much can be said about this graphic novel, Batman: Volume 8: Superheavy, without giving away too many spoilers? James Gordon has stepped up to the challenge of becoming Batman. Although the exact timeframe isn’t given, it must have been more than a few months for him to buff up, quit smoking, and get an odd haircut. Much of his story here involves going after people who’ve been indoctrinated by Bloom’s stones, which have a nasty habit of burning out their hosts, killing them.

You could say Gordon is moderately successful as Batman, but that’s only because the other contenders from the police force aren’t making the grade. There’s also one other stipulation: he’s working under the Gotham City Police Department and must not act as a vigilante, only intervening when a situation has already started to spiral out of control.

Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne’s body has been found, and due to exposure to certain chemicals, he has been resurrected. However, he has no memory of being Batman and has grown a beard, as Alfred Pennyworth explains to a disguised Superman. Bruce has moved on to child welfare work. Without the decades of training, he’s unlikely to be anything like his former self.

Meanwhile, Bloom has taken the offensive.

That should be enough to pique your interest in what happens next, but be sure to pick up Volume 9 if you want to read straight on.

The story, which covers Batman #41-45 and DC Sneak Peek: Batman #1, can feel a little jumpy as it shifts back and forth between earlier times, but not enough to confuse the reader. In many respects, this volume answers what happens after Batman’s “death.” Oddly, none of the other Batman family members seem eager to rise to the occasion or even get a mention.

GF Willmetts

July 2024

(pub: DC Comics, 2016. page graphic novel softcover. Price: varies. ISBN: 978-1-40126-630-1

check out website: www.dc.com

UncleGeoff

Geoff Willmetts has been editor at SFCrowsnest for some 21 plus years now, showing a versatility and knowledge in not only Science Fiction, but also the sciences and arts, all of which has been displayed here through editorials, reviews, articles and stories. With the latter, he has been running a short story series under the title of ‘Psi-Kicks’ If you want to contribute to SFCrowsnest, read the guidelines and show him what you can do. If it isn’t usable, he spends as much time telling you what the problems is as he would with material he accepts. This is largely how he got called an Uncle, as in Dutch Uncle. He’s not actually Dutch but hails from the west country in the UK.

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