Batman: Black & White

I own and have read all 3 volumes of these Batman: Black and White books. They're all good, and in order of volume, so Volume #1 is the best, by far. What makes them great (and I'm mostly referring to volume one, although these can apply to all volumes): - Large collection of unique stories, and the stories are short - about 8 pages, I think. So I made a habit of reading just one or a few stories at the end of each night, for example. There's 20 different stories! So if you're a big Bat-Fan like me, you're bound to like most. - A different writer and artist for each story. So, some of the stories you'll love, and some you might hate. But for the most part, I liked a large percentage of them. And when they're good, they're REALLY GOOD! And sometimes, if the story isn't that great, the artwork might make up for it (or vice versa). - The artwork! Again, a large percentage of the stories really do have fantastic art. It's a real treat turn the page and read an entirely different story with a completely different (artistic) take on Batman. Plain and simple, every huge Batman fan should own all of these books. Start with this volume.

First off, this is a review of volume 1. I got several Batman graphic novels recently and get one out when I have a block of uninterrupted time for it. I thought that given the short-story format, that I'd leave this in the car and read one or two stories when I had a few minutes to kill. Sure - that's what I say when I get a box of candy too - just one or two at a time - make the box last for a month. LOL - I got going and finished the whole book in one sitting. The short stories are not all great, but even the weakest is worth at least three stars. Some of the others are wonderful. The most unexpected were the best: "A Black and White World" a Neil Gaiman story which features Batman and Joker in a way you've never seen them before, and "A Slaying Song Tonight" a Batman Christmas story.... who'd ever think of that? The art is varied - which is the point isn't it. Some I liked a great deal and others didn't move me, but each reader will have different tastes. I learned about some artists with which I wasn't familiar. I'm new to comics and graphic novels, so this was a great way to gain some exposure to some legends. A previous reviewer seemed to feel the black and white art limited the artists. I thought the short story format and the black and white art boiled the work down to it's most powerful essence. The stories didn't waste a word. The art didn't hide behind color. It was like each story was stripped down to the bare essentials. And no comic character is more natural for a black and white treatment than the Bat. It was like a film noir movie marathon! Volume One at the very least is a must-own part of any Batman collection. Highest recommendation!