Batman: Year One Hundred

Paul Pope's "Batman Year 100" is brilliant. Pope re-imagines Batman's mask as the ultimate rebellion in a world devoid of privacy. His "message" is not heavy-handed, however; it fits in perfectly with Pope's re-imagining of Gotham as a Blade-Runner-esque metropolis, populated by police gangs (who have taken on the trappings of sports-teams), cyborg-dogs, teenage computer geniuses, and shadowy government operatives. Even Gordon (grandson of the commissioner) looks & dresses an awful lot like a young Harrison Ford/Rick Deckard (but w/ that trademark Gordon moustache.) For fans of Batman comics there are sharp references to earlier works--sightings of the Batman coincide with the dates and events of previous issues & stories, and the structure of the story mirrors that of Frank Miller's Batman Year One. And Pope's re-designed Batman costume, although initially jarring, quickly becomes one of the best parts of the book. Finally, a previous reviewer commented that the story leaves too many unanswered questions--But that's the point. In a future where everything must be known, it is an act of civil disobedience to leave questions unanswered. And so, in Year 100, demanding to know all the answers puts you on the same side as the bad guys . . . .

In "batman year 100", we find batman set in the future. 40 years after "the dark knight returns" perhaps. The reason why i refer to "the dark knight returns" is because "batman year 100" is just as iconic and remarkable as "the dark knight returns." I would much rather consider this a sequel more than "the dark knight strikes again." Its gritty and the artwork is outstanding. i love how batman looks grimey and old. The addition of fangs to instill fear in his enemies was a great concept that made him even more satisfyingly morbid. i like the whole concept of a future police state where privacy is outlawed and the government is always watching you. this made batman the only unknown in the country. WE MUST FIND WHO IS BATMAN! this was a brilliant story that felt down to earth and massive at the same time. its not too futuristic as well. the best way i can describe is like this: take "batman year one" and mix it with "the dark knight returns" and you got this. the only thing is that there is no iconic villians but rather a looming doomsday plot veiled by a murder mystery. its batman back to his detective work. i love the way the author ponders over the batman mythology. is he 100? how so? is it a title that is passed down? none of these get answered but its obvious that it was to fuel the wonder and awe about the whole spectacle. maybe he is one of the bat soldiers from the end of "the dark knight returns!!" the author does acknowledge "the dark knight returns" too in one scene. If you didnt like the sequel to "the dark knight returns" check this out, its a excellent read if you want to see batman get banged up real good. i love the bike chase with the new "robin" too. he doesn't wear the corny red and green tights, he wears a batman costume also. Two batman's!!!

Paul Pope really brings Batman alive in his depiction of Batman 100 years after his origin. Pope's artwork almost jumps off the page as he has a way of depicting a stunning sense of energy even in still shots with his ink brush. The feel is raw and gritty, just as Batman should be. In fact, you'll see about the coolest idea for the batmobile ever. The artwork isn't the only great thing about this graphic novel though. The story takes Batman back to his roots as a detective, which is how Batman should be portrayed--a man who also happens to be a hero. In this two-fisted story, Batman gets shot, chased by dogs and dragged through the mud as he is trying to get to the bottom of a mysterious exchange between federal agents and a known terrorist organization. If you're a real Batman fan, I definitely recommend that you give this a try.

This is not a book about a millionaire's exploits as a masked vigilante. Anyone who begins this book expecting something like Dark Knight Returns or your typical Batman story is looking at the book from the wrong perspective. What we have here is an amazing portrayal of the Batman as an ideal. A force that can't be stopped by age or oppression. It is not a story about a superhero in the public spotlight, but about a rebel operating in the shadows, trying to obtain justice without being noticed. All these unanswered questions that people are complaining about - "who is batman?" "is it bruce wayne? how is he alive?" "where are the other super heroes?" - NONE of them matter. You're all missing the point; the "who" doesn't matter - its the idea of the Batman that is important. Did you all have this much of an issue when Mark Millar made Superman a communist? Paul Pope's art is, as usual, amazing. Jose Villarubia's colors are perfectly suited to the environments. The writing is top-shelf - creating a true sense of realism on the part of the Batman, while still creating a fantastic futuristic setting. Pope's sketches and notes in the back show just how much thought he put into his design of the famous Batman. This is an amazing take on the Bat-mythos from an amazingly talented creator with a true understanding of the character. Unique, visually stunning, and pure in execution. There is no reason not to own this book.

I loved Paul Pope's take on "The Bat-Man of Gotham," and some of the things I loved about it are things that made other reviewers here unhappy: The story's loose ends, the distinctive art, the fact that this Batman doesn't look so much like other versions of Batman. The plot is slim yet convoluted, and the main conspiracy is kind of a yawn, but the subplots on the story's edges hold interest and -- most importantly -- the many action sequences are knockouts. The long section when Batman breaks into the police compound, which runs from the last section of part two and well into part three, is thrilling and suspenseful and gave me a giddy kick. The fact that it is never quite explained how Batman has been able to survive for 100 years is not as opaque as some reviewers suggest. If you read the book closely, there are suggestions: Is the Batman mantle passed down over time? Is there a supernatural element? Both of these possiblities are raised in subtle ways, but nothing is ever confirmed. Pope's artistic style falls somewhere between Will Eisner and Frank Miller, leaning slightly toward the former, and that's a classic place to be. It brings a gritty sense of place, of urban wasteland, though sometimes the perspectives are a bit jarring and what's being depicted is perhaps drawn a bit too close up. Loved the Batman costume. A section at the end of the book goes into detail of the design, and it makes so much more sense than the conventional version. Despite taking place in 2039, this Batman feels far more "real" than any other incarnation I've read. I can't say enough good things about it. I hope very much that DC gives Paul Pope another opportunity to tell this character's story.