Batman #118 is written by Joshua Williamson with art by Jorge Molina. It was released on December 7th 2021 for the rising DC Comic’s price of $4.99. For that you get 30 pages of story.
I’m happy to say that this felt like a breath of fresh air after James Tynion’s road-to-nowhere-fast run on the title. Tynion took over after Tom King had penned 85 issues of a very mixed run on DC’s flagship title. Tynion started well with a return-to-basics style of a Batman book. Unfortunately, I felt like he was stretching three or four-part story arcs into double the length actually needed. How many parts made up “Joker War” or “Fear State”? Too many, that’s for sure. Not to mention his penchant for introducing too many new characters who struggled to catch this reader’s attention or memory. Seriously, I can’t remember half of them.
While not groundbreaking, this issue reads like a Batman book. It features Batman in the lead role; I know, incredible, right?! He wasn’t a co-star in his own book being led around by a bunch of new characters. This was Batman being Batman, scaring criminals, fighting villains, doing actual detective work, and bantering with Oracle Barbara Gordon. Williamson did a solid job tidying up some loose ends after Tynion’s run. Now he can take the Dark Knight in his own direction, hopefully.
The first thing he did was to take him out of Gotham City to investigate the charges of Murder being held against some of the former members of Batman INC. If anyone has read Grant Morrison’s memorable run on Batman, they should recall the international Batman Incorporated group of heroes that Batman was once involved with. Have they lost their way and turned into killers? It looks like we are going to find out in future issues of Williamson’s Batman. I’m looking forward to it!
Here is a link to my video review on YouTube if you’d like to know the story in more detail.
Thanks so much for reading!
-Wakizashi, *just finished watching Midnight Mass on Netflix and am still trying to make my mind up about the final episode…*
Wakizashi's Reviews 
$5!!!!!??????!!!!! Really?
ouch
What did you think of Midnight Mass in general?
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I know. DC and Marvel are doing this price (and higher) more and more now.
I thought it was brilliant. Great writing and acting, a fascinating setting, and a genuinely scary monster.
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Sometimes I wonder how comics are going to survive.
Thanks. Ever since somebody brought it up in one of the posts I read (I can’t remember if it was mine or somebody elses) I’ve been thinking over if I should check it out.
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Glad to hear this one is moving in a more positive and entertaining direction. The artwork looks good, too. I hope it all continues!
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Yeah, me too. Let’s hope it continues.
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Oh, I’m glad we’re past King and Tynion – not my favorites, not by a long shot! 😉
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I’m cautiously optimistic, but it’s current DC so you never know what might happen. 😏
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