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Batman Hush Volume one
written by Jeph Loeb
art by Jim Lee
Published by DC COMICS
This is the first of 2 tradepaperbacks reprinting the 2002-2003 12 issue storyline. For quite a few years now I have been hearing how this is the best Batman storyline in many years. Some have even compared it to Frank Miller's classic The Dark Knight Returns. I ended up getting both volumes as a gift last X-mas from one of my aunts. The story starts off with Batman rescuing a kidnapped child from Killer Croc. After he saves the kid Catwoman appears and steals the ransom money,Batman prosues her across the Gothem skyline. But somehow the rope he is swinging on is cut and he falls to the ground in the process fracturing his skull. Alfred the butler summons Batman's childhood friend,Thomas Elliot,who is now a well known brain surgeon. After Batman recovers he finds out that Poison Ivy had used Catwoman to steal the money. So he goes looking for Ivy. Him and Catwoman track her down to Metropolis. And discover that Ivy has taken control of Superman's mind. Using a Kryptonite ring,that Superman gave to Batman years ago in the chance that Superman goes evil or beserk,to keep Superman at bay. Catwoman shoves Lois Lane off a skyscaper and seeing his wife in danger snaps Superman outta the mind control. And he teams up with Batman and Catwoman to capture Ivy. Some days later Batman and Catwoman in their civilian indenties are attending an opera,when Harley Quinn shows up and in the fight someone kills Dr Thomas Elliot. It appears that Joker is the one that killed Dr Elliot,so Batman goes after him. Thanks to Jim Gordon and Dick Grayson,Batman doesn't kill Joker even though he seems to want too. This is also when we get the first appearance of a man with his face covered in bandages,He is referred to as Hush. And the story goes on from there. It is a basic who's who of all the main Bat villians. And after all the running around it turns out that Hush is really,Spoiler skip if you don't wanna know, Dr Thomas Elliot. The best part of the entire 12 issue run is a small part were at the end of one issue you are lead to believe that Hush is really Jason Todd,the second Robin who was killed by the Joker many years ago. While the artwork by Jim Lee is some of the best work he has done in many years ,the story fell flat to me. It felt like an idea I would have come up with while bored in 7th grade study hall. But then even though Jeph Loeb used to get all kinds of praise for his comic work ,the things I have read from him haven't impressed me that much. While reading both trades I was reminded of the first issues of the "Many Deaths of Batman" storyline from the early 90s. This was an issue where besides one word it had no other dialogue at all. I get the feeling that if Hush had no dialogue I might enjoy it more. Batman Hush Vols 1 and 2 get a C-. But the artwork by itself gets an A-.
