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Type of bind: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 741.5973
EAN num: 9781401212407
ISBN number: 1401212409
Label: DC Comics
Manufacturer: DC Comics
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 200
Printing Date: August 08, 2007
Publishing house: DC Comics
Release Date: August 01, 2007
Sale Popularity Level: 73039
Studio: DC Comics
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Product Description:
Comic legends Grant Morrison (ALL STAR SUPERMAN, SEVEN SOLDIERS) and Andy Kubert (Ultimate X-Men, 1602) join forces to bring you an unforgettable tale of the Dark Knight.After Batman faces down an army of winged horrors in a no-holds barred, bone-crunching superbrawl among the treasures of London's Pop Art Museum, Batman receives the greatest shock of his life when he discovers that he has a son.Sparks fly when the new addition to the Bat-family is introduced to Batman's adopted son, Robin, the Boy Wonder.Which one will be chosen to carry on the legacy as Gotham's protector?
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Rated by buyers -
I've grown reluctantly accustomed to different authors/artists coming up with material that contradicts previous works. I decided that, despite my personal feeling that Batman's son by Ra's al Ghul's daughter, Talia to be the one depicted in Alex Ross' superb "Kingdom Come." Nonetheless, I gave this alternate version a go.
First niggle of annoyance - the kid, around 10, is named Damien. How original is that? Somehow I don't see Talia, who is so busy running her father's League of Assasins to the point where Damian himself says she has no time to rear a child, having the time to see any of the "Omen" movies. The name 'Damien' has because synonomous with an evil child.
He isn't necessarily evil, but he HAS been reared by various teachers in the League of Assasins and become a bit to much of a handful for his mother to deal with, so she dumps the kid on Batman. Second niggle of annoyance - here and there have been conflicting storylines regarding Batman and Talia. There are ones that have them being lovers, even married at one point. Rather than rolling with that, suddenly there's Batman stating he'd been drugged up to be part of a genetic manipulation program that has resulted in Damien. Eugenics, anyone?
Not to give away too many spoilers, I will say what was essentially on the books back cover - the kid is hellbent on removing Alfred and Robin (Tim Drake who has officially been adopted by Bruce Wayne... I don't know if this is solely in this story because I haven't been keeping up on the monthly comics). Damien particularly has it in for Tim, feeling that his adoption status usurps his own birthright and inheritance.
Though you want more of this entire story line, however, and this is why I give it three stars as opposed to the five I would have given if the storyline stayed on track. I guess the 'Batman and Son' individual comic books simply did not have issues to justify a graphic novel. While it is mentioned on the back cover that there is a special Joker-based story...
Well, there was, mostly prose with random artwork here and there in the margins. The back cover fails to mention that, now halfway through the book, there is now going to be several more Batman tales not in anyway related to Damien (save for a one-panel nightmare Batman has).
The last story of this, "Filler, we need filler!" graphic novel actually DOES have Damien grown up in the future and being the new Batman, which is NOT a pleasant place. His form of crimefighting, though he tries to hold back partly in rebellion towards his mother and partly because he promised his father to not kill anyone. He can't always honor that promise.
Again, not being on the monthly issue circuit, there are many things in there that are shown but not explained making me at least go, "What? What happened here and how?" What's more is they seem to have blended Frank Miller's Robin from Dark Knight with Commisioner Gordon's wheelchair bound daughter. All in all, grown up Damien resembles something more like "Hitman," including the shaved head.
The very first part of the novel is worth it in my opinion, but discovering that only about a third of "Batman and Son" is devoted to Batman and Damien really, really annoyed the hell out of me. I felt ripped off by false advertising. Having picked this up in a bookstore, the only thing I had to go on was the misleading description on the back cover. Unforgivable in my honor system, where an ommission is right up there with an outright lie.
Rated by buyers 
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The premise is a good one and one that inevitably had to be written about. The execution is so-so both from a writing standpoint and an artistic one. The piece as a whole seems rushed or at the very least subordinate to the deadline and required more cultivation for such an exciting idea. Andy Kuberts work though solid, dynamic and professional is not inspiring and lacks something. Morrisons writing seems like there was a bullet point list that needed checking off and little care was taken for connecting those bullet points. I also didn't care for the shoehorned story in the middle that seems completely out of place. I don't recommend paying full price or purchasing at all.
Rated by buyers -
Batman's son Damian is where lots of conflict, and central part of the story happens. Batman will have to more or less "babysit" his own child, but its a child that has been taught the exact opposite of everything he (Batman) believes in. Damian is selfish, spoiled, nearly uncontrollable, alpha male which leads to a heated moment or 2 between him, Robin, the rest of the Bat family, and he believes its ok to kill which is a big no no for old Bats.
The biggest flaw besides the annoying character Damian, and the semi stupid (or completely stupid) Ninja-Man-Bats of the story however is the fact that Grant Morrison didn't do his research properly because he didn't read Son of the demon, or at least looked it up on wikipedia. Because of that he comes up with a last minute excuse as to why Damian's origins changed from being a regular child who Talia gave birth to, to being raised in a artificial womb (stupid indeed). His excuse as to why the origins changed was the same way Jason Todd was brought back to life because reality was altered by Superboy Prime , which was a horrible way in itself, and was used again in this case.
Another BIG flaw is how things are put together in this book. You should check out Grant Morrison's entire run on Batman for more details closure, etc, on these, and other stories of Batman. I agree with one of the reviews that says this is only part of the story, and was questioning why DC put out the books the way they did. Grant Morrison said that you should read his entire run to get the best of Batman's stories, as each of his story's connects with each other in more way than one. A bit confusing, but more or less mandatory to get the full effect of Batman and Son, and the other stories he wrote with in the last 2 or so years involving Batman. Trust me... there is a lot more to this story especially with the "3 ghosts of Batman", and "Batman RIP" story lines
On a good note though, while Damian is annoying, it brings out some of the best parts of the story. The heat, and tension between him, Robin, Alfred, and Batman are all somewhat hilarious, and keeps you waiting to see what this little jerk will do next. Also there is a great piece of dark comedy at the beginning of the story with Gordon in the hospital still feeling the effects of Jokers gas (a side story is involved). While the Ninja Bats may be a stupid idea, ironically it also brings out some of the best action in the story with Batman trying to fight them off.
For the final good note this book also contains issues 663-666 which are all great short stories consisting of Damian becoming Batman in the future. Joker returns in a story that reads more like a magazine with some art rather than a comic which may turn comic fans off. Also a story where Batman is confronted by a monster of a person that has a resemblance to himself and Bane. Sounds cool huh?
All in all Batman and Son is ok with a few funny, heated moments, with a little action peppered in, and artwork that isn't great, but gets the job done. The other stories that come along with the book are great if not good, and adds more reading time for your buck. Not saying you should buy it, but its entertaining enough to at least check out before you do or don't spend money on it.
Rated by buyers 
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I would bet my life that this was one of the best writing stuff on batman. Mr. Morris very does a wonderfull work of writing this book. IT was a great read and im a math guy but i could it again and again. they is a part of the book tat is just writing like a short storys maybe im going overborad but i feel that is one of the best parts of writing in the last 10 years!!!!!!!!!!
Rated by buyers -
This collection includes two storylines, or more like one and a half, which were originally released in the Batman comic series. The very first storyline is about Batman discovering he has a son, and the second one is about Batman discovering and going up against two evil Batman impostors. Then there are two short throwaway stories which each took up one issue of the original comic series.
The main problem with this collection is that the second major storyline continues in the comics, but is cut in half here, and we see only the very first half of it here in this collection. DC is releasing a second collection of Grant Morrison's Batman run later in 2008. I believe it is titled The Black Glove. It will have a similar structure to this collection in that it will have a self contained story (The Black Glove), followed by the second half of the storyline about the Batman imposters.
I don't know why DC chose to release these books this way. Having read the entire imposter Batman storyline, I think it is really great. But reading half of it, without the end, just seems useless. I wish that DC had instead decided to release a collection of that complete storyline by itself, and put the two shorter Batman and Son, and The Black Glove stories together in a seperate book, instead of splitting the imposter story between two books. But I would encourage anybody who is confused by the last part of Batman and Son to keep their eyes peeled for The Black Glove later this year. It will be worth the wait.
I have thoroughly enjoyed Grant Morrison's writing on the Batman title. It is sophisticated, dark and gritty, yet the affection between Batman and the people closest to him in his life (Robin, Alfred and Commish Gordon) is clearly evident, and is something that this title has needed for a long time. It really seems like there are emotional bonds between the people in this book and it makes them seem more human and more vulnerable, which makes the threats against them even more threatening. It's the contrasts that make this book.
Grant Morrison is one of the greatest writers that comics has ever seen. If his Batman is too dark for you, and you would like something lighter and full of wonder, try his All-Star Superman. It's great also.
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