Review: Batman Beyond #1

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    inferiorego

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    Edited By inferiorego  Staff
    No Caption Provided
    Terry McGinnis returns again in a one month time period as Batman, but this time not in an annual comic but in his own mini-series, featuring a few villains from Batman's past.
     

    The Good

    More Batman Beyond! It was one of my favorite cartoon series! Anyway, it's good to see McGinnis back in the suit again, even though we saw him two weeks ago in Superman/Batman Annual #4. the artwork in the book is done by Ryan Benjamin, and it looks like Dustin Nguyen's pencils met an updated version of the original cartoon. It looks pretty good, but there were a couple times I wasn't too happy with it. The inclusion of old and new villains in the futuristic setting was a staple of the original show, but obviously focusing more on the new baddies that the oldies. This comics follows the feel of the show very well, except for Terry juggling his social life with his super life, but this is the first issue of the book, so hopefully, it will touch up on that later.
     

    The Bad

    Have you seen Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker? If you have, you'll feel like you're reading a revamping of that in a sense, and no, Joker is not in this book. On the art side of things, my arch-nemesis returned to this book, disappearing backgrounds. Many times, this is done to convey a message, and I understand that because that's what seems to be happening here, but I am no fan of it. Another art element I was not digging on was during a fight scene, the background was still there, but it was all tinted green? Why? I don't get it.
     

    The Verdict 3.5/5

    Ok, I'm bias, but as I read this book a second and a third time, just to make sure my biases didn't take over my rating and the overall review, I realized that the book isn't as good as I originally thought. Sure, I enjoyed it, a lot, but it was because I'm such a Batman Beyond fanboy. The issue is all set-up for the rest of the story, which is what most first issues are anyways, but I feel in a sense that I'm reading a revamping of Return of the Joker, but replacing Joker with another classic Wayne villain. Don't get me wrong, I am loving it, but so far, this feels a little stale for a character and world that has never truly had his own series, minus cartoon adaptations. I'm recommending the book, but fans be weary because this will feel a little too familiar to you. 
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    NoMoreHeroes

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    #1  Edited By NoMoreHeroes

    thanks for the review! 
    im excited to pick this one up

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    goldenkey

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    #2  Edited By goldenkey

    I always felt like they should have lost the mouth on the suit.  Don't know why either. 
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    sora_thekey

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    #3  Edited By sora_thekey

    Huh, I watched some episodes of Batman Beyond, but I never watched Return of the Joker... so I guess if I read this I won't have anything to compare it to...
    I might like this then!

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    Gothapolis

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    #4  Edited By Gothapolis

    No Caption Provided
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    CiaranStatham

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    #5  Edited By CiaranStatham
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    inferiorego

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    #6  Edited By inferiorego  Staff
    @CiaranStatham said:
    "

    'never truly had his own series?' 
     
    So what, pray tell, was this? 
     

    http://www.comicvine.com/batman-beyond/49-6421/    

    "
    As I said above, 
    @inferiorego said:
    this feels a little stale for a character and world that has never truly had his own series, minus cartoon adaptations.   "
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    CaptainGenisVell

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    #7  Edited By CaptainGenisVell

    I pre-orderes the first 3 issues as soon as I saw it being published. I'm a huge Beyond fanboy as well and particularly love the suit.
    The mouth is needed as it's Batman, not Spider-man :P

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    foxglove

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    #8  Edited By foxglove

    This definitely was too close to home. I LOVED Batman Beyond, there is a lot of potential here for new, more mature and reaching story lines and I'm getting the feeling this is an opportunity missed.
     
    Also I would've really liked to see a stronger artist on the book, the backgrounds and lack of detail were not my only qualms with the look of the story. Was is just me or did all the illustrations of Terry without mask look really awkward and dopey?

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    ben_scarlet

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    #9  Edited By ben_scarlet

    Nice review...
    the old villians return? 
    i can't think 'bout a new Penguin's costume xD

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    skaarason

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    #10  Edited By skaarason

    looks good !

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    NightFang3

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    #11  Edited By NightFang3

    Nice review, can't wait to pick this comic up!

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    ComicStooge

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    #12  Edited By ComicStooge

    Batman Beyond: Return Of The Joker was awesome...

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    Arkham Lunatic

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    #13  Edited By Arkham Lunatic
    @goldenkey said:
    "I always felt like they should have lost the mouth on the suit.  Don't know why either.  "

    So do I.
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    TheBlueAngel93

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    #14  Edited By TheBlueAngel93

    I'm a huge fan of the cartoon, after Bruce, Terry is the only other Batman I have fully excepted. I enjoyed the Annual and liked seeing Superman Beyond. I really was glad to see Terry getting a mini after so long, I think there's a lot more DC can do with his world, more darker stories (like Return of the Joker) that they really couldn't do in the cartoon for reasons. Overall I enjoyed this issue, the writing and art was very good, the only problem was that I ruined the ending of the issue for looking the covers of the next few issues on DC Comics.com and I think if I hadn't of seen them, I would have been way more surprised about the last page then I was. But I still like that their bringing back old Batman rouges into Terry's world, I like this future and hope to see more of it in the coming months.

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    Big

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    #15  Edited By Big

    Batman Beyond sucks.

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    mistrx75

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    #16  Edited By mistrx75

    Batman Beyond did eventually grow on me, so I'm kind of excited to see it get a mini.

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    Hamz

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    #17  Edited By Hamz

    I enjoyed the issue and maybe I'm just thick but I didn't expect you-know-who to be the person, I thought it was a certain someone else who enjoys knives and cutting..... 
     
    I like Batman Beyond quite a bit. There's a nice charm too it that I can appreciate and support because it tries to provide something a little different. The only gripe I have is that they should remove the mouth piece from the suit and have it as a solid faceplate piece instead. Or go for the traditional Batsuit design of keeping the mouth visible.

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    roxamilli

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    #18  Edited By roxamilli

    maybe we'll finally find out wtf happened to dick grayson in the series.
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    Mediant

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    #19  Edited By Mediant

    I kind of hated the cartoon and its idea when it first came out, then it steadily grew on me. I might have to check this out.

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    Joe Venom

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    #20  Edited By Joe Venom

    Nice review, I just finished reading this but 
    I won't be getting any other issues. The only 
    way I would come back to this book is if Bruce 
    Wayne passes away to give Terry's character 
    a chance to develop on his own. I didn't like 
    how Terry openly talked to Wayne mid-combat
    even the villain thought it was weird, I would
     prefer they just bring back the cartoon.

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    cirus5555

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    #21  Edited By cirus5555


    I am a hugh Batman Beyond Fan I did  really enjoy this comic however I really wish they move away from tha animated series style. the animated series was fantastic and has its place. I havent picked up a Batman comic and found the art to be Batman the animated series inside so why Beyond. 
    I would aslo liked to have seen some progrestion than always Terry go and get this villian go get that villan im sitting in a cave :( . Maybe follow on from the last jla animated episode where we find out terry is a clone of bruce. or maybe Bruce is now dead for real and Terry is out on his own no dana or a silly robin standin. Think that its about time that this charator is given the respect of some really clever art work somthing more mature or just a big kick in the stail bump Its set in the Future so lets make a more modern comic ( makes sence I think)  
     
    Ps looking forward to all the coming issues.

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