I would not say I didn't like, it was great at some points and bad at many others, but overall I think the way it is collected and executed was bad. The Bane origin story in volume 1 is great, like 5 star great. Bane going to Gotham and breaking Bruce and all that went with it was not horrible but not great, average 3ish stars. What should have happened at some point in this book was an introduction to Azrael because he completely dominates volume 2.

Here is where my serious problem when it comes to Batman: Knightfall #2 - Volume Two Knightquest. This whole book is Azarael, no Bruce Wayne in it except i think the last page maybe. It is a chore to read, with no one to relate to, I don't know why Tim Drake wasn't in this more, he is barely in it. Catwoman might be in it more, and let me tell you it is actually a relief when you see an issue of Catwoman. The Joker and Clayface thing in it was ok too. The Trigger Twins and a punk rock band that are the 3 stooges make me basically say you should skip KnightQuest... unless you are some big Azrael fan.

Volume 3 has some 5 star stuff like Bruce's test from Lady Shiva. The final confrontation is great too but i felt like for all that Azrael I read in Knightquest that it ended too quickly. After what should be the end of the book it goes on for 200 more pages with a useless Catwoman issue and the arc Prodigal Son. They should cut the fat on this story and make it 1 book.

Love to hear thoughts. It may be that most of the comics I have read have been post mid-2000's as to why I found this so tiresome.

Kind of a known story, not really sure how any of this is a 'spoiler.' I do agree that they should have at least put Sword of Azrael in volume 1 since they put in the Bane story. It probably wasn't included due to it Quesada's involvement, and if so that sucks. I think that most agree that the Knightsaga was only reissued into these larger 3 volumes because of Bane's inclusion in the final Nolan Bat movie. They really did screw up volume 2 though by leaving out 'The Search' portion of the Knightquest section, so maybe that was there was of thinking they were 'cutting out the fat.'

Knightsend's final issue of Bruce Vs JPV was supposed to have some mirroring of his fight against Bane, which is why it was the length it was. Prodigal was included because a lot of fans supposedly complained about how difficult it was to find the actual Prodigal TPB, plus it, along with Azrael Showcase '94 helps provide a bit of closure to the whole Knightsaga. The biggest complaint that most fans have about all 3 trades though is the exclusion of 'The Search' from Knightquest, and Sword of Azrael from Knightfall, as well as a few of the issues that come before Knightfall issue 1 that introduce Azrael and his training with Tim into the Batfamily.

I remember actually reading this whole saga as it unfolded and thought it was awesome. It's actually the newer stuff from the past ten years that I find difficulty getting into honestly.

@azrael_online Hey thanks for the info and for commenting. I figured if anyone was going to be commenting on this it would be you. Excellent information, thank you I will look into those issues to at least see how much better it would have made this. Another thing this collection assumes you know is that batman has pneumonia from the beginning of the story.

Your introduction to, and all you really know about JPV, is that Tim Drake spots for him in the weight room. That Bane origin was really compelling, for them not to include a compelling origin(or at least an introduction) to Azrael, who will be basically the only character in Knightquest, is beyond stupid. YOU need to oversee the next collection they make of Knightfall. I really thought there was something interesting about Azrael, and the programming, and him constantly improving the suit in a kind of blackout haze, but without establishing who he is, you are just lost. I think it also might have helped to have some more of Tim Drake observing him out in the field to be our down to earth guide through Azrael time as Batman.

This being my first topic post ;) I didn't want to do anything wrong.

Yeah my buddy who has been into comics his whole life has the same opinion as you on new vs. old. I just think something about the writing seems off and the art looks like comics from the 60's to me(again my buddy says he like that art better). Thanks again for all the info, it's great.

@cuddlebear: Thanks, you might be hard pressed to find someone who is as big a fan of Azrael as me. Batman issue 488 is where JPV comes into the picture. A bit of bckgrouns is given on him as far as who he is and can be utilized for those who didn't read Sword of Azrael. Bruce ends up giving him a job as a security guard at Wayne Industries. Great job for a computer science major huh :p
In Batman 500 where Tim tells Dick about JPV he references the training costume he designed for JPV similar to Metalheads, which came a few issues prior to Batman 488, which is where you start to get a gist of how run down Bruce is getting.
If I remember right, parts of 'The Search' had a bit of Tim observing JPV as well, plus showing Bruce and Dick pictures and such of JPV talking to himself and losing it a bit.

I'm more a fan of the 90's art, it's closer to the 70's and 80's art really, stuff like Aparo, Cariello, Quesada, Nolan. Obviously some of those guys are from that era. NP, I probably would have made a longer post if I wasn't at work