What is this book about?

The stories in Batman: Shadow of the bat always took place within the current continuity of Detective Comics and Batman, in contrast to Legends of the Dark Knight which focused on Batman’s early years. Stories in Batman: Shadow of the bat looked into the psyche of Batman and the various cast members of the Batman comics.

Why should you read this book?

The story I’m reviewing isn’t the story I want to recommend that you buy. The story I recommend you buy and read are from issues #83 through #94. They take place around the events of Batman: Cataclysm where an earthquake destroys most of Gotham city, Batman’s home.

However, as a precursor, the story I am reviewing gives a good lead in as to why you should read Batman: Cataclysm. I’m reviewing Batman: Shadow of the bat #0. Much like last time DC Comics was given an opportunity to retell (or clarify) the origin of its hero(es) to establish the official version in this “post-Zero Hour” revised continuity. So a “#0″ issue was published in the weeks that followed Zero Hour to showcase that series’/character’s origin. In the case with Batman: Shadow of the bat, Batman already had a series that showcased his origin, Batman. So, Batman: Shadow of the bat was left to explain why there was a series called Shadow of the bat.

So what they did was tell this story that talked heavily about the sacrifices Bruce Wayne made to his social life along the way to help the world and honor his parents.

It’s hard to remember a quote that I’ve heard come from a comic book that I could relate to more than this:

“The ineffectual effete fop persona he’d created for himself mean’t men saw him as no challenge–but he was still attractive to the ladies.

It would have been so easy to live the rich man’s life…

…But this wasn’t what he’d trained himself for. This wasn’t why he’d learned how to fight, why he knew more than any man alive about crime, and how to detect it.

He’d seen the ways of the world but even though he thought they were shallow, and trivial, and fleeting–

–it still hurt to leave them.”

This story describes why Shadow of the bat is significant in the Batman-universe. It really focuses on Bruce Wayne’s humanity and his struggle with two conflicting personality’s. The one where he is supposed to be responsibile, aware, and alert all the time and the one where he recognizes the importance of relaxation, fun and social interaction.

In Batman: Cataclysm, you really see his humanity shine through. Where there is this force of nature that he is powerless to stop and it’s destroying the city he swore to his parents that he would protect.

Shadow of the bat turned out to have some really great stories that I never realized existed when I was growing up. Buy the books here.