Customer Reviews:

1 out of 1 people found the following review helpful
Customer Id: A33QBAP0Y8LK4U 2008-08-27
 
Review Summary: Oh dear.
 
Review Content: Jeph Loeb has a pretty illustrious history in comics as a writer. In Batman alone, he has written the fantastic Batman: Long Halloween (a key inspiration for Batman Begins) and its follow up Dark Victory, two stupendous stories which suggested he'd strike it lucky a third time too. Right?

Wrong. Somewhere between these two books, Jeph Loeb lost his mojo. This first volume of Hush (and why a 12-issue story needed to be published in two volumes of different sizes when even this same writer's previous stuff wasn't is a mystery) begins a rollercoaster story the ending of which you can see from a mile off.

Many of the characters and dialogue styles are identical to those used previously ("no one can resist me" says Poison Ivy. Again.) and the stilted internal monologue that grates. Loeb starts a story that whilst having a few twists you won't see coming and some nice moments (not least the fight with Superman), its villain will be obvious to you before you even know there is one.

The saving grace of all this is one Jim Lee. Possibly the best comic artist active at the moment, he brings to life Loeb's mediocre story with the same effortless, vibrant colour with which he makes the likes of All-Star Batman And Robin forgivable.

Unless you're a Loeb freak or a big fan of Jim Lee's artwork - or simply don't want to think very hard in the course of the story - then Hush is not for you.
 
 
 

0 out of 1 people found the following review helpful
Customer Id: A3DKS390DX0UFM 2008-08-12
 
Review Summary: To many characters
 
Review Content: I gave this comic two stars because even if it's nothing special it's a light hearted read. The problem I had was that there just seemed to be to many characters squeezed in and not enough story. One of my favourite batman comics is Knightfall which is filled with characters but pulls it off well. Anyway I guess you have to make your own mind up but don't expect anything amazing unless you prefer characters over story.
 
 
 

0 out of 0 people found the following review helpful
Customer Id: A1SF07CK6TMMH9 2008-07-23
 
Review Summary: Beautiful Artwork
 
Review Content: I cannot recommend this or its sequel highly enough for the art alone its worth its weight in gold. honestly its beautifuly drawn it also has a gripping plot with batman faceing off agains many of his previous villians and even superman.
 
 
 

0 out of 0 people found the following review helpful
Customer Id: A3SUWTC33ABT94 2008-05-02
 
Review Summary: Incredible
 
Review Content: I sat and though about the title for this review for a couple of minutes and 'incredible,' I'm afraid to say, was the best I could come up with to describe this book.
As a child I would read comics my father brought back from work. Second hand, many folded, dog eared comics at that. This book was my reintroduction after many years and I have to say a big 'Thank you' to Mr Loeb and Mr Lee for it. My bookcase now labours under the weight of a great many more graphic novels now.
The writing is very clever and I really did not see the ending (of vol. 2 that is) coming. Jim Lee's visuals (and remember this medium is as much about the visuals as it is the story) are quite frankly sublime and, in some instances literally take your breath away.
The negative reviews I see here quite baffle me. I heartily recommend this book, a work of art in every sense.
 
 
 

10 out of 20 people found the following review helpful
Customer Id: A2AGN2GQHNIICH 2006-10-06
 
Review Summary: Don't buy the hype.
 
Review Content: As Batman stories go, this is not the worst. Not in its best moments does it ever approach being one of the best.

As a detective story, it really is bordering on pathetic. A mysterious new villain (the "Hush" of the title) is out to get Batman; who could it possibly be behind those natty, invisible man-style bandages!?! Oh, by the way, on a completely unrelated note, Bats is having flashbacks to an old childhood friend never before seen or mentioned in the Bat-canon who Bruce Wayne was apparently closer to than anyone as a child, but who left his life under regrettably awkward circumstances years before. Among the other suspects are... Alfred, maybe? I don't mean to spoil it for you, but it really is just that blatant. Really.

Jim Lee draws superheroes well. They're big, they're burly, they're baroque. His women are lithe and have tiny waists. He's a master at choreographing action scenes. these qualities are where this books strengths lie.

The episodic nature of the story is basically an excuse to trundle out the rogues gallery for one more go-round as hush manipulates all of Bats' old villains into once more, one at a time attacking the dark knight (as if they ever needed manipulating into such an act before...) and Bats fights them off, one by one.

On that level, it's fun. On every other level, it's seriously deficient. The detective story is a tacked on excuse for the villain showdowns, transparent from the first chapter. the human element is soap operatic in the worst sense of the term. One off-the-cuff peck from Catwoman sends bats into such a mire of reflection and self doubt that i just wanted to reach into the panels and scream "GET OVER IT!!!!!!" at the guy. What is he, fourteen?

Seriously. As no brainer action stories go, this is alright. That's the very best thing i can say about it.