Publisher's Weekly Review
Following the "death" of Bruce Wayne in last year's "Batman: R.I.P." arc comes Gaiman's loving eulogy not just to Batman but to the Batman of each era since the character's debut. Bolstered by slick art from Kubert (Batman; Captain America), Gaiman's lyrical chops are in fine form, weaving a surreal wake in which characters from Batman's history take turns relating what he meant to them, and their takes on the Dark Knight and the dangerous microcosm he fought for and eventually purportedly "died" to protect. Although this is obviously a love letter from one of the comics medium's premiere talents, the volume will appeal more to readers well-versed in Batman's continuity than Gaiman's normal legion of fans As the finished story only amounts to two issues of material, this hardcover is padded out with lesser-though not badly written by any means-stories teaming Gaiman with Simon Bisley, Mark Buckingham, Kevin Nowlan and Bernie Mireault, plus a sketchbook by Kubert. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Booklist Review
After DC ostensibly killed off Batman (actually, Bruce Wayne bought it; the role has since been assumed by erstwhile Robin, Dick Grayson), superstar scripter Gaiman was commissioned to give the character an appropriately grand send-off. He tackled the assignment in unorthodox fashion by having an offstage Batman witness his own funeral. At the service, comrades and foes offer eulogies depicting contradictory versions of Batman, which cleverly allude to the inconsistencies of characterization that cropped up during seven decades of publication. The conflicting testimonials support the conception of Batman as a modern folktale and reinforce the idealized image of him as a hero who never surrenders. At the crux of Gaiman's treatment is a bedtime story a young Bruce's mother reads him a device subtly evoking Gaiman's comics chef d'ouevre, Sandman. In many fans' eyes, Gaiman's rare return to the superhero genre is a more monumental event than Batman's apparent demise. Meanwhile, Kubert, a fan favorite for his lushly limned depictions of action-packed stories, proves as adept with the pensive tone of this scenario.--Flagg, Gordon Copyright 2009 Booklist
Library Journal Review
Every fan has dreamed of a Gaiman-penned run at Batman. Here, he delivers his version of the final Batman story ever told. The tale opens at Batman's funeral with mainstays from the Bat family in attendance, along with stalwarts from the rogues gallery. Selina Kyle, Alfred the butler, Superman, and Ra's Al Ghul each relay differing threads as to how Batman died and claim to know who or what was responsible. In the second issue, the narrator, an ethereal presence (presumably a deceased Bruce Wayne) looking down on the wake's events, comes to grips with his parents' death and his role as Gotham's protector. Verdict Gaiman and Kubert offer an excellent homage to the veteran artists and writers who have contributed to the Bat-mythos over many decades. While some fans will appreciate the effect, others will find it a retread of Warren Ellis and John Cassady's Planetary/Batman crossover lacking the superhuman sleuthing, explosions, knock-downsdrag-outs, or other heroic feats that fans may expect.-Jeff Hunter, Royal Oak, MI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
