Batman Vol. 6: Graveyard Shift (The New 52)

The main plot explored by the previous comics is present, however this one feels more like a glimpse into other Batman plots. The zero year story continues, with some other Batman stories unrelated to zero year thrown in. It is a good read, but if you’re looking to simply read the main plot, I would suggest buying the issues separately.

Great

It's a good collection of one-shot stories. Some of them crossover to other major story arcs (such as Zero Year and Batman Incorporated). But for the most part, each issue in this collection is a stand-alone story. The artwork and writing changes through out, which normally would bother the heck out of me if this were a single continuous story arc. But since each issue is a one-shot, the change actually compliments each story and sets them apart from one another. I'm in the process of owning all the Batman New 52 collected editions, and even though this one isn't an essential part of the series (as far as story arcs go), it's still a pretty good read.

What happens to Batman in the graveyard!!

What has made the New 52 Batman title so remarkable is that the dynamic duo of Capullo and Snyder have continued to produce quality story after quality story. As a result, they have set the bar high for themselves, which unfortunately magnifies the mediocrity that proliferates this volume. One of the challenges that this volume faces is that its main story, Batman's repercussions on Damian Wayne's death, is centered on an event not included in this Batman title. Robin's death was shown in Batman Incorporated, another title outside the 'normal' title. This means that a reader, such as myself, who only reads the Batman title goes from the conclusion of Zero Year in volume 5, to Batman living with the grief of his son's death. Instead of feeling like the start of a new arc, the volume six story starts readers in the middle. Now, the team of Snyder and Capullo shines in the chapters they produced, but the rest of the writing is stale and rather uninteresting. The one exception is the issue penciled by Adam Kubert. While he has never been my favorite artist, his work really demonstrates his love for working on Batman. Kubert's art is occasionally marred by inconsistent results; in other words, it can be seen when he is giving his best work or not. His Batman is dark and imposing, and he is able to capture the tired and angry Bruce Wayne. His style is very different from Capullo's, almost beyond comparison, but is by far the best looking diversion from the main title team. Taking a break from big story arcs is a nice change of pace. This tactic of resolving story arcs within one or two issues often gives readers the chance to enjoy characters without facing the umpteenth cliffhanger. Unfortunately, volume six's execution of this story model results in an ugly Frankenstein of a product. Tynion just doesn't have the same skill in writing Batman as Loeb, Morrison, or Snyder. The chapters he wrote, particularly the 'Tomorrow' and 'Eternal' issues, felt off. It was as if he was close to something good, but then added in too many ideas and ended up jumbling the plot. Harper Row seems to be sticking around, and I know she is a creation of Snyder, which is rather disappointing to me. Batman went from 'stop helping me' to basically, 'well, okay, because you called me out, you can join me.' When a Robin dies, it does not necessarily mean Batman has to find a new replacement. She's an original character, but she's hard to believe. Of course, this is ridiculous because she's a comic book character, but Damian was trained by the League of Assassins, Grayson was an acrobat and then trained personally by Bruce, and Tim had to endure an entire year of Bruce's teaching before entering the field. Harper's introduction has been a long process, but lacked the motives and skill of previous sidekicks. Granted, she came in at a time when both Nightwing and Robin ended their careers, so I may be biased, but I cannot escape the feeling that she is both clichéd and needlessly underdeveloped. Still, this is not a disaster of a collection. I would probably have given it a higher rating if it had not followed the fantastic Zero Year arc. However, this volume DOES follow Zero Year, and pales in comparison to preceding volumes. Whether it's worth it demands on what kind of fan you are and how loyal you are to the title. If you're looking for a great, coherent, Batman story, look elsewhere. If you're looking for a decent collection that fleshes out some more New 52 Batman canon, it's not a bad choice. Why are the Star Wars prequels so maligned? They failed to live up to their predecessors. But like the prequels (or at least Episode III), if you leave behind the baggage of older stories, you might enjoy yourself.

Received in excellent condition.

This series is awesome. The writers put different stories throughout one book and it all ties together well. I find that sometimes the stories jump so drastically, it makes it hard to follow sometimes but overall, I love the series. This New 52 Batman series is my very first comic experience and it's so enjoyable. Batman is the best superhero out there and I'm glad this series just cemented that fact.

This is a fine example of how Batman can be reinterpreted, but still be the core personality we expect. Tired, exhausted, unshaven, unearthed psychological trauma. All pieces of a damaged man beaten, shaped, forged, tested. Used to the fullest capacity. Justice sheathed in vengeance. And a man. Compassion fighting Evil, and himself. Evil and crime are his food and drink, and he is feasting tonight.