nunwithamotherfuckinggun's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
If I were to review only the "Gotham by gaslight" part of this book it would get 4 or more stars. The writing is fun,stylish and intriguing and the pacing is fittingly brisk and doesn't lose any time with getting its story on track. The art is superb all around and can be just as breathtaking in its rendition of characters as it is of a victorian Gotham city.
Some of the reveals were rather obvious but don't take away from the charm of this books take on the dark knight. The second part of this book 'master of the future' however failed to live up to my expectations after loving the way the two artists chose to portray a 'gotham by gaslight'. The art personally didn't do much for me, especially after being introduced to this world through Michael Mignollas fantastic drawings before. The plot is straightforward but also way too predictable, the villain is swashbuckling levels of bad and the writing felt overblown and exaggerated in all the wrong ways especially for a story with such low stakes.
I aprecciate the effort and idea of telling two smaller stories that aren't as strongly connected, I guess I just wanted the second 'chapter' to build on what came before while still doing its own thing rather than having this radically different tone but still adamantly folding it into the same world.
After the flashy and exciting entrance of the first part the second one was just kind of a let down.
Some of the reveals were rather obvious but don't take away from the charm of this books take on the dark knight. The second part of this book 'master of the future' however failed to live up to my expectations after loving the way the two artists chose to portray a 'gotham by gaslight'. The art personally didn't do much for me, especially after being introduced to this world through Michael Mignollas fantastic drawings before. The plot is straightforward but also way too predictable, the villain is swashbuckling levels of bad and the writing felt overblown and exaggerated in all the wrong ways especially for a story with such low stakes.
I aprecciate the effort and idea of telling two smaller stories that aren't as strongly connected, I guess I just wanted the second 'chapter' to build on what came before while still doing its own thing rather than having this radically different tone but still adamantly folding it into the same world.
After the flashy and exciting entrance of the first part the second one was just kind of a let down.
emycustodio's review
4.0
I loved the vibe of these comics and the stories are pretty great, but I wanted MORE!
rachm22's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
carroq's review against another edition
3.0
Batman versus Jack the Ripper sounds a lot more interesting than this book ended up being. I'm not sure if it was taking Gotham back to the Victorian age, but something just didn't work for me in this book. It reads pretty quickly and hits a lot of the Batman tropes. There are even a few allusions to Batman's other villains. I liked the art. The story is a little bland though.
earlapvaldez's review against another edition
4.0
Contrary to those who say that the Gotham of the present should be parallel to this Victorian Gotham, I think a creative return to the roots, which Gotham by Gaslight successfully did, was much better. Bruce Wayne's first crack at superhero-detective work, his first target (who put Thomas and Martha Wayne to death, which started everything), and the social structure of Victorian Gotham, are all dark and magnificent.
kalwriteswords's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting take on Batman, set in a pseudo-steampunk Gotham City. While I was attracted to the concept, it fell flat in the delivery. It seemed particularly standard in the storytelling, and the outcome of the first tale was predictable from the onset. It was not a bad read, per se, but the stories are simple and lack the feel of a true Batman story. Instead they seem like generic Victorian Gothic tales. Batman is only there to attract readers.
bloodravenlib's review against another edition
4.0
This was a very good read. If you like Victorian settings and adventure, then this book is for you. This particular edition collects two stories: the title story, and its sequel, "Master of the Future." It is part of the DC Elseworlds series, which is basically an alternate history/settings series that places the DC heroes in different settings, some historical, some completely different.
Anyhow, the art is very complementary to the story. It is interesting to see how they place Batman in a Victorian era Gotham to face Jack the Ripper, and then another villain bent on destroying the Gotham World's Fair. Batman fans will likely enjoy this. In terms of appeal, if readers like this, it could be a good jump to reading Moore's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. The appeal factors are probably similar, though Moore's work is a bit more mature. Overall, it was an entertaining read. And I may seek out other works in the Elseworlds series.
Anyhow, the art is very complementary to the story. It is interesting to see how they place Batman in a Victorian era Gotham to face Jack the Ripper, and then another villain bent on destroying the Gotham World's Fair. Batman fans will likely enjoy this. In terms of appeal, if readers like this, it could be a good jump to reading Moore's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. The appeal factors are probably similar, though Moore's work is a bit more mature. Overall, it was an entertaining read. And I may seek out other works in the Elseworlds series.
nunudeen's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.0