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Batman
BATMAN: KNIGHTFALL
With his health shattered after a confrontation with the arch-fiend Bane, Batman-Bruce Wayne must decide whether his apprentice, Jean Paul Valley, or Azrael, a violent young vigilante, is capable of taking over as Batman. 100,000 first printing. $100,000 ad/promo.
351 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1994
About the author
Dennis O'Neil
1,735 books251 followers
Dennis "Denny" O'Neil
was a comic book writer and editor best known for his work for Marvel Comics and DC Comics from the 1960s through the 1990s, and Group Editor for the Batman family of titles until his retirement.
His best-known works include Green Lantern/Green Arrow and Batman with Neal Adams, The Shadow with Michael Kaluta and The Question with Denys Cowan. As an editor, he is principally known for editing the various Batman titles. From 2013 unti his death, he sat on the board of directors of the charity The Hero Initiative and served on its Disbursement Committee.
His best-known works include Green Lantern/Green Arrow and Batman with Neal Adams, The Shadow with Michael Kaluta and The Question with Denys Cowan. As an editor, he is principally known for editing the various Batman titles. From 2013 unti his death, he sat on the board of directors of the charity The Hero Initiative and served on its Disbursement Committee.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 191 reviews
January 19, 2018
Holy great prose novelization, Batman!
BAT-PROSE NOVEL
I was real lucky to get this book when it was getting out to the market (back then in 1994) and so, getting the hardcover edition that I totally love it.
When the storyline of Knightfall was in comics, I wasn't able to buy them but I was quite eager to read the story.
Even on TPBs would require to buy several volumes, so when I met this gorgeous hardcover edition where in just one book you get the full Knightfall story (of course in prose presentation without any illustration) I thought that it was a wise move to buy it.
Not to mention that I saved a lot of the money with it.
Also, I had never read a prose novel with super-heroes (at that moment).
I have read a lot, I mean A LOT of comic books, but a prose novel about super-hero genre was something new to me.
So I thought that it was worthy to try it.
I'm truly glad that I did it.
I absolutely loved it!!!
Definitely Batman is a perfect character to read in prose format.
I loved the experience and I totally recommend to anyone who is fan of super-heroes to try this novel.
Also, the book is written by the great Dennis O'Neil who is a veteran in the universe of Batman so they couldn't find a better writer to give the job to do the novelization of the popular comic book storyline.
Even I like that here you appreciate that Bane clearly has a designed plan and he isn't just a brute with super strength.
BREAKING THE BATMAN
Bane is coming to Gotham City and he has a plan...
...to break (literally) The Batman and taking the town.
Batman is taken to his physical limits, beyond that any man, even him, could endure and at his weakest moment...
...the Dark Knight falls.
For the first time since Bruce Wayne swore to revenge the death of his parents, protecting Gotham City...
...he is unable to keep the promise.
Gotham City is no longer under the watch of Batman.
Bruce Wayne needs to look a way to get back to his former self...
...and the only way is to leave Gotham and searching out, far away, for a solution which it won't be easy or quick.
So, Bruce Wayne needs to select a new Batman to leave in his place...
...BUT...
...his unexpected chosen one to take the mantle of The Batman will surprise everybody!
And the consequences will be terrible for Gotham City finding its fellow citizens "trapped" between a merciless Bane and a zealot new Batman.
This is one of pivotal moments in Batman's war on crime!
Let's go! To the Batmobile and read it!
BAT-PROSE NOVEL
I was real lucky to get this book when it was getting out to the market (back then in 1994) and so, getting the hardcover edition that I totally love it.
When the storyline of Knightfall was in comics, I wasn't able to buy them but I was quite eager to read the story.
Even on TPBs would require to buy several volumes, so when I met this gorgeous hardcover edition where in just one book you get the full Knightfall story (of course in prose presentation without any illustration) I thought that it was a wise move to buy it.
Not to mention that I saved a lot of the money with it.
Also, I had never read a prose novel with super-heroes (at that moment).
I have read a lot, I mean A LOT of comic books, but a prose novel about super-hero genre was something new to me.
So I thought that it was worthy to try it.
I'm truly glad that I did it.
I absolutely loved it!!!
Definitely Batman is a perfect character to read in prose format.
I loved the experience and I totally recommend to anyone who is fan of super-heroes to try this novel.
Also, the book is written by the great Dennis O'Neil who is a veteran in the universe of Batman so they couldn't find a better writer to give the job to do the novelization of the popular comic book storyline.
Even I like that here you appreciate that Bane clearly has a designed plan and he isn't just a brute with super strength.
BREAKING THE BATMAN
Bane is coming to Gotham City and he has a plan...
...to break (literally) The Batman and taking the town.
Batman is taken to his physical limits, beyond that any man, even him, could endure and at his weakest moment...
...the Dark Knight falls.
For the first time since Bruce Wayne swore to revenge the death of his parents, protecting Gotham City...
...he is unable to keep the promise.
Gotham City is no longer under the watch of Batman.
Bruce Wayne needs to look a way to get back to his former self...
...and the only way is to leave Gotham and searching out, far away, for a solution which it won't be easy or quick.
So, Bruce Wayne needs to select a new Batman to leave in his place...
...BUT...
...his unexpected chosen one to take the mantle of The Batman will surprise everybody!
And the consequences will be terrible for Gotham City finding its fellow citizens "trapped" between a merciless Bane and a zealot new Batman.
This is one of pivotal moments in Batman's war on crime!
Let's go! To the Batmobile and read it!
January 20, 2018
I bought this and the "The Life & Death of Superman" novelisation around the same time. And I remember really enjoying both despite their original versions being graphic novels. This is a cheaper way to experience both storylines - despite the lack of art both were top-notch reads in my book.
November 9, 2011
This is not a brilliant book. But it is entertaining--enough that I set aside the three other books I'm currently juggling to finish this one--and it's in line with my current Batman obsession (for which I blame Batman: Arkham Asylum). Compared to the other Batman novel I attempted to read (The Batman Murders), it's a downright masterpiece.
The action is good--but I have the same complaint I've noted in other reviews: it's very clear the author is accustomed to writing comib book scripts, and not novel-form prose. Comics are a team effort--and the job of description falls to the artist. Hence a notable lack of decent descriptive narrative in Knightfall, alas. O'Neil made some attempts, but they were inconsistent at best. (As an example, a crippled Bruce Wayne is described doing something he probably shouldn't be able to do--and then we're told he's using canes. Now, I'm a super-speedreader, so I probably missed said canes' first mention, but all the same, he switches back and forth from wheelchair to canes with rapidity that even a 'comic-book' suspension of disbelief like mine finds hard to swallow.)
My biggest complaint overall is the characterization, though I'm not certain how the author could possibly have satisfied me, or any other reader: as he mentions in the afterword, Batman has been around as a comic book hero for more than fifty years (sixty plus by now), and has been interpreted in so many different ways, from grim, unbalanced obsessive to self-mocking comedian. It's rather hard to pin down ONE characterization of Bruce Wayne/Batman. My favorite interpretation is not necessarily the next person's favorite interpretation. Some people love Michael Keaton's Batman, for example. I couldn't stand him, though I love Keaton in other things. I love the Batman in the Chris Nolan films, but while I appreciate the camp of the 60s TV show, it makes me cringe and view it as 'not-really-Batman.' O'Neil, I think, in attempting to draw on all the varied interpretations of Batman there were in the mid-nineties, ended up presenting a fairly shallow character. I never got the feeling that Bruce Wayne was truly traumatized by the fact that he was paralyzed. The lack of a sense of time in the book (it seemed bare days or weeks from Bane breaking Batman to Bruce Wayne's full, miraculous recovery, when I guess it was meant to be a year or more) did not help this. Unfortunately, this was a common theme throughout: emotional situations and events, which are incredibly difficult to portray in comic book format but which shine in novel form were glossed over or skipped, seemingly in an effort to 'get on with the action.' If I'd wanted that, frankly, I'd have gone and read the comics themselves. Shandra Kinsolver--arguably a vital character in the Batman-got-broke situation--gets glossed over in characterization. We see she's treating a crippled Bruce Wayne, sure, and she's kind of cool--but we're given no solid reasons for Bruce Wayne deciding (apparently on a whim) to tell her everything and ask her to marry him (unless this is one hell of a patient-in-love-with-his-doctor problem). Naturally this gets derailed, but I would have liked to see a better development of their relationship, which would in turn have made me rather sorrier at her semi-tragic fate.
The saving grace in the dearth of characterization is, I think, the portrayal of Alred and his erstwhile charge-and-employer's relationship. Alfred has long been a favorite character of mine (now set in granite since Michael Caine's performance), and he, at least, does not have a hundred different interpretations of his character to hinder his writing. Alfred is as he always was: steadfast, sarcastic, funny, and more interested in the well being of his surrogate son(s) Bruce Wayne (and Tim Drake) than he is in the pursuit of vigilante justice. Bruce compares their partnership at one point to Wooster and Jeeves, to which Alfred takes mild offense. It is his resignation that finalyl serves as a much-needed slap-upside-the-head for Bruce Wayne, though sadly the author did not resolve how it is Alfred comes back by the end of the book. Dick Grayson, and a number of other characters, were also sadly absent, Dick Grayson being the most inexplicable, since next to Alfred he's clearly established as the closest thing Batman has to genuine family, and should have been handed the cowl over Jean Paul the loony (which, as I understand it, he eventually was, together with an apology from Bruce for being an idiot, in the comics).
The deep flaws in the book notwithstanding, I did enjoy it, and I would recommend it to Batman fans. There were moments of genuine, wicked humor that I was glad to see from Batman (something I loved about the most recent film interpretations of the character), including a response to Gordon speculating that Batman is a ninja: (paraphrased) "I took a corespondence course. It was either ninja or air conditioning repair, and since I already had a black suit..."
And Bane, at least, was a fairly interesting (though again not as well developed as he could have been) villain. Unlike that horrifying version of him in the equally-horrifying Batman & Robin film... I look forward to seeing what is done with him in The Dark Knight Rises...
The action is good--but I have the same complaint I've noted in other reviews: it's very clear the author is accustomed to writing comib book scripts, and not novel-form prose. Comics are a team effort--and the job of description falls to the artist. Hence a notable lack of decent descriptive narrative in Knightfall, alas. O'Neil made some attempts, but they were inconsistent at best. (As an example, a crippled Bruce Wayne is described doing something he probably shouldn't be able to do--and then we're told he's using canes. Now, I'm a super-speedreader, so I probably missed said canes' first mention, but all the same, he switches back and forth from wheelchair to canes with rapidity that even a 'comic-book' suspension of disbelief like mine finds hard to swallow.)
My biggest complaint overall is the characterization, though I'm not certain how the author could possibly have satisfied me, or any other reader: as he mentions in the afterword, Batman has been around as a comic book hero for more than fifty years (sixty plus by now), and has been interpreted in so many different ways, from grim, unbalanced obsessive to self-mocking comedian. It's rather hard to pin down ONE characterization of Bruce Wayne/Batman. My favorite interpretation is not necessarily the next person's favorite interpretation. Some people love Michael Keaton's Batman, for example. I couldn't stand him, though I love Keaton in other things. I love the Batman in the Chris Nolan films, but while I appreciate the camp of the 60s TV show, it makes me cringe and view it as 'not-really-Batman.' O'Neil, I think, in attempting to draw on all the varied interpretations of Batman there were in the mid-nineties, ended up presenting a fairly shallow character. I never got the feeling that Bruce Wayne was truly traumatized by the fact that he was paralyzed. The lack of a sense of time in the book (it seemed bare days or weeks from Bane breaking Batman to Bruce Wayne's full, miraculous recovery, when I guess it was meant to be a year or more) did not help this. Unfortunately, this was a common theme throughout: emotional situations and events, which are incredibly difficult to portray in comic book format but which shine in novel form were glossed over or skipped, seemingly in an effort to 'get on with the action.' If I'd wanted that, frankly, I'd have gone and read the comics themselves. Shandra Kinsolver--arguably a vital character in the Batman-got-broke situation--gets glossed over in characterization. We see she's treating a crippled Bruce Wayne, sure, and she's kind of cool--but we're given no solid reasons for Bruce Wayne deciding (apparently on a whim) to tell her everything and ask her to marry him (unless this is one hell of a patient-in-love-with-his-doctor problem). Naturally this gets derailed, but I would have liked to see a better development of their relationship, which would in turn have made me rather sorrier at her semi-tragic fate.
The saving grace in the dearth of characterization is, I think, the portrayal of Alred and his erstwhile charge-and-employer's relationship. Alfred has long been a favorite character of mine (now set in granite since Michael Caine's performance), and he, at least, does not have a hundred different interpretations of his character to hinder his writing. Alfred is as he always was: steadfast, sarcastic, funny, and more interested in the well being of his surrogate son(s) Bruce Wayne (and Tim Drake) than he is in the pursuit of vigilante justice. Bruce compares their partnership at one point to Wooster and Jeeves, to which Alfred takes mild offense. It is his resignation that finalyl serves as a much-needed slap-upside-the-head for Bruce Wayne, though sadly the author did not resolve how it is Alfred comes back by the end of the book. Dick Grayson, and a number of other characters, were also sadly absent, Dick Grayson being the most inexplicable, since next to Alfred he's clearly established as the closest thing Batman has to genuine family, and should have been handed the cowl over Jean Paul the loony (which, as I understand it, he eventually was, together with an apology from Bruce for being an idiot, in the comics).
The deep flaws in the book notwithstanding, I did enjoy it, and I would recommend it to Batman fans. There were moments of genuine, wicked humor that I was glad to see from Batman (something I loved about the most recent film interpretations of the character), including a response to Gordon speculating that Batman is a ninja: (paraphrased) "I took a corespondence course. It was either ninja or air conditioning repair, and since I already had a black suit..."
And Bane, at least, was a fairly interesting (though again not as well developed as he could have been) villain. Unlike that horrifying version of him in the equally-horrifying Batman & Robin film... I look forward to seeing what is done with him in The Dark Knight Rises...
November 1, 2020
O'Neil, who was a long time Batman writer and editor, adapted what is arguably his most famous comics storyline into this nice prose novel summary. His prose is not elegant, but not bad. Bane was never my favorite villain, but O'Neil certainly understood all of the the characters as well as anyone could have claimed to, and he portrays them all quite convincingly. Bruce has been seriously injured and this causes him to ponder his legacy, and more importantly the Batman's legacy. The longer format allowed O'Neil the space and time to become introspective and add several sub-plots that didn't fit in the graphic version. It's a fun and fan-friendly volume.
May 4, 2012
I'm a big fan of pretty much all comic-book superheroes, but Batman has a trait that no other DC or Marvel hero (that I know of, anyway) has: he doesn't have any actual superpowers. Instead of being a member of a powerful otherworldly race like Superman, or becoming endowed with superhuman abilities by accident as Spider-Man did, Bruce Wayne relies on nothing more than technology, intelligence, natural strength, and friends such as Robin and Alfred to fight crime. Many people think of Batman stories as being light-hearted, thanks to the campy Adam West television classic, but the way "the bat" is presented in the movies is much closer to the original comics. Knightfall is sort of Batman Beyond meets The Life and Death of Superman. The story is engaging, if a little light on action; the writing is crisp; and, content-wise, the only concerns are some violence (as you'd expect, though it goes slightly overboard at times) and small doses of profanity. Fans of the Caped Crusader will most likely not be disappointed by Knightfall.
October 19, 2016
I never thought any book could beat Greg Rucka's novelization of Batman: No Man's Land, and though this might not, they're tied for first.
While Batman: No Man's Land took on a great premise, and pushed plot, plot, plot - Batman: Knightfall is a bit more interested in introducing the new characters from this series. You think you know Bane? Well if you've just seen the Tom Hardy version, you don't know him until you've read the chapter of his life in this book.
Just a great book, and a great way to think about Batman in a whole new way.
While Batman: No Man's Land took on a great premise, and pushed plot, plot, plot - Batman: Knightfall is a bit more interested in introducing the new characters from this series. You think you know Bane? Well if you've just seen the Tom Hardy version, you don't know him until you've read the chapter of his life in this book.
Just a great book, and a great way to think about Batman in a whole new way.
April 7, 2008
do you remember the gorilla-like bane from the really really really really bad batman and robin movie (he was poison ivy's steroid pumped bodyguard) or the wrestler gone nuts character from the animated series? forget them.
this bane is cunning, strategic and utterly brilliant. quietly taking over gotham's underground he lures batman in and destroys him, in body, mind and reputation.
will there be a happy ending?
this bane is cunning, strategic and utterly brilliant. quietly taking over gotham's underground he lures batman in and destroys him, in body, mind and reputation.
will there be a happy ending?
January 24, 2023
I have mixed feelings about Batman: Knightfall (a novelization of the Batman: Knightfall graphic novels). It kept me intrigued throughout and the plot did have me on the edge of my seat at times.
I like some of the characters a lot. Alfred and Tim were well-written. I also felt that some of the characters, like Jean-Paul Valley and Bane, were decently fleshed out. The action was well-written and I felt that Bane was a great antagonist. Jean-Paul is a great antihero antagonist also. As for Bruce himself, and, as I mention later on, I felt that parts of his story were rushed. But, I do like how his character was written in the first part- Knightfall - and his journey in Part Three - Knightsend- was one that I liked as well. O'Neill did a good job in showing his passion for justice, his stubbornness and pride, how hard he is on himself, and, how he has learned from his mistakes.
I also like Part One a lot. I can see where The Dark Knight Rises got its inspiration from. I read the graphic novel of Knightfall (though I did not read Knightsquest or Knightsend) last year, and while this novelization, did rush through some details, I felt it covered the graphic novel's plot fairly well.
However, I am not a fan of the structure of the book. I know that this book was meant to be a singular novelization to cover all three of the main Knightfall stories, all of which are quite lengthy. As a result, a lot is crammed within this book. I think it would have been much better to split this into multiple novels. I wasn't a fan of how this book would jump from one plot to the other, especially during the Knightsquest storyline (Part Two). It felt disjointed and would've been better to have at least two separate novels for that part of the story.
Indeed, the Knightsquest storyline was a mixed bag for me. It was still intriguing, but I felt it wasn't as strong as the first story with Knightfall. I also felt that the struggle with Bane was resolved far too quickly in favor of Jean-Paul's journey as a vigilante. As for the other story, I wasn't a fan of it, particularly with what happened to Dr. Shondra Kinsolving. It also was rushed. More time should've been spent to flesh out Kinsolving's character (beyond what was mentioned through exposition) and Part Two was rushed, including Bruce's recovery process.
The ending of Part Three, Knightsend, was likewise rushed. I like the concept of the ending, but the resolution of the final battle was abrupt. It should have been fleshed out more. I don't know if the graphic novel was rushed, but the prose novelization's ending was.
Another issue that I had with the book was the exposition and head-hopping. There was a lot of backstory throughout the book. It helped me understand the characters more, but it was an info-dump too. It slowed down the book and resulted in uneven pacing. As for head-hopping, there are multiple POVs within one chapter at times and a lot of character POVs overall. It would have been better if the backstory was interspersed and if there was only one POV per chapter. It would have also been helpful if there were fewer character POVs and if the book was broken into different novels (as there was a lot to cram in, as I mentioned before).
Altogether, I had a mixed view of this book. The plot was not bad and it did keep me interested. However, there are a lot of structural issues with it and I liked Part One much more than the other two parts.
I like some of the characters a lot. Alfred and Tim were well-written. I also felt that some of the characters, like Jean-Paul Valley and Bane, were decently fleshed out. The action was well-written and I felt that Bane was a great antagonist. Jean-Paul is a great antihero antagonist also. As for Bruce himself, and, as I mention later on, I felt that parts of his story were rushed. But, I do like how his character was written in the first part- Knightfall - and his journey in Part Three - Knightsend- was one that I liked as well. O'Neill did a good job in showing his passion for justice, his stubbornness and pride, how hard he is on himself, and, how he has learned from his mistakes.
I also like Part One a lot. I can see where The Dark Knight Rises got its inspiration from. I read the graphic novel of Knightfall (though I did not read Knightsquest or Knightsend) last year, and while this novelization, did rush through some details, I felt it covered the graphic novel's plot fairly well.
However, I am not a fan of the structure of the book. I know that this book was meant to be a singular novelization to cover all three of the main Knightfall stories, all of which are quite lengthy. As a result, a lot is crammed within this book. I think it would have been much better to split this into multiple novels. I wasn't a fan of how this book would jump from one plot to the other, especially during the Knightsquest storyline (Part Two). It felt disjointed and would've been better to have at least two separate novels for that part of the story.
Indeed, the Knightsquest storyline was a mixed bag for me. It was still intriguing, but I felt it wasn't as strong as the first story with Knightfall. I also felt that the struggle with Bane was resolved far too quickly in favor of Jean-Paul's journey as a vigilante. As for the other story, I wasn't a fan of it, particularly with what happened to Dr. Shondra Kinsolving. It also was rushed. More time should've been spent to flesh out Kinsolving's character (beyond what was mentioned through exposition) and Part Two was rushed, including Bruce's recovery process.
The ending of Part Three, Knightsend, was likewise rushed. I like the concept of the ending, but the resolution of the final battle was abrupt. It should have been fleshed out more. I don't know if the graphic novel was rushed, but the prose novelization's ending was.
Another issue that I had with the book was the exposition and head-hopping. There was a lot of backstory throughout the book. It helped me understand the characters more, but it was an info-dump too. It slowed down the book and resulted in uneven pacing. As for head-hopping, there are multiple POVs within one chapter at times and a lot of character POVs overall. It would have been better if the backstory was interspersed and if there was only one POV per chapter. It would have also been helpful if there were fewer character POVs and if the book was broken into different novels (as there was a lot to cram in, as I mentioned before).
Altogether, I had a mixed view of this book. The plot was not bad and it did keep me interested. However, there are a lot of structural issues with it and I liked Part One much more than the other two parts.
December 6, 2017
My favorite superhero as a kid has always been Batman. The Dark Knight reawakened my child-like admiration for the character. How much of a fan am I? Enough to read a novelization of a well-known, iconic even, story line that I've only read some pages of.
From what I got from this adaptation is that there are three separate stories going on:
1.) What Knightfall is most known for is the established introduction of the Batman villain, Bane, the son of a mercenary who abandoned him and his mother at birth, and who has served a life prison sentence in his father's place since birth. Through time, Bane has learned to become a great fighter and, with doctors analyzing from afar, introduces him to a drug called "Venom", which enhances his strength to near superhuman power and with the aide of other prisoners, escape prison and emigrate towards Gotham City. Not long after arriving at Gotham does he know of Batman guarding and watching.
Knightfall is also known for one of the most iconic moment in Batman lore by breaking his back on his knee.
2.) With Bruce Wayne incapacitated and left paraplegic, with what looks like a Batman career ending back injury to Alfred and the normal population, believes that he'll recover in no time. However, while he heals, he hires a stand-in: Jean-Paul Valley, a drifter who hides a very secret past, helps Bruce Wayne in the biggest way possible. However, Wayne's plan backfires as Jean-Paul, with each passing night, becomes more and more attached to the Batman persona. To almost obsessive and dangerous levels.
3.) Dr. Shondra Kinsolving, a renowned doctor assigned to help Bruce Wayne with rehabilitation, who also aides Tim Drake(Robin)'s father with his rehabilitation. Like Jean-Paul, a mysterious past that soon comes back to haunt her and jeopardizes Bruce's chances of full recovery.
What else can I say other than this book entertained the shit out of me? It may not be the graphic novel with this was adapted by one of the co-writers, so it's close enough, for now. Plus, the Knightfall comics are in three omnibuses, 600 pages each, roughly. So, if no one has time for that, this is a good, fast pick-me-up. I also liked that I got to see Tim Drake; he seems to be the underrated Robin. Everyone always flocks to Dick Grayson or Damian Wayne. He's considered to be the best detective out of all the Robins--even more so than Batman. You see the genesis and almost aging of Time Drake from the first page, then when you have read the last page.
Knightfall, in comic form or novel form, is an essential read for any Batman fan.
From what I got from this adaptation is that there are three separate stories going on:
1.) What Knightfall is most known for is the established introduction of the Batman villain, Bane, the son of a mercenary who abandoned him and his mother at birth, and who has served a life prison sentence in his father's place since birth. Through time, Bane has learned to become a great fighter and, with doctors analyzing from afar, introduces him to a drug called "Venom", which enhances his strength to near superhuman power and with the aide of other prisoners, escape prison and emigrate towards Gotham City. Not long after arriving at Gotham does he know of Batman guarding and watching.
Knightfall is also known for one of the most iconic moment in Batman lore by breaking his back on his knee.
2.) With Bruce Wayne incapacitated and left paraplegic, with what looks like a Batman career ending back injury to Alfred and the normal population, believes that he'll recover in no time. However, while he heals, he hires a stand-in: Jean-Paul Valley, a drifter who hides a very secret past, helps Bruce Wayne in the biggest way possible. However, Wayne's plan backfires as Jean-Paul, with each passing night, becomes more and more attached to the Batman persona. To almost obsessive and dangerous levels.
3.) Dr. Shondra Kinsolving, a renowned doctor assigned to help Bruce Wayne with rehabilitation, who also aides Tim Drake(Robin)'s father with his rehabilitation. Like Jean-Paul, a mysterious past that soon comes back to haunt her and jeopardizes Bruce's chances of full recovery.
What else can I say other than this book entertained the shit out of me? It may not be the graphic novel with this was adapted by one of the co-writers, so it's close enough, for now. Plus, the Knightfall comics are in three omnibuses, 600 pages each, roughly. So, if no one has time for that, this is a good, fast pick-me-up. I also liked that I got to see Tim Drake; he seems to be the underrated Robin. Everyone always flocks to Dick Grayson or Damian Wayne. He's considered to be the best detective out of all the Robins--even more so than Batman. You see the genesis and almost aging of Time Drake from the first page, then when you have read the last page.
Knightfall, in comic form or novel form, is an essential read for any Batman fan.
September 21, 2022
I wanted to read the storyline of Bane’s first appearance and how he broke the Bat, for it’s a pivotal moment in Batman’s career, but it sure is complicated understanding how the Knightfall comics work and even harder finding them (there are so many volumes!). But I was lucky enough to find the novelization of the comic and it did not let me down.
The book is sectioned into three parts: Knightfall, Knightquest, and KnightsEnd. I absolutely loved that each chapter began with a picture of the Bat symbol and it slowly changed as it got closer and closer to the next part. Knightfall contains Bane’s history and his quest to take down Batman, while Knightquest has a seriously injured Bruce having to adjust to this new way of life. KnightsEnd is Bruce having to decide the future of Batman, whether or not he should exist and what to do about the man he chose to take his place.
Knightfall truly has everything you could want in a Batman story. It had a great set-up of learning Bane’s backstory and why he chooses to go against Batman before he ever travels to Gotham City. The chaos he ensues upon his arrival is definitely believable for Gotham and it’s more than just violence. Bane is shown to be strategic and cunning where it counts, leaving Batman to fumble after him. There was also lots of detective work and it was really great having the comparison between how Jean Paul is doing something as Batman and how Bruce would have done it. There were some really good moments of Bruce having to contemplate the very real possibility that he’ll never be Batman again and what that would mean for him. After all, he has let Batman become who he is rather than Bruce Wayne. Introspection that can only occur in a novel.
I definitely recommend Batman: Knightfall, it was a story that never let up even while Bruce was injured. And now that I finished Knightfall it’s on to reading the follow-up graphic novel Prodigal, where Dick Grayson dons the cowl!
The book is sectioned into three parts: Knightfall, Knightquest, and KnightsEnd. I absolutely loved that each chapter began with a picture of the Bat symbol and it slowly changed as it got closer and closer to the next part. Knightfall contains Bane’s history and his quest to take down Batman, while Knightquest has a seriously injured Bruce having to adjust to this new way of life. KnightsEnd is Bruce having to decide the future of Batman, whether or not he should exist and what to do about the man he chose to take his place.
Knightfall truly has everything you could want in a Batman story. It had a great set-up of learning Bane’s backstory and why he chooses to go against Batman before he ever travels to Gotham City. The chaos he ensues upon his arrival is definitely believable for Gotham and it’s more than just violence. Bane is shown to be strategic and cunning where it counts, leaving Batman to fumble after him. There was also lots of detective work and it was really great having the comparison between how Jean Paul is doing something as Batman and how Bruce would have done it. There were some really good moments of Bruce having to contemplate the very real possibility that he’ll never be Batman again and what that would mean for him. After all, he has let Batman become who he is rather than Bruce Wayne. Introspection that can only occur in a novel.
I definitely recommend Batman: Knightfall, it was a story that never let up even while Bruce was injured. And now that I finished Knightfall it’s on to reading the follow-up graphic novel Prodigal, where Dick Grayson dons the cowl!
June 19, 2024
Absolutely stellar first superhero graphic novel turned into a novel reading experience. Knightfall is a story I have yet to read in comic form but after hearing about all the praise it gets with it being one of the best Batman storylines I had to get this book when I saw it in stores on sale. Though it is easy to miss the visualization of the story in comic form it is still a very good read with deep dives into more of the characters and describing the situations they are put in. Can’t wait to read to the actual comic and find more of these comic turned into novel books.
December 6, 2021
I definitely have preferred other superhero books. In fact, I quite enjoyed The Court of Owls. This book covers a lot of storylines. I was expecting Bane to be a bigger part of the story, but spoiler alert, not so much. The book just seemed quite choppy. I am sure that it is difficult to go back and forth with as many as three different interwoven stories, but for me, it was just an uncomfortable read. If there was a 2 1/2 stars, I would give it that. It isn't a bad read at all, just not particularly good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2021
I was given this as a present from my gran as a teenager. Couldn't put it down and loved every page! I spent years looking for a sequal that didn't exist.
August 8, 2023
The story arc was great. I’m glad I went back and reread this book. It was a pleasure to see this story developed. I wish the ending had been a little more intense and not as flat - why it’s a four star and not a five.
February 10, 2023
I'm not sure I've read (listened to) this novelized version.
It's really hard to keep track of the story in an audio version of a comic as there is no detailing, just the dialogues. The same thing happened here. I was a bit overwhelmed.
Roughly 3 hours. It was fine.
It's really hard to keep track of the story in an audio version of a comic as there is no detailing, just the dialogues. The same thing happened here. I was a bit overwhelmed.
Roughly 3 hours. It was fine.
July 1, 2017
Note: I read this novelization in conjunction with the newly released Batman: Knightfall Omnibus Vol. 1, the review of which you can read here.
I hadn't revisited this novel -- or the comics storyline upon which it is based -- since they were first released in the mid-nineties, so as I was approaching the end of Batman: Knightfall Omnibus Vol. 1, rather than wait for the next two volumes to refresh myself on how the story developed (and ultimately resolved), I pulled Dennis O'Neil's novelization off the shelf for the first time since 1994, which covers Knightfall, Knightquest, and KnightsEnd.
O'Neil is a fine wordsmith, and he understands these characters and their world better than probably anyone. As such, this novelization reads like a breeze.
It's not without issues, though. Given the massive amount of backstory required to understand the sprawling Knightfall saga -- which includes a selective recapitulation of Batman's hagiography, not to mention material covered in Batman: Venom, Batman: Sword of Azrael, and Batman: Vengeance of Bane -- too many of the earliest chapters of this book are weighed down in exposition, not swept along through action. Many of the chapters are just bald-faced info-dumps without any forward story momentum or value change to speak of. It's not great storytelling.
In addition, this expansive epic was better served in its original serialized presentation; the story as a whole lacks a straightforward narrative unity in prose form. Whereas in the comics, each issue dealt with Batman going after one of the supervillains that had escaped from Arkham (part of a larger overarching conflict), having him deal with the Joker, the Riddler, the Ventriloquist, etc., one at a time makes the whole piece feel disjointed and episodic. A chronicle that was designed to work in comics form -- in 22-page bursts -- doesn't necessarily translate well to other media, particularly a long-form novel, which has its own narrative requirements. (Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises stands as a much better example of how Knightfall's basic conceptual premise could be reduced and reshaped to serve a cohesive, thematically focused through-line, but more on that shortly.)
The lack of narrative cohesion isn't helped by the decision to collectively novelize all three parts of the trilogy: Knightfall, Knightquest, and KnightsEnd. Though O'Neil does reshuffle the sequence of events somewhat, presumably because he recognized exactly what I've pointed out here (that what works in a series of single-issue comics can't necessarily be translated verbatim into a novelized composite), there's no concealing the jarring shifts in focus from one segment to the next. For instance, the first section, Knightfall, is about a vengeful Bane versus a battered Batman -- fair enough. But Bane is vanquished early in the second part, Knightquest, scarcely to be referenced again, and the focus then shifts to Jean-Paul Valley, a character who's barely been spotlighted up till that point. (More on the problem's with Valley's characterization shortly.) Bruce, meanwhile, is sent off on an adventure in England -- to rescue his therapist (Shondra Kinsolving) and Jack Drake (Robin's father) -- despite the fact that, ya know, his back was recently broken! Again, maybe all these concurrent plot threads worked in their original serialized presentation, but in novelistic form, it all seems so disjointed. Lot of things are happening, but none of it seems as though its building toward an inevitable climax. Novelizing the Knightfall trilogy was a noble creative experiment that, ultimately, doesn't cohere.
Now, all that said, the source material had some flaws in its own right, and those seeped into the text of this novel, as well. For instance: Rather than bestowing the mantle of the Bat on Valley, a temperamentally unstable assassin with whom Batman has barely established a baseline of trust, why not have Dick Grayson (Nightwing) do the honors in the interim? To be fair, this is addressed -- however fleetingly -- by Robin and/or Alfred, but Bruce unceremoniously dismisses the idea on the grounds that "Nightwing is his own man now."
Huh? That's pretty thin -- even by comic-book logic. There have been plenty of instances in which Nightwing has pinch-hit for Batman -- and certainly under circumstances as dire as these, Dick would do his part -- so that argument makes no sense, especially in light of the only other substitute available: the brainwashed, mercurial Azrael. Bruce doesn't waste so much as a second enlisting Valley into action; he spends as much time considering it as he did dismissing the possibility of calling up Nightwing. And the whole story is built on the premise that somebody needs to step in and deal with the supervillains running loose in Batman's stead, so in Bruce's desperation he turns to Azrael -- which turns out to be a catastrophic miscalculation. This aspect of the story, however, isn't convincingly handled, so the entire conceptual premise rests on a rotten foundation, alas. The whole house of cards comes a-tumblin' down under even rudimentary scrutiny.
I should also note, picking up on a thread I hinted at earlier, that some of the characterization is weak. Tim Drake's Robin has never been interesting; they made him way too much of a well-adjusted Boy Scout after being burned by criticism that Jason Todd was an unlikable snot. O'Neil establishes in this book that Tim is thirteen-going-on-fourteen, but he carries himself with the demeanor of a preternaturally confident seventeen-year-old; no one, it seems, knew how to write for this character, 'cause no one really bothered to figure out who he was. Jason and Damian, though far less admired by the readership than Dick and Tim, were infinitely more compelling and psychologically complex Robins.
And let's discuss, as promised, O'Neil's own creation, Jean-Paul Valley, who transitions overnight from harmless, insecure nerd to violent, entitled jerk. You don't empathize with Valley at all -- you're just waiting for the real Batman to come put him in his place. It would've been far more interesting to present a nuanced character who simply took a different approach to being Batman; that would've allowed for a philosophical counterpoint that would've brought thematic complexity to the saga's thesis question: Is Batman -- with his inviolable code of ethics -- a 20th-century anachronism in an increasingly violent world on the verge of a new millennium? Alas, that question gets the short shrift (an even more unforgivable transgression here in the novel than it was in the comic), because at no point is empathy established with Jean-Paul. Pity.
Shondra Kinsolving is also a woefully underdeveloped character, and even a somewhat offensive archetype: I mean, she's a literal "Magical Negro" -- . The character deserved a better grace note than that -- as did the story itself.
All that said, Knightfall was stripped for parts nearly two decades later, resulting in one of the best Batman stories ever told in any medium: Christopher Nolan's cinematic masterpiece The Dark Knight Rises. Aside from Bane snapping Batman's back -- clearly the cornerstone image/event that influenced Rises -- consider these other shared story points: All of Gotham's supervillains are sprung from captivity to run roughshod over the city; there's a major action sequence in which an underground tunnel is flooded; and Alfred leaves Bruce Wayne's employ under acrimonious circumstances. But Nolan did what the creative personnel of the comics didn't have the freedom and/or courage to do: frame all of that in what would effectively be the Last Batman Story -- the account of what happened to the Caped Crusader at the end of his career. KnightsEnd, through an unfortunate bit of deus ex machina, depicts the restoration of the pre–Knightfall status quo (of course it does), but Nolan took the concept that was seeded in this story to its ultimate (and irreversible) conclusion, and in turn created what I consider to be the finest Batman story of them all. Unlike this novelization, The Dark Knight Rises has a focused plot, unified thematics, and a resolution that creates a new status quo rather than restoring the old one. And if the closing moments don't send chills down your spine -- a fitting turn of phrase, given the breaking of Batman's back in both stories -- what on earth ever will?
In short: If you're a fan of The Dark Knight Rises, or just a Batman enthusiast in general, Knightfall is a key story arc from the mythos worth experiencing, but I recommend Batman: Knightfall Omnibus Vol. 1 over this novelization. The one thing this book has going for it is a seven-page afterword written by O'Neil himself on the genesis of the project and the versatility of Batman as a folkloric character. Anyone who recalls O'Neil's "From the Den" columns on the letters page of the Batman comics he used to edit knows what a great essayist he is, and how eloquently he speaks to the subject of superhero fiction. Rather than a novelization of Knightfall, I'd have preferred this closing statement served as the basis for an entire book on O'Neil's experiences in the business and insights into superhero culture, à la Grant Morrison's Supergods: What Masked Vigilantes, Miraculous Mutants, and a Sun God from Smallville Can Teach Us About Being Human. That would be a book well worth reading. Ball's in your court, Mr. O'Neil...
I hadn't revisited this novel -- or the comics storyline upon which it is based -- since they were first released in the mid-nineties, so as I was approaching the end of Batman: Knightfall Omnibus Vol. 1, rather than wait for the next two volumes to refresh myself on how the story developed (and ultimately resolved), I pulled Dennis O'Neil's novelization off the shelf for the first time since 1994, which covers Knightfall, Knightquest, and KnightsEnd.
O'Neil is a fine wordsmith, and he understands these characters and their world better than probably anyone. As such, this novelization reads like a breeze.
It's not without issues, though. Given the massive amount of backstory required to understand the sprawling Knightfall saga -- which includes a selective recapitulation of Batman's hagiography, not to mention material covered in Batman: Venom, Batman: Sword of Azrael, and Batman: Vengeance of Bane -- too many of the earliest chapters of this book are weighed down in exposition, not swept along through action. Many of the chapters are just bald-faced info-dumps without any forward story momentum or value change to speak of. It's not great storytelling.
In addition, this expansive epic was better served in its original serialized presentation; the story as a whole lacks a straightforward narrative unity in prose form. Whereas in the comics, each issue dealt with Batman going after one of the supervillains that had escaped from Arkham (part of a larger overarching conflict), having him deal with the Joker, the Riddler, the Ventriloquist, etc., one at a time makes the whole piece feel disjointed and episodic. A chronicle that was designed to work in comics form -- in 22-page bursts -- doesn't necessarily translate well to other media, particularly a long-form novel, which has its own narrative requirements. (Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises stands as a much better example of how Knightfall's basic conceptual premise could be reduced and reshaped to serve a cohesive, thematically focused through-line, but more on that shortly.)
The lack of narrative cohesion isn't helped by the decision to collectively novelize all three parts of the trilogy: Knightfall, Knightquest, and KnightsEnd. Though O'Neil does reshuffle the sequence of events somewhat, presumably because he recognized exactly what I've pointed out here (that what works in a series of single-issue comics can't necessarily be translated verbatim into a novelized composite), there's no concealing the jarring shifts in focus from one segment to the next. For instance, the first section, Knightfall, is about a vengeful Bane versus a battered Batman -- fair enough. But Bane is vanquished early in the second part, Knightquest, scarcely to be referenced again, and the focus then shifts to Jean-Paul Valley, a character who's barely been spotlighted up till that point. (More on the problem's with Valley's characterization shortly.) Bruce, meanwhile, is sent off on an adventure in England -- to rescue his therapist (Shondra Kinsolving) and Jack Drake (Robin's father) -- despite the fact that, ya know, his back was recently broken! Again, maybe all these concurrent plot threads worked in their original serialized presentation, but in novelistic form, it all seems so disjointed. Lot of things are happening, but none of it seems as though its building toward an inevitable climax. Novelizing the Knightfall trilogy was a noble creative experiment that, ultimately, doesn't cohere.
Now, all that said, the source material had some flaws in its own right, and those seeped into the text of this novel, as well. For instance: Rather than bestowing the mantle of the Bat on Valley, a temperamentally unstable assassin with whom Batman has barely established a baseline of trust, why not have Dick Grayson (Nightwing) do the honors in the interim? To be fair, this is addressed -- however fleetingly -- by Robin and/or Alfred, but Bruce unceremoniously dismisses the idea on the grounds that "Nightwing is his own man now."
Huh? That's pretty thin -- even by comic-book logic. There have been plenty of instances in which Nightwing has pinch-hit for Batman -- and certainly under circumstances as dire as these, Dick would do his part -- so that argument makes no sense, especially in light of the only other substitute available: the brainwashed, mercurial Azrael. Bruce doesn't waste so much as a second enlisting Valley into action; he spends as much time considering it as he did dismissing the possibility of calling up Nightwing. And the whole story is built on the premise that somebody needs to step in and deal with the supervillains running loose in Batman's stead, so in Bruce's desperation he turns to Azrael -- which turns out to be a catastrophic miscalculation. This aspect of the story, however, isn't convincingly handled, so the entire conceptual premise rests on a rotten foundation, alas. The whole house of cards comes a-tumblin' down under even rudimentary scrutiny.
I should also note, picking up on a thread I hinted at earlier, that some of the characterization is weak. Tim Drake's Robin has never been interesting; they made him way too much of a well-adjusted Boy Scout after being burned by criticism that Jason Todd was an unlikable snot. O'Neil establishes in this book that Tim is thirteen-going-on-fourteen, but he carries himself with the demeanor of a preternaturally confident seventeen-year-old; no one, it seems, knew how to write for this character, 'cause no one really bothered to figure out who he was. Jason and Damian, though far less admired by the readership than Dick and Tim, were infinitely more compelling and psychologically complex Robins.
And let's discuss, as promised, O'Neil's own creation, Jean-Paul Valley, who transitions overnight from harmless, insecure nerd to violent, entitled jerk. You don't empathize with Valley at all -- you're just waiting for the real Batman to come put him in his place. It would've been far more interesting to present a nuanced character who simply took a different approach to being Batman; that would've allowed for a philosophical counterpoint that would've brought thematic complexity to the saga's thesis question: Is Batman -- with his inviolable code of ethics -- a 20th-century anachronism in an increasingly violent world on the verge of a new millennium? Alas, that question gets the short shrift (an even more unforgivable transgression here in the novel than it was in the comic), because at no point is empathy established with Jean-Paul. Pity.
Shondra Kinsolving is also a woefully underdeveloped character, and even a somewhat offensive archetype: I mean, she's a literal "Magical Negro" -- . The character deserved a better grace note than that -- as did the story itself.
All that said, Knightfall was stripped for parts nearly two decades later, resulting in one of the best Batman stories ever told in any medium: Christopher Nolan's cinematic masterpiece The Dark Knight Rises. Aside from Bane snapping Batman's back -- clearly the cornerstone image/event that influenced Rises -- consider these other shared story points: All of Gotham's supervillains are sprung from captivity to run roughshod over the city; there's a major action sequence in which an underground tunnel is flooded; and Alfred leaves Bruce Wayne's employ under acrimonious circumstances. But Nolan did what the creative personnel of the comics didn't have the freedom and/or courage to do: frame all of that in what would effectively be the Last Batman Story -- the account of what happened to the Caped Crusader at the end of his career. KnightsEnd, through an unfortunate bit of deus ex machina, depicts the restoration of the pre–Knightfall status quo (of course it does), but Nolan took the concept that was seeded in this story to its ultimate (and irreversible) conclusion, and in turn created what I consider to be the finest Batman story of them all. Unlike this novelization, The Dark Knight Rises has a focused plot, unified thematics, and a resolution that creates a new status quo rather than restoring the old one. And if the closing moments don't send chills down your spine -- a fitting turn of phrase, given the breaking of Batman's back in both stories -- what on earth ever will?
In short: If you're a fan of The Dark Knight Rises, or just a Batman enthusiast in general, Knightfall is a key story arc from the mythos worth experiencing, but I recommend Batman: Knightfall Omnibus Vol. 1 over this novelization. The one thing this book has going for it is a seven-page afterword written by O'Neil himself on the genesis of the project and the versatility of Batman as a folkloric character. Anyone who recalls O'Neil's "From the Den" columns on the letters page of the Batman comics he used to edit knows what a great essayist he is, and how eloquently he speaks to the subject of superhero fiction. Rather than a novelization of Knightfall, I'd have preferred this closing statement served as the basis for an entire book on O'Neil's experiences in the business and insights into superhero culture, à la Grant Morrison's Supergods: What Masked Vigilantes, Miraculous Mutants, and a Sun God from Smallville Can Teach Us About Being Human. That would be a book well worth reading. Ball's in your court, Mr. O'Neil...
March 4, 2016
Batman Knightfall is not a graphic novel. It is a novel (sans graphics) based on three story arcs which ran in monthly comic books from 1993-94. One shouldn’t make any assumptions based on the source material, however. Even though Dennis O’Neil wrote the book, The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics, and many of the great comic arcs themselves (as well as putting in a great tenure as editor of the entire line), he notes in the afterword that comics and novels are two distinctly different (pardon the redundancy for emphasis) things. Indeed, he offers the careful observation that “…form does partially follow content.” (p. 349) Since I mention three story arcs, you won’t be surprised that the book is divided into three overlapping sections.
The novel format allowed O’Neil to get into head of a villain like Bane and help one how he was transformed into a monster and why he was so truly obsessed with the death of Batman. Then, he masterfully takes another character and evolves that “good guy” into something of a monster himself. Both villain and “good guy” (or, at least, anti-hero) see visions and are somewhat the creation of their fathers. Such psychological transformation can be visualized in a few graphic scenes, but not explored deeply without sufficient prose. Here, it is extremely vivid.
As if that wasn’t interesting enough, there was also a brilliant consideration of vigilantism. We usually think of Batman as a hero. Yet, where would Batman have to go over the line in order to become the “criminal” which many law enforcement agencies and officers would consider him (if he existed in real life)? To be able to explore this idea in such vivid descriptions without compromising the integrity of Bruce Wayne was quite vivid.
If that isn’t enough to commend this effort, please note that this is not simply filled with action scene after action scene. One would suspect that to be the case considering some of the superhero films which have come out in the last year and the dearth of “story” in many of the mainline comics (DC and Marvel) being published today, but Batman is known for the Detective Comics venue and there is one particular section of this tri-partite novel that is more detection and deduction than combat. Indeed, Bruce Wayne becomes something of a modern Sherlock Holmes, complete with Holmes’ predilection for disguise. Of course, it also helps that this section takes place in England.
Yet, there is also a love story knit into this tri-partite story. It is full of seeming betrayal and offers enough emotion to make you put down the book for a few moments. If you have ever, yourself, fallen madly in love with someone, you’ll understand both the promise and the danger of such a connection, such an interweaving of lives.
Knightfall has all of these elements and more—including familiar characters in the classic cast which make appearances whenever it would be logical. There is little more to say that wouldn’t create spoilers, but I’m glad this doesn’t follow the comics to the letter because Knightfall is a richer experience.
The novel format allowed O’Neil to get into head of a villain like Bane and help one how he was transformed into a monster and why he was so truly obsessed with the death of Batman. Then, he masterfully takes another character and evolves that “good guy” into something of a monster himself. Both villain and “good guy” (or, at least, anti-hero) see visions and are somewhat the creation of their fathers. Such psychological transformation can be visualized in a few graphic scenes, but not explored deeply without sufficient prose. Here, it is extremely vivid.
As if that wasn’t interesting enough, there was also a brilliant consideration of vigilantism. We usually think of Batman as a hero. Yet, where would Batman have to go over the line in order to become the “criminal” which many law enforcement agencies and officers would consider him (if he existed in real life)? To be able to explore this idea in such vivid descriptions without compromising the integrity of Bruce Wayne was quite vivid.
If that isn’t enough to commend this effort, please note that this is not simply filled with action scene after action scene. One would suspect that to be the case considering some of the superhero films which have come out in the last year and the dearth of “story” in many of the mainline comics (DC and Marvel) being published today, but Batman is known for the Detective Comics venue and there is one particular section of this tri-partite novel that is more detection and deduction than combat. Indeed, Bruce Wayne becomes something of a modern Sherlock Holmes, complete with Holmes’ predilection for disguise. Of course, it also helps that this section takes place in England.
Yet, there is also a love story knit into this tri-partite story. It is full of seeming betrayal and offers enough emotion to make you put down the book for a few moments. If you have ever, yourself, fallen madly in love with someone, you’ll understand both the promise and the danger of such a connection, such an interweaving of lives.
Knightfall has all of these elements and more—including familiar characters in the classic cast which make appearances whenever it would be logical. There is little more to say that wouldn’t create spoilers, but I’m glad this doesn’t follow the comics to the letter because Knightfall is a richer experience.
February 5, 2013
Knightfall is an adaptation of a series of comic books of the same name. As a novel, it is structured in three parts - Knightfall, Kinghtquest and Knightsend. The first part of the novel, Knightfall is one of the most epic pieces of literature I have ever read. It chronicles the first battle between Batman and Bane, which forces the Dark Knight into temporary retirement and elevates Bane as one of his greatest enemies. The story of Bane is extremely powerful and the way in which he manages to outsmart and defeat Bats in absolutely chilling. I am particularly fond of the descriptions f the various madmen in Arkham - they are all fantastic. Based on the first part alone, "Knightfall" deserves a 5-star rating. Unfortunately the second and the third part of the book are definitely weaker. They tell the story of the new Batman - Jean Paul Valley, the former assassin Azrael - and his gradual descend into madness. Batman, who manages to get himself miraculously healed, must stop him and reclaim the mantle of the Dark Knight. This story too had potential, but it is not realized very well. The conflict between Azrael and Bane is resolved too quickly - it could have been developed as real Clash of the Titans and used to explain Jean Paul's madness. A totally unnecessary and fake sounding sub-plot is added with the story of the Asp psychics is added and because of it, the story never recovers. The final battle between Bruce and Jean-Paul is original, if a bit anticlimatic, but definitely not on the level of the first part of the novel. Rating - Knightfall - 5 stars, Knightquest- 3 stars, Knightsend - 3 stars, Overall - 4 stars.
January 3, 2012
Pues seguimos con toda la saga de Bane, que va para largo. En serio, no sé qué le ve la gente a este enemigo de Batman. De los supuestamente "grandes", este es el peor de todos, aunque sea el más fuerte y sea inteligente, pero es que tiene cero de carisma.
Además de eso, lo único que hace esta saga es ser un número tras otro de enemigo tras enemigo, sin más. Eso sí, da paso a otras cosas que tienen que llegar (que dicho sea de paso, tampoco me gustan nada, son unos giros de tuerca demasiado forzados e inútiles)
Además de eso, lo único que hace esta saga es ser un número tras otro de enemigo tras enemigo, sin más. Eso sí, da paso a otras cosas que tienen que llegar (que dicho sea de paso, tampoco me gustan nada, son unos giros de tuerca demasiado forzados e inútiles)
March 27, 2015
Very Good. Without a doubt a good rundown of the Knightfall/Knightsend series. Having only read the comic book collection to Knightsend I was unbelievably enlightened by the first half of the book. However felt somewhat disappointed in the last half. So many characters were eliminated that could have made it much more exciting. B-
January 16, 2011
The narrative was just utterly lacking. It read like the novelization of a movie, when writers try to capture every action or scene rather than paying attention to characterization or the meat of the story. Everything was 2-D and not interesting at all.
July 25, 2014
A friend loaned this to me last year before Dark Knight Rises came out. I wasn't really familiar with Bane, so he told me to check this out.
It was good, but not great. The Bane stuff was good, but I didn't care much for the other subplots.
It was good, but not great. The Bane stuff was good, but I didn't care much for the other subplots.
December 13, 2020
This book made me a Batman fan. I mean, I was already kind of a Batman fan, but this put me over the top. I read this novel before Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins was released, and it gives you that same understanding of the man behind the mask that you get from that wonderful movie.
October 10, 2007
I loved how this book started. About three quarters of the way through it seemed O'Neil ran out of steam...that is to say the writing is not as great. A moral imperative read for any Batman fan.
November 24, 2013
Great book, felt that the author kinda hurried to finish the novel. I highly suggest getting it!
November 1, 2016
The usual batman story. Angst, anger, action. I am getting a little bit sick of Batman hoon on about his parents death - so many years later. Seriously dude - get some therapy!
September 8, 2023
Dennis O’Neil’s novel Batman Knightfall was published in 1994 and was mainly adapted from a story arc serialised in the following DC comics, many of which he edited: Batman, Batman: Shadow of the Bat, Detective Comics, Legends of the Dark Knight, and Robin; with additional material from Batman: Venom, Batman: Sword of Azrael, and Batman: Vengeance of Bane – all published between 1991 to 1994. I read the series at the time but have only now got round to this book. (My TBR pile is enormous!)
Way back then O’Neil and his other editors wondered, after the release of the Batman Returns movie, that there was a risk of saturation, scaring off potential readers. Also, there was a feeling that in the time of Eastwood, Schwartzenegger et al piling high corpses maybe Batman was an anachronism, even passé – especially as the caped hero would never kill. They decided to test the concept with the Knightfall story arc. The readership response was conclusive: they wanted a ‘Batman who was avenging and compassionate. The Batman archetype is the creature of darkness who serves the common good, the devil on an angel’s mission’ (p349).
The familiar characters in the comics are here; firstly, Commissioner Gordon: ‘… sometimes he despised himself for his reliance on the masked vigilante, but he knew that without Batman, his job would be impossible. Gotham City hadn’t had an honest government since the Civil War… Batman was necessary – a necessary evil… if Batman’s a devil, he’s my devil. I’ve made a pact with him and I’ll keep it. Until he steps over the line. Until he kills someone. And then? The day that happens it’ll be the end for both of us, and probably for the city, too’ (p11).
There are appropriate dark moments in the tale, but there’s also banter and wit: it’s become a cliché almost that after Gordon’s meeting with Batman the Dark Knight would tends to vanish. ‘I’ve finally figured out how you do that. You’re one of those ninjas, aren’t you? You learned it in Japan.’
Batman said, ‘Correspondence course. It was either ninja or air-conditioning repair, and I already had a black suit.’ (p24).
At this time, Tim Drake is the third incarnation of Robin. The first, Dick Grayson, naturally grew older and became crime-fighter Nightwing. Jason Todd, the second, was killed by The Joker. The Drake family lives close to Wayne Manor, which is handy. Tim is still a novice Robin, but a fast learner.
At the beginning, the criminal psychopath Bane crosses paths with Batman and escapes. Bane realises that if he wants to control Gotham, he must first get rid of the Dark Knight. So he embarks on his strategy, diverting Batman to numerous crime scenes, to fight felons; and eventually he even releases several terrible criminals from Arkham Asylum. Finally, Batman confronts Bane and in his worn-out frazzled state is no match and his back is broken. Bane contemptuously dumps Batman in the street.
Alfred and Tim find Batman and take him to the Cave and thence to hospital, pretending that Bruce Wayne had a serious RTA. Bruce is worried, however; although he has apprehended several escapees from Arkham, there are others still on the loose, more than the police department can handle. He informs Tim that a substitute Batman is needed – and selects Jean Paul Valley, who had previously been a costumed avenger, Azrael. (Clearly, Nightwing was otherwise occupied).
In their own ways, both Bane and Valley are psychologically damaged. Bane’s back-story makes grim reading (pp19-32), but sheds some light on the warped violent character. At an early age Valley had been brainwashed by his religious father to follow the Ancient Order of St Dumas and train to be an assassin. Yet in an earlier adventure, Azrael was instrumental in saving Batman’s life.
Talking of psychos, we meet The Joker only briefly; he is one of the escapees: The bright red lips slashed across his white skin curled upward into a smile. ‘Of course, hurting people really isn’t done in the best circles.’ His lips curled down. And up again. ‘So I’ll do it in a straight line.’ (p51).
While taking weeks to recover, Bruce is determined to fight crime from his bed. ‘Sometimes there’s a clue to the present in the past,’ Bruce observed. ‘The story of your life,’ Alfred replied dryly (p223). Obsessed with combatting crime, Bruce pushes Alfred to the point where his faithful manservant finally has enough and with regret leaves his employer…
A number of questions are raised and answered about the Dark Knight, not least what drives his soul. Also on display is the power of redemption.
If you are a fan of Batman, then this should be in your collection. Just don’t take 29 years to get round to reading it. Mea culpa…
Editorial comment:
The substitute Batman drove the batmobile into the rear of a school bus – in an attempt to prevent the children being killed. Yet a short while later, Robin is following the batmobile and ‘noticed the damaged rear end and wondered…’ (p284). But of course it was the front end of the vehicle that sustained damage. Blame the editor…
Way back then O’Neil and his other editors wondered, after the release of the Batman Returns movie, that there was a risk of saturation, scaring off potential readers. Also, there was a feeling that in the time of Eastwood, Schwartzenegger et al piling high corpses maybe Batman was an anachronism, even passé – especially as the caped hero would never kill. They decided to test the concept with the Knightfall story arc. The readership response was conclusive: they wanted a ‘Batman who was avenging and compassionate. The Batman archetype is the creature of darkness who serves the common good, the devil on an angel’s mission’ (p349).
The familiar characters in the comics are here; firstly, Commissioner Gordon: ‘… sometimes he despised himself for his reliance on the masked vigilante, but he knew that without Batman, his job would be impossible. Gotham City hadn’t had an honest government since the Civil War… Batman was necessary – a necessary evil… if Batman’s a devil, he’s my devil. I’ve made a pact with him and I’ll keep it. Until he steps over the line. Until he kills someone. And then? The day that happens it’ll be the end for both of us, and probably for the city, too’ (p11).
There are appropriate dark moments in the tale, but there’s also banter and wit: it’s become a cliché almost that after Gordon’s meeting with Batman the Dark Knight would tends to vanish. ‘I’ve finally figured out how you do that. You’re one of those ninjas, aren’t you? You learned it in Japan.’
Batman said, ‘Correspondence course. It was either ninja or air-conditioning repair, and I already had a black suit.’ (p24).
At this time, Tim Drake is the third incarnation of Robin. The first, Dick Grayson, naturally grew older and became crime-fighter Nightwing. Jason Todd, the second, was killed by The Joker. The Drake family lives close to Wayne Manor, which is handy. Tim is still a novice Robin, but a fast learner.
At the beginning, the criminal psychopath Bane crosses paths with Batman and escapes. Bane realises that if he wants to control Gotham, he must first get rid of the Dark Knight. So he embarks on his strategy, diverting Batman to numerous crime scenes, to fight felons; and eventually he even releases several terrible criminals from Arkham Asylum. Finally, Batman confronts Bane and in his worn-out frazzled state is no match and his back is broken. Bane contemptuously dumps Batman in the street.
Alfred and Tim find Batman and take him to the Cave and thence to hospital, pretending that Bruce Wayne had a serious RTA. Bruce is worried, however; although he has apprehended several escapees from Arkham, there are others still on the loose, more than the police department can handle. He informs Tim that a substitute Batman is needed – and selects Jean Paul Valley, who had previously been a costumed avenger, Azrael. (Clearly, Nightwing was otherwise occupied).
In their own ways, both Bane and Valley are psychologically damaged. Bane’s back-story makes grim reading (pp19-32), but sheds some light on the warped violent character. At an early age Valley had been brainwashed by his religious father to follow the Ancient Order of St Dumas and train to be an assassin. Yet in an earlier adventure, Azrael was instrumental in saving Batman’s life.
Talking of psychos, we meet The Joker only briefly; he is one of the escapees: The bright red lips slashed across his white skin curled upward into a smile. ‘Of course, hurting people really isn’t done in the best circles.’ His lips curled down. And up again. ‘So I’ll do it in a straight line.’ (p51).
While taking weeks to recover, Bruce is determined to fight crime from his bed. ‘Sometimes there’s a clue to the present in the past,’ Bruce observed. ‘The story of your life,’ Alfred replied dryly (p223). Obsessed with combatting crime, Bruce pushes Alfred to the point where his faithful manservant finally has enough and with regret leaves his employer…
A number of questions are raised and answered about the Dark Knight, not least what drives his soul. Also on display is the power of redemption.
If you are a fan of Batman, then this should be in your collection. Just don’t take 29 years to get round to reading it. Mea culpa…
Editorial comment:
The substitute Batman drove the batmobile into the rear of a school bus – in an attempt to prevent the children being killed. Yet a short while later, Robin is following the batmobile and ‘noticed the damaged rear end and wondered…’ (p284). But of course it was the front end of the vehicle that sustained damage. Blame the editor…
June 13, 2020
Picked this up on a whim, after not having read it since it was first published. It is a novelization of a storyline that ran over two years in various Batman comics. It moves at a good pace; it has good characterization; it does a decent job of novelizing [is that a word?] a series of comic books into a 'story book' format. It held my interest throughout the entire book.
I remember the first time I read this novelization, I was angry that it was not 'exactly like' the storyline in the comics. It departs from the comics in a few ways. For instance, when Bruce is being trained by Lady Shiva, he 'completes' his training by defeating ever-increasingly difficult combatants, culminating to where he was to strike a death blow to his opponent. Instead of killing the [giant of a] man, Bruce merely breaks his opponent's nose when knocking him out. The amount of blood on the floor fools Lady Shiva [momentarily, I am sure] into believing Bruce has finally stepped over his line and killed somebody. In addition, the battles Bruce has to fight against the various opponents stem from Lady Shiva killing the master of a ninja/assassin clan while wearing a disguise, and then requiring Bruce to wear that disguise to complete the tasks she puts before him. Naturally, the followers of the now-deceased sensei are seeking revenge for the death of their master, so Bruce is literally forced to fight for his life in each subsequent bout. In the novel, he trains with Lady Shiva for a month or so at her 'lodge' until he can defeat her with relative ease in personal combat.
Another difference is Catwoman - if memory serves me correct, Catwoman made an appearance in the whole 'Knightsaga' comic storyline. I thought Nightwing did, as well, but I could be wrong [I might be getting his appearance mixed up with when Dick Grayson took over as Batman for a time in the 'Prodigal' storyline]. During the 'Knightquest' portion of the storyline, Jean-Paul does 'guest star' as Batman in various titles; these appearances were not included in the novelization [which is not that big a deal, to be honest]. Bruce Wayne guest stars in other books, but his 'adventures' in those books are not included, either.
Now, though, twentysome years later, I appreciate the novelization as much as I enjoyed the comics. The author does a nice job telling the story of Bruce Wayne's fall from grace [as Batman], passing the mantle on to somebody else, and then trying to 'fix' [repair the damage] from his poor decision. It was also interesting to read how the police department was reacting to the 'changing of the guard' in terms of the Batman character.
I know DC was trying to respond to the cries that Batman was no longer relevant because he refused to kill the criminals, so they replaced Bruce Wayne with an ultra-violent vigilante to 'prove a point' to those decrying Batman's morals. The storyline was a success in more ways than one: it expanded the 'Bat-family' to include 'more members' [i.e. - Robin, Catwoman, Nightwing, etc.] as well as increased 'Bat-titles' to boost sales. It also sparked a public outcry that the 'new, improved Batman' was not the true Batman, that Jean-Paul's character besmirched and twisted everything that was good about Batman, his character, his reputation. It was fascinating how, amidst an increasing number of murderous vigilantes portrayed as heroes, readers wanted Batman to remain true to his core values, one of which was that he [no longer] killed his enemies/opponents [or allowed them to die].
I had forgotten how the novel ended. It was a bit of a shock! Had it only been a stand-alone novel, I am sure it would have shaken readers to their core!
I liked the discussion about masks, about how when 'primitive' tribes put on masks, they believed they were 'becoming' the beings whose mask they were wearing. It was as if they totally changed their character. This seemed to fit Batman to a tee, considering how he is often portrayed as wearing the 'mask' of Bruce Wayne in public and that 'the Batman' is his true identity. The novelization, though, states that it is Bruce Wayne who, when he puts on the Batman costume, becomes 'the Batman' and not the other way around. It also discusses how Bruce has taught Timothy Drake this distinction in terms of Tim's alter-ego, Robin. Bruce has stressed to young Timothy the importance of distinguishing between a 'Tim-mission' and a 'Robin-mission' and how important it is to keep the two separate. We also read about how Jean-Paul's character changes as he wears the 'Batman' 'mask' [even after he alters it to fit his own design, his own ideas on how 'the Batman' should appear and act].
One other thing in the book that I do not ever remember reading previously in the comics [or since, to some extent]: Bruce Wayne having to exist as a 'normal' person for a limited period of time. What do I mean by this? Well it's like this: . I felt it was some pretty crazy character development for Bruce Wayne! I loved it.
I would have loved to have seen a 'sequel' to this novel be written. I think it would have added some excellent character-development for not only Bruce, Tim, and Jean-Paul, but it could have added depth of character to Dick Grayson [Nightwing, who took on the 'Batman' mantle after the events in the 'Knightsaga'], Selina Kyle, and even Commissioner Gordon.
I think Dennis O'Neil set the bar pretty high in this novelization [as did Roger Stern in the 'Death of Superman' novelization] for subsequent novels. I know Marvel has been novelizing popular story lines for the past couple of years [i.e. - 'days of future past' and 'gifted' for the X-Men, 'breakout' for the New Avengers, as well as 'kraven's last hunt,' 'secret wars,' 'extremis,' and 'civil war,' et al. There was even a novelized format for 'weapon x,' which describes how Logan was medically altered to become 'Wolverine'] as well as releasing all-new stories, and I think they have been doing a decent job with their novelizations.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit.
I remember the first time I read this novelization, I was angry that it was not 'exactly like' the storyline in the comics. It departs from the comics in a few ways. For instance, when Bruce is being trained by Lady Shiva, he 'completes' his training by defeating ever-increasingly difficult combatants, culminating to where he was to strike a death blow to his opponent. Instead of killing the [giant of a] man, Bruce merely breaks his opponent's nose when knocking him out. The amount of blood on the floor fools Lady Shiva [momentarily, I am sure] into believing Bruce has finally stepped over his line and killed somebody. In addition, the battles Bruce has to fight against the various opponents stem from Lady Shiva killing the master of a ninja/assassin clan while wearing a disguise, and then requiring Bruce to wear that disguise to complete the tasks she puts before him. Naturally, the followers of the now-deceased sensei are seeking revenge for the death of their master, so Bruce is literally forced to fight for his life in each subsequent bout. In the novel, he trains with Lady Shiva for a month or so at her 'lodge' until he can defeat her with relative ease in personal combat.
Another difference is Catwoman - if memory serves me correct, Catwoman made an appearance in the whole 'Knightsaga' comic storyline. I thought Nightwing did, as well, but I could be wrong [I might be getting his appearance mixed up with when Dick Grayson took over as Batman for a time in the 'Prodigal' storyline]. During the 'Knightquest' portion of the storyline, Jean-Paul does 'guest star' as Batman in various titles; these appearances were not included in the novelization [which is not that big a deal, to be honest]. Bruce Wayne guest stars in other books, but his 'adventures' in those books are not included, either.
Now, though, twentysome years later, I appreciate the novelization as much as I enjoyed the comics. The author does a nice job telling the story of Bruce Wayne's fall from grace [as Batman], passing the mantle on to somebody else, and then trying to 'fix' [repair the damage] from his poor decision. It was also interesting to read how the police department was reacting to the 'changing of the guard' in terms of the Batman character.
I know DC was trying to respond to the cries that Batman was no longer relevant because he refused to kill the criminals, so they replaced Bruce Wayne with an ultra-violent vigilante to 'prove a point' to those decrying Batman's morals. The storyline was a success in more ways than one: it expanded the 'Bat-family' to include 'more members' [i.e. - Robin, Catwoman, Nightwing, etc.] as well as increased 'Bat-titles' to boost sales. It also sparked a public outcry that the 'new, improved Batman' was not the true Batman, that Jean-Paul's character besmirched and twisted everything that was good about Batman, his character, his reputation. It was fascinating how, amidst an increasing number of murderous vigilantes portrayed as heroes, readers wanted Batman to remain true to his core values, one of which was that he [no longer] killed his enemies/opponents [or allowed them to die].
I had forgotten how the novel ended. It was a bit of a shock! Had it only been a stand-alone novel, I am sure it would have shaken readers to their core!
I liked the discussion about masks, about how when 'primitive' tribes put on masks, they believed they were 'becoming' the beings whose mask they were wearing. It was as if they totally changed their character. This seemed to fit Batman to a tee, considering how he is often portrayed as wearing the 'mask' of Bruce Wayne in public and that 'the Batman' is his true identity. The novelization, though, states that it is Bruce Wayne who, when he puts on the Batman costume, becomes 'the Batman' and not the other way around. It also discusses how Bruce has taught Timothy Drake this distinction in terms of Tim's alter-ego, Robin. Bruce has stressed to young Timothy the importance of distinguishing between a 'Tim-mission' and a 'Robin-mission' and how important it is to keep the two separate. We also read about how Jean-Paul's character changes as he wears the 'Batman' 'mask' [even after he alters it to fit his own design, his own ideas on how 'the Batman' should appear and act].
One other thing in the book that I do not ever remember reading previously in the comics [or since, to some extent]: Bruce Wayne having to exist as a 'normal' person for a limited period of time. What do I mean by this? Well it's like this: . I felt it was some pretty crazy character development for Bruce Wayne! I loved it.
I would have loved to have seen a 'sequel' to this novel be written. I think it would have added some excellent character-development for not only Bruce, Tim, and Jean-Paul, but it could have added depth of character to Dick Grayson [Nightwing, who took on the 'Batman' mantle after the events in the 'Knightsaga'], Selina Kyle, and even Commissioner Gordon.
I think Dennis O'Neil set the bar pretty high in this novelization [as did Roger Stern in the 'Death of Superman' novelization] for subsequent novels. I know Marvel has been novelizing popular story lines for the past couple of years [i.e. - 'days of future past' and 'gifted' for the X-Men, 'breakout' for the New Avengers, as well as 'kraven's last hunt,' 'secret wars,' 'extremis,' and 'civil war,' et al. There was even a novelized format for 'weapon x,' which describes how Logan was medically altered to become 'Wolverine'] as well as releasing all-new stories, and I think they have been doing a decent job with their novelizations.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit.
October 23, 2020
Kinda conflicted on how to rate this one. Like Death and Life of Superman, it's a book I've read many times before, but haven't read in roughly ten years. For the Death and Life of Superman by Roger Stern, I felt that for the most part, the first two parts of the book were excellent and still held up, with the third part being a bit rougher. This one is harder to break down as evenly.
Parts of the book are brilliant. Dennis O'Neil was really able to capture the voice of Batman and Bruce Wayne and break down decades of mythology and lore into a single chunk. And there are times where the writing is witty and brilliant and I'm chuckling at some of the lines that he'll give Alfred or Bruce.
But then there's other parts that are disappointing. The description is lacking, the action can be a bit dull, and it meanders a bit too much. Some things that can work in a comic don't translate as well to the page - and this is already an altered story from the comics, so I think O'Neil was aware of that.
Part of the problem, I think, is that we don't really get to see much of Bruce as Batman. We get a bit of him at the beginning, but the confrontation with Bane comes pretty quick. And while this worked fine in the comics - because it was simply another storyline in a long line of already established plots - it feels a bit abrupt in the novel and doesn't have the same impact that the comic did.
I will say, this is also a book to avoid if you're looking for any kind of good female character, or any kind of nuanced love story. Because damn, both are done pretty poorly in this book. Women are hookers that get murdered for plot points, vapid socialites that Bruce dates to keep up appearances, or just background scenery. The only real woman that features into the plot is subsequently tortured and reduced to a childlike state. So.....yeah. Doesn't really hold up that well in that regard.
It's too bad we never got an original Batman novel from Dennis O'Neil, because the talent is certainly there, and I would've much preferred to have a story fully featuring Bruce, Tim, Alfred, and the rest, and not the religious psychopath that's named Jean Paul.
And it always bugged me that Bruce never got Grayson to fill in as Batman - why on Earth would he bring in some random person with a history of violence and associations with a vast religious cult? Bugged me in the comics, and it bugged me here.
Parts of the book are brilliant. Dennis O'Neil was really able to capture the voice of Batman and Bruce Wayne and break down decades of mythology and lore into a single chunk. And there are times where the writing is witty and brilliant and I'm chuckling at some of the lines that he'll give Alfred or Bruce.
But then there's other parts that are disappointing. The description is lacking, the action can be a bit dull, and it meanders a bit too much. Some things that can work in a comic don't translate as well to the page - and this is already an altered story from the comics, so I think O'Neil was aware of that.
Part of the problem, I think, is that we don't really get to see much of Bruce as Batman. We get a bit of him at the beginning, but the confrontation with Bane comes pretty quick. And while this worked fine in the comics - because it was simply another storyline in a long line of already established plots - it feels a bit abrupt in the novel and doesn't have the same impact that the comic did.
I will say, this is also a book to avoid if you're looking for any kind of good female character, or any kind of nuanced love story. Because damn, both are done pretty poorly in this book. Women are hookers that get murdered for plot points, vapid socialites that Bruce dates to keep up appearances, or just background scenery. The only real woman that features into the plot is subsequently tortured and reduced to a childlike state. So.....yeah. Doesn't really hold up that well in that regard.
It's too bad we never got an original Batman novel from Dennis O'Neil, because the talent is certainly there, and I would've much preferred to have a story fully featuring Bruce, Tim, Alfred, and the rest, and not the religious psychopath that's named Jean Paul.
And it always bugged me that Bruce never got Grayson to fill in as Batman - why on Earth would he bring in some random person with a history of violence and associations with a vast religious cult? Bugged me in the comics, and it bugged me here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2023
"Batman: Knightfall Omnibus" is a compelling and ambitious saga, serving up an array of emotions. It amplifies the mythos of the Dark Knight by efficiently exploring the concept: What happens when Batman is finally pushed to his limits?
One of the most significant advantages of Knightfall is its bold decision to hand the Batman mantle over to Azrael. This storyline not only provides a fresh outlook on the role of Batman but also validates that the cowl is not simply a mantle that anyone can carry; it's a symbol of resiliency, discipline, balance, and a code of justice exemplified perfectly by Bruce Wayne. This is vividly depicted when Azrael begins his crusade as Batman, his methods becoming increasingly harsh and unstable, disrupting the equilibrium of Gotham City.
Azrael's version of Batman is a stark contrast to other characters who've donned the cowl in various Batman canon, like Dick Grayson or Damian Wayne. For instance, in the storyline "Batman: Battle for the Cowl," Robin (Dick Grayson) becomes Batman with a more compassionate approach, preserving the values established by Bruce Wayne. Elsewhere, in "Grant Morrison's Batman and Robin," Damian Wayne as Batman is more rogue and lethal, but even he understands the essence of Batman's purpose. The comparison between these characters and Azrael's Batman drives home the point that the cowl isn't merely a symbol but a weight carried by the deserving.
In its essence, Knightfall is an exploration of humanity and endurance under extremities. It challenges and changes the status quo, only to restore it, leading to a deeper appreciation for the character of Bruce Wayne as Batman. The storyline gives readers the fulfillment of seeing Bruce Wayne return to his role, achieving the almost impossible and reclaiming his place as Batman post his extraordinary recovery journey. The fact that the city needs him as much as he needs to protect it is profoundly resonating.
Visually, the Omnibus delivers with impressive, brooding, and intense artwork adorning every page, enhancing the diverse narrative. The reinventions and changing garb of Batman provide an intriguing visual journey.
"Batman: Knightfall Omnibus" boldly tests the sanctity of the Batman mantle, all while cementing the fact that no one can truly replace Bruce Wayne as Batman. It’s a must-read for any Batman enthusiast and a monumental saga in the Batman universe.
One of the most significant advantages of Knightfall is its bold decision to hand the Batman mantle over to Azrael. This storyline not only provides a fresh outlook on the role of Batman but also validates that the cowl is not simply a mantle that anyone can carry; it's a symbol of resiliency, discipline, balance, and a code of justice exemplified perfectly by Bruce Wayne. This is vividly depicted when Azrael begins his crusade as Batman, his methods becoming increasingly harsh and unstable, disrupting the equilibrium of Gotham City.
Azrael's version of Batman is a stark contrast to other characters who've donned the cowl in various Batman canon, like Dick Grayson or Damian Wayne. For instance, in the storyline "Batman: Battle for the Cowl," Robin (Dick Grayson) becomes Batman with a more compassionate approach, preserving the values established by Bruce Wayne. Elsewhere, in "Grant Morrison's Batman and Robin," Damian Wayne as Batman is more rogue and lethal, but even he understands the essence of Batman's purpose. The comparison between these characters and Azrael's Batman drives home the point that the cowl isn't merely a symbol but a weight carried by the deserving.
In its essence, Knightfall is an exploration of humanity and endurance under extremities. It challenges and changes the status quo, only to restore it, leading to a deeper appreciation for the character of Bruce Wayne as Batman. The storyline gives readers the fulfillment of seeing Bruce Wayne return to his role, achieving the almost impossible and reclaiming his place as Batman post his extraordinary recovery journey. The fact that the city needs him as much as he needs to protect it is profoundly resonating.
Visually, the Omnibus delivers with impressive, brooding, and intense artwork adorning every page, enhancing the diverse narrative. The reinventions and changing garb of Batman provide an intriguing visual journey.
"Batman: Knightfall Omnibus" boldly tests the sanctity of the Batman mantle, all while cementing the fact that no one can truly replace Bruce Wayne as Batman. It’s a must-read for any Batman enthusiast and a monumental saga in the Batman universe.
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