Batman: Year 100 Paperback – January 30, 2007

I loved Paul Pope's take on "The Bat-Man of Gotham," and some of the things I loved about it are things that made other reviewers here unhappy: The story's loose ends, the distinctive art, the fact that this Batman doesn't look so much like other versions of Batman.The plot is slim yet convoluted, and the main conspiracy is kind of a yawn, but the subplots on the story's edges hold interest and -- most importantly -- the many action sequences are knockouts. The long section when Batman breaks into the police compound, which runs from the last section of part two and well into part three, is thrilling and suspenseful and gave me a giddy kick.The fact that it is never quite explained how Batman has been able to survive for 100 years is not as opaque as some reviewers suggest. If you read the book closely, there are suggestions: Is the Batman mantle passed down over time? Is there a supernatural element? Both of these possiblities are raised in subtle ways, but nothing is ever confirmed.Pope's artistic style falls somewhere between Will Eisner and Frank Miller, leaning slightly toward the former, and that's a classic place to be. It brings a gritty sense of place, of urban wasteland, though sometimes the perspectives are a bit jarring and what's being depicted is perhaps drawn a bit too close up.Loved the Batman costume. A section at the end of the book goes into detail of the design, and it makes so much more sense than the conventional version.Despite taking place in 2039, this Batman feels far more "real" than any other incarnation I've read. I can't say enough good things about it. I hope very much that DC gives Paul Pope another opportunity to tell this character's story.

Paul Pope really brings Batman alive in his depiction of Batman 100 years after his origin. Pope's artwork almost jumps off the page as he has a way of depicting a stunning sense of energy even in still shots with his ink brush. The feel is raw and gritty, just as Batman should be. In fact, you'll see about the coolest idea for the batmobile ever. The artwork isn't the only great thing about this graphic novel though. The story takes Batman back to his roots as a detective, which is how Batman should be portrayed--a man who also happens to be a hero. In this two-fisted story, Batman gets shot, chased by dogs and dragged through the mud as he is trying to get to the bottom of a mysterious exchange between federal agents and a known terrorist organization. If you're a real Batman fan, I definitely recommend that you give this a try.

Good

An excellent iteration of a classic character. The art of Paul Pope is original and gritty. A truly great style and great counterpart to the story. It's set in a dreary future with new characters, some connected to old ones. I liked it a lot. If you are seeking a creative reimagining of the character then look no further. If you want the classic Batman in the Gotham you're familiar with then this is not for you.

One of my favorite Batman stories ever. In fact, this may be my favorite Batman character. Anonymous city, anonymous Batman. This Batman is a little more "real world" in his behavior, reflections, and interactions. This isn't the pretty boy, trust fund, "I miss my parents" Batman. Year One Hundred takes it more towards an "adult" Batman; grittier, etc. I wish this particular characterization of Batman could go on... but, alas, people want to see Batman driving expensive, military style super cars and planes modeled after space ships. You don't that crap here. What you get is a Batman that is a shadow in a world where everyone's ID is known. You get an "everyman" who fights a more underground battle against the establishment. This Batman would eat chicken legs and drink a beer before he sat down to have "Alfred" serve him lamb chops.

This is an exploration of Batman as an ideal: this ideal being a self-willed defender of freedom. It has a normal vaguely evil dystopian government, and this is not particularly nuanced. Even for a comic, it is an very quick read. Pope's art focuses on movement much more than figural consistency, and this can give this comic a very dynamic movement. That said, the future does not feel particularly fleshed out in its textures: grim, flailing, sharp-edged--gothic plus Stalinesque architecture. Pope's writing cannot decide if it is allegorical, which can be a defense of its refusal to answer many, many questions, or literally dystopian, as the Government subplot makes very clear.The additional story adds more of Pope's vision of Batman. The Batman Chronicles #11, which sets Batman as a Jewish freedom fighter in 1945 Berlin. The story telling style is hard to follow and the archive unveiling doesn't work in an artistic or literary matter. Furthermore, the heavy-handed of the allegory of against the state is tipped when Pope places Ludwig Von Mises into the story-line, tipping a particular version of libertarian politics into the mix. While this is not new or particularly unforgivable: Frank Miller's allegories are much more heavy-handed. This illuminates some of the reasonless hostility of state.So there is a lot of promise here, and some of it is lived up too. That being said, there is a lot of frustration. What has caused the state to morph this way? Who, or must specifically how, is Batman still Batman? How much of an "Elseworld" is this set in? Etc.

What DKSA should've been

Wow and wow again!!!

Pope is one of my favourite comic artist and this graphic novel is really amazing.The art is fantastic, each page a miracle for the eyes, but I'm not giving 5 stars because the story it's not as good as the drawings: a little bit superficial and sometimes less clear..

Der Ansatz ist wirklich gut: Man nutzt Batman als Mythos, die Person hinter Batman ist nicht wichtig und wird nicht erläutert. Es ist unklar ob diese Person Bruce Wayne ist oder nicht. Daa Szenario ist ein zukünftiger Polizeistaat, welcher Batman aufgrund eines (von ihm nicht ausgeübten) Verbrechens jagt. Die Zeichnungen sind selstsam und gewöhnungsbedürftig, doch haben sie mir vor allem aufgrund dieses unkanonischen Batmanthemas zugesagt und waren meiner Meinung nach sehr passend. Vor allem der Start von Year 100 ist super gemacht, eine atemberaubende Verfolgungsjagd, in welcher der Mythos Batman sehr gut dargestellt wird. Leider geht es danach etwas abwärts, da diese spezielle Atmosphäre im Verlauf der Geschichte abnimmt. Es werden unnötigerweise Nebenfiguren eingeführt, welche diesen anfangs hervorragend inszenierten Mythos des "Batman" teilweise zerstören oder zumindest diesem Mythos schädigen. Dies ist natürlich eine sehr persönliche Meinung. Trotzdem, aufgrund der guten Idee, und aufgrund dessen, dass trotz jener erwähnten Probleme Year 100 aufgrund der originellen und spannenden Geschichte lesenswert ist, verdiente 4 Sterne.

This book plays brilliantly with the Batman legend by weaving the changing styles, costumes, characters and key canon storylines into the fabric of its elseworlds Gotham. While the book is undoubtedly for the fans (and you will get the most out of it if you know a lot about the characters and can spot the references), the story is still compelling enough without these knowing winks. At its heart Year One Hundred is a great detective adventure story.While Paul Pope's artwork may not be everyone's cup of tea, personally I think his style is a perfect for Batman. It feels dangerous, weird and scary; exactly as Gotham should. Happy to recommend it.