Batman: No Man's Land Vol. 5

Finally America decides to let Gotham be a city again, all because Lex Luthor is leading the charge as the billionaire philanthropist that he is, evil laugh. While real estate fraud is exciting in comics, the best part of this collection is Joker's manipulation behind the scenes, and the final confrontation with him, Batman, and Jim Gordon. This story was done a decade ago, and Joker hasn't been used as anything more than a lackey since. While that's a shame, I guess this is as good a way to go out as any?

RATING: 86%

Comic Three-In-One

Ultimate Spider-man Vol. 9: Ultimate Six

Hey, here's a great idea for a story where the Ultimates and Spider-man team up to fight a bunch of bad guys: make it seven issues long and don't have any fighting until issue six!

RATING: 31%




Batman: No Man's Land Vol. 4

Continuing the story of Gotham being totally fucked, this one isn't too interesting apart from a classic confrontation between Jim Gordon and Batman.

RATING: 59%




Fantastic Four: Flesh & Stone

Turns out Jeph Loeb actually did jump the shark before Ultimates 3, who knew?

RATING: 45%

Batman: No Man's Land Vol. 2

Not quite as good as Volume 1, here we just have a collection of one-shots dealing with citizens trying to survive in Gotham after it has been decimated and cut off from the rest of the USA. Ok writing, I guess, but the best story here is a single issue written by Bob Gale in which Batman has to change the way he thinks about justice and law in a city in which survival has superseded both.

RATING: 71%