Sure, the much anticipated “Hush” sequel “Would You Be Damn Quiet” – er, I may have that title wrong – dropped this week with 87 variant covers.
Honestly, I got a bit batty myself at the local comics shop staring at the three rows of covers for sale, including the oversized edition, a third taller than a Treasury Edition.
Good luck storing that one in mint condition, kids!
Oh, “Batman” No. 158 is gorgeous, just what you’d expect from artist Jim Lee.
But we have, what, eleven more issues to go to settle a verdict on Jeph Loeb’s story.
Let’s talk about the recently concluded miniseries “Little Batman: Month One.”
The four-issue gem reminded me of why I fell in love with comics. Writer Morgan Evans’ all-ages, decidedly out of continuity story centers on Damian Wayne’s attempt to rescue his father Bruce from the clutches of the diabolical Scarecrow and Penguin.
Damian is eight years old, but as rendered by artist Jon Mikel, he’s more like four, and determined to follow in his father’s footsteps as a caped Mini-Me. (Dressing like Robin is for losers.)
Scarecrow and Penguin get antsy that Batman hasn’t tried to rescue Bruce Wayne and come up with a perfectly deranged reason as to why the two are never spotted together. Little Batman swings into action, if only he can evade his sinister babysitter.
I don’t know when I’ve smiled so much reading a story, much less laughed out loud.
There’s just something hilarious about a toddler displaying Batman’s ferocity. (See the notorious “Bat-Baby” story from 1962.) The various hoodlums are no match for Little Batman’s ninja skills.
The miniseries is actually a sequel to an animated Batman film apparently only six people heard about, “Merry Little Batman,” exclusive to Amazon Prime.
The four covers pay homage to classic Batman covers over the decades. The final issue cover promises “Same Bat Boy, Last Bat Issue.”
Let that be a lie.
Maybe when “Hush 2’s” final echo dies out. I’d like to see what happens in Month Two.
Mark Perigard 