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AuburnComics
06-16-2008, 01:36 PM
This Batman title has been reviewed many times since it was originally printed. Nathan of AuburnComics.com, being the Batman guy, may even try to shoot me for taking this review but I just finished this Elseworlds title and I needed to do some sharing.

I first heard about this book through an iFanboy episode but when I mentioned it to a friend a month or two ago I found out he already had the HC copy. I should have known. Anyhow it took me some time to get to reading it. But, as I prepare to ship some stuff Nathan left in Auburn to him in New York it was my last shot without buying my own copy.

Like I have already mentioned, this Batman graphic novel is an Elseworlds Production. It’s also our first Elseworlds title to review on Auburn Comics. I have read several Elseworlds titles and I have really enjoyed the concept. In case you’ve never heard of Elseworlds or just as a reminder here is DC’s description from the first page.

In Elseworlds, heros are taken from their usual settings and put into strange times and places - some that have existed, and others that can’t, couldn’t or shouldn’t exist. The result is stories that make characters who are as familiar as yesterday seem as fresh as tomorrow.

Batman: Nine Lives is narrated by and follows P.I. Richard ‘Dick’ Grayson in this classic P.I. mystery story. It tells the tale of Selina Kyle’s mysterious death and the ensuing investigation by Grayson, Batman, and the police. It has a great cast of characters including the Joker, Oswald Cobblepot and others and is very well written. It comes in the form of 9 chapters which each progress the single storyline.

I would have to say that if you only read one Elseworlds title in your life it should not be this title; it should be Superman: Red Son. But, if you’re going to read two then make this the second one. I’ve also read another similar style Batman Elseworlds title, Gotham Noir, that you might want to check out. It follows Commissioner Gorden through a dark, brutal Gotham City.

Eli, The Barrow Boy
09-17-2008, 10:36 PM
Fantastic comic, one of my favourites.

Ironman2978
09-18-2008, 01:06 PM
can you spoil it since I can't find the book anywhere

Eli, The Barrow Boy
09-18-2008, 10:07 PM
can you spoil it since I can't find the book anywhere

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman:_Nine_Lives

nepenthes
09-18-2008, 10:23 PM
I remember managing to read this whole thing standing up in a comic shop. It had some cool ideas but was a little underwhelming at the end, like most Elseworlds are, because they never really delve deeply into their world or offer a clever story that goes beyond the intial concept. The premise could have been expanded into a miniseries, that might have worked better.

earl
09-20-2008, 11:01 PM
I have read a bunch of Batman, but not this one. Michael Lark and Dean Motter doing a pulp noir Batman story sounds interesting.

The 40s film noir Batman was done by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips in one called Gotham Noir, which centers around Jim Gordon. It is a pretty good read, but it took me awhile to find a copy. Howard Chaykin also did a similar 40s-50s kind of Batman story called Thrillkiller and while interesting, it wasn't as good as Gotham Noir.