Absolute Batman: Hush HC

[CURSD BLADE]

Did anyone pick it up Wednesday?

I did and it is phenomenal. If you thought Jim Lee's action packed, kinetic, flashy art was amazing the first time around, just wait until you see it in the higher quality, oversized pages. His art was made for the widescreen treatment.

The extras are well worth the price. There are all 12 original scripts (that include some cut panels), the cut panels fully drawn, inked, colored, and lettered, a very expansive sketch book prior to Lee's run on Batman, commentary on each issue by Lee and Loeb (which is very informative and quite humorous) a cover gallery (including promotional art, TPB cover art, and foreign art) and there is more that i am forgetting as well.

This is a must have for fans of Lee, Loeb, Batman, or the three. I loved the run (it brought me back into comics), I love Loeb, I love Lee and I love this hardcover. Best $50 I ever spent.

[Tedward]

I haven't picked up yet, but it's definately on my list.

Teddy

[west3man]

Geez. It's been out a MONTH?!

The local comic shop owner got it for me this week, although I'd been asking him about it for months, now. Very strange.

Anyway, as usual, I like it much more the second time around. The big pretty pages don't hurt, either. I'm about half-way through the story and it's actually pretty doggone good... except for me wondering how Ivy got access to Superman's lips.

But yeah, it's a beautiful piece of work.

[west3man]

Just finished it. I enjoyed it much more this time, around. Apparently, I'd also forgotten some stuff.

I'm sure that second-time-around thing is a huge factor, but I also think it helps me to read the entire story, at once. Cliff-hangers can be very cool. Don't get me wrong. However, due to weak decompression techniques, low order numbers, late books, etc. I'm not as interested in investing in these things, anymore.

I'm checking out Lee's notes, right now. The sketches are pretty impressive, btw. Between this and Alex Ross's Mythology, I'm starting to think this is what I should start looking for instead of posters.

[west3man]

Oh yeah. I took advantage of discounts, as well. Highly recommended on a $50 book... and they're out there.

[jam37wcc]

Does it include the extra pages that were in Wizard?

[west3man]

Does it include the extra pages that were in Wizard?
I didn't see that (or too many other recent) issue of Wizard, but in the interview at the beginning of the book, I think they said that the material was carried over into this volume.

In fact, the original version (which may or may not have been the version that saw print in Wizard -I'd assume not) was such that Lee told Loeb that it wasn't kid-friendly... and Loeb agreed and redid it.

Somebody correct me if I got something wrong.

[The Shadow]

I gotta chime in with a "they made HUSH into an Absolute Edition?"

It was a sub-par Batman tale and far from being Absolute worthy. There are MANY better Batman stories that deserve the Absolute treatment before Hush did.

It really saddens me to see so many people thinking this is an awesome Batman story, and some think it's the BEST, when there are waaaaaay better out there both story wise and artistically.

[AlistairCrane]

I gotta chime in with a "they made HUSH into an Absolute Edition?"

It was a sub-par Batman tale and far from being Absolute worthy. There are MANY better Batman stories that deserve the Absolute treatment before Hush did.

It really saddens me to see so many people thinking this is an awesome Batman story, and some think it's the BEST, when there are waaaaaay better out there both story wise and artistically.

Hmmm...I happen to completely disagree with you on all points. It's my favourite Batman story of all time.

[Watchman]

Hmmm...I happen to completely disagree with you on all points. It's my favourite Batman story of all time.
It was a good one-time read. Everytime I try to read it again, I have to skip through some parts.

[The Shadow]

Hmmm...I happen to completely disagree with you on all points. It's my favourite Batman story of all time.
Fair enough!

And for the record I didn't mind it... but what other Batman stories have you read?

Have you read anything from the 70's to mid-90's?

Have you read the Grant-Breyfogle Detective run? The Jim Aparo Batman run or (my favorite) the Denny O'Neill-Neal Adams stuff? What about Frank Miller's Batman? Or the awesome No Man's Land mega event? What about the series of Demon graphic novels? Rr Bernie Wrightson and Jim Starlin's The Cult? Or Strange Apparitions by Englehard and Rogers (done years ago in Detective) or The Killing Joke, A Death in the Family or Red Rain? Or how about the Long Halloween and Dark Victory (showing Loeb can craft an awesome mystery without the flashy "Jim Lee" art)

The flashy art of Jim Lee doesn't hide the story flaws and the needless guest starts don't make it a better story. Perhaps it's the dilution of the Hush character that has ruined it for me or the return of Jason Todd... or maybe it's the fact NOTHING has been answered regarding the series.

[west3man]

Fair enough!

And for the record I didn't mind it... but what other Batman stories have you read?

Have you read anything from the 70's to mid-90's?

Have you read the Grant-Breyfogle Detective run? The Jim Aparo Batman run or (my favorite) the Denny O'Neill-Neal Adams stuff? What about Frank Miller's Batman? Or the awesome No Man's Land mega event? What about the series of Demon graphic novels? Rr Bernie Wrightson and Jim Starlin's The Cult? Or Strange Apparitions by Englehard and Rogers (done years ago in Detective) or The Killing Joke, A Death in the Family or Red Rain?

The flashy art of Jim Lee doesn't hide the story flaws and the needless guest starts don't make it a better story. Perhaps it's the dilution of the Hush character that has ruined it for me or the return of Jason Todd... or maybe it's the fact NOTHING has been answered regarding the series.
Three people in the same "Hush"-outfit was a bit much.

[Watchman]

Fair enough!

And for the record I didn't mind it... but what other Batman stories have you read?

Have you read anything from the 70's to mid-90's?

Have you read the Grant-Breyfogle Detective run? The Jim Aparo Batman run or (my favorite) the Denny O'Neill-Neal Adams stuff? What about Frank Miller's Batman? Or the awesome No Man's Land mega event? What about the series of Demon graphic novels? Rr Bernie Wrightson and Jim Starlin's The Cult? Or Strange Apparitions by Englehard and Rogers (done years ago in Detective) or The Killing Joke, A Death in the Family or Red Rain?

Or at least Long Halloween or Dark Victory? ;)

[The Shadow]

Or at least Long Halloween or Dark Victory? ;)
LOL

I'll ammend my previous post to include em!

[Guts/Batman]

I agree with Shadow on this (heh heh, I know exactly how he feels about Hush) on this as I have said before and will not because one can click on any other topic dealing with Hush (the arc, not the character) and find out what I said.

However, I will say something that I haven't said before. It was far too convuluted as a story. It had too many characters.

Okay, I have said that before...

Now, I will say that I liked it the first time I read it because I didn't analyze the story. When I started to analyze the book...then it began to show plot holes (how Winick got Jason Todd switching with a Clayface during the fight despite Jason and Bruce never being less than 4 feet from eachother during the fight, I will never know...) and the other parts that don't make this Absolute worthy.

There's better stories.

Without Jim Lee's pencils this book would not have sold the way it did (which I believe is part of the reason why the plot got convoluted in the first place) and it would not get the Absolute treatment.

Why I think the story got so convoluted in the first place was because either DC or Jim Lee himself felt it necessary to have Jim Lee draw every character he could. Loeb had to respond and make the plot make sense with that many characters.

Now, Hush as a villain is good. I don't mind him but...when he first appeared he had the "Oh shit" aura surrounding him. The story attempted to make him an A list villain but it failed because the story was too drawn out (because of too many characters being in the story).

Subsequent writers (specifically in GK) attempted to keep Hush at that level that Loeb attempted to make him into. That failed because they kept going with the "Who is Hush?" storyline. Pretty soon readers were not interested in the character.

What I have gotten out of some of the people here at this forums is a feeling that both Hush and Jason Todd need to die at the end of Infinite Crisis/52. I can't say I feel any different.

The writers involved with Hush simply drew the plot of the original arc wayyyyyyy too far. To this day, Hush has done little to be on the A list of Batman villains, IMO.

[Guts/Batman]

Perhaps it's the dilution of the Hush character that has ruined it for me or the return of Jason Todd... or maybe it's the fact NOTHING has been answered regarding the series.

This arc has set up almost everything that is happening or has happened in Batman comics right now...

Everything in the Batman comics come from this series and they're not answering a damned thing...

[The Batman]

while Hush was entertaining it was far from being the best Batman story in my opinion. i'm not even sure if i'd put it in the list of some of the better Batman stories. still it sold well and that Jim Lee art looks pretty awesome on those big pages and i'm sure that's why it got an absolute edition before something like Year One, DKR, Long Halloween or Dark Victory.

still i'm sure i'll get it one day when i save up enough or find a good deal...

[Tadhg]

It was a sub-par Batman tale and far from being Absolute worthy. There are MANY better Batman stories that deserve the Absolute treatment before Hush did.

And it will probably make more money as an Absolute edition than any other Batman story could.

I couldn't finish the story, I felt it was too insipid and too by-the-numbers.

[AlistairCrane]

Fair enough!

And for the record I didn't mind it... but what other Batman stories have you read?

Have you read anything from the 70's to mid-90's?

Have you read the Grant-Breyfogle Detective run? The Jim Aparo Batman run or (my favorite) the Denny O'Neill-Neal Adams stuff? What about Frank Miller's Batman? Or the awesome No Man's Land mega event? What about the series of Demon graphic novels? Rr Bernie Wrightson and Jim Starlin's The Cult? Or Strange Apparitions by Englehard and Rogers (done years ago in Detective) or The Killing Joke, A Death in the Family or Red Rain? Or how about the Long Halloween and Dark Victory (showing Loeb can craft an awesome mystery without the flashy "Jim Lee" art)

The flashy art of Jim Lee doesn't hide the story flaws and the needless guest starts don't make it a better story. Perhaps it's the dilution of the Hush character that has ruined it for me or the return of Jason Todd... or maybe it's the fact NOTHING has been answered regarding the series.

Let's see...I've read Year One (love it!), The Killing Joke (love it!) The Dark Knight Returns (hated it!) and its sequel (hated it, too!), Knightfall/Quest/end, Contagion, Legacy, Cataclysm, No Man's Land, Officer Down, The Long Halloween, Dark Victory, Strange Apparitions (too dated for me..I hate pre-Crisis), A Death in the Family...all those come to mind right now.

Jim Lee's art was a big selling point, but what I liked best were the developments in the Batman/Catwoman relationship, and the return of Jason Todd (Jason Todd recently revealed in the pages of Batman that yup, it was him in the graveyard in HUSH).

HUSH does have its faults, the most important being the lacklustre final issue that undid everything in the series and revealed Hush to be the lameass and predictible Tommy Elliot.

[The Shadow]

And it will probably make more money as an Absolute edition than any other Batman story could.
It's a sad world sometimes. :(

[west3man]

It's a sad world sometimes. :(
Tangential, but...

At least that lil booklet in the BATMAN BEGINS deluxe dvd package had 3 Bat-stories that were interesting enough for me to seriously consider seeking them out - increasing my interest in the character.

[CURSD BLADE]

I, for one, loved Hush.

Before I get scrutinized for this: Yes, I have read the seminal Bat-runs, such as Denny O'Neil/Adams on Detective, Englehart/Rogers on Detective, Grant/Breyfogle on Detective, Miller's Year One & DKR, Loeb/Sale's work, Moore's A Killing Joke, ect.

I enjoyed Hush for what it was, a blockbuster summer epic. Yes, it did attempt to be a noirish mystery and has some unfortunate plot holes. No, I do not feel it is the greatest Batman tale ever or even close to it. But it was good and featured a great return to form for Jim Lee and his flashy, stylized, detailed art. It was a thrillride that delivered IMHO and I don't feel guilty admiting I loved it.

[west3man]

I, for one, loved Hush.

Before I get scrutinized for this: Yes, I have read the seminal Bat-runs, such as Denny O'Neil/Adams on Detective, Englehart/Rogers on Detective, Grant/Breyfogle on Detective, Miller's Year One & DKR, Loeb/Sale's work, Moore's A Killing Joke, ect.

I enjoyed Hush for what it was, a blockbuster summer epic. Yes, it did attempt to be a noirish mystery and has some unfortunate plot holes. No, I do not feel it is the greatest Batman tale ever or even close to it. But it was good and featured a great return to form for Jim Lee and his flashy, stylized, detailed art. It was a thrillride that delivered IMHO and I don't feel guilty admiting I loved it.
Ha! No reason you should! :)

Question for you or whomever, though,... When the hell did Harold have a chance to install that device for subliminal suggestions? Also, when/how did the Riddler figure out Bat's secret i.d.? Was that ever said?

When you mentioned plot holes, those things came to-mind. They might not be plot-holes, though. I may have missed something.

[megladon8]

I'm confused...

Who exactly is Hush? I have both volumes of the story (TPB), and I read them when I bought them about a year ago, but I don't remember there being a clear answer. Was there?

[west3man]

I'm confused...

Who exactly is Hush? I have both volumes of the story (TPB), and I read them when I bought them about a year ago, but I don't remember there being a clear answer. Was there?
At the end, the strongest implication was that Tommy was Hush. What's happened since then, I dunno.

Like I said earlier, having three different people wearing the Hush-uniform made things kinda confusing - especially after-the-fact.

[Guts/Batman]

At the end, the strongest implication was that Tommy was Hush. What's happened since then, I dunno.

Like I said earlier, having three different people wearing the Hush-uniform made things kinda confusing - especially after-the-fact.

Well, the writers of GK stretched out the "Who is Hush?" storyline to rediculous levels. It helped in not many caring about the character.

Tommy was revealed as Hush (though never unmasked, with the exception of Jason taking off the bandages) in the final chapter of the unremarkable story.

However, it was revealed (with the bandages comign off) in GK 69 or 70, I forget, that Hush is Tommy.

However, it is Hush. That means that it could be just another feign by the writers of Batman to confuse the reader more.

I still have yet to figure out how Jason or where Jason switched out with Clayface despite never being more than 5 feet from Bruce in that entire fight. Thank you Winick for making me pull my hair out more...

[Guts/Batman]

It's a sad world sometimes. :(

Especially recently...

[west3man]

Well, the writers of GK stretched out the "Who is Hush?" storyline to rediculous levels. It helped in not many caring about the character.

Tommy was revealed as Hush (though never unmasked, with the exception of Jason taking off the bandages) in the final chapter of the unremarkable story.

However, it was revealed (with the bandages comign off) in GK 69 or 70, I forget, that Hush is Tommy.

However, it is Hush. That means that it could be just another feign by the writers of Batman to confuse the reader more.

I still have yet to figure out how Jason or where Jason switched out with Clayface despite never being more than 5 feet from Bruce in that entire fight. Thank you Winick for making me pull my hair out more...'Jason' who?

[The Wayner]

'Jason' who?

Jason Todd.

[west3man]

Jason Todd.
I thought these were just rumors, at this point. Is there a brief explanation of how his brains were pushed back into his skull?

[cactusmaac]

Absolute editions are more about showcasing the art than highlighting the best stories.

[Guts/Batman]

I thought these were just rumors, at this point. Is there a brief explanation of how his brains were pushed back into his skull?

Nope.

It's Jason Todd alright.

Winick hasn't told us yet exactly how he came back. We don't know if he retconned A Death in the Family or Jason is from another Earth or anything...

[west3man]

Nope.

It's Jason Todd alright.

Winick hasn't told us yet exactly how he came back. We don't know if he retconned A Death in the Family or Jason is from another Earth or anything...
How old does he appear to be?

I remember Batman's thought balloons or captions saying that the Clayface-Jason Todd was around Dick's age. Two problems with that - 1) "Jason" had a grey streak which made me think he'd either chosen a funky dye job or that he was older, in form, than Dick AND 2) Jason came along after Dick moved on from being Robin... and Jason was a kid, at the time, so I see no reason he should be Dick's age without some kind of age-acceleration going on.

That whole thing was kinda weird. That and why Hush would keep Bruce's identity a secret from the bad guys. Who profits from this secret being kept... besides the good guys?

[Guts/Batman]

How old does he appear to be?

I remember Batman's thought balloons or captions saying that the Clayface-Jason Todd was around Dick's age. Two problems with that - 1) "Jason" had a grey streak which made me think he'd either chosen a funky dye job or that he was older, in form, than Dick AND 2) Jason came along after Dick moved on from being Robin... and Jason was a kid, at the time, so I see no reason he should be Dick's age without some kind of age-acceleration going on.

That whole thing was kinda weird. That and why Hush would keep Bruce's identity a secret from the bad guys. Who profits from this secret being kept... besides the good guys?

I thought he looked to be around 23 in his appearances in Batman as the Red Hood. Definitely not as old as Dick but Jason does look to be in his 20s, maybe even middle 20s.

You brought up something I had forgotten about.

Jim Lee's Jason Todd looked older and more buff than what he is in Batman currently. Jason doesn't have as wild hair as he did in Hush too. It's more matted, more like he was before he died in A Death in the Family.

That could be just Jim Lee going all out on the character though.

As for Tommy protecting Bruce's secret identity...I see it that Tommy wants to beat Batman/Bruce Wayne. He doesn't want anyone else to do it.

[west3man]

I thought he looked to be around 23 in his appearances in Batman as the Red Hood. Definitely not as old as Dick but Jason does look to be in his 20s, maybe even middle 20s.

You brought up something I had forgotten about.

Jim Lee's Jason Todd looked older and more buff than what he is in Batman currently. Jason doesn't have as wild hair as he did in Hush too. It's more matted, more like he was before he died in A Death in the Family.

That could be just Jim Lee going all out on the character though.

As for Tommy protecting Bruce's secret identity...I see it that Tommy wants to beat Batman/Bruce Wayne. He doesn't want anyone else to do it.Good information. Thanks.

How does he want to beat him? He's had multiple opportunities to kill him (a bit too easily, in fact), but chose not to. He's had opportunities to reveal his identity and make his life very difficult, but has chosen not to. He's had opportunities to harm those Bruce cares for (in his way), but has often chosen not to do so.

I'd like to know what he considers beating Bruce.


While I'm making info-wishes, I'd also like to know how The Riddler figured out the riddle of Batman's identity... out of the blue. Why wasn't this explained in HUSH (or did I forget)? I'd think that'd be a fairly essential detail.

It looks like Loeb took a page out of Meltzer's book.

[Tadhg]

Absolute editions are more about showcasing the art than highlighting the best stories.

So League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was all about the art?

[Guts/Batman]

Good information. Thanks.

How does he want to beat him? He's had multiple opportunities to kill him (a bit too easily, in fact), but chose not to. He's had opportunities to reveal his identity and make his life very difficult, but has chosen not to. He's had opportunities to harm those Bruce cares for (in his way), but has often chosen not to do so.

I'd like to know what he considers beating Bruce.


While I'm making info-wishes, I'd also like to know how The Riddler figured out the riddle of Batman's identity... out of the blue. Why wasn't this explained in HUSH (or did I forget)? I'd think that'd be a fairly essential detail.

It looks like Loeb took a page out of Meltzer's book.

Hush has had multiple opportunities to kill him, yes, but I think he wants to do it specifically. Hush, in GK currently, is tracking down all the living Clayfaces so he can find a pure sample so he can get Clayface's abilities without sacrificing his body.

That has been his goal this whole time. I'm with you. I would like to figure out how he wants to beat Bruce, too. It might make Hush interesting.

He injected Alfred with a Clayface strain as a human test subject on the boat in GK. He also told Black Mask the location of Oracle's base of operations in War Games.

He does things to Bruce's allies but nothing to Bruce himself. I think he finds that beating his allies is a way of defeating Bruce. At the end of the latest GK, Hush currently has a gun to the back of Bruce's head...

He'll probably just do a monologue.

I dunno how Riddler figured out Bruce was Batman. I didn't think it was explained (I have the two tpb). I mean, I guess it isn't too hard to figure out when you do some research and all that jazz.

And how he found out about Jason is something else entirely. Jason himself must have told Riddler. But thinking about it, I can't figure out why Riddler would take Jason's body. He has no reason to.

However, he was just another play in Hush's game so I guess that could be reason enough.

The more I think of it, the more I think R'as was involved in the plot and not just another player in the game. The plot doesn't make sense if R'as wasn't involved in the game.

However, with the current Batman arc, we know that Jason, Tommy and a Clayface, the Riddler were allied. The others were to an extent but they were more for show, I think...

The biggest question coming out of Hush for me with the revelation in Batman: How long before Hush has Jason been back?

I still can't figure out how or where Jason bailed out of the graveyard in the middle of the fight.

[west3man]

wow

This just shows how out-of-the-loop I really am. Neat stuff, though.

Thx for the info, G/B.

[Guts/Batman]

Your welcome, anytime.

Batman continuity doesn't make a lot of sense right now. And I think it all starts with Hush (the arc).

[cactusmaac]

So League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was all about the art?

No. Did I say that somewhere?

[Tadhg]

No. Did I say that somewhere?

You said Absolute Editions are about showcasing the art not highlighting the story, in reply to someone saying there were more worthy Batman stories to receive the absolute treatment. But I seriously doubt the art was the showcase for the League Absolutes.

[The Batman]

i don't think that Absolute Editions are about showcasing art or story specifically, but rather trying to give consumers a really nice edition of a popular story and making some bank for DC. that said i think that an Absolute Edition of DKR, Year One, Long Halloween or Dark Victory would still be warranted even if they were just meant to be art showcases. all of those stories had amazing artwork; artwork on par with if not superior to Hush.

and with better stories. ;)

[Choppa]

First of all I just want to say:

This arc has set up almost everything that is happening or has happened in Batman comics right now...

And it also ignored everything that happened before it! The ending of Fugitive was totally glossed over, all the growth that he made in that story was just ignored, and how could all of the stuff that preceeded HUSH have happened without the world's greatest detective not even knowing!?!

Second I want to list my complaints with HUSH. I feel like most people read it and just ignored the fact that it was all a big gimmick with no substance.

-Where was the mystery? I confirmed with ppl on the dccomics.com board that the official clues that point to eddie are: the kidnapped kid was named Eddie (answer is in the details) and a question mark on Bruce's screen in the batcave (I don't know how this constitutes a clue, but w/e). To me the biggest mystery is what the heck Riddler's plan was. Wat did he plan to accomplish by being in jail? Was he trying to kill Batman or outsmart him? Why isn't this answered?

-It's totally unbelievable. How does Bruce have a childhood friend that he hasn't mentioned in the past 60 years? I don't have a problem with adding characters, but at least try to make it believe. Additionally, Loeb really expects us to believe that a LOT of stuff happened before HUSH started which is hard to swallow.

-Most of the story can be done in a much shorter space. We really didn't need the whole journey where Batman talks to every supporting character. This is just gimmicky and most of them serve no purpose.

[Guts/Batman]

-Most of the story can be done in a much shorter space. We really didn't need the whole journey where Batman talks to every supporting character. This is just gimmicky and most of them serve no purpose.

Hush (the arc) is the biggest evidence to me that art driving plot in non-special circumstances (JLAvengers crossover being one) is a very bad thing...

[cactusmaac]

You said Absolute Editions are about showcasing the art not highlighting the story, in reply to someone saying there were more worthy Batman stories to receive the absolute treatment. But I seriously doubt the art was the showcase for the League Absolutes.

I said "more about showcasing the art".

Meaning they're designed to cater to fans who want to see the art in the biggest possible format as for JLA\Avengers, Hush, Planetary, Danger Girl, Crisis On Infinite Earths and the Alex Ross over-sized books and JLA: Heaven's Ladder if those count.

Granted Moore's writing is the major factor behind the success of Watchmen and LXG, but again I would imagine those buying the Absolutes want to see the oversized art more than the extras that come with the stories, given how comic art tends to be a bigger selling point than comic writing.

[west3man]

I'm really enjoying the sketches in the back. Really impressive stuff.