Batman

This was really quite good. This volume has two stories is it, One has the first appearance of the Joker and is an early experience Batman tale. (Apparently a sequel to Batman: Year One?) I'm a sucker for early experience Batman tales and love to see Gordon and Batman work side by side. Gordon especially has some good dialogue. Although, I have to say I actually enjoyed the 2nd story “Made of Wood” much much more. I really don't know anything about Alan Scott Green Lantern, except that his weakness is wood. It was interesting to hear more lore about him and how he was the early hero of Gotham. This was really his story with Batman doing the detective work and it really had a touching ending. [ Can you imagine having such an obsession/grudge against Green Lantern that you kept that baseball bat that knocked him out and that even got passed on to your kid? I felt great sympathy for the villain in this volume. It was a brief explanation but made so much sense. When Alan got hit with that bat I even felt it! I cried at the end seeing the signed bat memento and Batman's picture of his father meeting Alan Scott was really heartfelt to me. (hide spoiler)] The art in these are really nice and each of the two stories I felt were compelling and really felt like a detective series getting clues and observations from Batman to piece things together. I finished it rather quickly and I highly recommend. ~Ashley