Batman: No Man's Land Vol. 1
Writers: Scott Beatty, Ian Edginton, Bob Gale, Devin Grayson, Dennis O'Neil, Kelley Puckett, and Greg Rucka
Artists: Dale Eaglesham, Alex Maleev, Roger Robinson, Damion Scott, and Phil Winslade
No one is safe in No Man's Land!
Ranking: 5 stars
After the earthquake destroyed Gotham City, the survivors of the disaster waited for the US government to send disaster relief funds, rescue efforts, and civil engineers to help repair their city. But the so-called geniuses of the government decided that Gotham was beyond saving and could never be brought back. So the US government sealed off Gotham City from the rest of the world, and by federal law no one could go in, and no one could come out. With thousands of refuges trapped in the city and no system of law and order to govern them, Gotham City was soon taken over by the criminals of its underworld! Now each major area of the ruined city is controlled by a major super villain! Gotham City is no more, all that remains is "No Man's Land..."
I know that some comic book fans like the setting of their story to be the same each month, but personally I love major events that go against that setting and change everything (even if it is temporary)! Stories like BATMAN KNIGHTFALL and THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN really showed this, and this is another one of those stories! The rules of Gotham change after the quake destroys the city and the government seals its citizens off from the outside world! It's no longer a battle for good vs. evil, but a battle for survival! The criminals control everything and Batman and the GCPD must take the city back block by block! It's a story that shows us how anarchy thrives when there is lack of government, and the harsh reality of the aftermath of urban disasters! A really awesome story for Batman and the rest of Gotham City!
Unlike some comic book readers, I don't see each issue as a new story where everything should be the same each month. I see each issue as new chapter in the heroes' life and the major events like this story are the ones that help really define the character. BATMAN YEAR ONE showed us the origins of Batman, THE LONG HALLOWEEN shows his early days of crime fighting, A DEATH IN THE FAMILY marks Batman's second greatest tragedy when Robin (Jason Todd) is killed by the joker, KNIGHTFALL shows Batman's first major defeat when Bane breaks his back, and Batman must re-train himself to regain the mantel of the Bat. Now, "No Man's Land" marks Batman's greatest battle yet, one where Batman must truly save Gotham City from corruption! The first sign that Batman is in for a rough fight is when we see "Hell comes to Gotham City," spray-painted over a "Welcome to Gotham City" Sign!
Overall, it's a truly sensational Batman story!!!
