Batman: Beyond

Batman: Beyond by Bader, Hilary J.. Paperback edition. ISBN: 9781563896040.

Batman Beyond ("the future of crime-fighting!") got an excellent kickoff in the first few issues of DCs comic series starting in November of 1999. But before those comics appeared, DC issued a "miniseries" that bordered on the craptacular, with six issues published separately from March to August of the same year, and now collected in this trade paperback. Beginning as a nearly verbatim rehash of the TV pilot, the series never seems to find its footing, something writer Hilary J. Bader remedies in the "real" series later. A couple of these stories approach almost acceptable status--the third, Blight-fightin issue ("Never Mix, Never Worry") and the sixth story on the normally sexy Inque ("Permanent Inque Stains")--but unless youve gotta have it, leave this one to the kiddies. --Paul Hughes