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Batman: No Man's Land Omnibus
Batman: No Man's Land Omnibus, Vol. 2
Picking up where the first volume ends, Batman: No Man's Land Omnibus Vol. 2 continues the incredible crossover event that will completely change Gotham and the Dark Knight!
Features appearances by Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, the Scarecrow and many others. Collects Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #122-126; Azrael: Agent of the Bat #58-61; Batman #569-574; Batman: Shadow of the Bat #89-94; Detective Comics #736-741; Catwoman #75-77; Robin #68-73; The Batman Chronicles #18; Nightwing #38-39; Batman No Man's Land #0; and Batman: No Man's Land Secret Files #1.
Features appearances by Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, the Scarecrow and many others. Collects Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #122-126; Azrael: Agent of the Bat #58-61; Batman #569-574; Batman: Shadow of the Bat #89-94; Detective Comics #736-741; Catwoman #75-77; Robin #68-73; The Batman Chronicles #18; Nightwing #38-39; Batman No Man's Land #0; and Batman: No Man's Land Secret Files #1.
1112 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 1999
About the author
Dennis O'Neil
1,747 books249 followers
Dennis "Denny" O'Neil
was a comic book writer and editor best known for his work for Marvel Comics and DC Comics from the 1960s through the 1990s, and Group Editor for the Batman family of titles until his retirement.
His best-known works include Green Lantern/Green Arrow and Batman with Neal Adams, The Shadow with Michael Kaluta and The Question with Denys Cowan. As an editor, he is principally known for editing the various Batman titles. From 2013 unti his death, he sat on the board of directors of the charity The Hero Initiative and served on its Disbursement Committee.
His best-known works include Green Lantern/Green Arrow and Batman with Neal Adams, The Shadow with Michael Kaluta and The Question with Denys Cowan. As an editor, he is principally known for editing the various Batman titles. From 2013 unti his death, he sat on the board of directors of the charity The Hero Initiative and served on its Disbursement Committee.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 29, 2023
(Zero spoiler review)
So, the No Man's Land saga comes to a close. 3500 odd pages across 3 omnibus. Certainly the biggest 'event series' I've ever read. And now that it's done (I literally finished it half an hour ago), how do I feel about it all. I suppose slightly underwhelming would be my ultimate takeaway from the series a a whole, and volume 2 in particular.
The first third of this book is absolutely throwaway stuff. I don't think there is a single story across the opening 15-20 issues that would ever prompt a reread. The art during this time, as well as throughout the omnibus in general (with a few notable exceptions) was the only highlight, and trudging through it was quite a slog, thankfully made easier by its relatively fast pace and minimal dialogue. Stories span for one, two issues at most, are usually about the same repetitive themes, done near to death at this point, with little to discern them from any of the mass of similar issues that came before. Events being this chock full of filler is one of the main reasons why events in general are of little interest to me, but there really is little excuse for the bland and formulaic sludge we get early on. Chuck Dixon's stories in particular were a notable lowlight.
About half way through, things pick up. Stories are varied and more interesting, with the overall narrative starting to move forward. Art in general becomes more consistent and constant, with the revolving door of artists and writers early on stabilising somewhat. Sadly, the last few issues drop the ball in a big way for me. The final resolution they were clearly working towards all along was poorly executed, which finished the event with a whimper, rather than the big old bang it could have been. The multiple artists on each issue was unnecessary and jarring. The emotional climax was limp, rushed, and didn't effect me in the slightest in the way that it could, or should have. Despite the weak start, it really felt like it was building to something, but the abandoned plot threads, the bloat and the mess that arose from it, and the rushed final handful of issues robbed this of something closer to a four, leaving it with a pretty middling 3 stars. If only the stories matched the mostly strong artwork. I'll reread a few issues here or there, but I'll likely never read the whole thing. It's too disjointed, unfocused and overall, pretty average. 3/5
OmniBen.
So, the No Man's Land saga comes to a close. 3500 odd pages across 3 omnibus. Certainly the biggest 'event series' I've ever read. And now that it's done (I literally finished it half an hour ago), how do I feel about it all. I suppose slightly underwhelming would be my ultimate takeaway from the series a a whole, and volume 2 in particular.
The first third of this book is absolutely throwaway stuff. I don't think there is a single story across the opening 15-20 issues that would ever prompt a reread. The art during this time, as well as throughout the omnibus in general (with a few notable exceptions) was the only highlight, and trudging through it was quite a slog, thankfully made easier by its relatively fast pace and minimal dialogue. Stories span for one, two issues at most, are usually about the same repetitive themes, done near to death at this point, with little to discern them from any of the mass of similar issues that came before. Events being this chock full of filler is one of the main reasons why events in general are of little interest to me, but there really is little excuse for the bland and formulaic sludge we get early on. Chuck Dixon's stories in particular were a notable lowlight.
About half way through, things pick up. Stories are varied and more interesting, with the overall narrative starting to move forward. Art in general becomes more consistent and constant, with the revolving door of artists and writers early on stabilising somewhat. Sadly, the last few issues drop the ball in a big way for me. The final resolution they were clearly working towards all along was poorly executed, which finished the event with a whimper, rather than the big old bang it could have been. The multiple artists on each issue was unnecessary and jarring. The emotional climax was limp, rushed, and didn't effect me in the slightest in the way that it could, or should have. Despite the weak start, it really felt like it was building to something, but the abandoned plot threads, the bloat and the mess that arose from it, and the rushed final handful of issues robbed this of something closer to a four, leaving it with a pretty middling 3 stars. If only the stories matched the mostly strong artwork. I'll reread a few issues here or there, but I'll likely never read the whole thing. It's too disjointed, unfocused and overall, pretty average. 3/5
OmniBen.
July 21, 2023
While I enjoyed certain characters development, this, like a lot of dc events, has a LOT of filler. Overall is was just okay, I learnt a few things and now I will sell off these omnibus and move on.
July 7, 2024
4.5 stars. This really picked up compared to Cataclysm and the first half of NML and finished this incredible saga on a high note. There are many things to like about this and a lot of the problems I had with NML Vol. 1 were not as prevalent here. The art here is generally good and far more consistent than the previous volume, which was a big issue for Vol. 1. This volume also seemed far more interconnected and that everything was moving the story forward. The first volume had a lot of filler it seemed and some one-shots. So there were good stories being told in isolation, but some were stronger than others and the overarching plot did not seem to advance. Here, I could feel the momentum building and it seemed more cohesive and enjoyable.
As expected, a lot happens with many different characters. The people are still struggling in Gotham as NML continues on. Eventually, public opinion starts to sway and people want Gotham to be rescued, and the government starts debating lifting the ban. Some stuff is going on behind the scenes and clearly someone is looking to acquire most of the property in Gotham, which is revealed to be Lex Luthor. Bruce sets in motion some elaborate plan to uncover this and have Catwoman retrieve some info to get the records on what Luthor is up to. Lex sets up shop in Gotham and gets people to work on rebuilding. This is all climaxing as Joker has some grand scheme by kidnapping a bunch of babies at Christmas time. In a very gut-wrenching scene, Sarah Essen-Gordon is alone when she spots Joker with all the kidnapped babies. He tosses one to her and as she catches it, he shoots and kills her. I was definitely surprised by this and it was tough to see considering how much these characters have endured for a full year at this point. The story ends shortly thereafter with the government lifting the NML ban on New Year's Day.
Hard to remember everything that happened and in which exact order, but so many characters have a chance to shine. This is truly a bat-family event and many villains get some spotlight. Batman is leveraging the whole team but keeping them a little out of the loop on his whole plan. It is also revealed that he left Gotham when NML first hit and just spent some time overseas trying to act like Bruce Wayne and party because he was so devastated, but he hated this. He has some brief encounter with Talia out there where she says he is disgraceful and ultimately he comes back to Gotham where he spent some time planning before showing up as Batman publicly.
Gordon is a big highlight here, as he goes through so much. He is trying so hard to maintain order but has some happiness with Sarah at his side. When she is killed, Gordon is very upset and ready to kill Joker. Batman says he won't stop him. Gordon just shoots him in the knee. We also see Gordon and Batman reconcile. They were on bad terms but finally agree to talk. Very difficult conversation for both of them to have but Batman insists they are friends and even unmasks himself, but Gordon refuses to look. Good to see them rekindle their friendship. There is also the splintering within the GCPD. Officer Pettit had split off from Gordon because Pettit was much more harsh, treating this like a war and ready to kill and be the aggressor. Pettit's whole arc throughout this was incredible. He continues to lose his mind and get more irrational and violent. At the end he sends so many of his men to their deaths as they go after Joker. Joker is dressing them up like Joker and Pettit is just shooting them all without realizing it as Huntress pleads for him to stop. Pettit also knowingly kills Foley who had been by his side this whole time. Then Joker ends up shooting Pettit anyways. Man, Joker is so brutal. Joker needs to go away, makes my blood boil how much he gets away with. There is a good amount of Harley in this and these are still the earliest stories with her so I enjoyed seeing her navigate her relationship with Joker.
Huntress is such a stand-out, I was very invested in her stories. Batman continues to give her the cold shoulder but she wants to do what is right, just willing to cross lines that Batman will not. There is a nice flashback story to early NML when she first adopted the Batgirl costume because the Huntress costume was not instilling fear into criminals. She was doing things the right way and Batman was pleased with her. And by the end of this with her showdown with Joker, Batman tells her she did good. Also apparently she had/has some romance with Nightwing.
Nightwing is in this a good amount, usually with Barbara. I like their dynamic and they hint at rekindling things. Tim Drake is excellent, he is such a good Robin. Towards the end his dad freaks out and basically convinces the government to go in and rescue Tim from Gotham and it is this big public spectacle. Stephanie Brown is barely in here so I wish we saw more of her. Her mom discovered her Spoiler identity. Not a ton of development with Cassandra Cain here but she continues to be great. Catwoman was entertaining, I thought her solo series issues were solid. You can never quite tell whose side she is on but that makes it enjoyable in this case. Azrael is here. His stories are adequate. At least he has more bat-family interaction and seems more connected to the overarching plot. Dr. Leslie Thompkins appears pretty regularly which I enjoy, she is a compelling character. However, in what was easily one of the most frustrating stories I have ever read, she fights so hard to save Victor Zsasz's life. Batman goes through so much to obtain blood for a blood transfusion, not knowing who it is for. Leslie reveals it is for Zsasz, otherwise he won't survive. Every bat-family member is rightfully questioning why she would do this, as all he does is kill. A huge fight breaks out because of this. She ends up saving him and immediately he tries to kill her. She says she will not fight back no matter what, but she gets saved. Like seriously?? This one was just beyond reason for me. Especially in the context of NML when resources are so scarce and there is no real law. I really wish that never happened because she has been a nice character but that is one of the dumbest things I have ever read.
Numerous villains shine. Penguin has a sort of alliance with Batman, as Penguin controls resources and keeps some degree of order but Batman will always bully him for whatever information he needs. Two-Face continues to be one of the most interesting characters. There is a nice story where he basically kidnaps Montoya and her family and then puts Gordon "on trial" for the alliance that was made between them. Killer Croc shows up in a story, it was fine. Joker is in here a ton, pretty much always with Harley. Joker did play a huge role in the climax and it was well done, and everything about him certainly makes me hate him. Bane was here and played some mildly confusing role in everything. Lex (and Mercy Graves) obviously play a big role when it is revealed he is trying to take over Gotham. I always enjoy seeing Lex because you never quite know what he is plotting and even when threatened by Batman he keeps moving forward with his plans.
Overall, this was a tremendous conclusion to this saga. I easily put this ahead of Road to NML, and I would put that ahead of NML Vol. 1. A lot of great characters get an opportunity to shine and you see the entire bat-family and so much about the whole city of Gotham. This one definitely has stakes, as there are multiple unexpected deaths (such as Foley and Sarah). A lot happens to progress the dynamics certain characters have between each other (such as Huntress/Batman, Batman/Gordon). The premise for this story is so intriguing and it was great to see they stuck with it for so long. The story ends as soon as the NML ban is lifted, but there is clearly so much ahead. Really enjoy this volume and the whole event in totality.
As expected, a lot happens with many different characters. The people are still struggling in Gotham as NML continues on. Eventually, public opinion starts to sway and people want Gotham to be rescued, and the government starts debating lifting the ban. Some stuff is going on behind the scenes and clearly someone is looking to acquire most of the property in Gotham, which is revealed to be Lex Luthor. Bruce sets in motion some elaborate plan to uncover this and have Catwoman retrieve some info to get the records on what Luthor is up to. Lex sets up shop in Gotham and gets people to work on rebuilding. This is all climaxing as Joker has some grand scheme by kidnapping a bunch of babies at Christmas time. In a very gut-wrenching scene, Sarah Essen-Gordon is alone when she spots Joker with all the kidnapped babies. He tosses one to her and as she catches it, he shoots and kills her. I was definitely surprised by this and it was tough to see considering how much these characters have endured for a full year at this point. The story ends shortly thereafter with the government lifting the NML ban on New Year's Day.
Hard to remember everything that happened and in which exact order, but so many characters have a chance to shine. This is truly a bat-family event and many villains get some spotlight. Batman is leveraging the whole team but keeping them a little out of the loop on his whole plan. It is also revealed that he left Gotham when NML first hit and just spent some time overseas trying to act like Bruce Wayne and party because he was so devastated, but he hated this. He has some brief encounter with Talia out there where she says he is disgraceful and ultimately he comes back to Gotham where he spent some time planning before showing up as Batman publicly.
Gordon is a big highlight here, as he goes through so much. He is trying so hard to maintain order but has some happiness with Sarah at his side. When she is killed, Gordon is very upset and ready to kill Joker. Batman says he won't stop him. Gordon just shoots him in the knee. We also see Gordon and Batman reconcile. They were on bad terms but finally agree to talk. Very difficult conversation for both of them to have but Batman insists they are friends and even unmasks himself, but Gordon refuses to look. Good to see them rekindle their friendship. There is also the splintering within the GCPD. Officer Pettit had split off from Gordon because Pettit was much more harsh, treating this like a war and ready to kill and be the aggressor. Pettit's whole arc throughout this was incredible. He continues to lose his mind and get more irrational and violent. At the end he sends so many of his men to their deaths as they go after Joker. Joker is dressing them up like Joker and Pettit is just shooting them all without realizing it as Huntress pleads for him to stop. Pettit also knowingly kills Foley who had been by his side this whole time. Then Joker ends up shooting Pettit anyways. Man, Joker is so brutal. Joker needs to go away, makes my blood boil how much he gets away with. There is a good amount of Harley in this and these are still the earliest stories with her so I enjoyed seeing her navigate her relationship with Joker.
Huntress is such a stand-out, I was very invested in her stories. Batman continues to give her the cold shoulder but she wants to do what is right, just willing to cross lines that Batman will not. There is a nice flashback story to early NML when she first adopted the Batgirl costume because the Huntress costume was not instilling fear into criminals. She was doing things the right way and Batman was pleased with her. And by the end of this with her showdown with Joker, Batman tells her she did good. Also apparently she had/has some romance with Nightwing.
Nightwing is in this a good amount, usually with Barbara. I like their dynamic and they hint at rekindling things. Tim Drake is excellent, he is such a good Robin. Towards the end his dad freaks out and basically convinces the government to go in and rescue Tim from Gotham and it is this big public spectacle. Stephanie Brown is barely in here so I wish we saw more of her. Her mom discovered her Spoiler identity. Not a ton of development with Cassandra Cain here but she continues to be great. Catwoman was entertaining, I thought her solo series issues were solid. You can never quite tell whose side she is on but that makes it enjoyable in this case. Azrael is here. His stories are adequate. At least he has more bat-family interaction and seems more connected to the overarching plot. Dr. Leslie Thompkins appears pretty regularly which I enjoy, she is a compelling character. However, in what was easily one of the most frustrating stories I have ever read, she fights so hard to save Victor Zsasz's life. Batman goes through so much to obtain blood for a blood transfusion, not knowing who it is for. Leslie reveals it is for Zsasz, otherwise he won't survive. Every bat-family member is rightfully questioning why she would do this, as all he does is kill. A huge fight breaks out because of this. She ends up saving him and immediately he tries to kill her. She says she will not fight back no matter what, but she gets saved. Like seriously?? This one was just beyond reason for me. Especially in the context of NML when resources are so scarce and there is no real law. I really wish that never happened because she has been a nice character but that is one of the dumbest things I have ever read.
Numerous villains shine. Penguin has a sort of alliance with Batman, as Penguin controls resources and keeps some degree of order but Batman will always bully him for whatever information he needs. Two-Face continues to be one of the most interesting characters. There is a nice story where he basically kidnaps Montoya and her family and then puts Gordon "on trial" for the alliance that was made between them. Killer Croc shows up in a story, it was fine. Joker is in here a ton, pretty much always with Harley. Joker did play a huge role in the climax and it was well done, and everything about him certainly makes me hate him. Bane was here and played some mildly confusing role in everything. Lex (and Mercy Graves) obviously play a big role when it is revealed he is trying to take over Gotham. I always enjoy seeing Lex because you never quite know what he is plotting and even when threatened by Batman he keeps moving forward with his plans.
Overall, this was a tremendous conclusion to this saga. I easily put this ahead of Road to NML, and I would put that ahead of NML Vol. 1. A lot of great characters get an opportunity to shine and you see the entire bat-family and so much about the whole city of Gotham. This one definitely has stakes, as there are multiple unexpected deaths (such as Foley and Sarah). A lot happens to progress the dynamics certain characters have between each other (such as Huntress/Batman, Batman/Gordon). The premise for this story is so intriguing and it was great to see they stuck with it for so long. The story ends as soon as the NML ban is lifted, but there is clearly so much ahead. Really enjoy this volume and the whole event in totality.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2022
This is less an critique of this volume in particular than it is all three omnibuses as a continuous read because seriously, why would you get the final volume of the set if you haven’t read the first two?
With nostalgia and some genuine positives outweighing the negatives, I’m going to start with the bad.
No, this is not a perfectly told tale and a lot of that has to do with the time this was originally released as well as the mistakes that only happen when you’re doing something for the first time. Big franchise-wide, or in the case of modern times, company-wide, crossovers are the norm now. But back in 1998-2000, this kind of interconnected storytelling was as new as a series-long serialized arc in a TV show would’ve been at the time. So mistakes were made. No way around that.
The biggest problem is some obvious cases of “the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing”. There are clearly some points where the editors at the time should’ve been more heavy-handed. As a result, many of the writers in the spin-off Bat books (Robin, Nightwing, etc.) went too far in their own paths that lead to some narrative issues I’ll go into detail about.
The problem is at it’s most noticeable in the Road to No Man’s Land Omnibus as every Bat title had their own separate teams at the time. So many books had discrepancies when it came to setting and even continuity as opposed to the natural differences in writing and art style.
No Man’s Land Omnibus Vol. 1 has this the least as it was just arcs that had separate creative teams that continued in each main title and the spinoff titles were left out until near the end. But by Vol. 2, they’re back in spades in a way that is very distracting. The worst culprit being, unfortunately, Chuck Dixon as the events in Nightwing and Robin line up perfectly with each other, but he leaves no room in his own timeline to explain their constant appearances in the main Bat titles. It’s also not helped that both books arcs are VERY important to how No Man’s Land is resolved so you can’t ignore them.
Also, I wish the books were edited with a little more thought into telling a narrative. All the stories seem to be pretty close to their original release order as opposed to a chronological one. This rears its ugliest head when you read No Man’s Land #0 about 2/3 into the final volume despite it filling the gap between Road and Vol. 1. And no, it’s not told as a flashback. The only reason I can think for this is to preserve the Batgirl “mystery”. But who’s getting this expensive hardcover who doesn’t already know the story?
That said, this is still a great read overall. Greg Rucka is easily the standout as he does a great job of giving us a Grant Morrison-like hyper-capable Batman outside of his element. Rucka’s own news junky hobbies also made him uniquely qualified to believably portray a highly politicized war zone like no one else could pull off. (Not to pick on Chuck Dixon, who is a writer I genuinely love, but one of the NML gangs knowing where to attack Tim Drake’s “rescue” chopper because they watched it on TV despite electricity being virtually non-existent is an example of how far other writers missed the mark.) It’s no wonder Rucka was picked as the writer to bring the story to an endgame and then pick up Detective Comics title immediately afterward.
And Damion Scott’s artwork is a standout above all the others. It speaks for itself so I’m going to move on.
Despite the narrative and chronological discrepancies, every character does play a role and their individual books do make their value known. And their chapters aren’t too far spread out so you never feel like anyone’s getting shafted on page count.
And I love, love, LOVE all the different factions that grow out of NML. The roles they play, the way they start, end or change, and especially, how they interact makes for some great ongoing arcs that intersect throughout the whole saga.
In fact, one of those factions creates a great character arc for Huntress that culminates in possibly the most badass moment she ever had. (Or even any character has in the whole shebang, really.) She even gets Batman’s highest compliment as a result.
Ultimately, this is a must-read for Batman fans, an interesting time capsule for a period in comics with all the highs and lows that entails, and an interesting prototype for the kind of storytelling that became common in the medium within a decade after. Yes, there’s a feeling that the story isn’t being told in order and even the best editors in the universe can’t make some of disparate but necessary elements fit in a satisfying manner. But the story is here, it’s complete, and is worth the price tag you pay for it. It’s not perfect but damn, if it isn’t great!
With nostalgia and some genuine positives outweighing the negatives, I’m going to start with the bad.
No, this is not a perfectly told tale and a lot of that has to do with the time this was originally released as well as the mistakes that only happen when you’re doing something for the first time. Big franchise-wide, or in the case of modern times, company-wide, crossovers are the norm now. But back in 1998-2000, this kind of interconnected storytelling was as new as a series-long serialized arc in a TV show would’ve been at the time. So mistakes were made. No way around that.
The biggest problem is some obvious cases of “the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing”. There are clearly some points where the editors at the time should’ve been more heavy-handed. As a result, many of the writers in the spin-off Bat books (Robin, Nightwing, etc.) went too far in their own paths that lead to some narrative issues I’ll go into detail about.
The problem is at it’s most noticeable in the Road to No Man’s Land Omnibus as every Bat title had their own separate teams at the time. So many books had discrepancies when it came to setting and even continuity as opposed to the natural differences in writing and art style.
No Man’s Land Omnibus Vol. 1 has this the least as it was just arcs that had separate creative teams that continued in each main title and the spinoff titles were left out until near the end. But by Vol. 2, they’re back in spades in a way that is very distracting. The worst culprit being, unfortunately, Chuck Dixon as the events in Nightwing and Robin line up perfectly with each other, but he leaves no room in his own timeline to explain their constant appearances in the main Bat titles. It’s also not helped that both books arcs are VERY important to how No Man’s Land is resolved so you can’t ignore them.
Also, I wish the books were edited with a little more thought into telling a narrative. All the stories seem to be pretty close to their original release order as opposed to a chronological one. This rears its ugliest head when you read No Man’s Land #0 about 2/3 into the final volume despite it filling the gap between Road and Vol. 1. And no, it’s not told as a flashback. The only reason I can think for this is to preserve the Batgirl “mystery”. But who’s getting this expensive hardcover who doesn’t already know the story?
That said, this is still a great read overall. Greg Rucka is easily the standout as he does a great job of giving us a Grant Morrison-like hyper-capable Batman outside of his element. Rucka’s own news junky hobbies also made him uniquely qualified to believably portray a highly politicized war zone like no one else could pull off. (Not to pick on Chuck Dixon, who is a writer I genuinely love, but one of the NML gangs knowing where to attack Tim Drake’s “rescue” chopper because they watched it on TV despite electricity being virtually non-existent is an example of how far other writers missed the mark.) It’s no wonder Rucka was picked as the writer to bring the story to an endgame and then pick up Detective Comics title immediately afterward.
And Damion Scott’s artwork is a standout above all the others. It speaks for itself so I’m going to move on.
Despite the narrative and chronological discrepancies, every character does play a role and their individual books do make their value known. And their chapters aren’t too far spread out so you never feel like anyone’s getting shafted on page count.
And I love, love, LOVE all the different factions that grow out of NML. The roles they play, the way they start, end or change, and especially, how they interact makes for some great ongoing arcs that intersect throughout the whole saga.
In fact, one of those factions creates a great character arc for Huntress that culminates in possibly the most badass moment she ever had. (Or even any character has in the whole shebang, really.) She even gets Batman’s highest compliment as a result.
Ultimately, this is a must-read for Batman fans, an interesting time capsule for a period in comics with all the highs and lows that entails, and an interesting prototype for the kind of storytelling that became common in the medium within a decade after. Yes, there’s a feeling that the story isn’t being told in order and even the best editors in the universe can’t make some of disparate but necessary elements fit in a satisfying manner. But the story is here, it’s complete, and is worth the price tag you pay for it. It’s not perfect but damn, if it isn’t great!
May 1, 2022
The premise of this series of graphic comic books is the product of genius. A massive earthquake struck Gotham City, so completely destroying it that the federal government declares it a wasteland and orders it evacuated and then sealed off from the rest of the world. Some people refuse to leave their homes, while others choose to stay within the consequential chaos.
The destroyed city has been partitioned into territories held by various groups, some criminal and others with a more noble intent. Police Commissioner Gordon and some of his officers hold one territory, Batman adversaries such as the Penguin and Two-Face hold others and in general other criminal gangs hold the rest. Most of the efforts of all the groups are spent on trying to hold and expand their territories, generally these are border skirmishes with little territory changing hands. Lives are lost on a whim, one of the most common forms of entertainment is to have one-on-one gladiatorial style contests to the death. Students of history will recognize the shifting alliances in the battles between princes that led to Machiavelli writing his classic “The Prince.”
Batman and the second generation Batgirl have remained in the city and are the ultimate wildcard in the battles for territory. This is the more psychotic version of Batman; he is determined to save the city but is overwhelmed with the task. Commissioner Gordon and Batman are adversaries yet not enemies, although Gordon will seek his help if pressured hard enough.
Post-apocalyptic tales are a staple of literature; this one is unique in that superheroes are involved. There was one mention of Superman flying in supplies, but that is the only time the most obvious solution is mentioned, having the other superheroes come to the rescue. Batman in his psychotic form is an excellent character to be involved in a tale of this type, for his psyche is a constant battle against an internal apocalypse. This is a great and engaging story, survival in its most brutal form; once I read it I started a search for volume 1.
The destroyed city has been partitioned into territories held by various groups, some criminal and others with a more noble intent. Police Commissioner Gordon and some of his officers hold one territory, Batman adversaries such as the Penguin and Two-Face hold others and in general other criminal gangs hold the rest. Most of the efforts of all the groups are spent on trying to hold and expand their territories, generally these are border skirmishes with little territory changing hands. Lives are lost on a whim, one of the most common forms of entertainment is to have one-on-one gladiatorial style contests to the death. Students of history will recognize the shifting alliances in the battles between princes that led to Machiavelli writing his classic “The Prince.”
Batman and the second generation Batgirl have remained in the city and are the ultimate wildcard in the battles for territory. This is the more psychotic version of Batman; he is determined to save the city but is overwhelmed with the task. Commissioner Gordon and Batman are adversaries yet not enemies, although Gordon will seek his help if pressured hard enough.
Post-apocalyptic tales are a staple of literature; this one is unique in that superheroes are involved. There was one mention of Superman flying in supplies, but that is the only time the most obvious solution is mentioned, having the other superheroes come to the rescue. Batman in his psychotic form is an excellent character to be involved in a tale of this type, for his psyche is a constant battle against an internal apocalypse. This is a great and engaging story, survival in its most brutal form; once I read it I started a search for volume 1.
October 5, 2022
While the “Road to No man’s Land” and “No man’s land volume 1” Omni’s were much left to be desired, the slow foreplay was very much worth it when it comes to this final chapter.
This is superb Batman storytelling. There’s character development and emotion all through out this Omnibus. You start to really develop feelings for the second Batgirl (Cain) and especially Huntress. I could definitely do without a “Killer Croc” story but it seems people tend to like his character. I simply just don’t get it. And “Rat Catcher” has always rubbed me the wrong way but, I also very much dislike rats.
Nevertheless, Catwoman is always a necessary and complimentary filler story, and if you read the “Knightfall” series, Azrael will fall into your good graces once you complete this saga.
Highly recommend this beautiful volume, the art is beautiful and sometimes a bit “cartoony” for the deep story line yet, it still works.
Ending is mighty perfect and heartfelt, all the way up to the very last page. Too bad for Jimmy G though, he always gets it the worst.
*Might I add, even though I’m often times a bit harsh on Greg Rucka, his storytelling in No Mans Land really shines. I’ve personally noticed that his work stands out more to me in his earlier Batman work.
This is superb Batman storytelling. There’s character development and emotion all through out this Omnibus. You start to really develop feelings for the second Batgirl (Cain) and especially Huntress. I could definitely do without a “Killer Croc” story but it seems people tend to like his character. I simply just don’t get it. And “Rat Catcher” has always rubbed me the wrong way but, I also very much dislike rats.
Nevertheless, Catwoman is always a necessary and complimentary filler story, and if you read the “Knightfall” series, Azrael will fall into your good graces once you complete this saga.
Highly recommend this beautiful volume, the art is beautiful and sometimes a bit “cartoony” for the deep story line yet, it still works.
Ending is mighty perfect and heartfelt, all the way up to the very last page. Too bad for Jimmy G though, he always gets it the worst.
*Might I add, even though I’m often times a bit harsh on Greg Rucka, his storytelling in No Mans Land really shines. I’ve personally noticed that his work stands out more to me in his earlier Batman work.
May 21, 2023
A fantastically published finale to the epic, and perhaps best ever, Batman crossover from the early 2000s. While there are a few issues that don’t land - most of the Catwoman issues, a couple of the Robin ones - by and large, and this thing is large at over 1,000 pages, this is a comic masterpiece, interweaving epic crime drama, dystopian themes and political and societal observations. Huge range of talents, but a special shout out to Damion Scott who’s issues are absolutely brilliant and refreshing here.
March 12, 2024
Vol. 2 was head and shoulders better than Vol. 1. I think it's because we are juggernauting to a conclusion to this event. The individual stories seemed to really serve a purpose, and they seemed to add interest to this world. Although not an outright spoiler, but I will hint at one. The conclusion broke my heart, and it felt a bit cruel. I know the story called for a powerful ending, but this one seemed too harsh for characters pushed to their limits already.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2024
In t first half, the story goes from one filler to another, either about villains (sometimes rather obscure villains) or citizens.
Then it starts to pick-up the main plot with Two-Face, Catwoman, Huntress etc. before the final arc.
The end is a little abrupt. I suppose following issues of each series are kind of "NML Aftermath" issues, but the Omnibus stops literally at the second the NML executive order is lifted.
But overall I enjoyed the 3 Omnibuses (read over 2-3 months period).
Then it starts to pick-up the main plot with Two-Face, Catwoman, Huntress etc. before the final arc.
The end is a little abrupt. I suppose following issues of each series are kind of "NML Aftermath" issues, but the Omnibus stops literally at the second the NML executive order is lifted.
But overall I enjoyed the 3 Omnibuses (read over 2-3 months period).
August 14, 2022
Consider this my review of the entire No Man's Land saga. A much, much better Batman crossover event than the much ballyhooed but actually pretty lousy Knightfall, if for no other reason than the coordination of the storyline over multiple titles is a lot tighter here (rather than ping ponging back and forth between different series written by different authors with different conceptions of what's going on, they tend to have the writers write little story arcs that are then split up over that month's various Batman and tie-in comics), and you get the sense that they had at least general ideas of where they wanted the story to go before they started. But there are other reasons, too. Most notably, the no man's land concept makes for an interesting setting, both visually and as a fruitful generator of conflict. It also has more ideas of what to do with its sprawling cast of characters, and the tie-ins feel at least somewhat consequential.
Did you know that this was where Harley Quinn was introduced into the main DC comics continuity? It's actually a pretty lousy issue, abruptly inserting her into the story and somehow both getting bogged down trying artlessly cram in all of her backstory while also assuming that the reader already knows her deal and likes her. Some of her later appearances are more fun.
Crossover events are huge scams meant to bilk loyal readers out of as much of their money as possible (Maybe you're really just a fan of whoever is currently writing Detective Comics and want to follow that. Tough shit. In 1999, you will have to buy 88 Batman comics, tie-ins and one-shots in order to make sense of your favorite comic). Luckily, I have the gift of hindsight, as well as a DC Universe Infinite account. So putting aside the business ethics of all of this, No Man's Land does feel like it uses its massive reach to tell a story that is suitably big and fun and a little exciting and kind of ambitious for this sort of silly crap.
Still though, you end up having to read way too many issues of Azrael: Agent of the Bat, which are near uniform in their shittiness.
B
Did you know that this was where Harley Quinn was introduced into the main DC comics continuity? It's actually a pretty lousy issue, abruptly inserting her into the story and somehow both getting bogged down trying artlessly cram in all of her backstory while also assuming that the reader already knows her deal and likes her. Some of her later appearances are more fun.
Crossover events are huge scams meant to bilk loyal readers out of as much of their money as possible (Maybe you're really just a fan of whoever is currently writing Detective Comics and want to follow that. Tough shit. In 1999, you will have to buy 88 Batman comics, tie-ins and one-shots in order to make sense of your favorite comic). Luckily, I have the gift of hindsight, as well as a DC Universe Infinite account. So putting aside the business ethics of all of this, No Man's Land does feel like it uses its massive reach to tell a story that is suitably big and fun and a little exciting and kind of ambitious for this sort of silly crap.
Still though, you end up having to read way too many issues of Azrael: Agent of the Bat, which are near uniform in their shittiness.
B
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