Batman: Venom Author: DENNIS J. O'NEIL RUSSELL BRAUN JOSE LUIS GARCIA-LOPEZ | Language: English | ISBN:
B009POHIJS | Format: PDF
Batman: Venom Description
A new edition of the classic Batman tale by writer Dennis O'Neil that introduces the strength-enhancing drug Venom. After Batman fails to save a young girl, he begins taking the drug in order to lift his limitations; however, when the Dark Knight becomes addicted to the substance, his entire life begins to spiral out of control. The drug Venom later goes on to play a major role in the KNIGHTFALL storyline that sees the villain Bane breaking Batman's back.
- File Size: 90573 KB
- Print Length: 144 pages
- Publisher: DC Comics; New edition edition (December 11, 2012)
- Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
- Language: English
- ASIN: B009POHIJS
- Text-to-Speech: Not enabled
X-Ray:
- Lending: Enabled
- Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #79,007 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
"Batman: Venom" is a story that compels the Batman reader in a very different manner. Much like "Knightfall," one must endure a period of helplessness with Bruce. As someone whose confidence is so important, because he lacks powers, Batman has lost his central strength.
The story begins as Batman has trailed kidnappers to an abandoned mine. In a heavy rain, the mine is flooding, with a little girl trapped inside. Frantically searching, Batman finds the girl behind a rock. He moves each rock and finally approaches the largest, nearly a boulder. The space behind the rock is filling and in desperation, Batman cannot move it. Before his very eyes, the spark of innocence is extinguished as the girl succumbs to death.
Though Batman has had his back broken, been injected with the world's deadliest poisons, and endured psychological torture, watching the girl die struck him still more deeply. Assuming the guilt that belongs to the kidnappers, Batman tries to gain strength. The father of the girl is a pharmacist who has perfected the ultimate "performance enhancer."
Batman accepts the package of pills and finally decides to take them. What Batman doesn't know, however, is that the drugs harbor addictive properties. The rest of the story is primarily a struggle within Batman to beat a foreign substance that threatens to take over his own body and mind.
The struggle within is masterfully told, and Batman has never seen so desperate an hour. The reason I don't give a five is twofold: First, Batman putting it in his system without analyzing it at the Batcave? The writers explain that some, but still it is unbelievable. Second: He has his utility belt, and I am surprised nothing in there would have been useful to save the girl.
Title: Batman: Venom
Publisher: DC
Writer: Dennis O'Neil
Artists: Trevor Von Eeden, Russel Braun
Inker: Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez
Collects: Legends of the Dark Knight #16-20
Price: $9.95
Originally this story came out back in 1992 - back in my college days when I still bought many, many comics on a monthly basis. Although this is an older story, however, it's still a good one - definitely worth the paltry cover price of $10.00. Most of you reading this review are probably familiar with the Batman: Knightfall storyline, in which Batman has his back broken by Bane. Well, this storyline was a prelude (of sorts) to the events that led to that momentous story.
In this story, Batman finds a kidnapped girl trapped in a sewer, but can do nothing to prevent her from drowning as he is unable to move the large, heavy rocks blocking the tunnel. Grieving from his failure, Batman is offered a "designer drug" by the dead girl's father - a drug that he claims would have enabled Batman the strength necessary to have saved his daughter. At first, Batman declines the offer. Later, however, tired and beaten, he accepts the drugs to help him overcome his weakness. Thus begins his eventual addiction to the drug.
Once again, Batman is portrayed here as a very human hero. He has far more physical limitations than many of his spandex-clad brethren, and faced with the possibility that he just may not be good enough to save children from dying, he does what he can to raise the level of his abilities. Unfortunately, this drug comes at a steep price, as do most any drugs. The side effects of the drug hamper Batman's reasoning skills, his emotional stability, and his aspirations to continually push his mental knowledge of everything he can.
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