Series
Description
After being convicted of murder and sent to prison, Bruce Wayne escapes, setting off a citywide manhunt, forcing him to call on Nightwing, Robin, Oracle, Batgirl, Spoiler, and Alfred to help clear his name.
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
160 p.; 10.17 inches
Publication
DC Comics (2002), 160 pages
Pages
160
ISBN
1563899337 / 9781563899331
Local notes
Collects material from Batman: Gotham Knights #27 and 28, Batman #601 and 603, Birds of Prey #41 and 43, Batgirl #27 and 29, and Nightwing #68 and 69. Follows the story where "Bruce Wayne: Murderer?" left off, with Wayne still wanted for a murder he might or might not have committed, and Batman having decided to shed the Bruce Wayne identity entirely instead of getting his mission bogged down by this attack on his public persona. Does not include scenes concerning unrelated plotlines from the various books, and also entirely skips all scenes relating to Batman's fight with Nicodemus in Batman #601 and the not included 602 (though these were included in the later single volume "Fugitive" collection).
Library's review
A solid compilation of the first third of the "Fugitive" arc, wherein Bruce Wayne is wanted for a murder he might or might not have committed, and Batman having decided to shed the Bruce Wayne identity entirely instead of getting his mission bogged down by this attack on his public persona. The
Anyway, back to this book. Considering it is only the first third of the story and a little scattered by nature of the multiple storylines and protagonists involved, I'm quite engrossed, and the way the Bat-family refuses to give up on Bruce even as Batman himself has done so is very touching. The Brubaker story that ends the volume is what brings it together to an emotional throughline, though, with the surprisingly touching moment of (spoiler alert) Batman deciding to re-open the investigation into his own framing and identifying himself on "Bruce" on the call to Oracle, much to the latter's astonishment.
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various stories being intercut are fairly well put together, with the one caveat that the Birds of Prey story should clearly have been placed a touch later in the collection, as its conclusion doesn't jive with Barbara Gordon's attitude in the beginning of the next scene we see her in. But it's a nitcpick. I vastly prefer these compilations from the early 2000s that make an effort to sew various books with related stories together into a holistic reading experience to the modern approach of simply putting the entire issues as they are in the collections, with story order barely being given a thought and unrelated scenes being left in. (It's obviously a much superior approach for collectors, who don't end up missing pages of this and that if they don't re-buy the same issues in other collections, but for the casual reader of any individual volume, it's a considerable detriment.)Anyway, back to this book. Considering it is only the first third of the story and a little scattered by nature of the multiple storylines and protagonists involved, I'm quite engrossed, and the way the Bat-family refuses to give up on Bruce even as Batman himself has done so is very touching. The Brubaker story that ends the volume is what brings it together to an emotional throughline, though, with the surprisingly touching moment of (spoiler alert) Batman deciding to re-open the investigation into his own framing and identifying himself on "Bruce" on the call to Oracle, much to the latter's astonishment.
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User reviews
LibraryThing member LaneLiterati
An excellent beginning to a suspenseful tale. Bruce Wayne is "on the run" as he has been accused of murder, and is a wanted man in Gotham. Taking shelter in his alter ego, Batman, Bruce begins to worry those who love him the most with his behavior in his new situation. This is a really good story,
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and the book had the perfect ending to make me want to read more. Batman dealing with inner turmoil, while around him people are being affected by Bruce Wayne's disappearance, and Batman's unrelenting patrol of Gotham. Show Less