Wake & Bake Comics #2: Batman Year 100

Paul Pope, you magnificent bastard.
This is the real punk rock Batman
There is little to dislike about this futuristic-cyberpunk-dystopian and almost post apocalyptic Batman story. It’s called “Year 100” because it takes place 100 years after Batman’s first appearance in 1939, and to make it sweeter it may or may not be Bruce Wayne.

If thats not a enough reason to pick it, here are seven reasons why its one my favorite Batman books ever.

1.) This scene in the first issue:

2.) Its out of continuity, but uses it as a plot device. This might be one of the best parts of the book. In the story it is the year 2039 and Batman is classified as a “Double-U” as in “Undocumented and Unclassified”. Gotham is in a complete police state, In Year 100’s universe, real Batman continuity exists only as an urban legend and so the blurry big foot style images of Batman they do have are drawn from Batman comics that came out in those corresponding years. Yeah I know its pretty dope.

3.) There are a re-imagined versions Robin and an Oracle. They arnt like normal, Robins name is actually Robin (pre-nolan even) and the Oracle is the method that they use to hack the police servers. The characters are totally re-imagined but the spirit is still there.

4.) The art is fan-fucking-tastic. Paul Pope successfully and skillfully gives you the closest thing you will get to a moving image in comics. Its only a bit reminiscent of Mazuchelli’s art in Year One, except it has this acid trip – dystopian steam punk feel- which is exactly as it should.

5.) No traditional Batman villians. (though they are referenced) The baddies in this story is the Government itself. Which worked so well in Miller’s DKR, thats its nice to see again full force. Despite no psycho-killer clowns, the bad guys are equally vicious and threatening.

6.) The plot is very real and very intense. the term “gripping” is an under statement. Batman is thrown into a criminal plot that is so unlike his regular threats, yet is seemingly perfect for a hero like Batman. He’s no Batgod. He gets punched and shot all the time, his escaped plans are rough and sloppy. He even wears big bat fangs to freak people out even more.

7.)