20+ years later and Batman: Hush has become an iconic storyline for a franchise filled with legendary comic book stories. That said, I never expect us to get an official sequel from the Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee epic. Not because of us possibly never seeing this creative team again, but rather due to having already had many follow-up stories since the original Hush storyline. That includes great stories like Heart of Hush and House of Hush that acted as direct sequels. With so many follow-up stories that have taken place it does create the question as to what Loeb and Lee can do with a Hush sequel? Let’s find out with the start of this Hush 2 storyline in Batman #158.
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Jeph Loeb
Artist: Jim Lee
Inker: Scott Williams
Colorist: Alex Sinclair
Letterer: Richard Starkings
BATMAN #158 SOLICITATION
“THE HOTLY ANTICIPATED SEQUEL TO THE SMASH-HIT STORYLINE! Jeph Loeb! Jim Lee! An all-new epic saga begins here. Hush returns!” – DC Comics
REVIEW
If Batman #158 accomplishes nothing else it accomplished being a comic that does feel like a direct follow up of 2002’s Batman: Hush storyline. The emphasis is really on this comic book, for better or worse, reading like something out of 2002. While I am all for nostalgia, and go back to read stories from various decades, the narrative approach Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee take makes the start of this Hush sequel stuck in the past. There’s never a point that this felt like Hush’s return is what is next for both the lead villain and the Batman franchise as a whole.
The biggest thing that is noticeable out of the gate is how Loeb’s writing style has not evolved. It is the same Loeb writing style from decades ago. That could have a certain charm if done right but Loeb just does not do that. The reason Loeb isn’t able to hit a good balance between nostalgia and progressing forward is that Batman never sounds right. Both in Bruce Wayne’s inner monologue and dialogue, Loeb’s writing at all times comes across as that once he has not read a new comic since finishing writing Batman #619 in 2003.
There are many examples of Loeb’s stuck in his ways. The opening sets that tone with how Batman goes about explaining what appears to be Joker using an old plan. The entire writing of the inner monologue just feels like forced exposition. That then continues with how Loeb has Bruce explain to the reader who Talia al Ghul is. There is absolutely no flow to the writing because of the narrative choices taken.
That unfortunately continues whenever Batman is on screen and Loeb writes his inner monologue. Every single thing that is said in the inner monologue boxes feels forced.
Not helping things whatsoever is that when Oracle and Nightwing tell Bruce that their comms are compromised what is his response? Angrily lock things down and go after Joker without thinking twice. The whole rush to find Joker makes Batman just look stupid as he is not actually thinking things through. Which circles back to how he was easily defeated by Joker at the beginning of the issue through a sneak attack. There are just so many errors that Bruce makes that leave you confused if this is the Dark Knight.
Joker is equally written in the most generic way possible. Though there isn’t much to his presentation as he gets captured by Hush’s new partner, Silence. But what we do get in terms of Joker in this issue is what is expected when giving someone the Joker character to write for the first time without any sort of knowledge.
The only slight positive that there is when it comes to Loeb’s writing is that he does accomplish getting Hush back to being a menacing villain. What Hush does to torture is very well done. Though this is more credit to Jim Lee’s artwork than it is Loeb’s writing. Because it Loeb gets very repetitive quickly with how Hush taunts Joker.
This all leads to Batman #619 feeling like it was a 10-page prelude chapter that was stretched to 20-pages. The content is just not here to feel like a true kick off to the next big Batman storyline. This is just an average at best start to what is just “another Batman story.”
Because of how below average the writing is Jim Lee’s artwork throughout this comic book is not at the level you expect. There is a lot of the classic Lee art style here. But there is something lacking when it comes to certain details that are expected from Lee. That said, the artwork is still very good. And Lee’s artwork does get progressively better with each passing page. The last few pages in particular is more of what is expected from a Jim Lee drawn comic book.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Batman #158 is not the exciting kickoff to the Hush sequel that was expected. Jeph Loeb’s writing is so stuck in the past that he goes with the most basic approach with how characters are presented. This comic book reads like Loeb is letting his name and the fact this is a sequel to a iconic story to carry narrative. This lack of refinement in the writing impacts even Jim Lee’s artwork that is not as detailed or dynamic as it has been. With so many quality comics right now, both within the DC Universe and Absolute Universe, this Hush sequel fails to present itself as the premiere story all Batman fans should be reading.
Story Rating: 2 Night Girls out of 10
Art Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 4.5 Night Girls out of 10
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