Worst Batman Story Ever? You Won’t Believe Why!

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Among all superheroes, Batman stands out as one of the most enduring and widely recognized. He has appeared in countless comics, from solo adventures like “Batman: Year One” to shared stories such as “Final Crisis.” While some of these tales are considered masterpieces, others fall flat, with many landing somewhere in between good and excellent. Interestingly, a select few Batman stories remain unfinished, and for the case of “Batman: The Widening Gyre,” remaining incomplete may have been the best outcome.

Originally planned as a twelve-issue series, split into two parts, this limited six-part series instead became volume one. Its creators, Kevin Smith and Walt Flanagan, moved on to produce their reality TV show “Comic Book Men”. Discussions about resuming the story with “Batman: Bellicosity” in 2016 arose, but as of now, there’s no sign of its release, and updates are scarce.

What Happened in Batman: The Widening Gyre?

The tale starts with Batman reflecting on his old days when Dick Grayson was Robin, and their joint missions – past and present – to capture minor crooks. Later, Nightwing presents Batman with a body that undoubtedly belongs to Poison Ivy’s doing, leading Batman to Arkham Asylum for an investigation. Here, Ivy has transformed the asylum into her stronghold to fend off Etrigan the Demon, who aims to eliminate her because she can cultivate a plant that restrains the demon, which is vital to Jason Blood. During the battle, Batman is rescued by a new hero, self-proclaimed as Baphomet, who vanishes immediately after subduing Etrigan.

Upon returning to Wayne Manor, Bruce encounters his former lover, Silver St. Cloud, whose fiancé has sadly passed away. Despite their rocky history, they quickly rebuild their connection. This relationship stands out from Bruce’s other romantic involvements because Silver is aware that he is Batman, and unlike in the past, she is now willing to comprehend this aspect of him.

In the subsequent comics, Bruce’s daily life involves spending his days on Silver’s private island and nights patrolling Gotham as Batman. Over time, he develops a bond not only with Silver, but also with Baphomet, whom he quickly learns to trust. By issue #6, Batman proposes to Silver, and in its final panels, he invites Baphomet into the Batcave to unmask himself and introduce him to Silver. However, as Batman places his utility belt on a table, he hears a familiar sound coming from behind. Turning around, he finds that Baphomet is actually the villain Onomatopeia. The comic concludes with an image of Onomatopeia slashing Silver’s throat.

What Makes The Widening Gyre So Bad?

From a quick glance at the storyline, it seems fairly decent, but the way the comic portrays it is what makes it less appealing. For instance, Batman’s characterization feels off. Instead of being cautious and suspicious as usual, he trusts Baphomet excessively, despite knowing nothing about him. This mysterious figure appears out of nowhere, yet he removes his mask in front of Batman on multiple occasions, but never reveals his identity. In fact, Batman only makes one effort to learn more about him, and it’s not until issue #5 that he follows Baphomet home. It’s there that Baphomet informs Batman that he has a wife and two children, and is a hero seeking vengeance for the death of his little brother, who was killed by a supervillain.

In this tale, Batman unquestioningly accepts the story presented without verifying any details. Even though he’s standing right outside the house said to be inhabited by two kids and a wife, Batman doesn’t scrutinize Baphomet’s narrative or even inquire about his name. Known as the World’s Greatest Detective, his actions here seem more like those of a gullible individual who swallows the first heart-wrenching tale without any proof. Notably, upon hearing that they could save more lives by eliminating criminals, Batman swiftly brings Baphomet to the Batcave and reveals his identity. Although he rebukes him gently, Batman surprisingly places trust in this individual who is on the verge of violating one of his most fundamental principles.

After that, there’s his unusual attachment to Silver, where Batman often behaves like an infatuated adolescent rather than someone with a history of complex relationships. Their relationship is filled with scenes reminiscent of romance novels, marked by unwavering trust and joy. However, in the last issue, Batman becomes suspicious that Silver might be a robot created by Dr. Ivo due to her seemingly flawless nature. In response, he recklessly endangers both Silver and Alfred in the Batmobile, forcefully removes Silver from the vehicle, and violently pulls out some of her hair for testing. This revelation shows that she is indeed human. While it’s true that Batman can struggle with handling emotions, his sudden shift from a romantic high to a traumatizing act is unexpected and out of character. There are certainly less aggressive ways for him to conduct such a test without endangering the woman he appears to care deeply for. It’s baffling; they’re practically inseparable, yet he could have simply plucked a stray hair instead.

The narrative of the comic, while not easily summarized, tends to drag when expanded over six issues. It seems as if nothing significant occurs in each issue, with major events popping up unexpectedly. While Batman and his allies battle villains, these encounters feel forgettable and serve more as a background for Bruce’s rapid development of trust in Baphomet. The story lacks a compelling mystery or main antagonist to maintain reader interest. Readers are aware that Baphomet will eventually turn evil due to the nature of the character, but the plot fails to introduce any other characters or villains that last beyond a few pages. This predictability makes most issues feel tedious because they lack forward momentum. Additionally, the connection between Baphomet and Onomatopeia appears illogical, as he has no relevance to the story and only briefly appears in a flashback prior to the reveal, making the sudden twist of it being him feel disjointed.

Among the issues with this story, the excessive crude humor stands out as particularly problematic. I’m not one to shy away from bawdy jokes and risqué content, but there are certain instances where it doesn’t belong. For instance, incorporating such humor in a comic featuring Batman feels misplaced, especially when he is known for his seriousness and dignity.

The story takes liberties with some of Batman’s most iconic moments, like the explosion during “Batman: Year One,” which is not only an important event but also one that showcases Batman’s unwavering determination. However, this comic has rewritten history to suggest that Batman had a bladder spasm during the speech due to the explosion. This is a significant alteration that undermines the gravity of the original moment.

The most egregious example, though, is the infamous scene where Aquaman discovers Bruce and Silver engaged in loud, intimate activities on Silver’s quiet island. This activity was so intense that it attracted the attention of nearby dolphins, who informed Aquaman to hush them. The repeated phrase “Deedee,” which is Silver’s nickname for Bruce, adds a level of crudeness that is not suitable for a Batman comic.

In summary, this story misses the mark by introducing excessive crude humor into a series that values seriousness and dignity, particularly in the case of Batman.

In essence, this series feels quite unusual. The narrative moves at such a slow pace that it seems like it’s wearing heavy boots, yet abruptly introduces an unforeseen twist involving a villain nobody would have anticipated, given there was no prior setup. This twist is both easy to predict and unexpectedly surprising, as the only hint comes mere pages before the revelation. Moreover, the series is filled with excessive sexual humor and intense violence, featuring not one but two cannibals in just six issues – one of them being Etrigan. Poison Ivy even manages to drug Batman and capture him. This tale was unconventional, and frankly, it doesn’t seem like a typical Batman story. Given its bizarre nature, it’s unlikely to be completed, and that’s arguably for the better.

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2025-05-02 19:14