Batman: L'il Gotham: Volume 2

 

When volume one of this series came out, I couldn't sing its praises loud enough. So you could imagine how thrilled I was to get my hands on the companion piece. Well, this concluding volume by Dustin Nguyen and Derek Fridolfs just couldn't hold a candle to the first.

   The genius of L'il Gotham is its devotion to the Batman mythos while focusing on the Caped Crusader's gallery of foes and the Batman Family during a particular holiday. But since a Flag Day story is probably pretty dull, Fridolfs had to get some ideas elsewhere.    
            
   That quandary has the series creators sending Batman to the island nation of Japan in an adventure with Aquaman. But by having them fight enemies of the King of Atlantis and no holiday theme available, this opening story didn't have that magic as other adventures have.

     Thankfully things do pick up in the next tale that involves Bruce Wayne going on vacation and getting kidnapped by pirates. But it isn't until Batman and son Damian go to Comicon that the fun and quality of the series returned to its original levels. At this point, we are back in the holiday season with fun times through Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Sadly, when we get to the New Year, the series ends with flashback tale.

   Like many great series, this one ended too soon. Li'l  Gotham  was one of those rare all ages affairs that appealed to both kids and adults. But for whatever reason, this book only lasted for 12 short issues. The often great writing and always fantastic art makes this a must for any fan of the batfamily. In fact, a line of action figures based on Nguyen's designs is a fan favorite amongst collectors. Plus, holiday comics are always a special treat. And there are quite a few in this series. 

   Worth Consuming. 
  
   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.