During the unforgettable events of DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH, Batman found a mystery he can’t even begin to solve—a strange bloodstained smiley-face button embedded in the Batcave wall. All analysis suggests the button is not of this universe…so where did it come from? And who left it here? These are questions only the Flash can help answer.
When the button is stolen by Reverse-Flash, Batman and Flash follow his trail to a parallel world, a twisted alternate timeline that shouldn’t exist. Someone is sending the heroes on a bizarre trip through reality, showing them glimpses of fallen loved ones and forgotten friends—but who? Wally West warned the Flash of an unseen force influencing our world—distorting histories, pulling the strings, watching all—and the strange yellow button could be the key to finding it.
Featuring the all-star creative team of writers Joshua Williamson and Tom King alongside top-tier artists Jason Fabok and Howard Porter, BATMAN/THE FLASH: THE BUTTON collects BATMAN #21-22 and THE FLASH #21-22. The road to DOOMSDAY CLOCK begins here!
Release date: October 17, 2017
I don’t get to review comics nearly as much as I’d like. I tend to dislike crossovers, though. I didn’t dislike this. At least not all of it. For a little bit of background, I should inform you, my readers, that I grew up with a dad who ate, slept, and breathed Batman. Still does. The man has grandchildren who go to his house and want to see what new Batman toys he has. And, according to my grandma, my dad has been like that since he was little bitty because when he was a kid, Adam West was Batman and all one needed to become “the bat” was a bed sheet cape and the back of a sofa to leap from.
Fast forward a to the nineties. I was just a kid who wanted nothing to do with anything my parents thought was cool. That included Batman. And Kiss (but that’s a post for a whole new day). So, even though I fought the urge to really dislike Batman tooth and nail, going to see each movie and having to live in Gotham for my entire childhood really instilled in me a queasy roller coaster ride of emotions toward the superhero. I also grew to realize that I can relate more to the villains than the heroes, so maybe my dad’s lifelong love of all things Batman wasn’t a total bummer. There were important life lessons in there.
So, when I picked up a copy of a Batman/The Flash: The Button Deluxe Edition, I had some uneasy feelings because I felt like if I hated the story, I was letting my dad’s hero down. Don’t judge me (giggle). I do love Flash, though.
The biggest issue I have for myself as well as other readers is this: If you feel like you won’t have any qualms over The Watchmen being involved in the story, you’ll probably enjoy the premise, as it is meant to be a prelude to Doomsday Clock. The artwork is great and I wouldn’t assume to expect anything less. The writing itself was a bit predictable. I could see that ending coming a mile away and I imagine most other readers could too.
I can’t see any reason not to recommend Batman/The Flash: The Button Deluxe Edition to other readers, particularly if you’re looking forward to Doomsday Clock (though you could actually skip this story if you wanted to). It’s not a particularly long read, but great for a rainy afternoon or to spread across a few class periods.
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