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Batman, Vol. 7: The Wedding by Tom King (illustrated by Tony S. Daniel and Mikel Janin) is a graphic novel which culminates the story-line where Batman (Bruce Wayne) and Catwoman (Selina Kyle) are set to get married. This graphic novel collects Batman #45 – 50.

Nothing is ever easy for Batman and Catwoman . The two fell in love, but getting married isn’t as easy as they think. First, no one can know they’re married, second they have many people, friend and foe, try to push their noses into their business.
Throw in some time travel in the mix as well.

I loved this whole run of Batman, I was looking forward to every issue and was excited to finally get my hands on Batman, Vol. 7: The Wedding by Tom King (illustrated by Tony S. Daniel and Mikel Janin. While I was guessing the ending from the beginning (SPOILER: they didn’t’ get married), I was disappointed from the way it happened.

Tom King has proved himself, time and time again, to be a masterful storyteller, but this one fell short. It simply didn’t make any sense to me. The reasoning which Catwoman gave for her actions are ludicrous considering the history of the engagement.

I also didn’t care for the side stories, Booster Gold was never a favorite and his plot was just OK. There are a whole bunch of side stories as well, which I couldn’t figure out if they’re fillers, part of an over arch, or just some side stories the author wanted to tell.

I enjoyed the artwork very much, it’s slick and dynamic. The graphic novel is filled with alternate versions / visions of Batman and Catwoman, including some cool movie outfits she never wears in the comics.

I think the biggest disappointment was the fact that DC Comics is not willing to grow Batman’s character. It shouldn’t be that big of a deal, Superman got married and had a kid (something I thought was an awful idea, but great to really like) – and anyway, they reboot the whole universe every decade or so anyway. ( )

My new favorite Batman writer does not one but two Alan Moore homage stories leading up to the big wedding and knocks them out of the park. The wedding issue itself with its telegraphed ending and numerous pin-ups shoehorned into the narrative was a disappointment, though the twist in the kicker was good and left me eager for the next volume.

I must admit to being disturbed by the sequence of Joker shooting black people in a church with his Dylan Roof haircut. I don't know if it was intentional, but I don't think I've ever hated the character more. ( )

Gah, the ending, you're killing me DC. Somehow, someway, I wasn't spoiled for the ending, and now...

You do all that DC, I go from being sure that I hated the whole Bat/Cat thing, and then you slowly but surely convince me. You freaking convinced me DC, something I thought you'd never be able to do, and then... that.

I'll stop there. And, there were parts of the TPB that I liked. The Booster Gold issue with him 'fixing' everything, and then, *snort of laughter* having to 'fix' everything again.

Not to mention a story that I was very surprised that I liked that was basically between Joker and Catwoman. It had a lot of good stuff in that one.

But, the end of the TPB sorta soured me on the other parts of it unfortunately. Still, two out of three big stories deserves more than a one or two stars, so, a middling three it is.

I received this book via Netgalley thanks to DC Entertainment. ( )