If you haven't read Batman: Cacophony, I strongly suggest that you do before picking up the first volume of Batman: The Widening Gyre. Like Cacophony, The Widening Gyre is written by Kevin Smith with art by Walter "Tell 'Em, Steve Dave" Flanagan.

The volume - the hardback to be released on 14 December 2010 - features a cast of infamous and not-so famous Gotham villains. However, there isn't a single one that is a singular in the story arc. The focus is on the hero in town. One called Baphomet, which has Batman and the boy wonder at odds whether this shady crime fighter's intentions are pure.

But Batman's guard is down when Silver St. Cloud returns to Bruce Wayne's life. Flashing back to every relationship he ever held as Batman - nonromantic, that is - Bruce begins to wonder if Gotham is safe without him. Assured that both Robin and the newcomer can take care of things, Bruce allows himself something he hasn't in years - peace of mind.

With the light at the end of the tunnel becoming brighter, Bruce is forever looking behind his shoulder. But will his guard be up when the one that go away returns to his life?

I'd like to say as usual but considering that Cacophony is the first story arc by Smith that I've read, I think it's a moot to even think it. However, Kevin Smith doesn't disappoint with the first of two volumes. Along with him, returns Walter Flanagan whose art amazes me. Both are able to blend humor with the seriousness expected of Batman. It won't say it's canon, but The Widening Gyre is essential to any Batman fan out there. Just be sure to read Cacophony first. You'll lost without it. ( )

Kevin smith did it again. Wow, what an ending. I can usually guess where a story is going but not this one. The story arc takes place outside the main Batman continuity of the time and is a story of Batman at mid-life. I especially liked how the other characters got to interact normally with Batman Bruce Wayne and he almost did the same with them. Also, I loved that the story had much, much more humor than your average Batman comic book.

Then there was the art. Looking at the cover I was worried that I wouldn't like it, but I actually really did like it. IT was equal parts art and realism, very nice. ( )

I really want to like this, I really do. In fact, I'm such a Kevin Smith fan that I think it may be the only reason I'm giving this a 3 star rating over a 2 or a 2.5.

In my review of [b:Batman: Cacophony|8045907|Batman Cacophony|Kevin Smith|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320568535s/8045907.jpg|6366242], I stated that I had high hopes for the sequel in which Kevin Smith promised a superior story. Already, my hopes were probably too high. I mean, I love the guy's work! Big fan of his movies and podcasts; I also really enjoyed his Daredevil and Spider-Man runs. So I knew that he probably just wrote a bad arc, it happens.

My main problem with this book is the ending. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the ending. As Kevin wrote in the afterword, there's no one that could have predicted that. My problem with the ending is that it makes the entire novel seem better than it deserves to be. It kind of made me forget about all the strangeness that led up to it.

In a word, Kevin's writing here is just weird. I mean, there's no other way to describe it. Granted, it's not all bad - he wrote a decent scene between Bats and Catwoman. However, it doesn't make up for all the strange "happy" Batman/Bruce Wayne stuff.

I feel like such a heel saying that about the book because I'm a massive fan of Walt's artwork. He's so good here and has steadily improved on what he brought to the table with Cacophony.

Supposedly, this is going to be a 3 part series so I'm hoping that he plans on finishing strong. With the way the ending went, there's no way we're not getting a crazy, violent and brutal Batman.

I'm always going to have faith in Smith because he really is better than what most people give him credit for. I know he's capable of writing something excellent in the next collection - SO DON'T LET ME DOWN! ( )

Kevin Smith spins a Bat-tale of romance, bromance and betrayal. My favorite part is how Smith delves into superhero "norms". Both Batman and Robin are visibly put-off when the new guy, Baphomet, takes off his mask too early in the relationship. Heh, heh.

Can't wait for the next in the series. ( )

The second in what appears to be a trilogy, this follows Batman: Cacophony. An old love from Bruce Wayne's past, Silver St. Cloud, has come back into his life at the same time as a new masked crimefighter in town, Baphomet. Bruce rediscovers the Bruce Wayne within as he and Silver fall into love, and with a new backup in town whom he is becoming to trust and rely upon more and more, he proposes to Silver and imagines a life in which he can take the occasional night off. Kevin Smith can flat-out write, by the way. The developing relationships between Bruce and Silver, between Batman and Baphomet, are handled with wit, grace and even humor. Indeed, this book has more humor than any Batman book I've ever seen, and it's not just confined to when he's out of costume. That said, this book concludes in as numbing a shock as anything I can remember since Darth Vader revealed his true self to Luke Skywalker. Not a big fan of the art, though. ( )