Batman: Urban Legends #18

Geek Dad

We have four strong new stories in this issue, and one that might just be a masterpiece.

The Super Powered Fancast

STORY 1: Blood In & Blood Out - A good story with some fun moments and thrilling artwork. I like when Batman is given supernatural threats to deal with, but I wanted more of Etrigan. STORY 2: The Pennyworth Files: The Fall of the Scales - A fun story with an interesting art style. The plot is filled with great tension and I enjoyed the contrast between Alfred’s story and what Batman is dealing with at the time. STORY 3: Night Terrors - An entertaining story from the early days of Tim’s time as Robin. Does a great job of showcasing the fears Bruce continues to deal with in the aftermath of losing Jason. Great art in the story as well. STORY 4: Belle & Beau - An entertaining story whose politics are a little too on the surface, but the message is well delivered.

ComicBook.com

Batman: Urban Legends #18 comes out swinging with a stellar opening story from Brandon Thomas, Alberto Jimenez Alburquerque, John Kalisz, and Steve Wands, shifting focus away from Batman to the Outsiders and especially The Signal while still moving Batman forward in small but significant ways. The vivid colors and expressive characters are a brilliant fit for the team's lively lineup, and Thomas wastes no time getting to the heart of what pushes Duke to overcome all that stands in his way. Then things take a turn with the Etrigan starring "Blood In & Blood Out" from Henry Barajas, Serg Acuna, Dave McCaig, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, throwing Batman into the world of magic and emerging with entertaining results. The issue takes another twist with the delightfully odd "Pennyworth Files, Chapter 1: The Fall of the Scales" by Chris Burnham, Nathan Fairbairn, and Rus Wooten. Pennyworth is absurdly charming and it's a thrill to watch Batman's most trusted ally sort out the mystery solo as Batman attends to his own dire situations, all of which are brought to at times brutal life by Burnham and Fairbairn. "Night Terrors" and "Belle & Beau" close out the issue, both offering their own memorable moments and unique looks at the Dark Knight, though the book's first three stories captivated me the most. With five stories to choose from, Batman: Urban Legends #18 truly offers something for every type of Batman fan, and without a doubt deserves a spot on your pull list this week.

Dark Knight News

Batman: Urban Legends #18 shows us a lot of the characters associated with the Bat family who don’t currently have an ongoing title, and are sometimes forgotten about. It was a very enjoyable issue that really evoked a lot of different emotions from me. If you’re looking for a spot to jump back into Urban Legends, then this is as good a place as any!

AIPT

Batman: Urban Legends #18 is a good jumping-on point for new readers, with new stories kicking off in this anthology alongside on-shots. All told, there are five stories featuring different characters like Signal, Tim Drake, Alfred, Etrigan, and more. It’s a grab bag, but a satisfying package. (...) Batman: Urban Legends #18 is a fun collection of tales. Its opening Signal story is going to hook you while the done-in-one tales add up to satisfying side adventures.

Batman-News

This issue is a mixed bag. We got two different looks at what it’s like for a young hero to fill the role of vigilante, an Etrigan story with maybe more action than there was room for, some political commentary, and a bit of Alfred playing detective. While most of the stories aren’t anything spectacular, Chris Burnham’s opening chapter of The Pennyworth Files was incredible and I look forward to reading more chapters soon.