The Batman Strikes

    (DC, 2004-2008)
™ and © 2004 DC Comics, Inc.

Like his cartoon counterpart, the Dark Knight of The Batman Strikes! is a hipper, happier version of the Bob Kane-created vigilante. Bruce Wayne still agonizes over the death of his parents but maintains a certain perkiness not usually seen in the character, especially when discussing his seemingly favorite topic: rock music. (Wayne even moshes when not striking fear into the hearts of criminals.)

Strip away the modern lingo and altered personality traits (which will appeal only to younger readers) and you’ve got a fairly enjoyable Batman vs. Penguin story, with the latter orchestrating an elaborate plot to exact revenge on the Wayne family for perceived slights, both big (trying to “destroy” the Cobblepots) and small (merely laughing at them). The art is essentially an amalgamation of Americanized manga and Batman the Animated Series.

Based on the new WB program (which is simply called The Batman), The Batman Strikes! doesn’t quite strike out with its first at bat but it doesn’t exactly hit a home run, either. For a cooler updated, animated bat, stick with Batman Beyond.

— Brett Weiss

Jump to issue:
  NotesWriterArtist

#1

  11/1/2004
  $2.25
  $3.50
5 copies available from $2.25 		 Bill MathenyChristopher Jones

#1 Variation A

  11/1/2004
  $2.25
  $2.25
No copies available 		Burger King variant; Contains backup story“The Batman Nobody Knows"Bill MathenyChristopher Jones

#2

  12/1/2004
  $2.25
  $3.25
3 copies available from $2.00 		 Bill MathenyChristopher Jones

#3

  1/1/2005
  $2.95
  $7.00
4 copies available from $5.00 		 Bill MathenyChristopher Jones

#4

  2/1/2005
  $2.25
  $3.00
4 copies available from $2.00 		 Bill MathenyChristopher Jones

#5

  3/1/2005
  $2.25
  $3.00
4 copies available from $2.00 		 Bill MathenyChristopher Jones

#6

  4/1/2005
  $2.25
  $4.00
3 copies available from $3.00 		 Bill MathenyChristopher Jones

#7

  5/2/2005
  $2.25
  $3.25
2 copies available from $3.00 		 Bill MathenyChristopher Jones

#8

  6/3/2005
  $2.25
  $3.25
2 copies available from $3.00 		 Bill MathenyChristopher Jones

#9

  7/4/2005
  $2.25
  $9.00
3 copies available from $8.00 		 Bill MathenyChristopher Jones

#10

  8/1/2005
  $2.25
  $3.50
2 copies available from $3.50 		 Matthew k. ManningWes Craig

#11

  9/1/2005
  $2.25
  $4.00
3 copies available from $0.84 		 Matthew K. ManningChristopher Jones

#12

  10/1/2005
  $2.25
  $3.75
3 copies available from $3.00 		 Bill MathenyChristopher Jones

#13

  11/1/2005
  $2.25
  $3.50
4 copies available from $2.25 		 Bill MathenyChristopher Jones

#14

  12/1/2005
  $2.25
  $3.00
1 copy available for $3.00 		 Bill MathenyChristopher Jones

#15

  1/1/2006
  $2.25
  $3.50
2 copies available from $3.00 		Story concluded in Batman vs. Dracula DVD.Matthew K. ManningWes Craig

#16

  2/1/2006
  $2.25
  $8.00
3 copies available from $5.50 		 J. TorresChristopher Jones

#17

  3/1/2006
  $2.25
  $2.75
2 copies available from $2.25 		 Bill MathenyChristopher Jones

#18

  4/1/2006
  $2.25
  $9.50
3 copies available from $8.70 		 Bill MathenyChristopher Jones

#19

  5/1/2006
  $2.25
  $5.00
4 copies available from $1.00 		 Bill MathenyChristopher Jones

#20

  6/1/2006
  $2.25
  $3.75
2 copies available from $3.00 		 Jai NitzChristopher Jones

#21

  7/1/2006
  $2.25
  $3.50
3 copies available from $3.00 		 Bill MathenyChristopher Jones

#22

  8/1/2006
  $2.25
  $3.50
3 copies available from $3.00 		 Bill MathenyChristopher Jones

#23

  9/1/2006
  $2.25
  $7.00
No copies available 		 J. TorresChristopher Jones

#24

  10/1/2006
  $2.25
  $7.00
1 copy available for $9.70 		 Matthew K. ManningWes Craig

#25

  11/1/2006
  $2.25
  $7.00
No copies available 		 Jai NitzChristopher Jones

#26

  12/1/2006
  $2.25
  $3.25
1 copy available for $3.00 		 Bill MathenyChristopher Jones, Terry Beatty

#27

  1/1/2007
  $2.25
  $19.00
1 copy available for $24.99 		Includes 3-D Heroscape glasses; Includes Teen Titans: Sparktop mini-comicScott BeattyChristopher Jones

#28

  2/1/2007
  $2.25
  $18.00
2 copies available from $17.50 		 Jai NitzChristopher Jones

#29

  3/1/2007
  $2.25
  $9.50
No copies available 		Includes The Adventures of Finn & Friends insert comicJ. TorresChristopher Jones

#30

  4/1/2007
  $2.25
  $3.00
1 copy available for $3.00 		 Russell LissauSanford Greene

#31

  5/1/2007
  $2.25
  $6.00
2 copies available from $3.00 		 Matthew K. ManningChristopher Jones

#32

  6/1/2007
  $2.25
  $14.00
1 copy available for $13.05 		Includes Batman/Cal Ripken Jr. Insert comicScott Beatty, Ernest Mayes, Mike SpinnaraqueChristopher Jones

#33

  7/1/2007
  $2.25
  $10.00
2 copies available from $9.70 		Includes Batman/Cal Ripken Jr. insert comicJai Nitz, Ernest MayesChristopher Jones

#34

  8/1/2007
  $2.25
  $8.50
1 copy available for $9.99 		 J. TorresChristopher Jones

#35

  9/1/2007
  $2.25
  $48.00
1 copy available for $49.95 		 Russell Lissau, Christopher JonesChristopher Jones

#36

  10/1/2007
  $2.25
  $3.00
1 copy available for $3.00 		 Josh ElderChristopher Jones

#37

  11/1/2007
  $2.25
  $8.50
No copies available 		Includes Superman Airheads insert comicBill Matheny, Richard C. TroyChristopher Jones, Adam Dekraker

#38

  12/1/2007
  $2.25
  $10.50
1 copy available for $9.70 		Includes The Adventures of Finn & Friends insert comicRussell Lissau, Paul LarsonChristopher Jones, Vincent Deporter

#39

  1/1/2008
  $2.25
  $26.00
1 copy available for $27.95 		 Jai NitzChristopher Jones

#40

  2/1/2008
  $2.25
  $6.00
No copies available 		 Jai NitzAdam Archer

#41

  3/1/2008
  $2.25
  $29.00
2 copies available from $21.20 		 Russell LissauChristopher Jones

#42

  4/1/2008
  $2.25
  $1.50
No copies available 		DC Super Friends previewStephan NilsonAndie Tong

#43

  5/1/2008
  $2.25
  $39.00
1 copy available for $39.95 		 James PeatyChristopher Jones

#44

  6/1/2008
  $2.25
  $31.00
1 copy available for $32.00 		 Josh ElderChristopher Jones

#45

  7/1/2008
  $2.25
  $7.50
1 copy available for $49.95 		 Jai NitzChristopher Jones

#46

  8/1/2008
  $2.25
  $2.50
No copies available 		 Russell LissauChristopher Jones

#47

  9/1/2008
  $2.25
  $13.50
No copies available 		 Josh ElderChristopher Jones

#48

  10/1/2008
  $2.25
  $13.50
No copies available 		 Josh ElderChristopher Jones

#49

  11/1/2008
  $2.25
  $13.50
No copies available 		 Matthew K. ManningChristopher Jones

#50

  12/1/2008
  $2.25
  $10.00
1 copy available for $9.99 		Final IssueMatthew K. ManningChristopher Jones

Book #1

 
  $6.99
  $6.99
No copies available 		Collects #1-5; Pocket-sized; ca. 2005Bill MathenyChristopher Jones

Book #2

  12/1/2005
  $6.99
  $6.99
No copies available 		In Darkest Knight; Collects Batman Strikes #6–10Bill MathenyTerry Beatty, Wes Craig, Christopher Jones

Book #3

  12/1/2005
  $12.99
  $12.99
No copies available 		Collects Batman Strikes #11–14, 16–18Bill Matheny, J. TorresTerry Beatty, Christopher Jones

Free Comic Book Day #2005

 
  $0.00
  $0.70
5 copies available from $0.70 		Free Comic Book Day edition; Reprints The Batman Strikes #1; Indicia lists as 2nd printingBill MathenyChristopher Jones