Retro Review: 'Batman: No Man's Land' is the ultimate lockdown story to read during coronavirus lockdown
It was one of the Dark Knight's most difficult years, a time when he and his allies were pushed to the limit. Over the years, Batman has faced madmen, gangsters, and the odd superhuman but none of those have rocked his world as badly as the tale of 'Batman: No Man's Land'.
This landmark storyline ran for most of 1999 and cut across all the Bat-books of the time including 'Batman', 'Detective Comics', 'Batman: Shadow of the Bat', and 'Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight', as well as a number of tie-ins and a graphic novel titled 'Batman: Harley Quinn'. All in all, the story ran through 80 regular monthly issues, four specials, and one novel, which should hopefully be more than enough content to keep us occupied through the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown.
There's a number of reasons why this story is important to the history of the Caped Crusader. For one thing, it has influenced and inspired a number of subsequent stories including Tom King's 'City of Bane' storyline and Christopher Nolan's 2012 movie 'The Dark Knight Rises'.
Then there's the reliability of it all. 'No Man's Land' told the story of Gotham City placed under lockdown as a result of a terrible earthquake. In it, the US government decides the city isn't worth saving, so they evacuate as many civilians as possible and leave the rest to die at the hands of Batman's rogues gallery.
The circumstances aren't the same but they are similar enough to make it the ultimate comic story to read during these troubled times. And in any case, the stories that make up 'No Man's Land' are some of the best ever told featuring the Bat.
Among other things, the storyline saw Helena Bertinelli, the Huntress, adopting the identity of Batgirl at a time when Bruce Wayne wasn't in the city. Though she would eventually be stripped of the identity, her time in the role was quite memorable.
The storyline also introduced Cassandra Cain, the woman who would become Batgirl after Helena, in 'Batman' #567. Not only has the character gone on to become a fan-favorite member of the Bat-family, but she is also one of the most iconic Asian heroes in all of comics.
Though the basic story structure was scripted by Jordan B Gorfinkel, a number of all-star writers and artists including Greg Rucka, Chuck Dixon, Dan Jurgens, and Damion Scott brought their skills to the storyline creating a masterpiece that's as good a read now as it was 20 odd years ago when it first hit the stands.
All books within the 'Batman: No Man's Land' storyline are available digitally on DC Universe and Comixology. If you'd prefer a traditional paperback, call up your local comic book store to find out if they have them in stock.
Quite a few stores are now providing home delivery and curbside pickups. You can also check this list compiled by Morgan Perry of Boom Studios to see if your local store provides mail subscription services. Stay safe and happy reading!