Batman: No Man’s Land is one of my favorite Batman comic book story arcs. In the first omnibus, which collects half of the main storyline after Road to No Man’s Land, Gotham is portrayed as society which has been completely reimagined. It’s a fascinating look at what could happen anywhere.
See my post about Batman: Road to No Man’s Land here.
Because the earthquake left severe damage in the city, and Gotham was already plagued with other serious problems which made the US populace question if it was even redeemable, it was abandoned. Ultimately, after the public is shown the deteriorated and dangerous conditions in the area, Congress moves to essentially disenfranchise Gotham from the country, making it a no man’s land.
The city becomes a haven for the corrupt and lawless. But some Gotham citizens refuse to leave, despite warnings from the US government, leaving them cut off from any services, protection, or access to the rest of the country. Those people are put in a desperate situation as gangs and different villains from Batman’s Rogue Gallery carve out portions of the area as their own. Things quickly devolve into constant turf wars.
However, the police who are left, stripped of any public authority, claim a section of Gotham as their own. They operate kind of like a gang, but with nobler intentions. That raises some interesting ethical questions as to what’s the difference between a cop and a mobster, which is entertainly explored.
On the other side, different members of the Bat Family try to keep some order in the city. Chief among them is Huntress, but she’s not exactly aligned with what Batman wants. She gets herself into a few difficult conundrums which make for great reading.
Plus, a new Batgirl who covers her entire face shows up, delving out a smashmouth approach to criminals. She helps mark out a section of Gotham with Batman-inspired graffiti, warning the bad guys to stay away. But who is she and what does she really want?
Some members of the Justice League and other DC superhero teams show up to help as well. However, that doesn’t go how you might think – I don’t want to spoil too much. It just goes to show superpowers can’t solve all problems.
As for the Batman villains, they don’t all go crazy and try to just get theirs in the lawless city. Some even step up and become quasi heroes, sheltering the innocent and beating back criminals. It’s interesting to see how their motives shape divergent actions when anything goes. Among those featured are Scarecrow, Joker, Killer Croc, Penguin, Two-Face, Poison Ivy, Bane, Black Mask, and Ventriloquist.
Speaking of villains, Harley Quinn makes her first mainstream Batman comics debut. She originally was created for the Batman cartoon series, then later appeared in the comics inspired by the show. While she officially entered the main DC universe in her self-titled series, No Man’s Land is when she was incorporated into a regular Batman comic. Her origin story is told and she is sufficiently crazy as well as entertaining.
With the regular citizens of Gotham who stay behind after the earthquake, there’s a range of reactions to the situation. Some start off noble but after facing crushing adversity they become self-interested and vicious. Others start off selfish but become selfless after seeing others suffering. You even get some who are just surviving by going with the flow, wherever that takes them. It really does show how different people adapt in horrific circumstances.
As is the case with any of these big crossover events, the art and writing from issue to issue varies. Overall, it’s entertaining, even if some entries are stronger than others. For any big Batman fan like myself, this is a must-read.
Images via DC Comics
Steven Symes 