Kindle Price: $16.19

Save $13.80 (46%)

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Sign up and save an extra 10% on this book
Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Buy for others

Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group.
Learn more

Buying and sending eBooks to others

  1. Select quantity
  2. Buy and send eBooks
  3. Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs

Follow the author

Neil Gaiman
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?: The Deluxe Edition (2020 Edition) (Batman (1940-2011)) Kindle & comiXology

by Neil Gaiman (Author), Andy Kubert (Illustrator, Artist), Scott Williams (Artist), Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 out of 5 stars 273
Goodreads Choice Award winner
See all formats and editions
New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman joins a murderer’s row of superstar artists to lend his unique touch to the Batman mythos! Spotlighting the story “Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?” from Batman #686 and Detective Comics #853, in which Gaiman joins artist Andy Kubert and inker Scott Williams for a story that shines a new light on the Dark Knight, this title also collects stories from Secret Origins #36, Secret Origins Special #1 and Batman Black and White #2.
Previous page
  1. Part of Series
    Batman (1940-2011)
  2. Print length
    124 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    Not Enabled
  5. Publisher
    DC
  6. Publication date
    December 22, 2020
  7. File size
    439678 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Not Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Not Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Not Enabled
  11. See all details
Next page
  • Due to its large file size, this book may take longer to download
  • Read this book on comiXology. Learn more
More like Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?: The Deluxe Edition (2020 Edition) (Batman (1940-2011))
Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1
Previous page
  3. Batman: One Dark Knight (2021-)
    Kindle Edition
    $12.99
  4. Batman/Catwoman (2020-)
    Kindle Edition
    $19.45
  5. Batman: Three Jokers (2020)
    Kindle Edition
    $12.99
  8. Batman: Damned (2018-2019)
    Kindle Edition
    $13.10
  12. Batman/Spawn
    Kindle Edition
    $9.99
  14. Batman Beyond: Neo-Year (2022)
    Kindle Edition
    $9.99
  17. Batman: Battle for the Cowl
    Kindle Edition
    $9.99
  21. Flashpoint Beyond (2022)
    Kindle Edition
    $9.99
  22. Batman: Reptilian (2021-)
    Kindle Edition
    $9.99
  23. Robin & Batman (2021-)
    Kindle Edition
    $12.99
  25. Kingdom Come
    Kindle Edition
    $12.99
Next page
Loading...

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Book Description

Best-selling author Neil Gaiman (The Sandman) joins a murderer's row of talented artists in lending his unique touch to the Batman mythos for this Deluxe Edition hardcover! Spotlighting the story "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?" from Batman #685 and Detective Comics #852, Gaiman joins artist Andy Kubert and inker Scott Williams for a story that shines a new light on the Batman mythos. Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? also collects Gaiman stories from Secret Origins #36, Secret Origins Special #1, and Batman Black And White #2. This collection is not to be missed!

A Look Inside Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?
(Click on Images to Enlarge)

From Publishers Weekly

Following the death of Bruce Wayne in last year's Batman: R.I.P. arc comes Gaiman's loving eulogy not just to Batman but to the Batman of each era since the character's debut. Bolstered by slick art from Kubert (Batman; Captain America), Gaiman's lyrical chops are in fine form, weaving a surreal wake in which characters from Batman's history take turns relating what he meant to them, and their takes on the Dark Knight and the dangerous microcosm he fought for and eventually purportedly died to protect. Although this is obviously a love letter from one of the comics medium's premiere talents, the volume will appeal more to readers well-versed in Batman's continuity than Gaiman's normal legion of fans As the finished story only amounts to two issues of material, this hardcover is padded out with lesser—though not badly written by any means—stories teaming Gaiman with Simon Bisley, Mark Buckingham, Kevin Nowlan and Bernie Mireault, plus a sketchbook by Kubert. (July)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08PL5D4YB
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ DC; Deluxe edition (December 22, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 22, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 439678 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Not enabled
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 124 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 273

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Neil Gaiman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty books, including Norse Mythology, Neverwhere, and The Graveyard Book. Among his numerous literary awards are the Newbery and Carnegie medals, and the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, and Will Eisner awards. He is a Professor in the Arts at Bard College.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
273 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Rocky Oberlin
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!
Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2024
Verified Purchase
This is so different! Some of the stories in this comic are thought provoking and others are just different to read. I have read this author occasionally and this is almost what I expect. I won't give you spoilers, but some of them are the product of today's attitude. Interesting and soul considering.
Helpful
 Report
Timothy P. Young
5.0 out of 5 stars Neil Gaiman happens to the Batman
Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2009
Verified Purchase
The first thing to remember about superhero comics in general is this: Death is Impermanent. Green Goblin's been resurrected, Red Tornado died all the way back in the late 60s, Green Arrow came back a few years ago, and, of course, Superman returned. So let's not make a big deal out of Batman's 'death', shall we?

The important thing here is the central conceit--Batman is a ghostly presence at his own funeral, in which everyone from the Joker to Commissioner Gordon share the room without a conflict. After all, they're there for one purpose--to speak about the Batman. Over the course of the story, several characters, including Catwoman, Alfred, and the Joker, share their tales of the Batman and how he died. The mystery here is that each of them are describing radically different events. When Batman asks his companion what's going on, it replies "You're the detective. Figure it out." Of course he does, and the result is both a compelling Batman story AND a meta-analysis of the enduring nature of the character. I hesitate to say too much, because, like any good story, the reader deserves to discover its intricacies for him or herself.

Neil Gaiman does a masterful job with the writing here. He kept me interested, on the edge of my seat, and even made me laugh out loud at least twice while I was reading. With all of his success in the world of prose over the past 15 years, it's easy for the layman to forget that he made his name initially in the comics world. So this isn't the case of a fan getting a chance to write comics (think Kevin Smith, Joss Whedon, and Brad Meltzer, to name a few--they all did very well, but got their start in other media). This is an artist coming back to a medium that he knows very, very well. Gaiman's comics projects come every couple of years, when he's asked to do something that really catches his notice. Another stellar example is his series  Marvel 1602  for Marvel in the early part of this decade. My point here is, only someone as immersed in the comics world as Gaiman had been could write something that not only remains true to the character, but also incorporates much of his history into a meta-analysis of what it means to be a Batman. So to speak.

And you can't discount Andy Kubert's artistic contributions here, either. He captures the essence of Gaiman's writing perfectly, his style subtly altering to reflect both the speaker and the era of Batman being spoken of by the characters. It's comics art at its best.

This is an incredibly well done book, and the best thing is, you don't need to know the minutiae of the current DC Universe in order to appreciate it and enjoy it. All you need to do is know a little about the Batman.

As a bonus, we get three other stories Gaiman wrote during his comics heyday that take place in the Batman mythos. My personal favorite is his entry from "Batman: Black and White," which recasts Batman and the Joker into performers waiting in the green room (because the Commissioner Gordon scene was running long). It's a funny, fond look at the characters divorced from their usual context. The other stories focus on Poison Ivy and the Riddler, respectively, and are fun reads all by themselves.

"Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?" is fantastic and even, at times, awe inspiring in its approach to the character and his history. My only regret is that the tale wasn't longer. If I could give this 6 stars out of 5, I would.

Oh, what the hey--6 stars out of 5.
12 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
419echo
5.0 out of 5 stars The Last Batman Story Ever, (or it should be)
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2012
Verified Purchase
First let me say this, I read Neil Gaiman for specific reasons. He is my favorite author,(along with Bill Willingham) because they teach me something about life every time, with every book. I bought this solely based on how much I've loved everything else I've read from Gaiman, and this book is as good as anything he's done. The huge surprise came from the artwork. The whole team should be mentioned, at least for the main story. Included at the end are a few short tales of the Dark Knight by Gaiman and various artists which aren't nearly as thought provoking or have such stunning artwork, but I was still mostly thinking about what I'd read and kept flipping back to the main story to take in certain pages and artwork one more time. Without spoiling anything, it's Batman's funeral. Yes he's dead...but that's not even close to the point, which is a thoughtful conclusion put forth in a way only Gaiman could present this well.

Every story must end eventually and however/whenever Batman's time comes, this is the ending I would re-print as the final word on the matter, after the last issue of the last story arc of the last Batman series to ever be written hits the shelves, (in a distant future I hope). This is as beautiful a Eulogy as was ever written. To write it for one of the most influential heroes in human history, and write it so full of meaning and satisfaction...again, only Gaiman could have pulled it off like this.

If you're looking for the classic type of Batman crime drama, go read The Long Halloween or Batman Year One, both of which are exceptional. If you think Arnold Schwarzenegger made a good Mr. Freeze, just stay away from this book, you wont understand it. If you want action, look elsewhere. If you want the best team of pencils, inks, color and letters however, the argument can be well made here...(although I know that artwork is a never-ever-ending argument and this is a bold claim). I'll back it up by saying that as much as I loved Gaiman's writing, only artwork this good could have measured up. As a funny afterthought, this is so good I wished it could have been much longer, which in a way is the whole point of the story of Batman presented here.
14 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Tatami Hawker Vent
5.0 out of 5 stars One must imagine Sisyphus happy
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2022
Verified Purchase
"Whatever happened to the caped crusader" is a perfect example of when comic books ride to the level of high art.
It's a beautiful story, and like many Gaiman stories it is to some extent a story about stories. This is the myth of the myth of Batman.
It's a story that will never end.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Jaime Robertson Meza
4.0 out of 5 stars Bat-awesome (en español)
Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2009
Verified Purchase
En una edición de tapa dura, este comic incluye el tomo #685 de Batman y Detective Comics #852.

Inicia con una introducción de N. Gaiman en donde explica porque, después de años en los que no ha escrito para los comics, decide hacer una excepción.

Después vienen los tomos centrales, en donde se cuenta una historia sobre la muerte de Batman, pero, como en todo funeral, más bien se recuerda al héroe caído, enemigos y compañeros unidos en este último adiós.

La dedicación y cariño puestos por el dibujante y el guionista muestran la maestría de ambos al despedir también ellos a una leyenda.

El tomo además incluye otras historias escritas por Gaiman sobre Batman
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Robin
5.0 out of 5 stars Goede kwaliteit
Reviewed in the Netherlands on January 9, 2024
Verified Purchase
Kerstcadeau voor een liefhebben, hij was er erg blij mee.
Report
Amazon Kunde
5.0 out of 5 stars Ungewöhnlich und sehr schön
Reviewed in Germany on December 21, 2021
Verified Purchase
Eine tolle Gescjichte, etwas kurz aber sehr schöne Zeichnungen. Die Idee verschiedene Versionen von Batmans Tod von den Gästen der Beerdigung erzählen zu lassen hat mir gut gefallen. Ungewöhnlich und deswegen interessant. Etwas teuer für den doch überschaubaren Inhalt aber ich würde es wieder kaufen.
Report
Vanessa
5.0 out of 5 stars Love this!
Reviewed in Canada on July 31, 2013
Verified Purchase
The artwork in this book is wonderful and beautifully done, I think they got Batman right on; mysterious and dark, just the way I like him drawn.

I love how your get multiple stories all bound up in one, and you get a different perspective on Batman and how he thinks. Great read, totally worth the money!
Report
ES-335
5.0 out of 5 stars 2009年の最高傑作！（だと思います）
Reviewed in Japan on July 25, 2009
Verified Purchase
英文レビューでは1号ずれた紹介をしていますが、
正しい掲載号は BATMAN #686、Detective Comics #853 です。

BATMAN : R.I.P 〜 LAST RITES 直後に発表された作品です。
この発表時期に重要な意味があり、これが別のタイミングだったら
「いつもの茶番」と誤解されかねない内容です。
なんてったって、舞台はバットマンの葬式ですから。

バットマンの葬儀場にて、かつてのバットマンの盟友と敵が一同に会し、
バットマンとの人生と彼の死について一人ずつ語るのですが、
彼らが目撃したバットマンの最期となると全員話がバラバラで一貫性が無く、
以前にも描かれたバットマンの葬儀のように
いかにもファンタジックで空々しさすら覚えます。

が、この作品の核心はそこではなく、
それをどこからか傍観している姿無き存在にあります。
その傍観者とは当のバットマン自身なのですが…

本当に泣きました。
20年来のファンの自分にはバットマンと言えばブルース・ウェイン以外に他ならず、
彼の死を「R.I.P」と「FINAL CRISIS」で叩きつけられても、
どうせDCコミックスの大いなるなんちゃって計画だろうとたかくくっておりました、
この作品「Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?」を読むまでは。

Andy Kubertによる美麗なイラストが劇的効果を高めており、
特にキャットウーマンが語るバットマンの最期と、
本編ラスト3ページ（←涙腺を直撃されました）が秀逸です。

コミックたった2号分の中編ながら、
「BATMAN: Year One」「Mad Love」にも並ぶ
バットマン コミックの自分史上最高傑作と位置付けております。
バットマンを愛する全てのファンの方に是非読んで頂きたいです。
9 people found this helpful
 Report
Kunde
5.0 out of 5 stars Nicht nur für Batman-Fans!
Reviewed in Germany on March 17, 2010
Verified Purchase
Nicht nur, aber vor allem Batman-Fans werden an diesem Comic ihre helle Freude machen. Die Storyline ist, typisch Gaiman, überraschend und witzig - eine etwas andere Herangehensweise an Batman, den ja jeder schon zu kennen meint. Aber auch die Gestaltung ist überaus liebevoll, mit Hommagen an die verschiedenen Batman-Stile aus den verschiedenen Jahrzehnten. Wer sich ein wenig mit Batman auskennt, wird die Anspielungen genießen. Und für alle anderen ist es ein schöner, origineller, mit Liebezum Detail gestalteter Comic. Ein zusätzliches Schmankerl für Gaiman-Fans sind die zusätzlich im Band versammelten vom Autor geschriebenen Batman-Stories.
2 people found this helpful
 Report
Report an issue

Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report