Review by Frank Plowright

This incarnation of No Man’s Land Volume 2 picks up four months after earthquake devastated Gotham has been abandoned by the federal authorities, as seen in Volume 1. It opens with Greg Rucka exploring the assorted jockeying for territorial borders, with James Gordon and what’s left of Gotham’s police making a bold move. Mike Deodato’s art is effectively distancing itself from his 1990s style, except during action sequences.

In the short term the biggest effect on continuity from No Man’s Land was the introduction of a new Batgirl, Cassandra Cain, and Kelley Puckett and Damion Scott set this up logically and efficiently, along with the back story of her assassin father. It’s a highlight of this collection.

What differentiates these collections from the earlier versions isn’t just better paper quality, but the inclusion of pretty well any story set in Gotham during the period, and the additions are troublesome. They range from trivial (Young Justice) to meaningful (Azrael), but they’re diversions into other problems rather than the problems of Gotham itself. Batman’s admission of needing the help of others is diminished by being followed by Chuck Dixon and Staz Johnson throwing Robin and Nightwing up against a preposterous villain (sample art left), and well over a hundred further pages of lesser material, much of it written by Dixon. His nadir is the complete lack of inspiration during three chapters of Nightwing breaking into Blackgatge prison.

In the original Volume Three the weight of Batman’s admission led immediately into Rucka’s engaging story of Poison Ivy occupying Gotham’s park, and assorted gangsters realising the value of fresh fruit and vegetables. Dan Jurgens draws up a storm, but as seen by his sample art, there’s been no effort made to brighten the extraordinarily dull colour.

Jim Balent twisted Catwoman into ridiculous exploitative poses during the 1990s, and this collection provides an unwelcome reminder as she returns to Gotham. Under other hands John Ostrander’s script could have hit the spot, but Balent’s art is plain sleazy.

The collection ends with ‘Power Play’. Larry Hama’s script is effectively and decoratively illustrated by Rick Burchett, but the dialogue needs a polish, and while the plot eventually pays off, it’s a while getting there. In these editions Volume 3 picks up the continuity.

Too many uninspired inclusions make this a far weaker collection than either Volume Two or Volume Three of the 1990s editions, where the better stories are found. These stories also supply the second half of Batman: No Man’s Land Omnibus Volume One.