“This book is impossible to rate because it’s two stories, and of two differing qualities.
Zdarsky’s Batman:
Aces. Great. It’s pretty easy to understand, it’s steeped in Batman lore that even casual readers can understand, and it delivers a good couple of punches. It’s really everything you need in a good comic book story. 10/10, would Bat again.
Rosenberg’s Batman:
First of all, this is a story about Grifter with an occasional appearance by Batman.
For anyone who doesn’t know, Grifter is a guy with guns who has an attitude like Wolverine when Wolverine is being angry and swears a lot as opposed to the Wolverine who wants to nurture young mutants or something.
There are too many intersecting stories here, with double-crosses and crossing of double-crosses and so on, characters with hidden identities, voices in Grifter’s head that we don’t know the origin of, there were so many mysteries and reveals, but none of them felt important or super interesting.
I just read Alan Moore’s Writing for Comics, and I think the key is right there: You need a plot, and you need a story.
For example, the plot of Handmaid’s Tale follows a woman who is forced to make babies after a series of apocalyptic events, and then she learns about a resistance, and then…
If you’re saying, “And then, and then,” that’s usually plot.
The story of The Handmaid’s Tale is about women’s rights and women’s place in society.
Rosenberg’s Grifter story has tons of plot, things happen, LOTS of things happen, but I don’t think there’s a story here. I’m not sure what it’s “about” if you catch my drift. Grift. If you catch my Grifter.
I think it’s overstating to pose that ALL COMICS MUST HAVE BOTH AND IN CERTAIN PROPORTIONS, but I think considering it a balance, and shifting some of the weight away from plot and into story would make this more to my taste.”