Batman Hush vol 1 is the first 5 parts of a 12 part story that ran in Batman issues 608-619.

It written by Jeph Loeb a writer of many DC and Marvel comic and drawn by Jim Lee who also has a huge list of credits to his name.

It's a curious choice to have the first five chapters to this book, as this is a story that slowly unwinds. In fact it unwinds so slowly that by the end of this first volume of two, you don't really come any satisfactory cliff-hanger as very little has been revealed at this point.

However it is a great story as we mainly get to see the story through Batman's eyes as things start off as a run of the mill affair of Batman rescuing a kidnapped child. But all is not as it seems, because from the word go this is all part of an intricate story that will last over 12 issues peeling layers away slowly. Someone's trying to get at the Batman and in the background is always a shadowy bandaged figure watching the proceedings and using all of his most famous villains against him like he's playing a chess game. It is reminiscent of the way Bane behaved in Knightfall, where Bane used Batman's old foes we weaken him.

They're all in here, colourful villains, old friends, fellow night-time crusaders, a romance with Cat Woman and an uneasy friendship with Superman. In this story we get to know that Batman actually admires some of Superman's qualities. He feels that Superman's "boy scout" qualities would work in certain situations as opposed to his broody scary persona. And we also get to find out why Superman trusts Batman. It's an uneasy friendship explored very well along side a fascinating story. Although I'm a little unsure why

Jim Lee's artwork is stunning. I enjoy the fact that he's keeping as much of it realistic as possible and doesn't stylise too much. His drawings are more a work of classical art. And the two page splashes are worth poring over. Some of the scenes of the bat cave are detailed and intricate. Well worth stopping and looking through carefully. I also like the way he draws flash backs like their a water coloured faded picture portraying the fact that memories fade. A nice touch.

In the end though, you are left feeling a bit short changed as this would have been better released in one volume, but definitely a good story that makes you want to get vol 2 and fantastic art work.