This story squeezes between the last few pages of Batman: Year One, along with a few other tales we'll be reading soon. Batman goes up against the deranged psychologist Dr. Hugo Strange-- a psychologist who for some reason spends his time carrying out genetic experiments. In the meantime, Bruce Wayne may have found true love with one Julie Madison. The story here is pretty straightforward, but it's all worth it for Matt Wagner's distinctive art. More cartoony than what David Mazzucchelli does in Batman: Year One, but still quite good. This won't set your world on fire, but it's a worthy addition to the "Year One" milieu.

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A retelling of an early Batman classic, in which Professor Hugo Strange resorts to criminal means to fund his experiments with human genetics. Bruce Wayne, meanwhile is involved with Julie Madison, whose industrialist father becomes involved in some questionable activities of his own to cover his debts. Of course, all these varied elements meet in conflict. Good retelling of an old story, with Matt Wagner's fine art to boot. ( )