I'm pretty sure I didn't absorb everything this book was trying to tell me in 1991 concerning the alternate earth of a repressive theocratic government in control of the US viciously suppressing the rights and bodily autonomy of anyone who isn't a straight white male.

I was 20. Sue me.

But it was certainly worth revisiting, and Norm Breyfogle's artwork was perfectly tailored to the piece.

An absolute bust! This “Elseworlds” graphic novel tried to place Bruce Wayne/Batman in an America that was linked with an England that never saw the end of the Puritan Revolution but failed as the writer did not have even the most basic understanding of the Puritans and Puritanism. Maybe the writer wanted to show an America under a conservative Roman Catholicism but could not get the plot worked out and was worried about revenue loss to offended Roman Catholics and decided to have his Inquisitors be “Puritans” as they can not fight back (or at least will not, as most Congregationalists have not a clue that their denomination springs from the Puritans).

I am normally not a big fan of "Elseworld" comic books, so it is kind of odd that I liked this so much.

The premise is that Oliver Cromwell didn't die when he did in our world and this small change led to a world where the United States never came to be. There is no separation of Church and State, and both England and its colonies are firmly under the control of a repressive religious regime.

In this world, a young Bruce Wayne is about to take his sacred vows when he finds out his parents were not killed in a random mugging like he believed. Instead, they were tried in absentia and executed as enemies of the church. The revelation shatters the young man's faith, and he decides to get revenge the way only Bruce Wayne can.

That is just the jumping off point and the story proceeds to take some interesting twists and turns along the way. While it is a bit heavy handed with some of the points it makes at times, it still manages to make some interesting points about government, religion, and faith. Which is why I am such a big fan of it.

It also probably doesn't hurt that it was illustrated by Norm Breyfogle, one of my all-time favorite Batman artists.

Fascinating setting that goes nowhere. A simple history of the world this is set in would be twice as interesting as this story- the plot moves slowly for the first 3/4, then rushes through several introductions, revelations, and confrontations, before leaving you feeling like you're missing a second issue. Eh.

Another example of how great superhero comics can be when they're freed from the chains of "canon" and allowed to tell their own story. I'm not a religious person myself but this is definitely one of the best Batman Elseworlds stories I've read. It was great to have a story about Batman dismantling the establishment for once instead of defending it.

No recuerdo tanto el hilo conductor de este elseworld pero sí que estaba bastante bien a la hora de plantar los dilemas morales por los que pasa este buen batman y a nivel dibujo estaba bastante mejor que a nivel narrativo. Un par de escenas memorables, eso sí, como la de Flash. Pobre Flash.

An exceptional alternate universe Batman story. Excellent art and storyline. One of my favorite Elseworld books. Highly recommended

Truly one of the most insane Batman things I've ever read, and it's not even the Frank Miller one where he fights Al Qaeda. JFC.

Not my favorite Elseworlds story. A little too heavy on the Christianity nonsense without much substance in the end. But ultimately it is a Batman story so it's got a positive review overall.

I would recomend this to people who are interested in a christian theme. It's a short origin story. I loved batman's costume design in this. His personality comes off less dark than his stereotypical portrayal. Honestly, I loved it. It's a good casual read, nothing too life changing.

Read this one awhile back. This is one of those tales where the setting is more interesting than than the actual story contained within. Oliver Cromwell won. Present day America is a theocracy. Oh, and Batman's there. I'd like to see somebody tackle this kind of setting in a story more like The Man in the High Castle. Okay read, overall.

Batman: Holy Terror is an Elseworlds one-shot comic published by DC Comics in 1991. The story is written by Alan Brennert and illustrated by Norm Breyfogle and focuses on the origins of Batman in an alternative world, where Oliver Cromwell was successful in his overtaking of the monarchy.

Oliver Cromwell recovered from his attack of septicemia, and lived until 1668, consolidating the Protectorate of England and its sister theocracies in the Colonies. In the late 20th century, the analog of the United States of America is a Commonwealth run by a corrupt theocratic government.

Twenty-two years after the death of his parents, Bruce Wayne is planning to join the clergy when he is visited by his friend James Gordon. Gordon was the inquisitor who investigated Thomas and Martha Wayne's murder at the hands of Joe Chill, and has come to tell Bruce the truth about what happened. Their deaths were not a random mugging, but a state-planned execution. Bruce then starts a crusade to hunt down those who killed his parents.

Alan Brennert penned the entire trade paperback. For the most part, it is written moderately well. Brennert has an interesting, albeit a lackluster take on how Bruce Wayne became Batman to avenge his parents had the United States became a Commonwealth of the United Kingdom and ruled as a theocracy – the narrative just seemed flat.

Norm Breyfogle penciled the entire trade paperback. Since he was the only penciler, the artistic flow of the trade paperback flowed exceptionally well. For the most part, Breyfogle's penciling depicts the narrative rather well – a tad dated, but understandably so.

All in all, Batman: Holy Terror is an interesting thought experiment on how Bruce Wayne would become Batman in an alternative reality, but the execution felt a tad forced and flat.