Batman Eternal #5 - My Review

The best parts of Batman Eternal thus far have little to do with its central mystery.  This is not to say that the mystery isn't engaging but to note that the detail work around the plot is of greater interest.  The world of Gotham in the New 52 universe is still largely unexplored and this series has done a good job of filling in the gaps.


This issue focuses upon three characters we have not seen in this series so far - Red Robin, Vicki Vale and Harper Row.  The issue shows those of us who haven't been keeping up on Teen Titans how the relationship between Tim Drake and Bruce Wayne is quite different in this new reality.  The interludes involving Vicki Vale give us our first glimpse as to how journalism functions in Gotham City.  And Harper Row makes an appearance, showing that she has been personally touched by the mystery that Red Robin and Vicki Vale are both investigating and that she has begun training to take a more active role in helping Batman.



The artwork this week - provided by artist Andy Clarke - proves less conflicted than the art in last week's issue.  Clarke's style is consistent, though some of his proportions seem a bit off.  Torsos become oddly elongated in some panels, while the limbs attached to them seem to be of normal size.  Despite this incongruity, Clarke does a fine job of displaying intricate details without cluttering up the panels.

Batman #25 - A Review

After last issue's cliffhanger, I fear that Batman #25 is something of a disappointment.  Promised our first dramatic battle between The Batman and The Riddler, we are left instead with a high-action escapade rather than a battle of wits.  The story here is about Batman contending with the efforts of a police department more concerned with catching him than the criminals who are taking advantage of Edward Nygma's cutting all the power in Gotham City and the chaos caused by the approach of a major hurricane.

Putting aside my disappointment over a serious Riddler deficit, there's very little to recommend this issue on its own merits.  We do get glimpses of certain Batman mainstays before they became the characters we know and love.  We also get to see some of Batman's wonderful toys, such as the first Batmobile - which more closely resembles Speed Racer's Mach 5 than any previous Batmobile.  This is fascinating on an intellectual level but ultimately as pointless as this issue's introduction of a new villain - Doctor Death.  The uninspired name says it all.  


Even the back-up feature is lackluster, focusing once more upon Harper and Cullen - Scott Snyder's favorite P.O.V. normal Gothamites.  The best bit of this sequence is a two-page splash poster depicting all the heroes that were in Gotham helping people during the disaster.  This is marred only slightly by the fact that this page primarily exists as an advertisement/check-list for all the Zero Year tie-in issues one might have missed.  


Thankfully, the artwork is top-notch as usual.  Greg Capullo and Danny Miki add a manic energy to the main portion of the book.  Andy Clarke adopts a spookier, more somber tone with the back-up feature, perfectly capturing the aura of a dark and spooky night as seen from a child's perspective.

Alas, this is not enough to make this issue worth buying.  Particularly with its' inflated $4.99 price tag!  My advice would be to wait for the collected edition of this storyline.  It may well prove cheaper in the long run.

Batman #0 - A Review

Those expecting Batman #0 to be yet another retelling of the Batman origins or a rehash of Batman Begins will either be disappointed or (more likely) relieved.  Scott Snyder avoids such beloved but well-worn tales and devotes this Zero Month issue towards two entirely different stories.  The first details one of Batman's early cases and an encounter with a red-hooded gang leader who may or may not become a more infamous enemy later on.  If nothing else, this story is an original one and it is refreshing to see a Batman who is still learning the ropes facing an enemy who is just as smart as he is.  Perhaps smarter.

The second, and for my money, stronger of the two stories is told with an assist from Snyder's frequent collabrator, James Tyrion IV.  This tale is set during the first night that the Bat-Signal was lit and showcases the  lives of four different young people whose paths will cross with that of The Batman.  Among their number are a free-spirited showman, a desperate thug, a brilliant detective and an aspiring policewoman.

As always, the art team delivers upon the promise offered by the excellent scripts.  Former Spawn artist Greg Capullo was born to draw Batman and his uniquely stylized pencils are perfectly defined by the inks of Jonathan Glapion.  The brighter style of Andy Clarke (most recently of Batman and Robin) is no less skillful but better suited to the lighter tone of the second story.

Batman #0 presents more of the fine-quality comics entertainment that we've become accustomed to over the previous year.  If, for some reason, you aren't already reading what is easily the best Batman book in recent memory, this issue is the perfect jumping-on point.

Batman #12 - A Review

Some of the best Batman stories ever written barely have Batman in them at all. In many ways, Batman: Year One is more Jim Gordon's story than it is Bruce Wayne's. More than a few episodes of Batman: The Animated Series ("P.O.V.", "Legends of The Dark Knight" and "The Man Who Killed Batman" come to mind) were built around examining Batman's indirect influence rather than his actions. And my pick for the greatest Joker story ever - Going Sane - puts the focus firmly upon The Caped Cruasader's greatest foe and how he might react if he believed he'd successfully killed Batman.

Yes, a lot of great Batman stories barely feature Batman. And now we can put Batman #12 on that list.


The focus of this issue is firmly upon one Harper Row. A tomboy of indeterminate age (though we're informed she was an emancipated minor) and an electrical engineer for Gotham City, Harper has a knack for fixing things that are broken. But there are some things even the best handyperson can't fix and one of them is her brother Cullen's problems with the local gangs. Not one to back down from a fight, Harper and Cullen are saved by The Batman one fateful night. The experience leaves Harper obsessed with finding out more about Batman and - after a chance discovery - finding a way to repay him for saving her and Cullen.


As always, Scott Snyder's spins a stupendous story. Harper is an engaging protagonist and I hope this isn't the last that we see of her. But the real treat this time around is the work of guest-artist Becky Cloonan. One can look at this book and scarcely believe this was drawn by the same artist who also drew this week's Conan The Barbarian #7. Such is Cloonan's versatility as a creator. Even if you aren't a big Bat-fan, this issue is a must-read.