Batman: Prelude To The Wedding, Part Three - Batgirl Vs. The Riddler - A Review

Having not been reading Tim King's Batman on a regular basis, I had been planning on giving the whole Prelude To A Wedding storyline a miss. Then I found out there was going to be an issue pitting Batgirl against my favorite Batman villain and... well, I had to see how it played out, having the real greatest detective in the Bat Family (by Bruce's own admission) go against Edward Nygma.


Naturally, the plot involves The Riddler setting up a test for Batgirl which involves murder and mayhem if she fails to answer his questions. The twist Tim Seeley sets up for why he is doing this is rather brilliant and I shan't say another word about it. Suffice it to say it takes a lot to impress me when it comes to The Riddler and this issue did not disappoint. While the endgame is obvious the execution is masterful.

Better than the story, though, is the art. This is the second special I've seen Minkyu Jung work on (the last one being Titans Annual #1) and the second time I wished he was working regularly on a series I read. Jung's grasp of composition and framing is fantastic and the action of the story flows smoothly throughout. Would that we could see Jung paired with Jose Marzan Jr. on Batgirl, as they prove to have a real flair for working with the character and each other here. The colors of Jordie Bellaire are sweet icing on a very rich cake and Dave Sharpe's letter-work is as astounding as ever.

The Final Analysis: 10 out of 10. A one-shot special that lives up to its name.

Nightwing #29 - A Review

Lost within a ring of snow and ice - the second circle of the labyrinth formed out of Gotham City - our heroes find themselves contending with a twisted version of Mr. Freeze and an army of frost giants! Thankfully, Nightwing has arrived on the scene to join the search for Batman, but he faces his own inner-conflict regarding the menace they face. Meanwhile, The Teen Titans meet up with The Suicide Squad, forming a reluctant alliance to get into the maze themselves...


The unfortunate thing about comic-book crossovers is that new readers, attracted by the linking story line, may find themselves turned away from a single chapter due to unexplained references to the book's regular story. This problem plagues Nightwing #29 which makes repeated mention of a villain called Dr. Hurt and Dick Grayson's connection to The Court of Owls. While I am vaguely familiar with this plot-line from Scott Snyder's Batman, Tim Seely doesn't do a very good job of explaining it and it's largely incidental to the action of the issue in any case. Even that much might be confusing for those readers who haven't already read Batman: The Red Death #1, which is more efficient in explaining the basic idea of The Dark Multiverse.

Thankfully, this issue's script makes up for this shortcoming in other ways. Seely's grasp of the characters, for instance, is top-notch. I was particularly gratified to see Killer Croc as being written as something other than a complete idiot, though Damian Wayne is back to being a spoiled brat. Your mileage may vary on if this is an accurate assessment of his character, but it doesn't jibe with what we saw in Teen Titans last week. But whatever - I can forgive a lot simply for the revelation that Harley Quinn and Green Arrow are both pen-and-paper RPG players.


The artwork is a similarly mixed bag. Paul Pelleiter is a good artist but his detail-driven style suffers in the small panels that the story requires. This frequently causes the panels to be cluttered and only the fact that Andrew Hennessy applies his inks so sparingly saves the issue. Even then, the fine details are often lost in the more heavily-shaded panels with a higher saturation of darker colors.

The Final Analysis: 6 out of 10.  Decent enough but it could have been so much better.

Nightwing: Rebirth #1 - A Review

Despite Chuck Dixon's Nightwing being one of my favorite series of all time, I haven't been following Dick Grayson's recent adventures that closely. I was unimpressed with the first issue of the New 52 Nightwing series and haven't thought much of what few cameos I've seen of Dick playing the secret agent in Batgirl. I haven't read a single issue of Grayson and was only vaguely aware of Dick's secret identity being outed during the Forever Evil storyline.

Thankfully, Nightwing: Rebirth #1 proves a welcome introduction for readers who don't know Dick Grayson or, like myself just haven't been keeping up on recent events.





There isn't much of a plot to this issue nor is there a lot of action. The story is made up of a series of vignettes, showing Dick saying goodbye to his old life and reclaiming the Nightwing name. There's also some brief scenes involving Dick's enemies in The Court Of Owls and a scene establishing the new Huntress, who was apparently a character in Grayson, before she goes off to star in the new Batgirl And The Birds Of Prey series. Tim Seely does a fantastic job of providing this exposition naturally, without it seeming like he's just throwing out factoids for the newbies.

The artwork is equally efficient. Yanick Paquette instills a sense of motion to every panel - even the ones which just feature two people sitting down talking! This keeps the story moving and exciting, despite a distinct lack of fight scenes. And the color art by Nathan Fairbairn finds the perfect balance between light and dark, as befits the title character.

Batman Eternal #11 - A Review

Let's not mince words or waste time.  Batman: Eternal #11 is one of the worst comics I've seen in recent memory.  Indeed, I'm not sure what aspect of it troubled me most.  The idea of Alfred the Butler being a deadbeat dad who abandoned his wife and daughter?  Barbara Gordon being depicted as a thoughtless thug?  The artwork that seems more appropriate to an issue of Heavy Metal than Batman?  How about all of the above?

The main focus of the issue is on Batgirl as she storms a South American television studio in broad daylight, seeking an actor who she has determined was involved in framing her father for murder.  Hilarity ensues as the actor is also chased by adoring fans and a supervillain.  The issue also features a subplot involving Alfred trying to make amends with his estranged daughter - an MI6 agent who just happened to wind up in Bruce Wayne's care.  There's also some brief vignettes involving Catwoman that probably mean something if you've been reading her book (it isn't explained well) and Stephanie Brown researching her father's criminal past.

To say that Batgirl is horribly out of character in this book compared to how she is depicted in her own title would be an understatement!  How is it possible that I picked up three comics this week and the one featuring a murderous berserking redhead didn't have "Red Sonja" in the title?  Barbara Gordon is a thinker.  A planner.  She does not lose control and she does not lose her temper.  Her major defining flaw in recent years has been being too cool and clinical - not being a cliche fiery redhead or Irish spitfire.  And she certainly doesn't need the likes of Jason FRELLING Todd giving her lectures on self-control!

The artwork by Ian Bertram isn't all that bad but it is ill-suited to the story in question.  It has a quality that is reminiscent of Frank Quitely, though Bertram draws bigger eyes than he does.  It also makes me think a little bit of the exaggerated yet detail-driven style of Simon Bisley, though Bertram's style is much cleaner and brighter.  In any case, this look just doesn't fit the aesthetic of Batman very well and the whole book looks odd as a result.

Batman Eternal #10 - A Review

Batman Eternal #10 was of such dramatically dismal quality compared to the earlier installments I'm contemplating dropping the title.  Part of this is due to the artwork of Riccardo Burchielli, whose work on Conan The Barbarian I found utterly appalling and his work here is not much better.  I will say that Burchielli does do a good job depicting the misshapen and horrific creatures that make up Professor Pyg's gang.  Unfortunately, the normal human characters look equally misshapen and horrific.

Colorist Dave McCaig doesn't help matters with a muted palette that sucks the life out of the action.  Worse yet, the palette is unevenly applied, with skin tones changing from panel to panel with no indication of any change in light or position!  At some points Catwoman looks like her animated incarnation from the later episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, where she had blueish-white skin whenever she was in costume.  Again, this might be acceptable as an artistic choice were it evenly applied... but it isn't!


The script by John Layman is equally problematic.  I already raised objections to the idea that Barbara Gordon should be portrayed as a violent hothead, even allowing for her feelings regarding her father's imprisonment coloring her judgement.  I have even greater objections to this issue, in which Bruce Wayne asks Jason Todd to keep an eye on Batgirl and make sure she doesn't do something stupid and get killed.

I am going to say that again, because I think it's rather important.  And if you can imagine this next line being read by comedian Lewis Black, so much the better.

Bruce Wayne asks Jason Todd - his ex-sidekick who has anger-management problems up the wazoo and no qualms about killing - to keep an eye on Barbara Gordon - widely regarded as the most cool and logical of Bruce's protegees - and make sure she doesn't do something stupid and get killed.

... ARE YOU F#$%ING KIDDING ME?!?!


I'll give it one more issue.  That's it.

Batman Eternal #9 - A Review

Batman Eternal #9 finds The Caped Crusader leaving Gotham City for a time.  With the GCPD out for his head, Batman decides to head to Hong Kong and track down the crime bosses who assisted Carmine Falcone during his five years in exile.  He is assisted in this endeavor by Batman Incorporate's agent in Japan.  At the same time back in Gotham, Catwoman begins planning her own strike against Falcone.


After reading this issue, I want to see more comics with the Japanese Batman.  It's just such a cool concept to have a Batman flying around Tokyo and that his sidekick should be a flying schoolgirl called Canary.  I know, I know... just get Dinah in there for an issue to give her some martial arts training and we'll have something awesome.


I slammed Guillem March's artwork pretty hard in my review of Catwoman #1 but there's nothing at all bad about it here.  Perhaps the previous focus on Selina Kyle's anatomy was due to the script and not the wandering eye of the artist?  Regardless, there is no odd male-gaze in the artwork in this issue despite the main female characters being clad in skin tight leather or school girl uniforms and the fight choreography is well played out.  Even the colors of Tomeu Morey don't seem so grating in this issue, where the oddly bright coloration actually fits the setting.

Batman Eternal #8 - A Review

Batman's war with mobster Carmine "The Roman" Falcone continues to take center stage in this week's issue of Batman: Eternal.  It is a war that Batman doesn't realize he is losing, as unbeknownst to him - but knownst to us - the new Police Commissioner is in Falcone's pocket.  Worse, he's instituted a new policy of refusing to arrest any criminals Batman brings down.


The script by John Layman does a good job of balancing multiple subplots that mix and mingle throughout the issue.  Vicki Vale - still pursuing her story from several issues early - runs into honest cop turned flummoxed rookie Jason Bard and the two interact for a bit before getting on with their respective bits of business.  But it isn't all interaction and the issue concludes with the series' most thrilling action sequence to date.


The artwork by Guillem March seems reminiscent of the early works of Todd MacFarlane in terms of design and detail.  Some sections seem a little rushed but the pencil-work is largely excellent.  The only real flaw to the artwork is the washed out palette, full of dirty browns and greys, used by colorist Tomeu Morey.  Even the blue of Jason Bard's uniform looks more grey than blue.    

Batman Eternal #7 - A Review

Sadly, the scene on the cover of Batman Eternal #7 doesn't actually occur in the book.  A shame, as the image of The Penguin using his cigarette holder as a snorkel as he swims for his life is an amusing one.  It is also an apt metaphor for the action of this book, which does see The Iceberg Lounge destroyed and good old Ozzie forced to "sink or swim".


The interior art isn't quite so nice.  Emanuel Simeoni is a good artist and one can see fragments of fine detail throughout the book.  Sadly, most of this detail is lost under heavy inking that obscures the artwork rather than enhancing it.


Thankfully the writing is as strong as ever.  This issue shifts focus back to the main story involving Batman coping with the return of crime-boss Carmine Falcone and his new-found allies in the GCPD and the Mayor's Office.  I shan't say more but those who were worried that this series would spend too much time on the side-stories after the past two weeks should rest assured this book has not forgotten its purpose.

Batman Eternal #6 = A Review

As was the case with last week's issue, Batman Eternal #6 seems less interested in its grand central mystery than it is in expanding the world of New 52 Gotham.  Most of this issue is devoted towards introducing us to two of Batman's more obscure partners - Batwing and The Spectre.  The two are quickly teamed together to deal with a supernatural menace that Batman has little time and even less inclination to deal with personally.


The script by Constantine writer Ray Fawkes contains much of interest.  The revelations that Batman has enough Nth Metal to make a batarang and that it can be used to disrupt ectoplasmic figures is but one of the more fascinating bits of trivia this issue has to offer.  I also liked the idea that the normally unflappable Alfred is made uncomfortable by Master Bruce's mystic associates or that weird things happen to mirrors around The Spectre.


The artwork by Gates of Gotham artist Trevor McCarthy is a suitable fit to the script.  McCarthy's figures are oddly blocky and seem better suited towards a Vertigo series than the world of Batman.  Nevertheless, this distinctive style is gripping and properly spooky when it needs to be.  

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 Eternal #4 - A Review

Batman Eternal #4 proves to be the first misstep in this series' run.  That misstep is not due to the art team., despite Dustin Nguyen and Derek Fridoles having a far different style from Jason Fabok who drew and inked the first three issues.  Nguyen's light, almost Mangaesque pencils offer a unique, angular look and Fridole's inks - with some exceptions - are kept light and restrained, allowing the original pencils to shine through.


No, the biggest problem with this issue is the script.  Specifically, the dialogue.  John Layman's take on Batgirl and Batman don't ring true to me.  Even with her father in danger, I can't see Barbara Gordon acting as rashly as depicted here.  Nor can I see Bruce Wayne being so quick to dismiss Barbara's desire to investigate a suspicious figure she spots on the security camera footage of the crime scene, because they have no reason to suspect said figure save that he spent three hours hanging around the crime scene before anything happened!  Particularly when Bruce freely admits to having no better leads himself.


Despite this forced dialogue, the story is still a strong one.  The plot involving the corruption of the GCPD continues apace.  There's also an interesting twist in the subplot involving Stephanie Brown that marks a major departure from the original comics in which she appeared.  This comic is still an enjoyable read, if you just get past some of the words that the characters are saying.

Batman Eternal #3 - A Review

At this moment in time, there seems little point in my maintaining any aura of mystery in discussing Batman Eternal.  The story is moving at a quickening pace and many things I thought would be a drawn-out mysteries have been quickly exposed and revealed.  Suffice it to say, this comic is one for the ages and will be held up as one of the greatest Batman stories of all time.

So what can I say?  How about that this comic formally introduces Stephanie Brown into the New 52 universe?  Or that, while she's not yet The Spoiler - much less Batgirl - she quickly proves that she is no passive damsel in distress while still coming off convincingly as a terrified teenage girl, who just learned that her father is a supervillain involved in a plot to bring down the society of Gotham City.  


What can I say about the splendor that is Jason Fabok's artwork?  I can say that I think his design for The Penguin is the greatest I've ever seen - a character who is grotesque yet not so distorted as to seem a more fitting enemy for Dick Tracy than Batman.  I could easily see Alfred Molina playing this Penguin.


What else can I say?  This is a great book and you should be reading it.

Batman Eternal #2 - A Review

I've complained in previous reviews of the main Batman series that Scott Snyder seemed to be have been taking his sweet time in telling his stories since City of Owls.  Zero Year in particular seemed to have been drawn out, with the promise of a revamped and deadlier Riddler being held ever out of reach until recently.  Well, I can make no such complaints about Batman: Eternal.  


The first issue kicked things off with a bang and this issue continues the trend, as Batman mobilizes his allies in the wake of a major disaster in Gotham City.  A disaster which Jim Gordon seems to have caused but nobody in the Bat Family or the GCPD can honestly believe he is responsible for.  There's a lot of good character moments throughout the book and we know what villain is responsible for Gordon's fall by the issue's end.  I won't spoil it here but it was an honest surprise and a true indication of how things have changed for Gotham City in the New 52 universe.


The artwork is uniformly excellent.  Jason Fabok's matches Bryan Hitch for the ability to fit amazing amounts of detail into a panel but I think Fabok's line-work is neater and more precise.  The inks are surprisingly sparse for a Batman comic and colorist Brad Anderson highlights the artwork with multiple shades of black and grey.

Batman Eternal #1 - A Review

I will say this for the writing team of Batman Eternal - they do not do things by halves.  There was a hint of this in the preview for this series, which depicted Harper Row (a supporting character from Scott Snyder's Batman) as a masked crime-fighter working alongside Batman, Selina Kyle as the new kingpin of the Gotham underworld and - in a shocking twist that saw fans across the Internet cheering - Stephanie Brown as The Spoiler.  And then we have this first issue, which opens with Gotham City in flames and Bruce Wayne all but crucified on the broken remains of the Bat-Signal.


Okay, book.  You have my attention.

We move past this scene set in a vague future, heading back to "Now".  It is here that we are introduced to Jason Bard - a good cop hired into Gotham by Commissioner Jim Gordon, who is unable to meet Bard for his first day at work as he is busily chasing down the mad scientist Professor Pyg alongside the Batman.  The action sequences there are thrilling but the true focus of the story is upon Bard, who is quickly introduced to just how bad Gotham City is and why Jim Gordon was so anxious to get an honest man like Bard into a command position in the GCPD.  By issue's end, we see a major change to the status quo of things in Gotham City and our first sign that someone is out to bring down Batman, one ally at a time.


Jason Fabok's artwork is as enthralling as the script.  I greatly enjoyed his work on Batman Annual #1 and the pencils and inks here are of similar high quality.  The figures are all clear and uniquely designed, with even the scenes of characters just talking to one another being well-blocked and far from static scenes of talking heads.

This book is a promising first issue.  I'm not sure yet if I'll stick around for the whole year-long saga, but it has my attention.  For now.