By Luke Abbott
This weeks issue handled something very interesting: a finale of sorts. The end of the Penguin vs Falcone subplot. Interesting, yes. Good, no.
The problem with handling a franchise as massive as Batman is that it leaves you very restricted with where to take new stories. For example, the writers here felt very restricted by the fact that they were unable to kill off Falcone or the Penguin. It would have made a very bloody end to the gang war and would have made the build-up justifiable. However, seeing as there is the possibility that the fan base (as well as the writers themselves), would revolt if one of the more intriguing bad guys was written out of the canon, they felt unable to make that risk. As it stands, the gang war fizzles out rather than coming to an explosive end. The solution Bard came up with felt like the writers tying off an arc, rather than giving us a great ending to one of the main storylines of Eternal. The Penguin got to scene-chew, Falcone got what was coming to him and the gang war is finally over. As a reader, I wanted more. The Batman felt like an outside force rather than the hero of the story; I was happy with Bard doing the heavy work for a change, but Batman needs to actually progress some of the action, as it is his comic book series.
When we are dealing with a series as long as Eternal, we want assurances that the finale will be good, otherwise there is little point to investing time and money into the series. On the other hand, one good thing does come out of the finale: Bard’s character is a very interesting one. I actually thought he wasn’t going to make it. Seeing as I assumed Falcone or the Penguin weren’t going to be biting the bullet, I thought Jason Bard would be the major shock of the issue. Blossoming romance, check. A force of good in a corrupt town, check. A character minor enough to be killed off but major enough to deliver emotional impact, check. Maybe it is a good thing that the comics didn’t do the obvious thing, because now the Batman and Bard have an interesting relationship. Bard committed a crime to bring down the bad guys, something Batman couldn’t allow. It was a justifiable crime and the loss of life belonged to mobsters; it just doesn’t match up to Batman’s black and white morals. This brings the two major good guys at loggerheads, which could make some of the following stories much more interesting.
And now all eyes are turned to the Asylum. It has all but been forgotten about, but the Joker’s Daughter reappears for the final frame, kidnapping the Scarecrow. And when the Scarecrow begins getting terrified, you know you are in for something good just around the corner.
Quote of the Issue:
Mayor Hardy: (insulting) You’re just like Gordon, kid…
Bard: Thank you.
For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com
Posted on July 11th, 2014
Category: ORACLE OF COMICS, REVIEWS
Tags: Batman Eternal #14 review, Bruce Wayne, DC Comics, Jason Bard, Jim Gordon, Luke Abbott, Red Robin
By Luke Abbott
For once, I am more than happy to let Batman take the back seat on this issue. Jason Bard is a very fun hero to spend this issue with, especially as his plan goes full throttle and he turns into the smartest guy in the room.
The writing, pacing and dialogue of the thirteenth issue of Batman Eternal is terrific. I love Jason Bard as a character; he is the newcomer to the Batman franchise, but he instantly becomes a success with the reader. He takes a bad situation, and this issue spends a lot of time hammering home to the point that Gotham really is a corrupt nightmare, and works out a plan that could usurp Forbes corrupt rule of the police force, allowing Batman to properly take on the vigilantes, tearing up Gotham right now. I love his scenes with Vicki Vale; their back and forth banter is always delicious to read and adds a spark to the issues in a place I didn’t expect much excitement to be coming from. The Bard gang war storyline plays out incredibly well and again, even though Batman is essentially only here to look awesome in a handful of frames, I didn’t mind. I hope Bard becomes a major figure in the next few issues to come.
The other subplots are whittled down to brief recaps, which is fine, because they cover everything they need to. The Red Robin and Bluebird story is kept to a few pages, but its only job is to remind us that this is an ongoing side-plot, so when the issues are ready to tackle it, we haven’t totally lost interest. All we need from the writers is a few funny and charming moments from the two characters (Bluebird will end up a fan favourite for sure), to keep us happy. The Cluemaster storyline is still the best thing about Eternal overall. I love how the comic handles the Cluemaster, Vale describing him as a ‘second-rate Riddler’. However, everyone’s complacency is causing a massive problem for Stephanie Brown and the inability of anyone to take the Cluemaster seriously has a serious consequence for a few characters. Again, this side-plot is still my vote for the one to watch. I hope it plays a massive part in the finale.
Finally, Jim Gordon comes face to face with his renegade son. It will be a nice parallel between James Jr. and Batgirl and seeing how they both cope with Gordon’s imprisonment. I hope the two children of the Gordon family come face to face at some point in this series. I could criticise the scenes in the prison as scene-chewing. It is essentially the two characters reeling off monologues and justifications for their actions. If this was a movie, it would serve as nothing more than giving two good actors a reason to bounce off of each other. However, these scenes are far too fun to criticise. It opens up some interesting ideas and, most importantly, makes Jim Gordon the central figure once more, something that Eternal is always moments from forgetting.
And in the background, I cannot shake the memory that this gang war means little. It is killing time while the true nemesis, the nanobots, the real reason Gordon fired at an unarmed man, is revealed. We still have to explore the Joker’s daughter, Dr. Phosphorous, the mysterious first frame of the entire series. Batman Eternal is only just kicking off and we have a lot more great set-pieces waiting for us.
Quote of the Issue:
Stephanie Brown: Out of all of the super-villians in the world, why did my Dad have to be one of the crap ones?
For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com
Posted on July 5th, 2014
Category: ORACLE OF COMICS, REVIEWS
Tags: Batman Eternal #13 review, Bruce Wayne, DC Comics, Jason Bard, Jim Gordon, Luke Abbott, Red Robin
By Luke Abbott
This episode is probably the most action-packed yet. Despite this series having a nasty little habit of dancing around conflict, this issue finally delivers not one punch-up, but two terrific fight sequences.
In a clever move by the writers of this issue, we strip away the Dr. Phosphorous taking on Batwing storyline for the time being, so the comic can actually highlight the characters it wants to discuss. Therefore, we zoom in on Batman, as he rushes towards the explosion that rocked Gotham last issue. When he gets there, it turns out that Professor Pyg is back and behind it all. After having his plan ruined in the very first issue, he has regrouped, got together a following and is marching out onto the streets of Gotham, intent on reducing the city to his idea of ‘beauty’. Meanwhile, we meet up with Penguin, as he tries to plan his assault on Falcone. He is confronted by Catwoman, however, who is not happy that the underbelly of Gotham is being torn at the seams by this gang war. A terrific fight breaks out, while the pair of them are unaware that Falcone’s next move might not be as far away as the Penguin suspects.
This episode is the right balance of fun and story progression. While the overall story arc isn’t brushed totally away, it struck me that the main goal of Issue #7 was to just deliver a bit of a punch to the comic series, especially as it was dragging its feet as of late. Penguin is always a fun character to tackle, because he has so many little tricks up his sleeve. Catwoman is the ideal person for him to face off against, because everyone is familiar with the character. She also has the benefit of not being a straight good guy, so we are unsure if the two are going to kill one another, or maybe join sides against Falcone and the Batman. On a lesser note, I didn’t buy into the fact that the writers tried to make Penguin a sympathetic character. They give him a monologue, where he tries to appeal to Catwoman (and the audience) that he keeps Gotham safer, under a united mob, while Falcone’s reign will equal chaos. Penguin has never cared about Gotham; he cares about power. While it was clear that the writers wanted us to have a favourite side in this little gang war, this isn’t a very good way of helping us pick one. Penguin the hero doesn’t sit right with this reader.
On the other side of the comic, we have the Batman. Finally, we get the issue Gotham deserves. While the fight between Penguin and Catwoman occasionally comes across as a cheap trick to get across some exposition from the bad guy’s point of view, Batman vs. Pyg is just pure action. Frames are devoted to portraying Batman in a bad-ass light. Pyg, while not a villain I am too familiar with, is delightful here, portraying the kind of madness that makes the Arkham games’ version of Batman so enjoyable. It also throws up some clever twists on Falcone’s part, which is appreciated. Falcone isn’t the most threatening villain, so he needs a good plan up his sleeve. If he carries on like this, I am Team Falcone over Penguin’s random sympathetic monologuing! Also, there is a neat little twist with Commissioner Forbes that surprised me and could mean chaos for Gotham, according to the cliff-hanger we are left on.
For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com
Posted on May 22nd, 2014
Category: ORACLE OF COMICS, REVIEWS
Tags: Batman Eternal #7 Review, Batwing, Bruce Wayne, Comic Reviews, DC Comics, James Tynion IV, Jim Gordon, Luke Abbot, Scott Snyder
By Luke Abbott
This issue opens up with Batwing caught in a mid-air with the Gentleman Ghost. The fight is short-lived, but it acts as a promise: this issue is action-packed.
Action-packed might be the wrong word to use here. It certainly moves along at a brisk enough pace. Within the first few pages, we have set up numerous storylines. A ghostly figure begins brewing below Arkham Asylum that looks truly terrifying. A new villain is introduced in one frame that will get the fan boys pumped. On top of that, the crime war between Falcone and Penguin rages on, with Batman tearing across Gotham, sleep-deprived and desperate. However, none of these conflicts are concluded. In fact, maybe that quick fight with the Gentleman Ghost was only featured, because Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV were getting very aware that this issue wasn’t containing a single punch. I don’t mind too much, because this issue acts as a set-up for what should be a great next issue. The pieces are in place for what should be a tense, and hopefully moderately chilling, action piece.
I am always cautious when Batman tackles the supernatural. While the mobster crimes of Falcone and Penguin do have a habit of getting stale, I am not really too keen on the Dark Knight taking on anything too otherworldly. For one, I like the detective side of Batman and when he ends up taking on ghosts like the mysterious figure shown here, it is hard to make him seem all-knowing. However, as far as those stories go, this one has balanced quite well. Batman is experienced enough to know how to take on Gentleman Ghost and when mysterious reports of supernatural disturbances going on in Arkham, he turns to the help of Jim Corrigan, guided by a mysterious force, known as the Spectre. And the plus side of magic getting involved is that this new, skeletal enemy has a way of getting under your skin that Falcone just cannot do.
I am still a little lost with Batman Eternal as a whole. While the main arc was struggling to keep me interested, it cannot just disappear completely. Other than a few name-drops, it isn’t brought up at all. What happened to the Cluemaster? Wasn’t Batgirl about to kick some ass? We seemed to have moved away from that totally, which kills the tension of that storyline. I am unsure where we are with the mystery as a whole. While I enjoyed this issue a lot more than some of the others, it puts the overall Eternal arc in a bit of a bad light.
And finally, I love the artwork here. Some of the bigger frames are astonishingly good. The spectre rising from the graves. The dark corridors of the Asylum basement. They will stay with you for a long while.
Quote of the Week:
Batwing: He said, if you start, like smoking from the eyes and mouth, I should run. He said I wouldn’t want to see what happens next.
Corrigan: Sounds like he covered the basics.
For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com
Posted on May 22nd, 2014
Category: ORACLE OF COMICS, REVIEWS
Tags: Batman Eternal #6 Review, Batwing, Bruce Wayne, Comic Reviews, DC Comics, James Tynion IV, Jim Gordon, Luke Abbot, Scott Snyder
By Luke Abbott
This issue moves away from Batman, Bard and ex-Commissioner Gordon and picks up a new strand of story. This time, we focus on the Red Robin, taking the investigation back to the first issue. While Batman and Batgirl take on Falcone and try to solve what happened to Gordon, Red Robin is focused on the children that were abducted by Professor Pyg. Turns out they were not infected by Pyg’s serum, but something else. Red Robin decides to head off on his own to get to the bottom of that riddle. In the meantime, Vicki Vale takes an intern and tries to find out what Falcone is up to. However, that gets her into trouble with some of the goons in the Narrows. Throw the Bluebird into the mix and the three sections of stories end up colliding in an explosive way.
I was a little apprehensive, as soon as I realized that we were going to be having a Batman-lite installment of Eternal. I came here for Batman and I want the god damn Batman. However, on the other hand, while I have been hooked on the mystery, I have to admit the series had been dragging its feet. A change of pace is just what the story needed. It helps that this additional strand of story has really upped the ante. Up until now, it was just another case of ‘gang war’ and who is behind it all? Now, we are introduced with a new element to the mystery, which throws in some more colourful ideas into the pot. As Red Robin says at one point, this is “more advanced than anything Pyg is capable of”. My interest has been well and truly piqued once more. Also, it was nice to have Vicki Vale added to the story. She is a character that often gets lost in the canon, but here, she makes up for lost time, especially in the final frame, where she shows the reader how a civilian woman stands up alongside all of these vigilantes. Bluebird was also a welcomed addition to the story, as I know very little about the character, but she bursts onto the pages, grabbing your attention and respect instantly. I look forward to what she gets up to.
Yes, I enjoyed this issue, but there were a few, minor details that confused me. The main one was the Batman’s only scene. Last we checked in, Batman was rushing away to stop Batgirl rashly interrogating a suspect. How does he have time to pop in on Red Robin? Is this a mistake as the writers change hands in between issues? Or maybe the two strands of story are told slightly out of order? Either way that can get confusing fast and needs to be better explained to the reader. The other thing that threw me was how Vicki Vale’s plan of action was to waltz into the Narrows to interview people. I get that Vicki is a headstrong reporter, but there’s a difference between headstrong and stupid. This is what happens when a writer needs to lay Vicki Vale out for the newcomers to Batman, without recovering old ground for old fans of the character, while progressing the story simultaneously. In the space of a few frames. It is tricky, but I think Vale needed to have her scene thought through a little longer. However, like I did say, her character redeems herself in the final page.
I also wasn’t sold on the art style. Sometimes Andy Clarke drew a beautiful portrait of the characters. The goons were very detailed; we could see every crevice and imperfection on their face. Red Robin looked very cool, illuminated by the glow of his holographic detective system. However, other times Clarke dropped the ball completely, mainly during the ‘talking head’ moments. When characters got through exposition, Clarke would draw Vale or Cullen with an expression that looked a little ridiculous. The overall style was good, interesting, and at times, the most beautiful we have seen the art in Eternal yet. However, it was a little inconsistent, which frustrated me at times.
However, that is just me nit-picking. This is a true return to form for Batman Eternal, maybe only being trumped by the very first instalment of the series. Batman Eternal isn’t quite at the quality I want it to be just yet, but as far as comic books go, this is a good investment.
Quote of the Month:
(when intern Joey Day meets the Red Robin)
Day: I have a picture of you on my wall.
Red Robin: Uh. Thanks?
For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com
Posted on May 10th, 2014
Category: ORACLE OF COMICS, REVIEWS
Tags: Batman Eternal #5 Review, Bruce Wayne, Comic Reviews, DC Comics, James Tynion IV, Jim Gordon, Luke Abbot, Red Robin, Scott Snyder
By Luke Abbott
This week, Gordon goes on trial, provoking some angry feelings inside of Barbara, also known as the Batgirl. Batman begins to see parts of his earlier self inside her, mainly the anger at the injustice of Gotham. He might have to put investigating Gordon’s trial on hold to make sure that she isn’t about to do something stupid. Meanwhile, Bard struggles to stay afloat amidst the corruption of Gotham, Gordon’s troubles appear to only just be beginning and Stephanie, after finding out her father was the Cluemaster last issue, has no idea just how deep the conspiracy goes, and how much danger she is actually in.
Injustice For All is a bit of a poor issue. I picked out two reasons for this. The main point is that there is a little too much to cover. This is a common problem with the Batman universe, as there are so many characters to cover. Having the main focus of your mystery as police corruption is fine in itself, but it means that we have to keep jumping to all of these characters. Bard needs to be checked in on, so the reader knows that he is an essential part to the narrative, but at the same time, we don’t want to forget about Gordon, who is meant to be one of the most important characters in the whole story arc. On top of that, we have Batgirl. While it actually makes sense to explore Barbara Gordon’s reaction to the whole drama, as she is the daughter of the guy being put on trial, I hope that the writers aren’t going to keep doing this with other characters. For example, do we have to cover what every ex-Robin is going through in future issues? It keeps this issue stagnant and before long I can see the actual Batman being pushed out of his own story.
The other annoying factor here is poor writing. I get the elements of the issue’s story, but the comic struggles to get from Point A to Point B. Two moments in this issue severely lost track of logic. There is a scene where Batman breaks into Falcone’s penthouse and learns his side of the story. However, he does very little in this scene. He breaks through, has an obligatory awesome Batman fight scene and then ‘chats’ with the guy who he believes is the mastermind of the whole thing. He literally accuses Falcone and then just walks off into the night, without even trying to get any answers from the supposed big bad guy of the conspiracy. While it covers up the plot hole of ‘can’t Batman just take Falcone out right now?’, it throws up so many other questions and gaps in logic that the scene fell flat. The other terrible piece of writing was when he confronts Batgirl in the Batcave. Yes, she is angry and yes, she should be watched, but she actually uncovers a pretty, big clue. It is probably going to be a red herring, because the writers want to go down the road of Barbara’s judgement being clouded, but at the same time, shouldn’t Batman at least hear her out? She pretty much has figured out something that could crack the case wide open and all he does is lecture her on her understandable anger. Batman is very unBatman-like this issue.
It’s not all bad. The Cluemaster subplot is turning into my favourite part of Batman Eternal, with another neat plot development. The cliffhanger was pretty creepy and promises a good fifth issue. And, while I have already made this point and will make it again several more times, when the next issue comes out in a week’s time, I find myself OK with a substandard story. Hopefully this is nothing but a small wobble on a pretty great story arc.
Quote of the Issue:
Leo: Cops in Blackgate… they don’t tend to last very long. And cops in Blackgate Gen-Pop? Well, they might as well skip the trial and hand you your death.
For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com
Posted on May 4th, 2014
Category: ORACLE OF COMICS, REVIEWS
Tags: Batgirl, Batman, Batman Eternal #4 Review, Comic Review, DC Comics, James Tynion IV, Jim Gordon, Luke Abbott, Scott Snyder
By Luke Abbott
Previously on Batman Eternal, we saw Jim Gordon go from hero to villain, when he fired at an unarmed suspect, resulting in a catastrophic accident in the Underground. Batman is hot on the trails of the culprit, seeing as the police aren’t asking too many questions. Last issue ended with Batman realising that Carmine Falcone had one of his men on the scene, and the reader learns that that same Falcone is now getting close to the Mayor, which is bound to cause some trouble for Gotham in the next, few issues.
The good thing about Batman Eternal is the weekly series element. Even if one comic is slightly mediocre, we are willing to wait a few more issues to see the bigger picture. Other comics, like Harley Quinn, need to impress us time after time, as there are only out once a month, but there is a massive amount of freedom for the writers with Eternal. For example, the reveal of Falcone was a little unsatisfying for me (the way Batman trembled, you assumed it would be someone bigger), but it didn’t phase me too much, because Issue #3 was out before I could let the disappointment linger too much.
Issue #3 is still setting the scene really. We see Falcone make a move on Gotham and how everyone reacts to this. Batman is struggling to keep up with the onslaught of crime erupting from Gotham, the few remaining good cops are caught in a sea of corruption and a famous figure from Batman’s rogue gallery struggles to hold his dominance as Falcone turns up the heat. Looking back, this issue is little more than moving chess-pieces into position, but it still is an exciting read. The suspense and tension is dialled up to the maximum and we are clinging onto every thread of the story.
My favourite moment in the comic was the addition of the Cluemaster. Everyone has a good, little chuckle, as Cluemaster’s teenage daughter accidentally walks into one of his secret meetings. It is a very funny moment. And then that scene gets dark very quickly, in a way that only the Noir world of Batman can get away with. I know very little about the Cluemaster, but he seems very interesting, especially with some of his actions here. He doesn’t seem like a massive threat, but he seems an interesting character to explore at the very least.
Quote of the Week:
Great introduction to a favourite villain. (REDACTED VILLIAN): Oh, my dear, sweet girl. What kind of monster do you think I am? I fed him to an elephant seal three hours ago.
For more comic views and reviews follow Luke on Twitter at @LukeBbtt and check out his website at www.oracleoffilm.com
Posted on April 26th, 2014
Category: ORACLE OF COMICS, REVIEWS
Tags: Batman, Batman Eternal #3 Review, Comic Blog, Comic Reviews, DC Comics, James Tynion IV, Jim Gordon, Luke Abbott, Penguin, Scott Snyder
Review by Chris Fenn
Coming in to this issue I didn’t know what to expect. I have seen the front cover advertised in previous ‘Bat’ comics, and I read the preview from Batman #28, but in all honesty I sort of didn’t know what to expect.
I am happy to say that this seems like a welcome blend of suspense, action and mystery. I feel like I’m going to like this comic.
The beginning of the comic really made me think of Grant Morrison. Now I know I seem to say that an awful lot, but hear me out; the city being on fire with Batman at the heart of the destruction seems very reminiscent of Damian’s possible future from Incorporated. I love the disembodied voice talking at Bruce, and the intensity and pain in the eyes of the fallen Batman.
The set up with the new cop was really nice. I don’t believe I’ve seen the corrupt cop before, but he reminded me of Flass, or at least that sort of dirty, power hungry archetype. I found that despite most of the cops being new they all fit in well and felt familiar; they had enough depth and character that I could believe in them all without wanting an entire issue dedicated to the GCPD.
The obvious mystery of this story will be what happened to Jim. As the reader we saw the gun Jim saw, but seemingly nobody else did. Is this all a dream? Is there somebody manipulating perception? Does this mean that Gotham may not really be burning? I certainly don’t know; but I do intend to keep on reading and find out!
For more comic views and reviews follow Chris on Twitter at @fenneth1989
Posted on April 10th, 2014
Category: OUT OF THE LONG BOX, REVIEWS
Tags: Batman Eternal #1 Review, Bruce Wayne, Comic Reviews, DC Comics, James Tynion IV, Jim Gordon, John Layman, Ray Fawkes, Scott Snyder, Tim Seeley
Reviewed by Chris Fenn
I know last week I really praised Batman and Two-Face but I’m finding it difficult to word how much I enjoyed this issue. This issue just seemed to have everything; action, drama, suspense. I think I can say, without lying or exaggerating, this is probably one of the best comics I have ever read.
This is the closing issue of the Two-Face story arc and it begins with a courthouse inferno. The interesting thing is, despite this being a highly tense action scene; complete with fire and guns, the main focus is on the dialogue between Two-Face and Batman.
Harvey reveals he knows it is Bruce under the cowl. This is almost underwhelming compared to the heart to heart the two characters have. It seems to take the same route as the arguments posed in The Dark Knight, but it just feels more meaningful on the pages – especially knowing Harvey knows who Batman is. One thing that really seems touching is the fact that Harvey has fought to not kill Batman over the years, and he accepts that he earned his scars.
Later on we get to see Harvey interact with Jim Gordon. I love the use of the colour scheme here; the use of blue and red is brilliant. The way I read it the colours don’t represent each aspect of Two-Face’s personality, but they do really show the internal conflict he has and the struggles he goes through to make decisions; especially towards Gordon someone who would have been a close friend then became a hated enemy.
The most memorable part of this book has to be the closing panels of Harvey Dent. It struck me as quite poetic that after years of using the coin, Harvey speaks about luck and then makes the first significant decision of his own accord. We won’t know if this is a permanent death, a comic book death or some sort of red herring but in my mind this is the end of Mr. Dent.
One of my favourite parts of this book is the emphasis on the coin. For once it isn’t used as some sort of ploy to delay or confuse Harvey, but it’s used in a way that I don’t think I’ve seen before. Instead of focusing on the duality of the coin, Batman forces Harvey to think of the edge; a compromise and joining of both sides. It is perhaps through this why we see Harvey act independently – it is in the interest of both sides of his personality to see Gilda again.
I can’t stress how much I enjoyed this issue. I hope that Tomasi continues to deliver such quality that he has done since I started to read his work.
For more comic views and reviews follow Chris on Twitter at @fenneth1989
Posted on February 24th, 2014
Category: OUT OF THE LONG BOX, REVIEWS
Tags: Batman, Batman and Two-Face #28 Review, Bruce Wayne, Chris Fenn, Comic Blog, Comic Reviews, DC Comics, Jim Gordon, Patrick Gleason, Peter Tomasi
Reviewed by Chris Fenn
As I said, or will say – depends what you read first really, in my Detective Comics #28 review; we seem to be getting some nice Scarecrow love this month! Now so far I’ve really enjoyed everything with the ‘Forever Evil’ tag line across the cover, and Arkham War is no exception!
The opener of this issue shows Jim Gordan acting as the last bastion of sanity and hope in a city ravaged by inter-dimensional aliens and madmen. Amidst all the chaos Jim Gordon acts as the man we know from No Man’s Land and the Killing Joke; he will play by the rules and do the right thing in the face of any terror and adversity.
Then we cut to the madmen causing the carnage.
The stage has been set. Batman Bane with Nightwing William Cobb are facing off against an army of Talons lead by the Arkham inmates in a war for Gotham City. After plenty of bloodshed and sacrifice on behalf of Bane’s men we see Cobb mow down his brethren in a hope to ‘reboot’ them so they will join Bane’s cause against those who would enslave them.
Then we cut to Scarecrow , who seems to be the only sane Arkham inmate, as he can see that the tide has changed and soon he will not only be on the losing side, but also a side that will destroy itself internally before Bane can get to them.
After Scarecrows lamentation to the future he assembles his peers and announces that they will fight fire with fire and face off against Bane using his venom against him. The other inmates disagree with this plan. But Scarecrow has already forced his hand by corrupting the air with venom. Seems the only sane man may be mad after all!
Arkham War is utterly brilliant, I cannot wait to see how it ends and if this will have an impact on the main continuity Batman Universe; that is currently stuck in the past with Zero Year. I can imagine that regardless of who wins the Arkham War; the people of Gotham and Jim Gordon will lose but us readers will be winnners!
For more comic views and reviews follow Chris on Twitter at @fenneth1989
Posted on February 13th, 2014
Category: OUT OF THE LONG BOX, REVIEWS
Tags: Bane, Batman, Chris Fenn, Comic Blogs, Comic Reviews, DC Comics, Forever Evil: Arkham War #5 Review, Jim Gordon
Reviewed by Chris Fenn
I’ve followed all of New 52 Batman – from issue #0 to the subject of this review, issue #27. I have really enjoyed what Scott Snyder has done, and knowing he was going to re-do the origin of Batman I was slightly sceptical. How do you do what Year One did but better?
Well, Snyder took the approach of not re-telling Year One, and I think it has worked wonders for him. As this is a review for issue #27 I’m not going to harp on about how I loved the Red Hood bit (even though I did) but for anybody reading this who hasn’t started from the first issue, I’d honestly say do so as it is a good arc.
Okay, so this issue starts off in 1946 listening to a woman sing us a song. Now unless I’m missing some subtext all I can find this page does is lull you into feeling nice and relaxed to blast you with the stark contrast of page two. Batman is on the run from Loeb and his swat team and he is losing – this is a young and inexperienced Batman and it is tense watching him squirm.
As you might guess, considering this is a prequel, Batman gets away and is rescued by Jim Gordon. During the rescue there was a nice nod to Year One where Gordon takes off his glasses and says he’s blind without them, which I found to be an amazing detail to include. For the bulk of Gordon’s appearance he explains to Batman why he wears the coat that was given to him as a bribe – something that caused friction between Bruce and Gordon in an earlier issue, and I thought this sort of mirrored why Batman puts on the cowl.
Gordon isn’t the only man to speak to Batman from the heart, as Alfred shares his opinion on why he thinks Bruce prowls the night. What is so great about this, and Snyder is to be commended for it, is he doesn’t pick the obvious choice of justice or vengeance – he instead says it is to punish those who failed Bruce; Alfred, Gordon and the city. This is accompanied by what could possibly be my favourite picture of Batman skulking on a phone wire during a flash of lightning.
The conclusion of this issue seems like a mid-season finale. It ends a small arc in the story, but creates so much suspense for the next issue – it’s like it’s pulling the reader in by the eyelids. A great issue to a great story; I cannot wait for issue 28.
For more comic views and reviews follow Chris on Twitter at @fenneth1989
Posted on January 27th, 2014
Category: OUT OF THE LONG BOX, REVIEWS
Tags: Batman #27 Review, Bruce Wayne, Chris Fenn, Comic Blogs, Comic Reviews, DC Comics, Jim Gordon, Riddler, Year Zero
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