Batman Inc. #9

So now I’ve reached a new point in my DC New 52 titles. I am still getting my mail-subscription issues of Batman and Green Lantern, but I’ve actually stopped reading them. They are starting to pile up as my interest level in those books drops. As those titles get more and more disconnected from the DC I know and love, I can’t make myself care.

That is not a problem for Grant Morrison’s Batman Inc.

Unlike the other titles, Morrison ignored the reboot and has been telling his long-form Batman story for years now. This is one masterpiece that stretches back years and years.

Damian Wayne died last issue, killed by his “brother” the unnamed (I believe) flunky of Leviathan/Talia Al Ghul. That guy has always given me a Bane vibe, and that is even stronger this issue when he threatens to break Batman’s back. It takes the combined skill of Batman, Nightwing, and Red Robin to just get away. Unfortunately, that leaves Wayne Tower in the hands of the baddies, and Gotham City in a general state of chaos.

Since this is called Batman Inc., we get to check in on the larger cast, too. After Knight’s death two issues ago, his sidekick steps up and takes his place, with the Squire becoming the new Knight. I’m pleased, it looks like she is going to be a part of the final battle, along with a few of the other more prominent Batmen. We also see Jason Todd’s predicament; it looks like he’s surrounded by Talia and other attractive ladies. I’m confident Jason can resist the temptation to turn sides.

Chris Burnham should be really proud of himself. He came in after Frank Quitely established the look and tone of Morrison’s run and he’s carried the torch. I’m enjoying his stuff at least as much as Quitely’s now, even though Burnham is clearly aping the other artist’s style. .The scenes with Batman marching through the rain carrying Damian’s torch are touching and ominous, and the scene where Bruce “suspends” Alfred is heartbreaking and raw. Great work.

Good

Batman Inc. #8

SPOILERS AHOY!

Man. When Grant Morrison gets to tell his story all the way through, with a solid artist, there is no one better.

I’ve read that Morrison promised to leave the Bat-universe as he found it. That means no Damian, no Batman Inc. (I assume) and everything back to normal. I respect that, but I’m going to miss Damian Wayne a lot. Unlike a lot of my comic-reading friends, I loved Damian from the start. I found his poor attitude hilarious, and I was fascinated by the relationship Damian formed with Dick Grayson. Seeing the two of them function as Batman & Robin was a joy.

I think Morrison found it that way too. Damian has one hell of a send-off in this issue; he saves pretty much all the other Robins, he fights off crowds of bad guys, and he even gets a moment with Grayson. It’s a nice, quiet moment between explosions where the two of them get to acknowledge how much fun they had working together as the caped crusaders. Perhaps Damian is a bit mushier than normal, but it is totally worth it to see the two buds charge into the maelstrom together one last time. A wonderful, touching scene; it is my favorite in the comic.

But the death scene is great too. Rendered in unbelievable detail by Chris Burnham, Robin goes down fighting. His bulky brother (who still reminds me of Bane) is a tough opponent, and the two of them shred each other attempting to win. During the whole conflict, however, Damian is being shot with arrows and bullets. By the time the fight is wrapping up, Damian is bloodied, tattered, and spitting blood. Burnham does a great job making Damian still look like a kid too, making his death all the more tragic.

I find it to be a fascinating decision that Damian’s “goodbye” is with Nightwing, not with Batman. Bruce Wayne will never have the chance to say goodbye to his son. Damian’s mother, Talia Al Ghul/Leviathan? She could have saved Damian or at least said goodbye. She does neither.

Excellent

Batman Inc. #4

Yee haw! Grant Morrison still writes comics that remind me what I love about the DCU. Batman/Matches Malone gathers up his Batman Incorporated allies for a major strike on the League of Assassins. The only really recognizable member (and real threat) is Merlyn the archer, but even he is no match for this many Batmen. Hood, El Gaucho, Nightwing, and more all show up for some sweet crowd scenes. Hood and El Gaucho actually get some time to themselves to banter and show off, as does Batwing. I’m glad Batwing handles such an important task; I like the idea of an armored bat-dude who uses a lot of tech.

Wingman’s secret wasn’t obvious to me, but that’s mostly because I selectively delete this character out of almost everything he appears in. I didn’t like him around in the real DCU that we still see in this title, and I sure don’t care about him in the DCnU. So while I appreciate the swerve, I wasn’t in love with it. I do like that Morrison is confusing his son Damien so much. That poor kid is going to be messed up forever from all the manipulations his parents put him through.

What can you say about Chris Burnham? Like a few other recent artists, he’s got a fantastic blend of famous artistic styles. His art just sings off the page during the combat scenes, with the Hood and Gaucho’s sequence stealing the show. Look at the different ways the Batmen move, with Wingman’s haughty, arrogant walk. Look at the detail in the panels, the books on the shelves in the background while the characters are duking it out in the foreground. This thing is just gorgeous.

Excellent

Batman #13

Wow. I’ll tell you one job I would not want: police officer in Gotham City. I mean, the opportunities for bribery seem to be really high, but the Joker kills a lot of cops every time he starts a new storyline. Heck, most of the villains get to do that!

I’m a little puzzled by the murder spree that opens this comic. The Joker has always been threatening, but I never figured he was the multiple neck-snapping type. Scott Snyder writes Joker as an extremely capable physical opponent. I suppose that will make him a bigger challenge for Bats, but seems like a pretty dramatic power upgrade for the character.

Snyder does a nice job establishing the “family” that is in danger for this arc. Nightwing, Red Robin, Damian, and Batgirl are all targets for Mr. J, so it makes sense that they are given some panel time. The focus remains squarely on Batman, since this is his solo title, but the stage is set. There is one more family member in a bit more danger at the close of the issue; we’ll see how that works out.

I didn’t find the back-up story to be necessary at all. That’s been the continuing trend since DC upped the price and added the feature. The main story has been good all along, but those second stories are the definition of page-fillers.

Greg Capullo is clearly having fun with the Clown Prince of Crime. That last page cliff-hanger is awful. I also like that on pages with the power cutting out, Capullo still draws a lot of the action for Gordon. It would be mighty easy to just layer some dialogue over black panels!

This is the big coming-out party for the Joker in the new 52, and this is the second line-wide crossover inspired by Scott Snyder’s Batman title. This is clearly the biggest mover and shaker in the DCnU line, and DC is wisely putting the focus on this title. I’ve got a lot of problems with the DC line as a whole these days, but I can’t find much fault with this book.

Good

Batman & Robin #12

I appreciate that after all that buildup, all those plans, and underlings, and complicated plots, Terminus just walks out in a suit of armor and fights Batman. I mean, re-branding the Bat and scaring the city, trying to psyche out the cops, that’s all well and good. But when it comes down to it, someone got to punch Batman in the face, and Terminus is willing to do the dirty work himself.

The big selling point on this issue is the bat-armor. I love the whole sequence where Batman decides it’s time to armor-up. He slides into some crazy chute under the Batmobile, and pops out the other side wearing a nice update of his Predator-fighting armor. (I know Batman wears armor for lots of things, but to me, I always go back to that sweet battle against the Predators in the 90’s.) It’s just a street fight after that.

The Damian vs. the Robins sub-plot gets wrapped up sort of quickly. Nightwing opts out, and just tosses Damian one of his battle staves, so there is no need for Damian to go get a trophy. It doesn’t seem like that should work on a psycho like Damian, but maybe it will. It’s also weird seeing Red Hood, Red Robin, Damian, and Nightwing all teaming up again. They reference it on-page, too, but these guys just teamed up a month ago to take on the Talons. I mean, they’re practically Gotham’s super-team at this point!

Patrick Gleason does a great job on that armor. I love the glowing effects, and the actual punching with Terminus looks wonderful. The backgrounds are routinely full of Robins beating up Peter Tomasi’s new rogues’ gallery, so there is a lot to look at. I did have a hard time discerning what was happening when the whole crowd got tased (I thought it was foam or something), but that’s a small complaint. In fact, the panel where Bats pops all the armor off is almost as good as the sequence where he puts it on.

Good

Batman & Robin #11

It’s tough when two comics featuring the same character come out on the same week. Scott Snyder’s Batman was awesome, while this issue by Peter Tomasi is merely solid. There’s nothing bad about the story, but it’s a middle chapter featuring a new villain compared to a climax featuring a status-quo changing antagonist. It’s a tough matchup. I do appreciate Tomasi reigning in his bloodlust, though! Commissioner Gordon actually mentions that no one has died yet!

The legion of villains assembled last issue, this time they are running through Gotham, branding innocent civilians with a flaming symbol of the bat. It’s a neat moment, making the citizens fear their protector, but you know it can’t last. Tomasi plays it nicely when Batman goes blasting down the street in the Batmobile with the scared citizens watching him go by, hoping he can succeed.

I still don’t know enough about the main villain, Terminus, to know if he has much staying power. He’s the mastermind, but he really hasn’t spent too much time on-panel. I’m even fuzzy on his long-term plan, unless the end game is just to make Batman angry buy hurting Gotham?

There’s also a sequence with the Red Hood, but I’m so confused on what’s happened and what hasn’t in the new 52, I can’t get too worked up over it.

Patrick Gleason turns in another solid effort. He’s clearly having fun drawing these oddball new villains; it’s like a Gleason-created rogue’s gallery. I liked seeing the flaming brand burn away the outer layer of the bat-armor too. Batman still looks battle-weary, but capable running around in the damaged suit.

Fair

Back Issue Review: Detective Comics #569 & 570

I’ve got to get quicker on my reading so I can still make digital recommendations while Comixology is selling comics for cheap! They had a nice Catwoman sale last weekend, and I grabbed these two old issues, but now the price has hopped back up to $1.99 each. They are probably worth it, though.

Mike W. Barr writes the Batman of a different era. He says “Chum” all the time, he makes witty comments, and he calls Jason Todd/Robin “Jay” in the heat of battle. I kind of like this Batman, although he’s actually a bit scary. With modern Batman, he’s angry all the time, right? You know that angry fellow could haul off and beat the crap out of somebody at any moment. With this Batman of the past, Bats might be laughing and making puns then lose it and almost beat a villain to death! It’s crazy!

This story has the Joker trying to reprogram Catwoman to return to her life of crime. At this point, she was trying to get Bats to settle down with her (I like Robin’s reaction to their “alone time.”) Joker doesn’t like this, so he has a strange dude, Dr. Moon, use a CAT scan machine to reprogram Selina’s brain. Dr. Moon is creepy and cool, was the guy ever used again? I love the idea of a “normal” person being able to hang in the Joker’s world. He’s a creeper for sure.

Catwoman doesn’t get a whole lot to do, she spends much of the two issues either being captured or brainwashed. Now, she looks fantastic thanks to Alan Davis’ art, but she doesn’t get to do much in the story. Joker is really just a project manager too; he’s got a gang that does most of the fighting and Dr. Moon handles the brain work. Joker’s an idea man and punching bag.

How many Detective issues did Davis do? I’ve read a couple now, and his Batman is fantastic. I love the yellow, gray, and blue suit best, so seeing it rendered by Davis is a real treat. And boy, few artists can get as much expression and emotion out of a masked face as Davis does here. The 80’s feel of the issue is a strong point, with Joker’s hair and Selina’s costume both looking great.

I’ll leave you with some wisdom of Batman, courtesy of Barr. When Robin has spent a few minutes hanging with a woman of… doubtful character, he says

“Boy, she really knows how to make a guy feel good!”
Batman: “That’s what she’s best at, chum.”
Robin (surprised): “Huh? You mean she’s a… a…”
Batman: “She’s a Lady, chum… just like Selina.”

Wise words, Batman.

Good

Batman & Robin #10

Peter Tomasi has to re-set the deck after an issue spent on Night of the Owls. He lost a bit of momentum there with that focus on Damian, so not a lot happens in this issue.

Bruce Wayne has commissioned a painting of his family, with Jason Todd notably absent. It’s too bad, with Damian hanging around and acting so badly, I have a hard time figuring what Jason did that means he can’t come back to the fold. That said, I always like it when Tomasi writes Nightwing, and he’s just as deft with the other Robins. Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, and Damian make for a heck of a family for Bruce. I find Tim Drake to be a bit whinier than I remember seeing him, which is a bit of a bummer. And I have absolutely no idea what’s going on in Teen Titans, so that reference was lost on me.

I do like the idea of Terminus’ gang of thugs. I think most of these guys are Tomasi creations, but I only remember a few of them for sure.

Patrick Gleason has a rough road here. Getting a bunch of black-haired, blue eyed guys to look different is tough, especially when the new 52 has them all within a few years of each other. I mean, can anyone pick out the difference between Red Robin and Damian? I sure can’t. Nightwing’s costume helps, but still. I do like the way Gleason integrates each villain’s origin with a close-up of his or her face. It’s a nice recap/introduction to obscure or new characters.

Fair

Batman Annual #1

It does bother me, seeing that #1 up in the left-hand corner of the newest Batman Annual. But I suppose it goes with the territory these days, huh?

This book may be labeled as part of the Night of the Owls crossover, but that’s only because some of the characters mention that such a thing exists. Instead, Scott Snyder and co-writer James Tynon IV deliver one of my favorite types of Batman stories: the villain feature.

Mr. Freeze gets a little bit of a retcon here, but for the most part, this is Victor Fries as we know and love him. He’s got the cold gun and the burning love for a frozen woman; he just gets some additional childhood trauma on the side. I don’t really have a problem with the update to Fries’ romantic life; I don’t think it harms the character in any way to redefine his most important relationship.

I enjoy seeing Nightwing and Robin show up too. Their presence makes this feel even more like an “annual-worthy” event, it isn’t just a normal Batman vs. villain deal. I was surprised that Mr. Freeze beat the two of them so easily, but again, it did serve a greater story purpose. After all, would we have been suitably impressed by Batman’s bad-ass, heating-coil gloves if everyone had them?

I don’t recognize Jason Fabok’s art, but he has a style similar to Michael Janin’s over on JL Dark. Fabok is really good, delivering subtle shading and emotions when necessary, but able to crank up the action when called for too. The panel where Batman busts loose from the ice prison was fantastic. I would love to get my hands on an original page from this issue.

Good

Batman Inc. (2012) #1

The best of both worlds, folks. Grant Morrison gets to re-invent Superman with a totally new origin and attitude over in Action Comics, but over in the Batverse, things keep on trucking like the reboot never happened. At least, when I read this issue, I sure couldn't find anything that diverted me down any of my normal paths of annoyance about the reboot. Dick Grayson was still Batman. Leviathan is still Talia Al' Ghul, it's all like the last series never really ended. And I'm not complaining one bit.

When I say Morrison picks up where he left off, that was a mighty fine place to be. The first Batman Inc. series had many wonderful issues, thrilling, non-traditional stories that showed off what makes Grant Morrison so great. Sure, he's basically abandoned linear storytelling at this point, but when the stories are this strong, I'm fine with it.

Damian Wayne is a little snot, but he's our little snot. That is very clear as I read this issue. I absolutely love his sudden affection for animals after the battle in the slaughter house; and his new Bat Cow is a nice nod to Tiny Titans. (Of course, I was reading this issue with my daughter next to me, I told her they were fighting in a paint factory. DCnU: Gallons of blood in each issue!)

Goat Boy is a great new villain, and a surprisingly mundane and human one considering how weird he looks. I'm not sure he has the staying power of Professor Pyg, but there is defintely potential in a goat-headed cabbie with a rocket rifle, wouldn't you agree?

And Chris Burnham. How the heck did this guy get so good? He's basically turned into Frank Quitely Jr. while retaining his own style too. I'm never sure how much credit to give guys who are excellent mimics of other great artists, but man, I love Burnham's art from cover to cover.

Excellent

Batman & Robin #9

Wow, once again, I find myself stunned at the amount of carnage Peter Tomasi can rack up in his comics. I haven’t counted, but the Talon in this issue must have killed dozens of National Guardsmen. The flashback includes kids getting killed. Seriously, I’m not sure Tomasi should be allowed around children!

This issue is a Damian spotlight, Bruce Wayne doesn’t appear. I’m fine with it; I think Damian benefits from his time as the lead. I also appreciate the way the Talon’s target, a Guard general, quickly comes around to accepting help from a costumed kid. Sure, he tries to have his soldiers do their jobs first, but after they are cut down, he’s willing to lean on the little guy. (It doesn’t hurt that Damian is literally the only person in the comic to survive two consecutive panels with the Talon.)

Tomasi also allays my fears about the Talons. I’d been worried that since there were so many, they’d be faceless blobs ready for defeat. That’s not the case at all. Instead, the Talons are each unique villains with individual back-stories and motivations. I loved seeing the flashback to this Talon’s origin; it added to the feeling that a whole lot happened in this comic.

Lee Garbett has been a fill-in artist on the bat books for awhile, if I remember correctly. He’s solid here, with his work looking an awful lot like regular artist Patrick Gleason. Damian’s got his kid-head and little boy haircut, and the design on the Talon is fun. This Talon looks like an Azrael-ish supervillain.

Good

Batman & Robin #8

Ok, Peter Tomasi, I was OK with the longer plot in this title, but now you are pushing it. This is an entire issue dealing with the “fallout” from the Nobody storyline. The problem is, I’m not sure the story quite deserves it.

Sure, Damian killed that guy, and he and Bats are pretty beat up, but there is a lot of sitting around Wayne Manor philosophizing. I understand the need to decompress after such a violent issue as last month’s but that means the Nobody storyline has now gone 8 issues. That’s a lot.

I’m pleased to see Batman making such an attempt to bond with his sociopath son. Damian has all the required elements to become a monster, but maybe, just maybe Batman and Alfred can turn him to a better path. Bats is awfully lovey-dovey in this, so it’s a bit weird seeing him as the same Batman appearing in Scott Snyder’s core title. BUT, that means this feels more like the “continuing” adventures of the Batman I’ve read about for years.

I love Patrick Gleason’s artwork, but I was befuddled by the escape from Nobody’s yacht. The batplane blasts out backwards, then what exactly happens? Does some sort of plane-shell blast away, or something else? The action in that panel is pretty hard to read. Gleason makes up for it with another great bat-signal moment though. Nice closing page.

Fair

Batman & Robin #7

It amuses me that I can still be shocked by the violence dreamed up by Peter Tomasi. I mean, seriously, this is the Bat-book featuring Batman and his young son, and yet it may well be the most violent Bat-title on the stands. It doesn't have the White Rabbit contorting to show off her assets (in fact, I don't think there has been one line for a female character) but wow, they sure do bring the violence in this title.

This is the big wrap-up of the enjoyable Nobody storyline. It has been an exciting experience, with lots of nice new history for Batman that doesn't conflict with any previous stories. This is well worth picking up in trade.

Maybe it's Patrick Gleason who loves the violence? I can't be sure. Here's some of the things he got to draw this month:

-A man half dissolved by acid.
-Batman with many, many knives sticking out of his back.
-Batman slammed to the ground, driving those knives in deeper.
-Batman pushing Nobody's face into a vat of acid.
-A young boy punching his fingers through a grown man's skull.

C'mon now, that's top-quality violence!

Good

Batman & Robin #6

Batman is rightfully getting all the accolades, but Peter Tomasi is spinning a strong tale in this title too. It isn’t as revolutionary as Scott Snyder's take, but I’m really digging the DCnU’s BatDad as he tries to make sure Damian doesn’t grow up to be a killer.

The Nobody’s codename never really makes sense, but I do like the extended origin from this issue. Ducard is a mean dude, and making him a contemporary of Bruce Wayne’s is a brilliant move. While Wayne and Ducard have a lot of the same training, I expect that Bruce’s more varied education will put him over the top next month.

The main story barely progresses this month, aside from a nice turn towards the end of the issue. Most of the page count goes towards the flashback revealing just how Ducard and Bruce crossed each other back in the day. It’s refreshing seeing that the two of them never really liked each other; these aren’t two best friends who split, they were rivals at best.

Patrick Gleason continues to deliver some of the most consistent pencils in the business. I love how he draws Damian’s round head, making him look like a little kid. The cutaway shots of Nobody/Ducard are nice too, finally showing some emotion in a villain who is clearly wrestling with some anger problems.

Good

Batman & Robin #5

First, a few stray thoughts. I can’t believe that Batman’s training room is called the Danger Room. I mean, didn’t Marvel copyright that or anything? It just seems odd that Peter Tomasi would take that name so easily. The other thing I noticed is that there is a page in this that looks all messed-up and digitized. That happened recently with the Metal Men collection, surely there is some sort of quality control for that?

Now, as for the comic itself, it is brilliant. Tomasi has established himself as a master of mood and plotting, and his Patrick Gleason makes the story come alive. I don’t want to have a separate discussion on the art because everything fits together so seamlessly. From the new Batmobile’s design (and we see it in action taking out cars in Gotham) to the wonderful, detailed splash page showing Nobody and Damian taking out an embassy full of people. When I complain about splashes in the new 52, this is NOT what I’m talking about. Gleason fills the page with wonderful, unique moments, the best being when the two vigilantes just sneak down a hall behind a headphone-wearing janitor. Just brilliant.

Ducard’s origin is wonderful too. He’s a fairly generic bad ass, but the moment when he meets and dresses down Bruce Wayne is fantastic. It seems all you had to do in order to impress Ducard Sr. was beat the crap out of his son.

A lot of the new 52 stories have only taken five issues to tell, but I’m glad this one is lingering on a bit longer.

Excellent

Batman & Robin #3

While my interest in the greater DCnU is waning, the books that have continued right along are still great. Peter Tomasi is writing some of the best Alfred moments I’ve ever read, with the butler acting every bit the ex-spy he is. Damian may think he’s pretty smart, but Alfred’s been around the block a time or two, himself.

I love the personal vendetta motivating Batman’s newest nemesis. Plus, he seems pretty darn formidable, taking out both Bats and Robin in a few quick pages. Tomasi shows off his skills again with the riveting closing pages; I never figured an abandoned drive-in as a spooky place, but it seems downright surreal at the close of this issue.

This book has the DCnU staple of tons of splash pages, but Patrick Gleason makes it work. Batman’s big arrival about halfway through the book is striking and impressive, actually meeting the requirements for a good splash page. It’s odd that an appropriate use of splashes would impress me so much, but it’s one of the major failings of the relaunch so far. And look at Nobody’s design! That alien-looking head with those eyes, he’s a character to strike some fear into the hearts of do-gooders.

Good

Batman & Robin #2

Look at Damian on that cover. Do you see how excited he is to be roaring around in the Batmobile? That's what I want from my comics, heroes who actually dig what they are doing. This came out the same week as a cover I found absolutely laughable.

The Absolute Identity Crisis front cover has Zatanna, Hawkman, Green Arrow, and more just standing around looking mopey. Ugh. Who wants that? While the other half works, I had to laugh at it in the shop.

Anyway, B&R was one of the strongest debuts last month, and Peter Tomasi keeps it up this month. He's exploring the relationship between Damian and Bruce Wayne more than any other writer so far, even Grant Morrison. Morrison never had the time to show Bruce barging in on his son, then apologizing for not respecting his privacy. Tomasi spends a lot of time this issue showing how both father and son are struggling with these new roles; I loved Alfred showing Bruce how he didn't actually tell Damian that he was proud. Bruce is just so darn disconnected from normal humanity, he doesn't get it.

And Damian is trying so hard to please him. It's fascinating watching the nature vs. nurture argument play out in the current Robin. There is a fantastic moment in this issue that just breaks your heart and scares you at the same time. Alfred' reaction shot is priceless. Patrick Gleason has become one of my favorite pencillers not only for his handling of action scenes, but of the wonderful dramatic moments like this.

Factor in a new villain who has ties to Bruce Wayne and Batman, and seems to know a lot more than any villain should, and this book promises to be good for awhile.

With a lot of the second issues leaving me cold, I'm happy that this issue of Batman & Robin is actually BETTER than the first one.

Excellent

Batman & Robin #1

The funniest thing about this relaunch is the fact that some of the books honestly just pick up where the "old" DCU left off. I mean, Batman & Damian are exactly as they have been for the past few months. It wouldn't surprise me if Peter Tomasi actually had this issue written for his aborted run a few months ago. That's how seamlessly it fits into the greater Bat-verse continuity.

Not surprisingly, this comic is a tad on the gory side. Tomasi loves his grossness. The Russian member of Batman Inc. meets up with the new villain, the Nobody, and it suddenly becomes clear that another aspect of Morrison's expanded Bat-team is a limitless number of people to kill to make Bats angry. I expect to see this idea well-mined. It is spooky, Tomasi and Patrick Gleason have shown that they excel in that dark and gloomy atmosphere of Gotham's villains (even if this one is in Moscow).

The bulk of the issue shows Bruce Wayne and Damian trying to come to some sort of common ground. Bruce is trying to be a Bat Dad AND a teacher, and Damian is having none of it. I really dug the comment that Dick Grayson had accepted Damian, why couldn't Bruce? That's an angle I never would have guessed, that Damian might prefer NightBats somehow?

Patrick Gleason is one of the best pencillers in the business. Look at that design for the Russian Batman. I loved every weird curve and wheel on that sewer-traveling bat-pod, and I guarantee that the new villain we see formed is going to be horrific.

This is my kind of Bat-book. (Even if it is old-fashioned and not very DCnU!)

Good

Batman & Robin #22

So is this creative team off the book? Did Peter Tomasi have one fantastic story to tell, then he's back to the world of GL? I suppose there are worse fates, because if this ends Tomasi and Patrick Gleason's run, then their average is going to be tremendous. I'm going to mix and match my comments about the art into the review of the story. It's rare to see a creative team that works together this perfectly.

The White Knight/White Angel is an instant classic. He's got all the ties to Gotham and the Arkham rogues that good new villains need. He's got a fantastic visual in both his guises. Clearly he's got the tech to work as a street-level or a more sci-fi Bat-villain. He's great.

What is so impressive about this story is how Tomasi and Gleason show off their knowledge of Gotham with only a few panels. The Joker is showering in the water filling his cell. Jane Doe is fantasizing about wearing the Knight's skin. Best of all, I can only imagine how angry Zsasz is going to be that Damian was riding him around slashing new scars into his tally (and as revenge for a recent Streets of Gotham story too!)

This is a great comic. I really hope the creators have more to say about Gotham City.

Excellent

Batman Incorporated #4

Another non-linear triumph from Grant Morrison. I have no idea the extent he re-wrote Kathy Kane, the original Batwoman, but she's awesome. A daredevil who sought out Batman, she's a tremendous character and one I would love to see more of. And Morrison's take on the early Batman & Robin relationship is simply awesome. I love seeing Robin jealous that Bats is spending his time with Batwoman, and Ace the Bathound is no consolation for the boy wonder.

For some reason, the original Batwoman has an imposter facing down the current Batwoman, and the fight is related to the current secret society plaguing the bat-family.

This would be an exercise in randomness, except that Morrison reveals that Kane had some interaction with El Gaucho, and Gaucho may have actually killed her. That brings the parallel stories crashing together as Bats and Gaucho face off for the amusement of Gaucho's rogues gallery. What seems like three random stories actually work together brilliantly.

I'm not too familiar with Chris Burnham's work, but he's got a style that's perfect for this book. It ALMOST looks like Frank Quitely's art, but it clearly isn't. So it's influenced by a regular Morrison partner but retains an original feel; this is a rare accomplishment in today's comics.

Excellent