Batman: The Adventures Continue #1 review

Batman’s looking particularly animated as he faces Bane for the umpteenth time. The bulky bad guy, as ever, wants to break the Caped Crusader’s back but Batman beats him without too many problems. Soon, though, he has a bigger headache.

The robot rampages to the Wayne Tech building, where it grabs a vault, as Batman’s efforts to stop the iron giant are frustrated.

Later, Bruce Wayne has more trouble to contend with, but at least socialite Veronica Vreeland actually likes him.

There’s another party guest, though, who’s a little spikier. And someone is following Batman around…

This is loads of fun, the first chapter of a new serial set in the world of Batman: The Animated Series. Writers Alan Burnett and Paul Dini produce an exciting, involving instalment but it also manages to be the soothing story I need right now; this isn’t a Gotham in which anyone is going to hack their own face off, or murder Alfred.

Indeed, Bruce Wayne’s faithful manservant is on hand, lovingly rendered by classic artist Ty Templeton, his work coloured by the talented Monica Kubina. The clean, sharp stylings of the TV show are matched with apparent ease by Templeton, and his storytelling is as slick as ever. Josh Reed’s letters are big and bold, perfect for an Animated Series tie-in.

I like Dave Johnson’s cover, which is pitched somewhere between animated and regular Batman. This is a great package from beginning to end – at 99p, this could be the biggest bargain in comics.