It’s the morning after the night before, a night that saw Commissioner Vandal Savage’s corrupted Gotham police force raid Batman’s bunkers across the city. Barbara Gordon allowed herself to be arrested to put her in position for some behind-the-scenes work. Damian Wayne blew up Wayne Manor, of late the home of that selfsame Savage. But is Commissioner Caveman bovvered?
Apparently not.
Shortly, at GCPD HQ, Savage is surprised to see Jim Gordon, a beat cop since he stole his job, unperturbed – outwardly at least – by the arrest of his daughter.
Elsewhere, new kingpin the Minotaur is getting bullish with one of the crime bosses whose operations he’s trying to absorb.
While Bruce Wayne is having a disagreement with a prominent Wayne Enterprises board member.
Later, in a bunker Savage didn’t destroy, Bruce chats to Imaginary Alfred.
‘… is a capitalist,’ says Bruce with a smile. And with that, the Batman goes out on the streets to stop criminals, culminating in a message that tells the people that he’s still their protector. Savage won’t win.
And that’s my problem with the current storyline. As comic readers we know the bad guy won’t win the day, but before the heroes triumph it’s good to at least pretend there’s a chance they’ll lose. Last issue Batman had all his wards running around enacting bits of his plan while he calmly observed. This time all kinds of dubious activity is occurring and he’s smiling away… there’s no sense of peril.
The business with the Minotaur is puzzling, what’s that flower if it’s not a camera? I’d assumed it was a flower. I’m also not sure why Dr Zeller has closed down her pet project, I don’t think we’ve seen her since that Joker-focused story a few issues back, which suggested something big was coming, but led nowhere.
In fact, that’s the last issue of this current run I enjoyed to any great extent, writer Matt Fraction seems to be inspired by his surname, giving us a fractured storyline – there’s a big picture, but we’re constantly shifting from element to element. I suppose I should be grateful at least that the dull old hack and his bland kid pal aren’t taking up space this issue, they’ve been popping in and out for months without impacting the story.
Is it wrong to just want to see Batman pinch Vandal Savage on the nose?
We do get to see Batman with Catwoman. Well, almost.
Have they fallen out again? No idea. Maybe Selina knows Batman is spending much of his time chatting to an Alfred ghost he’s conjured up and realises she should keep her distance.
One thing I did enjoy in the script was that every time Savage was telling reporters about the police raids the number of bunkers increased
Fraction clearly knows what he’s doing. I just wish he’d do it more quickly. The pacing is so deliberately wonky that the big credits spread is halfway through the book.
Regular series artist Jorge Jimenéz is back after a couple of issues away and pretty much everything looks great; the artist is especially good at street clothes, which is useful in an issue that’s short on costumed action. When we do get some, though, it’s very good.
Did you notice that ‘pretty much everything’? Silent Selina looks like a pervy peg doll.
The colours by Tomeu Morey are exemplary, especially in the final pages, while letterer Clayton Cowles is equally adept at his craft (Jimenéz gets a minor lettering credit once more, presumably for in-panel sound effects, which feels a tad OTT).
The cover image by Jimenéz is OK, the figure is too scratchy to my eyes.
I’m on the verge of packing in this series as a monthly buy, Fraction’s style has me thinking it’s bound to read better in big chunks. I’d love to hear who’s enjoying this more than me.
Too Dangerous For a Girl 2 