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 
The last page, full shot of Batman with the “Bat-signal 2.0” behind him was another countless amazing Batman pics by Jorge Jiminez these paste several years.
Question, how was Vandal Savage made GCPD commissioner? I’d imagine he has a record of previous convictions, having battled numerous heroes as a villain for decades.
Was he pardoned by former US president Lex Luthor? Was Luthor ever US president in current continuity?
I like Matt Fraction’s writing and characterizations much more than Chip Zdardsky’s. But Jorge Jimenez’s drawing is the main reason I’ve been buying his Batman work these last several years.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wasn’t reading at the time, but according to Google Gemini there was some problem with a meteor, and he is now physically tethered to Gotham City, so decided he might make the best of it. Apparently, the Court of Owls pulled some strings and wiped out some bad stuff on the public record about him, and he was able to become head of the police force. Basically, it’s stupid
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! That IS a flimsy premise. He seemed like a villain that Batman would only meet working with other heroes, like the JL or JSA. Oh, well. And Gordon going back to a uniformed street cop at his age and experience is a stretch, too. But I’m only getting the series because of the art.
LikeLike
I am enjoying this run. I like the pacing and the fragmentation of the storylines. I believe it’s intentional and as we progress, the various fragments will merge until it is all tied neatly together.
I get what you are saying about the lack of stakes if Batman and Oracle claim they’ve already beaten Savage. But what if it’s the heroes who are overestimating themselves rather than the villains? By inverting the overconfidence/arrogance trope, it could cause a lot of trouble for the Bat-Fam before they do win.
Vandal Savage was the real bad guy behind Batman/Catwoman: Gotham War. It set him up as a permanent Gotham resident because of being tethered to the meteor that is connected to the one that originally granted him immortality. He was able to become commissioner the same way Poison Ivy became Mayor or Lex Luthor became POTUS: comics! (Yes, Luthor was President at one point in current continuity).
That story is also what affects this issue’s Bat/Cat interaction. They are both still pissed at each other, and both are too stubborn to get over it.
I’m curious how the Minotaur is connected to Savage. It seems like they are separate, but I don’t think they are.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh yeah, I’m sure pretty much everything will come together, it just seems he’s writing for a TikTok attention span. Moving all over the place, quickly. I’d rather have three long scenes, maybe.
That’s a good idea about the heroes heading for a bad surprise, that would be fun.
Thanks for the background info on Vandal, I’ve never bothered with a Catwoman book, other than for a brief period when it was early Darwyn Cooke.
I’m very much not a fan of Gotham gangland stuff, I want Minotaur to get big and colourful.
LikeLike
I’ve really enjoyed the Catwoman book since Gotham War. Pulling her away from Gotham and having her go on an international jaunt to correct past wrongs (but in a Catwoman way) was cool. The arc that showed her early international travel to learn to be a better thief (via flashbacks) was a nice juxtaposition when compared to the typical Bruce Wayne training narrative. And the current storyline that is about her vendettas against Black Mask and Carmine Falcone is great. I know she’s playing them both, but I can’t see how yet.
LikeLike
Just to say, I have been enjoying it and like Jeff, I’m assuming the fragmented stories are actually going to come together in an Alan Moore sort of way. It’s got a refreshing energy after decades of people doing their best Frank Miller impersonations in terms of the character of Batman (just a sweeping generalisation there, I’m sure there are runs I’ve enjoyed somewhere in there but my ideal for Batman is Len Wein and Doug Moench’s first run, where he’s a human being with a personality that isn’t all about the job) and I really liked the admission that Bruce is a bad father. Dick would have felt vindicated by that, I’m sure.
You’ve got a point about it feeling too easy a victory, but maybe there is more to come.
Stu
LikeLiked by 2 people
What a coincidence, we have the favourite Batman run. I will stick with the comic because I like lots of things about it… for one thing, I need to see what happens with Tim.
LikeLike