SYNOPSIS: A hospital erupts in flames. A boat careens into a dock. Fresh corpses are found in the ruins of Arkham Asylum. These are but a few of Gotham’s historical atrocities, committed in disturbing, copycat-like fashion by the foul creature known only as Memento. While the dynamic duo fails to prevent these heinous acts, the very fabric of their alliance frays and rips. Can Batman withstand losing his city to violence while losing his son to uncertainty?
The issue opens with Gotham in chaos, particularly at the Royal Hotel, where Batman and Red Hood are finding themselves trying to stop a vicious firefight on The Penguin’s turf. The action is all top-notch, with some iconic Batman moves, particularly when he activates “Voice of God” mode on all wireless devices in the area.
Amidst all the chaos and fighting, Johnson works in some great character beats between Red Hood and Batman, showcasing Batman’s nightmare of Jason’s death as Robin and Jason’s inferiority complex when it comes to Dick Grayson. While Batman is struggling with visions, he is no less effective as a crime-fighter. I love how Johnson’s Batman just fights through his fear and carries on!
Meanwhile, Robin is with Detective Lautrec, continuing their end of the investigation, even finding a hapless monkey that was experimented on. Having had one of the same teachers as Batman, she’s no dummy and I’d be surprised if she hasn’t deduced everyone’s secret identities by now.
She really gets into Damian’s head, exposing once again the softer side of his character. Johnson continues to craft vulnerable moments for the character, while at the same time, wedging a divide of misunderstanding between father and son. As for
Art-wise, this is another good-looking comic, with visuals provided by a trio. Javi Fernandez is once again the lead, aided by Miguel Mendonca, with a flashback once again by Carmine Di Giandomenico. I gotta say, it all feels pretty seamless, no doubt in part thanks to the coloring of Marcelo Maiolo. Fernandez handles the bulk of the action and sells the set pieces. Mendonca takes on the characterization scenes primarily, making the climax look wonderfully expressive.
When it comes down to it, this is a story of fathers and sons, wrapped in the trappings of a serial killer story. Johnson is exactly the right fit for this title, providing the right balance between action and characterization, with a deep understanding of the continuity. (I loved Jason’s mention of the “Harvey moment”) The visuals are stellar, too, making this a solid title that should be on every Bat-Fan’s pull list! – Javier E. Trujillo
GRADE: A
