SYNOPSIS: The war over Gotham reaches the doorstep of Wayne Manor as Dick Grayson is ripped from Bruce and Alfred after fake evidence shows their care is unsafe for the young ward. It’ll take both Bruce and Batman to save Dick Grayson and the future of Gotham City!
Here we are-the penultimate issue!
We jump forward a few days from when we last saw the Caped Crusaders. Bruce Wayne has finally been released from jail, and Dick has been placed with new foster parents. Grimaldi’s clay-faced impostors have been using their usurped identities to shift wealth away and take power from Gotham’s elite, and the Dark Knight has had to go underground to regroup.
A late-night confrontation with one of the clay-enhanced goons named Brumley ends in shocking tragedy; the formula used in the transformation is unstable, and the criminal passes before Batman’s eyes, but not before sharing some key evidence! Samnee is in top form here! The way he depicts Brumley’s demise looks painful and captures the emotion of the scene.
Before pressing on, The Dark Knight surveils Dick’s current situation, and Mark Waid steps in to deliver a touching scene between Batman and Alfred. If you’re a fan of solo Batman, you’re sure to love the exchange and the Caped Crusader thinks he has had a revelation, one that we know will not come to pass. The irony here is what the detective misses in how Dick truly feels.
Batman races to the rescue of the kidnapped victims, facing an army of Clayfaces! Samnee once again works his magic, bringing a BTAS flair to the proceedings and a lot of kinetic energy. The action speeds by, so you’ll want to force yourself to slow down to soak it all in!
As this is the penultimate issue, things obviously don’t wrap up. There is a revelation Alfred has yet to speak and a confrontation to be won. While I wouldn’t call this ending a cliffhanger, it certainly has you eager to read the final installment. Waid delivers some great dialogue for heroes and villains alike (I need him to do another Two-Face story), and I appreciated Batman calling Alfred “Penny-One” in the field. It has been far too long since I’ve read those words.
You know the drill by now. It’s Batman and Robin. Waid and Samnee. This is a comic with a unique look that delivers on a time-tested dynamic. What more could you want in a Bat-book? – Javier E. Trujillo
GRADE: A
