Grant Morrison's epic saga Batman Incorporated was seven years in the making, going back as far as Batman and Son where he introduced Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul's love child Damian, and continuing on with his run for Batman and Robin where Damian becomes the new Robin to Dick Grayson's Batman, as well as touching upon other Morrison Bat-stories like Batman 666 and Batman R.I.P. Its scope was that far-reaching; an accumulation of years of careful planning that aimed to unify and tie up every plot thread that Morrison created separately in each of the Bat-stories aforementioned. What the readers were imparted with in the end was a comic book series that is rich, diverse and resonant in all the right places possible.
Divided into a 2010 run and a New 52 sequel, there were a total of twenty-two issues for this series which I individually reviewed as dutifully as I could manage this year. Most of them have been spectacular; decisive, creative and well-nuanced tales about extraordinary people caught up in high-stakes events; while a few (that were mostly present in this volume) could have been improved upon. Nonetheless, I can guarantee that Batman Incorporated remains as an enduring, respectable work that deserves a place in the Batman legacy.
The premise for Batman Incorporated was simple enough: in the aftermath of Bruce Wayne's return from the dead, he finances a franchise that would recruit aspiring and noble vigilantes across the globe and turn them into heroes that bore the brand of Batman. Consequently, a criminal organization known as the Leviathan has taken root for years, and has freely infested many countries in the world. An inevitable clash between these distinct forces will definitely occur at the most opportune time, and Morrison and co. built an impressive setting for Batman Incorporated that served as the perfect landscape for the espionage caped adventures of the Bat-Inc crusaders. Meanwhile, the set pieces established about the Leviathan as an encompassing criminal entity might as well be Morrison's own brand of conspiracy saga which he almost turned into an art form.
The 2010-2011 run composed of nine issues focused more on the Batman's search for these promising recruits as well as the side missions in between that take him and his new team closer to the Leviathan by cornering and unravelling their criminal activities scattered among continents. By the time New 52 rolled around, Morrison has produced thirteen issues that took us right at the heart of the beast, and this creature is known as the Demon Star and operates for a singular purpose. It was at this time that Batman Incorporated was turned into a beguiling and elegant family soap opera, cinematic in scale, where Bruce Wayne's main nemesis was the woman he loved long ago who bore him his son Damian (now the current Robin to his Batman).
The same woman is no other than Ra's al Ghul's daughter, the cunning and driven Talia who spent almost a decade creating and distributing an image and reputation for Leviathan. This was all prove to her father and her beloved detective and child that she is not to be underestimated. Heiress to an empire of blood and ashes, Talia will stop at nothing to convince Bruce that her son is meant to rule by her side. In a chilling confrontation, Talia asked Bruce to choose between his beloved city Gotham or Damian and whichever he chooses, the other one shall die.
This volume entitled Gotham's Most Wanted was the second and last part of the series. Comprised of issues #7-13 plus a special, this is where Morrison ends it all. To be honest, it wasn't the punchline I was looking for especially when I felt that this series as a whole deserved more. The conclusion was a bit underwhelming and incomprehensibly unsatisfying for me. All the wonderful build-up, symbolic, biblical and mythological references that were weaved into the narrative, plots and characters for Batman Incorporated led up to a resolution that barely justified or lived up to the journey itself. The destination just lacked something I still could not figure out even as I write this review. I also complained about the fact that this series never should have been labeled as a New 52 story because the general inconsistencies in details and timelines eventually became too hard to ignore as you go on, especially if you read this alongside other New 52 Bat-titles, so I advise that you don't, and treat this as its own breed of animal.
However, I think the real drawback for the later part of the series was when Damian Wayne finally dies in issue #8 which was truly the high critical point of everything this series stood for. Morrison has written Damian Wayne's character specifically and arguably only to die once Bat-Inc gets closer to its grand finish. It was the catalyst that will guarantee Talia and Batman's confrontation by the last issue. Unfortunately, it was after this show-stopping demise that also killed the momentum and excitement of the things that happened in its wake. The next issues (#9-#13) just didn't keep the ball rolling. I felt that they slowly became less engrossing as the series neared the thankful end. The story didn't deteriorate completely, of course. The said issues are still serviceable but quite average when you compare it to the grand scheme of Batman Incorporated, that's all.
I can look back at this series as a work that's relentlessly creative, oddly endearing and shockingly well-layered, however. It's a comic book series you should pick up if you ever dare call yourself a long-time and avid Batman fan. Grant Morrison has created something special here and perhaps in time and with age, I could re-read this series again and appreciate it better somewhere down the road.
I suggest that you pick up Batman and Son, Batman 666, Batman R.I.P and Batman and Robin which were all penned by Morrison before you dig into this. Perhaps starting from where it all began would give you a more nuanced perspective of how this saga has evolved since. Though not always readily accessible to newbies, Batman Incorporated as an epic adventure and drama is enjoyable if you're patient enough to see it through. It has distinguished itself as yet another Grant Morrison work that earns a spot as a contemporary classic in the comic book medium.
RECOMMENDED: 8/10
This has been a rather surprising installment for me. After expressing my disappointment over how Grant Morrison wrapped up Batman Incorporated, I really did not expect that a special issue was still in order though the six standalone stories included in this package was not penned by Morrison himself but rather a roster of writers and artists who have worked alongside him during the conception and process of Bat-Inc itself. This special issue #1 features the global vigilante sensations whom we have gotten to know since the 2010 run such as Jiro (Mr. Unknown) and Canary, Knight and Squire, Dark Ranger, Nightrunner, El Gaucho, Man-Bats and Red Raven.
AND DAMN THIS ISSUE WAS LOADS OF FUN.
The thing you need to understand about the distinction between the Bat-Inc. 2010-2011 run and the 2012-2013 run is simply this: the former run was all about the globetrotting adventures of the franchise members scattered among countries and continents as they follow the exploits of certain criminal individuals that all lead back to the entity known as Leviathan, an organization that threatens to destroy the world one piece at a time just so it could build an evil regime in its stead. The latter run uncovers who is behind the Leviathan and it's no other than a woman who proclaims herself as the Demon Star, Ra's al Ghul's formidable heiress Talia who has had enough of men governing her life. She offers her son Damian and her beloved detective Batman a place in the new kingdom she plans to build but when they refused her, she decided to become the living epitome of their worst nightmares because, hey, hell hath no fury especially when the woman in question in the demon's daughter herself.
But let's not worry ourselves with that part of the story. In this special issue, we focus more on the other Bat-Inc supporting characters and their missions and cases in their respective countries. The timelines here are varied; there are stories here that deal with the aftermath of the confrontation in Gotham with Talia and the Heretic, while others are self-contained tales that are pre-Talia/Heretic. What this issue manages to accomplish is to hopefully reignite our interest in these other heroes we barely even know except in passing and in the context of the more Batman-centered main arc. Personally, I'm optimistic about the fact that this special is numbered. That could mean we may be getting a #2 but I suppose that depends on how well this would sell. After all, this feels like it's a creation of its own brand, given that Morrison's name is no longer associated with it other than the credit that he created these characters. I think it's remarkable because I wanted to know these characters and what else they have to offer even if Batman Incorporated has been officially disbanded. Who's to say they can't operate in the shadows? Or as a self-employed unit of do-gooders, like the reverse counterpart of the Suicide Squad?
After reading these 46 pages, I definitely want another one. If this was just a pre-taste of what's to come, then what are we waiting for DC? Approve a spin-off, for crying out loud! I recommend this issue alone because of its readable quality. This could be the issue that could get potential new fans into exploring the rest of Batman Incorporated that issue #0 failed to do so. This special as rightfully titled has a lot of potential. I hope it gets another installment and the creative team that worked on it will stay in the project. This could evolve into something really superb if we give it another shot, guys!
RECOMMENDED: 9/10
As a tale that has span seven years for the writing process and publication overall, Grant Morrison's Batman Incorporated is a must-read for any self-respecting Batman fan and it's most likely due to posterity's sake rather than anything else. The first nine issues dates back from 2010 and the series was continued alongside the revamped continuity of New 52 with thirteen issues afterwards. Here we are then, at the end of the road, with the finale that supposedly wraps up every thread that was uraveled from the very start of this run, and I felt sincerely unaffected in a way that makes me a little bit sad.
I started this journey with optimistic expectations that were met a lot of times in the beginning, but then my emotional investment slowly dwindled as I went on. The truth is I like Batman Incorporated a lot but I was unable to truly fall in love with it midway through finishing the series, most notably because I just reached the end and I felt like I had nothing to show for it--which, as you can understand, sucks balls. All the build-up, the references to classic Bat-tales, the mythology and symbolism were its strengths and my favorite aspects of the series, but they never had any long-lasting decent pay-off once this issue concluded everything. I wouldn't say I wasted my time reading Bat-Inc because that would unfair to say; this series has been phenomenal--but only at first. I looked back at the last four issues (#9-#12) before this, and found my reviews to be disheartening because they speak more resonantly about my critical standpoint and slight frustrations with the way this series played out its final notes.
After much contemplation, I had no choice but to accept that I was not happy about how this finale and those four issues mentioned that led to it, even when I wanted so badly to proclaim to you right now that, "Oh my god, yes! Batman Incorporated is everything I ever wanted from a Batman comic book, if not so much more!" It wasn't. It had the potential to be, and then it just didn't deliver. I'm a bit angry about it too because I believe Grant Morrison is one of the most incredibly bold and talented comic book writers of all time who always tries to remake storytelling elements in comics itself whenever he is handed with that opportunity. Morrison always aims to diversify his stories by adding that unique spin on things that would make you almost feel as if you the reader are being taken on an exciting adventure filled with wonder, suspense and unexpected emotionality because you deserve nothing less. That's how Grant Morrison has always made me feel whenever I read his work, especially with Batman.
Batman Incorporated should have been the pinnacle for all his contributions to the Bat-mythos and legacy, but now it feels as if DC did rush him to get it over with because his work for this series is getting in the way with New 52 material. The inconsistencies in details and general contradictions between Bat-Inc and some New 52 content are hard to ignore at this point, and I just get the feeling that Morrison knows it too and he feels disrespected which was why this final product was not at its best form. After all that effort, dedication and seven years of craft-perfecting and myth-polishing for a series I knew he was prepared to consider as one of his top work, Morrison somehow lost that drive, I believe, perhaps because of office-politics and conflicts happening behind the scenes. BUT I'M MERELY SPECULATING. Don't take these things I said to heart because I'm just a humble geek with a lot of time in my hands, and my mind readily goes to worst-case scenarios.
This only goes to show how much I am a Grant Morrison fan because I keep making justifications like this even to myself, and that I want to remain supportive of his works, especially with Batman Incorporated even if this finale issue left me out cold. It's far from a bad issue--but it was just average and Morrison has never produced anything average for me, personally (well, there was that crappy Hellblazer two-parter he wrote that I reviewed way back but I won't even consider that as part of his usual amazing roster so I digress). I still have that special annual issue after this which I checked and has fifty pages of material. I'm going to try and be excited about that. Afterwards, I'm posting my final and official review for the second volume that collects issues #7-#13 plus that said special but I might take a day or two before accomplishing that since I want to mull over the accumulation of Bat-Inc as a series first so that final review will be written with the respect and dignity this work deserves.
RECOMMENDED: 7/10
The last three issues I reviewed have been coasting on a solid 7 out of 10 rating, and I'm quite hesitant to do the same with this one since this did contain the long overdue ass-kicking battle between Batman and the Heretic. The majority of the pages fortunately focused on that conflict but there's a subplot concerning Spyral and Jason Todd that went over my head because we never really spent enough time with this plot thread to fully understand whatever foreboding ramifications are coming. What I could comprehend is that Batman Incorporated is an illegal private army that should never have been authorized and everyone in the global intelligence communities wants it dissolved but not before Bat-Inc's vigilantes help out in extracting Leviathan out of Gotham City once and for all. Why, of course!
This issue is gratingly misleading; everything about it is still a set-up that should have taken place instead in issue #11 as oppose to that unfortunate filler concerning Jiro and Japan. This is the issue that follows the finale and yet it's lacking the punch I was looking for, narrative-wise, in spite of the gruesome amount of back-and-forth punching and kicking between Batsy and the Heretic. In fact, with the exception of those incredibly drawn and vivid fight scenes between the two, most of the other elements for this installment are forgettable and fall apart when you try to scrutinize it with a more logical perspective.
It's getting very tiresome for me to mention the fact that the world and setting Morrison created in Batman Incorporated are not AT ALL a part of the New 52 jurisdiction and nothing screams that fact more than this issue at hand because by the last pages we see Talia al Ghul blowing up Wayne Tower. Meanwhile, in Scott Snyder's Requiem issue tribute to Damian entitled Resolve, we see Wayne Tower very much still existing, cascading beautifully and darkly on the Gotham horizon as Bruce stands there revived from his grief as he finds the will and strength to go on after his son's demise. It's one of the most poignant illustrations I've ever seen because of that specific backdrop so upon reading this issue and witnessing the symbolic 'fall' of the 'House of Wayne' via tower-bombing, I can't help but feel that this is DC and Morrison's special way of telling the readers that they FUCKING HATE EACH OTHER right now because neither of them can get their timelines straight; they both seem to insist on their versions of reality so New 52 Bat-stories and Bat-Inc completely cancel each other out due to these inconsistencies in details. It's become very blatant that I can only just shake my head grimly at this point and just let these assholes do what they must do among themselves. Good grief! So after much deliberation, I am giving this issue yet another 7-pointer.
I guess with four issues rated 7 out of 10, my general review and evaluation for the second volume of Batman Incorporated will be significantly lower than I intended. I can live with that. Even before I approach the end of this run, I have made up my mind that the first six issues collected in Demon Star were far more superior in scope than this latter part which is ironic since the second volume should have a more resonant appeal. But I digress.
Though there is less depth here, I would still commend the cliffhanger that this issue ended with where Talia finally confronts Batman in his cave so I can only expect an awesome fight scene between these two ex-lovers/grieving parents. A small character moment concerning Dick holding back the Squire from trying to kill the Heretic was quite sad to see, and surprising because I did not expect Dick to show any compassion for the jerkwad who murdered his adoptive brother. Overall, the visual appeal of this issue is its strongest suit. I thought Burnham truly went all-out with his panels and layout choices for the earlier confrontation between Batsy and the Heretic who has an eerie Damian-baby face underneath his iron mask. I also like that panel of Talia striking him down after he was defeated by Batman because she's one vicious cunt who apologizes for nothing. Fucking Talia al Ghul, man.
Bitch needs to die and the bitch will.
RECOMMENDED: 7/10
Of all the Bat-Inc's recruits, Jiro of Japan or Mr. Unknown has always been my favorite and that's mostly because he was the only one I connected with (he was much like Dick Grayson from what I can discern from his characterization), and who I actually saw as a character to care about and root for in his own adventures. The second would be the tandem of Man-of-Bats and Little Raven. Now as much as love Jiro, I did find this detour issue to be jarring, considering we are already at the climactic part of the confrontation between Batman and Talia, so I don't understand why we bothered with a filler such as this during the most opportune time. It's slightly inconsiderate. I think something must be happening in the process of accomplishing this series, particularly on meeting deadlines, etc. I can't be sure, but that has to be the only explanation for this.
Written by Chris Burnham himself while artist Jorge Lucas illustrated, issue #11 is a bizarre mixture of Japanese manga elements mashed with Silver Age comics adventure prototype and it's guaranteed to be polarizing. I'm not even going to defend it in case you hated it because I objectively understand that resentment. I would say that if this issue appeared in the earlier part of Batman Incorporated (the first wave where globetrotting was the main focus), this would easily be a comfortable, colorful and quirky addition to that roster because if you look at it as its own standalone installment, there is something ridiculously endearing about the set-up, particularly if you're a fan of anime/manga in general. I knew I was entertained as I read this.
This was basically an oddly satirical tribute reminiscent to the Super Sentai flavor of action-adventure live-action shows back in Japan. The color-coordinated suits of the masked characters (who are villains in this issue) and the over-the-top hilariously-costumed villainess whose diabolical plans are as equally absurd as her fashion sense--this issue is a goofball feast of otaku nonsense that would have been well-received and appreciated if it wasn't tragically misplaced in Bat-Inc. Somehow these villains are connected to the Leviathan themselves but no one fucking cares because you just can't take them seriously at all, not when something grand and terrible is about to take place in Gotham where Batman and Talia with the Heretic will have the ultimate showdown that decides the fate of that city, if not the whole world. So Japan is really the least of your worries in a strictly practical and priority standpoint.
There is also this weird subplot concerning Jiro and his small-sized partner/love interest Canary where he literally has to shrink himself in an Internet 3D reality just so he could date her and make out with her, I suppose. I found this situation cute because I can recall two or three animes on the top of my head) with almost the same premise but if you never subscribed to this kind of oddball storylines in the first place then Jiro and Canary's relationship may come off creepy. But this is not our regular programming at this point so as much as I loved this issue as itself because it was fun, self-aware and bold in its visual style and content, I have to remain objective in rating this issue. This was a misplaced story which perfectly explains if fans who are eager to see Batman and Talia duke it out will get slightly angry for buying this release because they will feel cheated on.
What a waste. I really love Jiro and his masked crusading in Japan but this is not the right time to explore that, not when things in Gotham should be the main attraction of the series.
RECOMMENDED: 7/10
The cover spread for this issue is a motherfucking spoiler. It's a gatefold cover with an extended flap so if you have yet to read this issue then resist looking at the flap. Otherwise, what a brilliant illustration by no other than Chris Burnham himself.
Before I go ahead with the review of this issue's content, let me first address the fact that Burnham has fill-in artists for this story. I'm referring to pages 12-13 which were credited to other people. I think this is because of the deadline problems the co. is facing which is just sad because Bat-Inc really deserves more and it feels as if DC is not giving them more leeway and pressuring them to get their stuff published before even making sure that everything is polished.
I never wanted to say this before but I noticed that the quality of Burham's illustrations have declined slightly since issue #7 started and I don't think it's his fault at all. It's really about the deadline demands that often make artists rush their final outputs for printing so Burnham's artwork for Bat-Inc hasn't been at its top form lately which I hope they managed to overcome by the next last issues after this one. I've recommended this series to three other friends and the first thing I always compliment this one for is its artist so that's why I felt the need to express concern about the visual accessibility and quality of Burham's art for Bat-Inc. That's all. But I digress.
This installment was only slightly better than issue #9 because the scenes are actually in a slower pace. However, the passage of time in general for Bat-Inc has been growing more problematic and this is the biggest flaw of issue #10 for me. I recall the discussion I've opened up in my general review for the first volume Demon Star. There I addressed the fact that Batman Incorporated is considered a part of the New 52 continuity WHEN IT IS OBVIOUSLY NOT. It's really the minor things that give away the reality that Morrison wrote events in Bat-Inc that belong to the old continuity in the first place which is why Jason Todd's character arc here contradicts his current characterization for Red Hood and the Outlaws. Also, we now get in this issue scenes with Kirk Langstorm (a.k.a Man-Bat) and his wife Francine who just appeared in Detective Comics #19 and yet their roles here in Morrison's #10 don't even coincide with what was established about them by John Layman for New 52. My prominent criticism for issue #10 is that I have no clear indication concerning the chronological flow of the events presented in the pages. I'm not sure which happened in consequence of another, or which was more current other than that last reveal with Talia on the roof and Batsy about to attack her.
The timelines are being blurred, all because of the stupid decision to label Morrison's Batman Incorporated as part of the New 52 roster. Damian Wayne's death also carries over to New 52 which all the Bat-writers tried their best to compensate for, especially Tomasi himself who writes for Batman and Robin but I can't help but feel that it shouldn't have been the case. If we accept the premise that Bat-Inc is not a part of New 52 but rather a pre-New 52 storyline then we can believe that Damian's death happened FIVE YEARS AGO since New 52 rule states that all DC storylines after its revamp have only existed since five years ago---fuck me, Loki, I'm getting all tangled up with my own reasoning already. I'll try to make sense of the fragments with my own logical assumptions and you do so yourself too, dear reader. I'm sorry but we're all on our own in the wolf's den.
I suppose the only way to properly enjoy the story is if you consider Batman Incorporated as a STANDALONE EVENT UNINFUENCED BY THE HAPPENINGS IN NEW 52 BAT-STORIES. I mean, we don't even get mentions of key events like the Owls one-night uprising, the Joker's Return, or Emperor Penguin's rise to power. So it's safe to say Bat-Inc is in another plane of reality otherwise known as THE OLD CONTINUTY. Because, god-fucking-dammit, DC, it's the only way for me to process these things. I will forever assert that Batman Incorporated should have been THE LAST GREATEST BAT-STORY TO BE TOLD FOR THE OLD CONTINUITY. This was a seven-years-in-the-making project that deserved such a highly esteemed title, and you know it!
RECOMMENDED: 7/10
In the wake of Damian Wayne's demise, Bat-titles have released their Requiem issues to honor his fall and memory and this is Grant Morrison's contribution which I expected to have a more solid standing than the others because he was the writer who decided to kill Damian Wayne in the first place, and though issue #9 does live up to its original intention (which was to show the aftermath of Damian's death on a personal level for other characters), the rest of this comic book was just confusing, eager to jump back and forth for updates on multiple events without a single care to an average reader's attention span. Just like with the seventh issue, this installment was all over the goddamn place!
I think the only reason to read this issue if you're not really following the Bat-Inc story is to understand how and why Damian Wayne died, and to get an up-close scene of his funeral as only attended by Bruce, Alfred, Tim and Dick. That beginning shot of them carrying Damian's coffin was a punch to the gut. Other than that, I suggest you skip the pages that include the major events of Morrison's epic drama because you really should be reading this series in the first place! If you're not, then you're missing out on an otherwise diverse and complex plot whose finer details do have a tendency to be delivered rather poorly which this issue clearly shows. I love, love, LOVE Batman Incorporated but this is the second time in its New 52 run that I'm scratching my head at the end of an issue and reading back again for the second or third time just to make sure I was understanding things correctly.
As much as possible I try to contextualize my experience with that of a newbie's who may not have the patience to sift through every little thing this story offers and if that is the case then Requiem issue #9 will be most challenging, and for the worst reasons.
I would have preferred that this comic book didn't employ a non-linear style of narrative. It would have worked for other parts of Bat-Inc before (issue #1 did that and it was explosively awesome in scope), but at this point of the game, this should have been a quieter and more grounded issue. With all this escalating commotion in the pages, Damian's death was sadly diluted in a way because a reader's attention is divided where they had to follow the trail of bread crumbs left by the Leviathan, Talia's inane and insufferable breaking-the-fourth-wall dialogue, and supporting characters' subplot conflicts. And really, if a reader is a Damian fan, all he or she could care about at this moment is his death so I don't recommended jumping ahead to this issue after issue #8 at all. If readers wish to savor the pain and grieve Damian for a while, then I suggest they pick up Peter J. Tomasi and Scott Snyder's own respective Requiem issues. Those are self-contained ones that would really stir your heartstrings if they're not already broken.
This would have been a great issue if it wasn't so bombarded with multiple events coalescing in a rather graceless manner within the pages. I would have liked to see more of the fight scene between Heretic and Bruce and Dick but we just skimmed over this supposedly grave confrontation which undermines its importance. We are now at a pivotal point in Batman Incorporated so Morrison really needs to quit shifting the focus away from the main drama or at least resolve the smaller ones by dividing them first from the major one. I've seen him handle the weight of both these elements equally in his Revenge of the Red Hood before, (one of my favorite Morrison story arcs ever), so I know he can do Bat-Inc with the same honor. Overall, this Requiem issue was not the best in his roster which is disappointing because this was a follow-up to Damian's death and yet that particular plot thread didn't get in enough pages in its own titular tribute. That's just negligent, isn't it, if not a blatant oversight.
RECOMMENDED: 7/10
DAMIAN: "Are you with me, Nightwing? The odds are completely against us."
DICK: "When did we ever let something like that get in the way, Robin, the Boy Wonder, Damian?"
DAMIAN: "So far, I think you were my favorite partner. We were the best, Richard, no matter what everyone thinks."
For a short time a while back, I was never entirely sure where my love for Damian Wayne even came from. I believe it was during the time I was reading and reviewing Peter J. Tomasi's Batman and Robin run for New 52 when I first realized that I was falling in love with him in a steady rate issue after issue. But even before that happened I was already excited about the idea that Bruce Wayne has a son, illegitimate-born as he may be and mothered by the vicious Talia al Ghul, because I want Bruce to have a family of his own blood. I was invested in seeing the character development of Bruce Wayne struggling through unplanned parenthood, and Tomasi gave me just that.
But if I will be truly honest with myself, I think what got me so interested in Damian Wayne BEFORE I EVEN MET HIM was the fact that HE DIED SO SOON, and with that prior knowledge I wanted TO LOVE HIM once I did get around to reading about him in a chronological and consistent way in comics. Soon, I was genuinely enjoying him; my feelings did start to take a life of their own especially when I had to go through the motions of Bruce's grief and the remembrance of every other character who cared about Damian. The Requiem and other Damian-tribute issues truly made me feel as if I myself lost a dear friend and brother, so before I could even help myself, I get misty-eyed every time I read something about Damian Wayne.
Now after reading both of Grant Morrison and Peter J. Tomasi's respective runs for Batman and Robin, I can say wholeheartedly that I was a fan of both for different reasons. I was getting my sweet dose of father-son moments between Bruce and Damian for Tomasi's run, and for a time it seemed enough for me, and after I read and reviewed issue #37 of Robin Rises last night, my world was once again made whole because Damian Wayne was successfully and poignantly resurrected and reunited with his father. However, I was also able to read and review the twelve issues of Grant Morrison's run where Dick Grayson took the responsibilities of the presumed-dead Bruce and became the new Batman with Damian as his Robin, and they were such a fantastic pair. Like most partnerships, it had been a rocky start but they slowly and surely developed into a commanding force as the certified new Dynamic Duo. They were brothers-at-arms. They trusted each other and worked so in-sync together. That is why I chose to quote that lovely exchange between them at the beginning of this review because it definitely summarized the heartfelt relationship these two shared as they fought crime and evil side-by-side. Tomasi followed up on this in his second Batman and Robin Annual issue because Dick's relationship with Damian has a depth you never expected to have but very much thankful for happening anyway in the long run. Luckily enough for me, I still have ten issues of Morrison's Batman and Robin to get back to next year so I will experience some more Dick-Damian in action by then. JUST LOOK AT HOW ADORBS THEY ARE! :D
And this is why it broke my heart when Dick witnessed Damian get fucking harpooned in the chest and he was too late to do anything to stop it. I'm getting ahead of myself but I read the next issue as soon as I finished this, and seeing his reaction was so goddamn hurtful because he was so shocked that he couldn't even process Damian's death for the rest of the pages that followed. Before that, they had one last epic battle together as they fought of Leviathan goons before coming face-to-face with Heretic, Damian's twin and new successor of the al Ghul empire. Dick was sadly tossed away as Damian was left to fend off and fight Heretic himself, all the while pleading for his mother to stop the war. The next pages after that were gruelling, especially when I know what was about to happen, and it was all a matter of anticipating the blow. But even as it landed, I was still shaken to my core. Thank god I read Tomasi's #37 last night to cushion the blow of what I just witnessed at least. AND FUCKING TALIA EVEN SHED A TEAR BUT THEN SAYS THAT IT WAS 'A MOMENT OF WEAKNESS'. Fuck you, Talia! Your son just died! I AM SO INCONSOLABLY ANGRY AT YOU. EVEYRTHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE IS COSMICALLY UNFAIR. And I'm about to share the pain with you by displaying the scans below so forgive me in advance. Feel free to look at Damian's resurrection panels after this.
I plan to finish all of my Batman Incorporated readings this weekend so by Christmas week I can solely focus on Knightfall volume 2 which I am not looking forward to as much, but I'm more than equipped to handle a hefty omnibus edition by now. It's a required reading material as a Bat-classic after all and I always finish what I started. It feels weird reading Batman Incorporated a year after its run officially ended though, especially since he crucial event that's about to unfold in the next issue after this has just been resolved by Tomasi in his Robin Rises arc yesterday on the 17th of December when issue #37 is released.
Still, I'm invested enough on Bat-Inc to keep reading. I still have six issues to go plus a special. This issue wasn't a good start though, however. Everything felt rushed and abrupt in transition which made the reading experience slightly dizzying. I don't understand some elements to it too, but that's mainly because this issue also touches upon a Morrison comic book from the past I haven't read yet. I had to research online about that whale thing first and then get back to the pages. As an issue standalone, this added little to progress the story forwards, let alone propel it into a clear state of direction where readers are in a comfortable position to ride the waves through. The first fifteen pages or so were just schizophrenic, jumping from one character or scene to another without even allowing the readers to take in everything first.
I suppose the pacing is supposed to indicate that the clusterfuck of chaos has escalated but it just doesn't work for me like that. And if you are following my reviews, I've announced time and time again (and once more) that I'm anal retentive about story pacing. It bugs me when a comic book is this fast-paced but offers little story to compensate for it or to really deliver the suspense that most fast-paced stories is supposed to do. But that was in the first fifteen pages which was definitely the most problematic aspect of this issue. However, once we get to the later ones, the pacing does pick with a better control now, revealing some important twists concerning Talia al Ghul, the Heretic and Batman. There's another reference to Batman and Robin issue #12 concerning the Talia's clone baby who was supposed to replace Damian after Damian has rejected his mother's plans for him to rule a global empire. This clone baby is fully grown now and has become the imposing figure called the Heretic. As for Batman, he's now trapped inside a cube-shaped container that Talia actually expects him to escape from but she calculated even the millisecond it will take for him to free himself, therefore giving her enough time to execute her other devious plans. It's all very nefarious; Talia is definitely giving her own father a run for his bad-guy money.
On the plus side, the best part of this issue has to be Alfred and Damian and their conversations throughout several panels which enlightened the current situations that readers have to pay attention to, as well as resonate in a significant manner because the interaction shows us the kind of mutual understanding these two share. There is trust between them that certainly makes it feel that Alfred is Damian's family in a way Talia has never been to Damian all his life, even to a greater extent than Bruce as well, because Alfred has always been more available and willing to listen and trust Damian as oppose to trying to control or protect him which both his parents have been doing without even considering how Damian feels about everything. I also like that this issue was focused more on the supporting cast of Bat-Inch and that Batman doesn't even get a single dialogue here which was great because this series is supposed to be non-Batman-centric given the premise. Those are the things I enjoyed about this issue but it was nonetheless one of the weakest installments of the series.
RECOMMENDED: 7/10
Batman is fundamentally the lone caped crusader of justice, a creature of the night engulfed in the blackest of shadows whose aim is to deplete the criminal population in his beloved city Gotham. He's badass cool because he's also a billionaire playboy by day and can afford the most awesome martials arts and combat training, as well as make his own set of awesomely fangasmic gadgets. For those reasons, every comic book fanboy wants to be Batman even just for an hour.
Batman has been around for 75 years, adapted into a lot of visual mediums, and anything with his symbol stamped on it will consistently guarantee an excited audience. Even the most sheltered and non-superhero fan has an inkling of understanding of how Batman operates: he's a distant and aloof anti-hero who only has a butler and a teenage boy as a sidekick plus the company of a string of socialites to keep up appearances in public. Batman has always been alone since the night his parents were brutally murdered in front of him. But as far as clichés go, certainly no man is an island, and writer Grant Morrison's collected issues for his series Batman Incorporated challenge and question that age-old belief that Batman is meant to be alone.
The zero issue even starts with Batman making an official announcement that he was never supposed to be alone. While almost all other Bat-titles utilize the existential solitude that has defined Batman for generations, Morrison decided to do something radical just to shake things up which explains the very premise of Batman Incorporated: in the aftermath of the Final Crisis events where Bruce Wayne was presumed dead, former first Boy Wonder Dick Grayson took up the cowl with Bruce's illegitimate son Damian as his new Robin. Some time later Bruce comes back with a new platform against crime, and decides to create a vigilante franchise that recruits potential crime fighters across the globe. From Japan to Argentina, to England and Australia, these skilled men and women pledge their service and allegiance to the unending symbol of Batman. This was an intriguing concept since it puts Batman in the context of a teamwork situations which we never often see him enough (outside of Justice League, that is). However, anyone who's been reading him in comics should know better; Batman does work and cooperate with many other costumed heroes--but it's been unanimously agreed upon that he is better off doing things by himself. It just feels right.
This is why, initially, the idea of a Bat-Inc. is uncomfortable for most long-time readers. Personally, though I found the concept a fresh and exciting one, but I wasn't too keen on the execution. I previously reviewed the original 2010 run of this series back in July, and that volume collects nine issues plus a special. When DC comics revamped as New 52, they decided to keep this title which actually became a tad bit problematic if you're reading this alongside other New 52 Bat-material. Essentially, this should have been credited as an old-continuity series because some of its major plots ring more true to what was established from the previous continuity. Now this volume Demon Star, which was composed of six amazing and tantalizing issues illustrated by Chris Burnham, is definitely the height of Morrison's painstakingly tedious plot-building since the conceptual work of this series started seven years ago. Ultimately, it was worth it because it has garnered a well-earned phenomenal success with the finished product. When I say that this was seven-years-in-the-making, I meant it. You have to go back as far as Morrison's Batman and Son and Batman RIP. The plot thread continues to his run for Batman and Robin. To truly appreciate the effort he has put into this series, you also need these previous works to compare with since in them you will find the seeds of what was going to flourish eventually as Batman Incorporated. The series is often peppered with callbacks and references to Morrison's established canon subplots found in those works. All the more reason why I insist for you to view this as a part of the old continuity and New 52...
...but therein lies the complication. But this is only the first volume. I might discuss the implication of the paradox Batman Incorporated presents next week when I do reach issue #8 where a significant event has happened and therefore affected other Bat-titles for New 52. In the meantime, Demon Star is a crowd pleaser if you don't have any strong negative bias against Morrison as a writer. Sure, he's been known to be quite dick-ish and evasive but the quality of his work has never disappointed me. I admit that his tonality and approach to Batman might be an acquired taste, but his experimental flair keeps his stories interesting because he has a unique perspective on how to write Batman than most of his contemporaries. With a Batman-Morrison story, you will always have an adventure you can sink your teeth into. Demon Star attests to that. Here we get a very well-nuanced character arc for Talia al Ghul who is the main villain at play for Batman Incorporated. Batman's relationship with his son and partner Damian was also explored in an angsty level, and the Leviathan is probably a more real and tangible threat than Synder's Court of Owls (after a year-long introspection, I realized I never really bought the concept of the Court of Owls). A lot of savory things are also happening in the background that you might miss out on if you're not versed enough with the old continuity material from way back.
I made a claim once that Morrison's works for Batman are not readily accessible or newbie-friendly and Batman Incorporated will certainly seem that way in the surface--at first. If you take comics reading seriously and actually find time to research parts you don't comprehend (or, even better, read previous continuity stuff as well), then I can assure you that Batman Incorporated will be one of the most dynamic, diverse and memorable comics you will ever read these days.
"Whichever, you choose, the other dies! Decide, your city, or your son!" ~Talia al Ghul
This wasn't exactly a clean follow-up to the awesomeness bang-bang that was issue #5 but at least some of the delightful insanity that made the previous issue, as I have eloquently termed it, "Holy Loki Fuck Jesus Messiah", has stabilized once we reached this in the line-up of Grant Morrison's consistently endearing oddball of a series, Batman Incorporated. I consider this issue polarizing; there are good stuff in it that never seizes to amuse me and there are other stuff that just made me draw a blank for a few moments which was why I opted to browse through it for a second reading before I was able to post this review.
The GOOD STUFF: The entire conversation between Talia al Ghul and her beloved detective Batman was pretty much the face-off that Morrison needed to establish at this point, considering that in spite of the overreaching yet intriguing premise of a vigilante franchise headed by Batman fighting the global threat known as the Leviathan is the reason why this series exist in the first place, the very heart of it all lies on the family dysfunction among Bruce, Talia, Ra's and Damian. These are not normal people so it's not surprising that their own personal conflicts with each other could even affect nations across countries because such conflicts not only breed resentment in an intimate level but also in a grander scale where ideals and methods clash against one another.
We should never forget that Batman and Talia were never going to be your average parents; they will always be heirs of their own respective legacies foremost. Batman is the protector and guardian of Gotham whose parents were philanthropists who want to make their city a better place. Talia is the daughter of an immortal who wishes to unite the world as one empire under his rule, and she is going to be his successor. It's no wonder they were drawn to each other which then eventually led to a romance in spite of their polar differences when it comes to their own respective life's mission. Their union yielded a son in the end--Damian. The boy was originally intended to be a spare vessel for Ra's al Ghul in case he needed a body transfer once his old one can no longer withstand yet another dip in the Lazarus pit. Talia decided that she had greater plans for Damian instead. So, from the very start, Damian had a very complicated childhood--he was trained to kill and rule the world someday but his eventual meeting with his father and the heroic dream he stood for had convinced Damian to abandon the extraordinary life his mother had planned out for him. He chose to become Robin instead and fight by his father's side.
In Batman and Robin, Talia tried to dissuade Damian from following his father's crime-fighting footsteps and when he refused, she officially declared him as an enemy of the al Ghuls, and then she basically set the dogs out on him by putting a bounty on his head. And here we are. Last issue, we saw what a possible chaotic world of Gotham will come to pass if Damian eventually becomes the new Batman and then we see Talia giving Batman an ultimatum in light of that possible future: she asked him to choose between their son or the city he loves. Talia had essentially tried to rip the world into pieces, hoping that it would guarantee her son's return with his tail tucked between his legs. She set up every conceivable destruction in Batman's way in order to make him concede to the idea that Damian is better off staying with her and becoming her puppet--AND IT LOOKS LIKE SHE'S WINNING.
THE OTHER STUFF wasn't exactly bad but did give me a hard time wrapping my head around it. I don't understand the symbolic meaning of the goatherd and the mountain top of enlightenment. I'm not familiar with that mythology and the construction of the dialogue pertaining to it was confusing. Some of the action sequences are also moving too fast and with less detail which is surprising for Chris Burnham. There are just some parts to this issue that I had to do a second-take to fully comprehend. Luckily, the tension and drama among Batman, Talia and Damian were the most compelling aspect of this issue as well.
RECOMMENDED: 8/10
HOLY LOKI FUCK JESUS MESSIAH THIS ISSUE!
I just stumbled upon one of those stories that can metaphorically blow your mind. I swear to all the Catholic saints that there are metaphorical chunks of my brain that are permanently stuck in the backseat of my father's car where I read this story in (a ride on the way to work where I'm now utterly distracted, struggling to type this review). I'm still reeling from it that badly, even after I read the next issue in the car too, which was #6. This goddamn story is all I can think about.
Entitling it as Asylum is an unjust decision because that generic label has been overdone so much that you'd think we haven't been saturated enough with it, but Morrison and Burnham's collaborative product for this story shows me and any other doubting Bat-fan that FUCK IT I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO FINISH THIS THOUGHT SO I'LL JUST CAPS-LOCK AND GO AHEAD AND ANNOUNCE THAT YOU CAN SAY WHAT YOU WANT ABOUT THIS ASSHOLE MORRISON--YOU CAN LOVE OR HATE HIS WRITING FOR BATMAN COMICS AS YOU PLEASE--BUT THE WORK HE HAS CONTRIBUTED IN BATMAN INCORPORATED FOR NEW 52 FOR ME HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL THOUGH SADLY UNDERVALUED because I do believe that getting into a Morrison Bat-book isn't a casual activity, especially when its content is not readily accessible or at times even newbie-friendly. Morrison has a reputation for being, uh, dick-ish, but the man seriously knows how to write comics that can be both deep and meaningful then wacky and entertaining--sometimes in a bundle.
I was actually pretty lucky that I enlisted his comic books as a priority back when I started this Batman diet in April this year. I made sure I read the first Bat-Inc and at least twelve of his Batman and Robin issues before I even got to this which I think are important stuff to read first.
When I say that Morrison's New 52 content for Batman Incorporated is not casual or accessible, I mean it. I pointed out in my review from the last issue that THIS ENTIRE SERIES SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN CREDITED AS PART OF THE NEW 52 UNIVERSE AT ALL. Nuanced with callbacks and references from his own work and the old continuity, what Morrison has written here is a series of events steeped and layered with fundamental Bat-mythos, and this was even more apparent with this Asylum issue; we got a few hats-off to Frank Miller's own The Dark Knight Returns and even Alan Moore's The Killing Joke. You have to pay extra attention to the background or you might miss them. That's not to say that I got every little reference imbued in this issue; the references to other Morrison works I have yet to read (Batman R.I.P, Batman #666 and the Black Glove story arc) completely went out of my head. I had to research about them online as soon as I started typing this review, and I am definitely adding them to my third wave of Bat-comics to-read for 2015. This issue is getting a perfect rating for me in spite of the confounding elements that I didn't relate to either, and that's mostly because this was definitely the climactic and resonant issue of the series where every build-up since the 2010 series started has been leading up to--and it skyrocketed in ways I never could believe. It was worth that slow-burn from the previous run. And can I just say once and for all that a great work will not be complete if it wasn't for the main artist who consistently produces quality illustrations? Just like how Greg Capullo for Snyder's Batman and Patrick Gleason for Tomasi's Batman and Robin elevate their respective writers' content through their gorgeous and dynamic art styles, so does Chris Burnham with his material for Batman Incorporated and this issue--I cannot stress enough how uncanny his visuals are!
I do believe that this will be deeply appreciated if you have been reading Bat-comics and Morrison's work for DC in general, but if you're a newbie or a casual reader of Batman material for New 52, this is a series you should watch out for. I suggest you pick up the 2010 run and catch up with this soon. Trust me, this is some of the finest things the medium can offer.
RECOMMENDED: 10/10
I just noticed something weird about Batman Incorporated's timeline. This series has been around since the old continuity which means there are major details in its plot that can still be considered pre-New 52 and now this issue clearly demonstrates that anomaly. This shouldn't be a problem unless you're continuity-conscious. I'm one myself when these pesky finer details get in the way of the flow of the story.
For this issue entitled Kill Box, I think that everything is going along smoothly until the very last revelation, a surprise twist that seems underwhelming once you contextualize it with the fact that this is already New 52 so the impact that Morrison intended gets lost in translation. I will further discuss this at the later part of this review. But first let me touch upon what made Kill Box such an engaging piece. And that's no other than the indisputable fact that Chris Burnham is a master when it comes to the visual execution of dynamic fight scenes which this issue has plenty of. Page after page we are guaranteed the most exciting illustrations of heroes and villains just duking it out. There are also many appearances from the Bat. Inc group (El Groucho, Knight and Squire, Batwing to name a few), while Talia al Ghul is heard during a conversation with Batman which, again, was about that surprise twist. This is also Matches Malone's last appearance (sad) and Damian Wayne's debut appearance as Red Bird (hilarious). Kill Box just hits the entertainment mark splendidly!
While the previous issue was all exposition, this was the one that it builds up to and it definitely delivers an action-packed follow-up if you're the kind of comics reader who just revels on page-after-page fight, fight, fight scenes. Burnham's artwork makes every confrontation alive and well-paced and you will get your money's worth if this is your only concern. Since we're on this vein of discussion, I think it's also worth saying at this point that Batman Incorporated's first four issues for New 52 have been superior to the previous run (and I've read and reviewed those issues individually back in July so I know what I'm talking about). For the revamped series, Morrison has taken his time crafting his tales and laying the necessary groundwork which has been the essential flaw of the first four issues in the last cycle, actually. There is a brisk breathlessness to those predecessors that often alienated me but this time around my attention for this series never wavered. I think it's mostly because all the players are front and center at this point. In the last Bat-Inc run, we're still getting acquainted with the Leviathan (this criminal entity appeared at issue #9 and a special issue) and so the cohesiveness of the storytelling itself would jump back and forth from the major arc and the minor subplots that could get tiresome if you don't care about the other Bat-Inc pledgers. Now we're finally getting something more straightforward. The Leviathan is getting more page time and at the heart of it all we know that Talia al Ghul is the main arch-villainess. This means that there less confusion and "hiding in the shadows" effect, which then allows readers to keep up with the events unfolding since we can now put faces in the enemies our heroes are battling against.
However, as I've said at the beginning of this review, there is a surprise twist at the end of this issue that would have worked best if we are still back in the old continuity. But we're not, so the effect was diluted. Here's a recap: after that explosive confrontation with their Talia's league of assassins, she and Batman have a conversation regarding Wingman (this vigilante betrayed Batman and co. during one of the arcs in the old continuity; I can't remember which) and that it's not the same man under the cowl. Damian, who had by chance started fighting alongside Wingman since shit just got real for this issue and they need all the help they can get, forces Batman to tell him the truth about this new Wingman fellow. Wingman takes off his cowl and shows him that he is no other than JASON TODD, the third Robin. It's notable because, if you've read Morrison's Batman and Robin run with Dick Grayson as Batman and Damian as his sidekick Robin, they had this bloody and angsty confrontation with Jason when he was the avenging Red Hood. Simply put, history will tell you that Damian and Jason hated the fuck out of each other. They never got along. He also briefly became Talia's lover, by the way, so this guy slept with Damian's mom so that's yet another dosage of bad blood for Damian. If this was still during the old continuity, the fact that Jason took up the Wingman title to redeem himself from his past transgressions is a redemptive growth for his character.
BUT WE ARE NOW IN NEW 52 where Jason Todd has his own title series (Red Hood and the Outlaws) and he's already been considered as a part of the Bat-family again. This is why the revelation that he is the new Wingman holds less emotional weight when you already know he's going to be one of the good guys again (with an anti-hero streak). That seemingly inconsequential detail would have been more resonant if this run of Batman Incorporated has still distinguished itself as pre-New 52 content. BUT IT DIDN'T. So...yeah. I guess we're just going to have to politely ignore that anomaly and go on reading this series anyway...I guess.
LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR MATCHES MALONE, EVERYBODY!!! I know I would, if offered a chance, to give it up for him, that is *wink wink nudge nudge and sundry* God, I'm so lonely...
The last time I encountered this character was back in Peter J. Tomasi's Batman and Two Face story The Big Burn and even then he only appeared for one gloriously badass prison escape scene which coincidentally made me wonder back then why he hasn't made any other memorable appearances for New 52. If you don't know who this sexy man is, then you're missing out, quite frankly. Matches Malone is simply a Bruce Wayne disguise that he usually employs whenever he infiltrates the crime underworld. He's a slick con man with a penchant for starting fires using his signature matches trick. Basically, he's hot stuff and what I enjoy about Matches Malone is the fact that with this guy, we get to see Wayne utilize his other talents aside from being billionaire philanthropist and superhero in a bat-costume.
As the glib and suave Matches, he is able to outsmart his enemies by actually becoming a part of their criminal enterprise and he has built quite a reputation as Matches too. Like any efficient and convincing mole, Matches truly shines in this issue for Bat. Inc which is understandably more plot exposition that I would expect.
What was so commendable about the way this issue unfolded was that it touched upon the domineering aspects of the Leviathan. We get to see how they operate as a secret criminal organization specifically the types of people they target (such as those in positions of power like in law enforcement; or even a simple middle-school teacher who can influence and educate the youth with something sinister). With a few pages we get a sense of what impact they would have in an already fringe society such as Gotham, and why they can thrive in other unsupervised places where many underprivileged groups of people can be contained and oppressed to serve their needs. Personally, I think they are exactly the perfect global threat the Bat-Inc franchise should be fighting. In addition, this issue showcased Matches' skill in finding out information concerning the players involved in the Leviathan scheme. Meanwhile, Damian is grounded and has to stay in the batcave with Alfred while his dad is out working the bad guys. In the first issue, they even have to fake his own death so they can ensure his safety and obscurity because plenty of bounty hunters are looking to collect their payment if they successfully eliminate him, via mommy dearest cunt's request.
But Damian, being Damian, finds a rather amusing technicality to get out of parental punishment. Not surprising, actually. Any Damian fan knows this is familiar territory. Also, it's not like Damian is the first Robin to ever disobey direct orders and forego his own safety if Batman's life is at stake, especially when those stakes outweigh everything else. But Damian is definitely the first Robin who has an overbearing, twisted mother who will stop at nothing to have him, and if she can't have him then she'd rather see him die. Being angry with the way Talia al Ghul's psychopathy works is a losing game, a foregone state of what-the-fuckery that I am frankly too tired to give a damn about at this point. Besides, I've already made my peace concerning the way Damian always finds trouble and gets himself into tricky situations where he could die...BECAUSE HE WILL DIE LATER ON. This is no secret. This is not a big fucking spoiler for anyone reading my reviews. Anyone who has been following DC since 2013 should now be prepared when I do get to review ISSUE #8 WHERE DAMIAN WAYNE FINALLY DIES. I'm going to be re-reading that issue next week so for now, I am happily savouring whatever crazy shit is happening in the earlier issues because I know it's about to get so much worse.
I guarantee ugly-crying next week. For now, this was a lovely issue and we'll get to see Matches again on the next one.
RECOMMENDED: 8/10
I have no love for Talia al Ghul. Whatever sympathy I could have for her has went out the window....literally. While I was reading issue #12 of Morrison's Batman and Robin last week, I actually did throw something out of the window because I was inconsolably angered when her son Damian asked her whether or not she could love him for the way he is and not for what she wants him to be--and she coldly replies, "No, I'm too much of a perfectionist."
And when he refuses to give up his role as Robin, she declares him as an enemy of the al Ghuls from that point on. Now there's a bounty in his head, courtesy of mommy dearest.
Like, fuck you, you crazy bitch. I never had any kind of affection for her to begin with so I had no qualms when I realized that she's going to be the main villain for this line-up of Batman Incorporated. It's an understandable natural progression for her character after all. She's everything that her father Ra's wanted in an heir; ruthless, cunning, egocentric and with a complete disregard for her own loved ones' personal needs if they happen to clash with the plans for her bigger-picture world domination. Ra's must be so proud of how his progeny turned out. That said, this second issue was probably the best thing I've read in the series so far and that's ironic for me, considering this is entirely a Talia-centered story. That only goes to show that Morrison has a great understanding of his villain, and so his writing of her characterizations demands precision.
He certainly delivered the goods on that department whereas artist Chris Burham's illustrations are just as rich and superb. This time we don't even need Batman, Robin or Gotham to properly enjoy a Bat-comic book and that is an achievement by itself. I think Batman Incorporated is slowly shaping itself to become one of the finest titles New 52 has offered.
In this issue, we get to travel across different places and Burnham's depiction of each region/country was nuanced and vague enough to hold interest and allow readers to fill in the details for their own while reading. The backstory pertaining to Talia's upbringing and rise to power unfolded remarkably well, and I really have to give it to Morrison. This has been a satisfying and enthralling piece most especially since I hate Talia al Ghul and yet this story was able to make me understand and examine her motivations, desire and loathing directed towards the world she has to lead. The issue also contains a hefty amount of flashbacks and references from old comics yet again, particularly on notable stories Morrison has written before like Batman and Son and Mike Barr's Son of the Demon which I read and reviewed last July.
At its core, this story has been a fleshed-out examination concerning all the relationships Talia had formed in her life (with Bruce and Damian, and her attempts to keep the three of them united even if it's to serve her selfish goals) but, more importantly, it was an intimate and brutally honest look at Ra's and Talia's fractured father-daughter relationship and the fact that whoever Talia has decided to become now all ties back from the life she was raised in, and the small yet life-changing moments that happened between that truly did a number on the way she perceives herself as a woman, mother and heiress to an empire. Her concepts about power, legacy and family have been distorted into something sinister, something not even her father would expect her capable of reinforcing. Her characterization is chilling and interesting and she's officially become a character I would love to loathe the fuck of as the series progresses. I can feel it.
RECOMMENDED: 9/10
