Batman Eternal by Snyder and Tynion issue #15

Artist Dennis Nguyen makes a return to illustrate the next three issues of Eternal and I felt the need to begin my review with this announcement because I have to admit that said issues have been a visual adventure for me even if the story department is lacking in some places yet again. After the main arc in Gotham City pertaining to the Falcone-Penguin gang war has been resolved in the previous issue, we now have to move on to the minor arcs that have been scattered throughout the Eternal run namely (1) the supernatural story with the Spectre and Batwing; (2) the unlikely tandem of Red Robin and Harper Row vs. nanobots; (3) and Batgirl's pursuit of clearing her father's name as Red Hood tags along.

I've expressed how much I've been having problems with the cohesiveness and overall structure of this series since I started reading and I would like to state from here on out that the writers never should have chosen to bombard us with so many story arcs happening all at once, and then place them alongside each other in a single issue (a mistake committed several times) which just overcrowded the narrative, weighing the elements down. But it already happened and now the writing itself and the stories suffered, and readers just need to adjust to the confounding and uneven quality of Batman Eternal.

We should have just focused on the gang war in Gotham City first, and wait for that arc to resolve before we head on with the next plots. Issue #2 showcased the five story arcs we have to follow in Eternal and the result of which was a mess. I just re-read that issue again after I finish issue #14 and the flaws became even more apparent the second time around. But fuck it, dudes. Not every collaborative project is perfect and we can always take comfort in the fact that the last three issues (#12, #13 and #14) were superbly written, resolving the Falcone-Penguin and GCPD story arc in a satisfactory way.

I'll discuss the three story arcs enclosed in this issue now and give their merits so far because overall this issue was pretty great. Not exactly excellent, but it wasn't so awful than expected. I have a few nitpicks as always. So here we go:

• The paranormal storyline with Batwing and the Spectre exploring the dark corner of Arkham Asylum was probably the one that I can follow and enjoy the most in this issue. There's a build-up of suspense and snappy dialogue going back and forth between the two characters. Nguyen's artwork was amazing, giving each panel in the page an unforgettably haunting presence. I'm perfectly fine when a Batman story becomes a cosmic horror as long as it's played straight which this one was. The dichotomy between the voice of the scientific and the enigma of the mystical is formed in the roles of Batwing and the Spectre respectively. Batwing is the one who questions the events unfolding and not readily accepting them while the Spectre was patient enough to help him figure things out. Their camaraderie was organic and therefore eases the readers into caring what happens to them and the discoveries they may stumble upon. I can say that their arc is easily the strongest of the three as featured here so far.

• Red Robin and Harper Row's puzzling adventure is something that's so awkwardly executed that I try not to wince too much while reading. I understand why Harper wants to come along (to find a way to save her brother) and why Tim is dismissive of her (either because he's just not comfortable having another headstrong teenager that kind of reminds him of himself when he was a novice; or he's just not sure how to normally interact with a person of the opposite sex who is not a teen titan/superhero). I just feel like it's really taking them too long to get past their hang-ups. If we're going to see more of them in the next instalments, meaningful interactions must occur. Just look at Batwing and the Spectre. In their own way, they're both getting to know the other and learning to establish some sort of working trust between them. I guess I shouldn't make comparisons between fully grown men who are more used to professional interactions and two teenagers (is Tim still a teen or near his twenties now? I can't be sure because I don't really follow him in his own titles) who are obviously uncomfortable with social interactions in general, considering they're both introverted and too individualistic for their own good sometimes. I suppose I just need to wait it out. I just hope it gets better later on.

• Batgirl and Red Hood working together is...pretty bland. At this point I'm just getting tired of Babs running around, interrogating people violently and NOT TALKING TO HER FATHER OR STAYING BY HIS SIDE IN HIS TIME OF NEED. Seriously, Barbara. You'd be helping more as yourself than as Batgirl. Am I the only one who sees that? I understand the need to portray a heroine be all kick-ass because it makes for great action and drama. Also, females in comics have come a long way and need to be shown throwing a punch and solving crimes by themselves. But it just doesn't work for Batgirl here in this story. It just doesn't feel real or genuine in any way for her to be so abrasive like this all in the name of finding evidence to disprove her father's crime. Her motivation since issue #4 gets diluted the further we get to her arc. I find myself caring less which is odd because I have to care about Barbara. But, just like with Batman and Red Hood, she's not allowing any of us to understand what she's going through. I don't know what other direction Batgirl is going after this issue and I frankly don't want to know. If it's going to be the same shit again, then fuck it. And can Red Hood do something Jason-Todd and not just tag along with Babs like he's some neutered guard dog?

We get something about Bard and Batman in Gotham for this issue which I believe we could have done away with. They had this fantastic moment of tension and shock in the previous issue when Batman realized that Jason Bard is the man who may resemble Jim Gordon in a lot of ways but is also most definitely a hardened version who won't be afraid to bend the rules further than Jimmy ever did. I think it was a bad move to make them interact so soon after that earth-shattering quiet moment. I would have preferred that Batman stayed away from Bard because of the discomfort he felt after the rooftop scene. It would make more sense for Batsy to just lurk around and watch Bard work, gauging his reactions, observing him in action. So this scene they have in this issue had no impact and was so forgettable. Let's just end this review before such minor mistakes annoy me more. Like I said, this issue wasn't that bad. The Arkham storyline with Batwing and the Spectre pretty much saves it from being a bore.

RECOMMENDED: 6/10



Batman Eternal by Snyder and Tynion issue #14

I'M LOVING THIS! This is what I want in a series as promising as Batman Eternal. Each time I turned a page to read and digest, I'd become very verbal with my sentiments. Every once in a while I would find myself making small noises of dismay, giddiness and shock. I wasn't even alone in the room while reading this, so my brother kept giving me looks every time I would react so audibly across him. But that just goes to show that my enjoyment for this one entitled Natural Order is absolutely genuine. I could only recall two or three issues of Eternal that swept me away like this (issues #3, #12 and #13, the last two were recent, and you can say that this one was their climactic product).

The character interactions among Batman, Bard, Penguin and Falcone were solid gold and were no doubt the impressive highlights of the story. If you've been reading my reviews often then you know how I've stated more than twice that I have a thing about pacing, but I would also like to mention here officially that I also adore thematic stories. In this case, it's the natural order of things which is Penguin's opening sentences. He shared a story about a crime boss known as the Lion (Rex Calabrese) who preceded Carmine Falcone back in the day. Said mob boss claimed that nobody stays on top for long, that there's an expiration date and when the alpha gets old, a young one will inevitably take his place and replace him. Penguin acknowledges that this is just the way the power and status work in general, and that he was the one who pushed Falcone out in the first place so there is no way he's going to lose his grip on the Gotham underworld because natural order dictates that it's his time to reign and Falcone cannot come back to steal that away; Penguin is adamant about this.

It's the first time in a long time that I saw Penguin going creepily berserk in a story and it's a sight to behold all by itself! That supposedly (though not certain) final confrontation between him and Falcone was crazy! Penguin just straight-up murdered twelve men all by his lonesome before he gets to Falcone. It's almost as if I'm reading the Gotham show's Robin Lord Taylor version of Oswald Cobblepot who he could just turn on a switch and kill people without hesitation or mercy and it was insanely enjoyable! Falcone was understandably scared shitless. I actually feared for his life and believed Penguin would have really killed him if it wasn't for Jason Bard, Mr. Timely Interruption, and the rest of the GCPD with Vicki Vale and the press stepping in. I agreed that it was a picture perfect moment too, arresting Falcone and Penguin in a very literal interpretation of the expression hitting "two birds" with one stone (because Falcone and Penguin are namesake of said birds, you dig me?). Bard had also arrested Jack Forbes earlier that night, together with the Mayor who is a conspirator of Falcone (as revealed in issue #2). While locking up these baddies, Bard also managed to find enough time to cure cancer, tax the rich and provide education for the poor because THERE IS NOTHING THIS ROOKIE COP CAN'T DO, apparently. Well, shit, son! He has been pretty fucking spectacular so Vicki Vale, why aren't you dating the shit out of this rock star already?

Bard may be having all the fun and glory in this issue but I can't say the same for the man who recruited him in the first place. We see yet another downer moment for Jim Gordon in Blackgate, who was haunted by the last conversation he had with his psycho son. It's difficult to see a man of integrity like Gordon doubt himself so severely, and the fact that he's actually contemplating about escaping prison. Granted we can still speculate if that really was the case, seeing as Snyder and Tynion purposely left that ambiguous. I did wonder how Batman got there so quickly and right by the time Gordon was standing in that door, claiming he was there to lock it and not at all get out of there. If it was any other character, you would have called "bullshit!" and leave it as that. But this is freaking James Gordon, and we feel like we should give him the benefit of the doubt and trust that he is making the right call. What followed is one of the most honest and disheartening conversation between him and Batman EVER:

There it is again, the natural order of things. Gordon had reached a point where he believed that his reign has ended and that it's time to hang his hat and retire. It saddened me and yet I also perfectly understood the undeniable truth that even heroes can fall, and not get back again to fight the good fight. This revelation was shortly followed by a meeting between Batman and Jason Bard in the rooftop next to the Bat-signal (which was still destroyed to fucking bits, by the way). And another twist slammed us right in the face. I don't know about you, but I certainly felt like a rug was pulled under me when I read that conversation. I won't say anything about it but I will leave you to contemplate Bard's own justification about his decision:

 

To end this review, I would like to address the opening pages with Scarecrow. I fucking loved that scene sequence! The Master of Fear himself actually scared to death with whatever is chasing him? Mind-boggling and deliciously thrilling to see! However, whoever was tormenting Scarecrow (which was shown at the last pages) was someone I did not expect and was kind of angry about. You know what, I'm just going to say it. Sorry for the spoilers but you better stop reading now if you don't want to know yet.

 

It's the fucking Joker's Daughter. This stupid, stupid irrelevant character has rendered Scarecrow viciously terrified? I'm sorry but that's just fucking WRONG. So yeah, this issue might have gotten the perfect rating if it wasn't for that crap.

 

RECOMMENDED: 9/10

Batman Eternal by Snyder and Tynion issue #13

"You can tell me the truth, dad; the deep, dark truth you don't want to admit to yourself. You hate this city. You always have. Gotham City is a nightmare. You've seen every day for years how it tears people apart and turn them into monsters. You saw it happen to your own son." ~James Jr.

YESSSSSSSS. In my review of the previous issue, I expressed the sincerest of hopes that Eternal could still maintain the consistency of character arcs and plot developments that were dully accomplished there. Imagine my utmost relief when I read this next issue and got exactly that, if not much more. Four plot arcs have been zeroed in on this one and they had enough pages divided among them. It feel so good to finally review this series with more positive insights and praises because I truly want Batman Eternal to distinguish itself as a solid piece of storytelling. Lots of talented people are working for this title and there's just so much potential to this series that are just waiting to be deftly crafted to a wondrous symphony of suspense, compelling drama and interplay among characters and intrigue.

Before we venture on to the rest of this review, I just want to mention that Mikel Janin has been the artist for this issue and the last one, and I'm totally fascinated and enamored with his illustrations. Characters look so realistic in a sense that they have varied facial expressions especially during the most intimate moments of reflection and action and Internal Affairs has plenty of that to go around.

Now, the story. My only mild critique, to be honest, is the composition of the Red Robin scenes so far. I do like that we are establishing the striking parallels/similiarties between him and Harper Row as inquisitive young teens who want to help the world, so it makes such poetic sense to see them interact and rub on each other with a friction I hope will reach a climax soon (wow, that sounded dirty. That was NOT my intention). However, the transitions of his scenes have been abrupt. Sometimes I feel like we're missing something, as if half of his appearances played off-camera. Hopefully he and Harper Row will find some sort of peaceful accord, help each other, and hence get better slices of drama and action in the series later on because I am interested to know about the nanobots (especially after they infected Cullen and I like that boy so I want him to get better soon).

Other than this nitpick, the rest of the issue hit my sweet spot. Not so long ago I  was vocal with my displeasure with the way Vicki Vale acted (in issue #5) when she just randomly picked a thug from the Narrows to interview to impress the high school intern Joey by showing him how tough she is with investigative work. I was ready to swore her off from that moment but then she got interesting once she started interacting with newly recruit lieutenant officer Jason Bard (whom she has great chemistry with, if I may add). This issue explored the ingenuity of Bard and Vale's own shrewdness which is such a refreshing angle for the story to take. It's uplifting to read citizens like a humble cop and a journalist still have the ability, resourcefulness and good sense to fight back for their city. In this case, Bard dupes the Falcone-dick-sucking, never-ever-going-to-be-police-commissioner, grand bullshitter Jack Forbes into complying the arrests of many of Falcone's men because Bard strategically ensured Vale as the media tags along so Forbes had no choice but to concede and allow Bard to do their goddamn jobs as cops, lest he will have the press breathe hard on his neck for his negligence which would the expose him as Falcone's good little bitch. They then proceeded to record a tapped phone conversation between Forbes and Falcone. I also want to add that I enjoyed that Batman never played any big role for this issue which showed that he trusted the good people in the task force and the media to step to the plate and make the best decisions to save their city. Bard and Vale embodied that and it brought a smile to my face to read it.

I'm going to state it again to be clearer: Not having more Batman in this issue was actually the best decision Synder and Tynion ever made. It allowed the supporting characters to come to their own and show us what they got. I must applaud that.

Speaking of supporting characters, we get another Stephanie Brown sidestory. Still hiding in the school library, she's been bust filling up crime chatrooms with stories about her father, the villain Cluemaster, hoping someone will take these seriously and catch him. And then she contacts a friend of hers who received a mysterious package addressed to Steph. The package has a clue in it which Steph will probably figure out if she hadn't already. Anyway, the package also had a bomb and instantly kills her friend. Heartbroken and furious, Stephanie  realized that she is now prepared to face her father and end everything once and for all.

Once again, I saved the best for last to discuss: we get this incredibly chilling conversation between Jim Gordon and his psychopath son James Jr. That morbid family reunion was both intense and subtle in dialogue and I could feel my heart falter a little as I read just how accurately James Jr. knows his father far better than we would have given him credit for. James Jr. baited his father to finally own up to his rage against Gotham City, that he's no hero but another broken man that the city has claimed. In addition to that unwanted psychoanalysis, James Jr. also offered his father the freedom to escape Blackgate. He paid the guards to leave so Gordon can easily get the hell out of there. There's something very sad about this, you know. It's only during his father's darkest time that James Jr. felt compelled to reach out to him and find a connection he hoped can be sustained if his father just admitted to his own brokenness. Sure, James Jr. is a psychopath of frightening means and measure but I never believed he was truly unfeeling, that he never wanted to stay connected with his father. And here he now has a chance to do that but what he requires from Jim Gordon, the last man in Gotham, is for him to turn his back from the city he swore to serve and protect, so he could take his son's hand and walk the darkness with him. Phew, just typing this paragraph is painful. The Gordons are so tragic...

Anyway, as I've said, this has been a spectacular issue, just so stunning in every way because of the character arcs that were developed. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this remarkable pacing and tonality just keeps on going and going!

RECOMMENDED: 8/10

Batman Eternal by Snyder and Tynion issue #12

YES. We are back on track! When Batman Eternal picks up, it's very easy to notice especially when you have pretty bad issues in its run you can compare it with.

After enduring some missteps and needless minor arcs that don't matter as much as this main one, I'm pretty happy again that Snyder and Tynion have taken more control with the reigns this time. It definitely shows with the tonality for this issue, which was unmistakably reminiscent of that of the first four issues. I maintain that those still have the strongest cohesiveness from what I've read so far in the series. It may come as a surprise, however, that this issue lacked the action that its four predecessor had which is a suitable narrative decision, because what made this one an enjoyable read is that it focused more on character developments alongside a plot thread that's slowly entangling itself among our important players in the story, and will hopefully unravel once we reach the climactic events in the next issues.

The story opens with Falcone making more decisive moves against Penguin and anyone who swore allegiance to him. The gang war has been an ongoing backdrop since Eternal began and the escalation has been moderately slower than expected but it's still an interesting angle to watch unfold. Meanwhile, most of the scope for this issue was about characters having meaningful and rewarding interactions as far as highlighting their roles to play in the arc. Jason Bard continues to impress me because he's one of the few characters whose actions make sense and seem to have a more forward direction than the rest. In here we see him discussing with  fellow officers Bullock and Maggie Sawyer concerning the GCPD supporting Falcone in his takeover of Gotham, and that they need to strike back and hopefully kill get rid of Jack Forbes from his underserved promotion to police commissioner. Later on, Bard meets up with Vicki Vale outside the courthouse where Jim Gordon's trial is now on its initial stage (and definitely my favorite scene of the issue as a whole). I expressed my complaints about Vale's characterization but I must say she's coming along well. We get an amusing Lois Lane cameo in one panel as Vale quips that every media outlet has a coverage about Gordon's trial and this could only mean that the journalists are being distracted from the real story in Gotham, and that she is more than determined to find out what that is. Brilliant deduction, Ms. Vale. As luck may have it, Bard shows up and offers her the information she seeks but readers are only left to wonder what it could be. My money is on Bard telling her that GCPD's new commish has been aiding Falcone--but he's going to have to provide an evidence to support that and Vale may just find him something.

Other great character interactions compose of Batgirl and Red Hood. After their confrontation in Argentina where Batgirl pursued a red herring, hoping it would help her father's case, she hasn't given up yet and Red Hood offers to help. She accepted and I thought it was pretty nice because I would definitely want to see more of these two in a team-up. We also have Harper Row hacking intel from Red Robin because her brother Cullen has just been victimized by nanobots and she is going to do something about it. Red Robin pushes her out, however, to protect her from harm, but I know Harper Row and she's not going to stop until she's doing something that matters. Alfred and Julia had another awkward father-daughter moment where Alfred admirably defends his decision of working for Bruce Wayne, and that it's his most fulfilling calling ever. Tim Drake comes to the Wayne Manor after, intrigued by Harper Row, and Alfred gladly offers to tell him who she is and why she has been so important lately to Batman. I wonder if Tim Drake may recruit her. He of all the Robins knew what it was like to pursue your hero and not give up until he gives you a chance to prove yourself. I can't wait to see what the writers have in store for these two crazy kids.

Saving the best for the last, I just want to say that I am really loving how Batman reacts to the commotion in Jim Gordon's life at this point. Unlike Batgirl who had to run around chasing bad guys to make herself feel better (because that's what she's doing, okay? I'm sure she wants to help her dad but sometimes the simplest gesture woks better than whatever she's trying to do). In Batman's case, he disguises himself as a cop and escorts Jimmy to the courthouse. He then attends the trial in disguise again. He didn't do this to try and help Gordon escape because that would be stupid. He did it because he wanted to be there for Gordon; to talk to him, console him, keep his spirits up. It's quite sweet and surprising for Bruce, but that shows the level of friendship that has deepened between them all these years. A conversation between Bullock and Bard as they wait for Batman has even revealed the relationship among Batman, Gordon and Harvey Dent who had served the city as its prominent guardians in the past.

As I've mentioned before, my favorite scene in this issue has to be that trial's opening where a lawyer delivers this fascinating and well-versed speech about Gordon being a hero--only to reveal that it wasn't his defense attorney at all but the prosecutor who effectively uses Gordon's good reputation against him. I really thought it was Gordon's defense attorney speaking because of the way he framed that speech but it was impressive that the prosecutor thought of turning Gordon's own great record as a law enforcer against him. My heart just faltered a little upon that revelation. Also, may I point out the fantastic illustrations for this scene? The characters in the background have nuanced facial expressions while the speech was happening (especially Gordon's own reactions), making the entire scene more realistic. So kudos to the artist for that attention to detail.

The issue ends with the most amazing thing EVER, by the way: James Jr. Gordon is alive and has something to talk about with his dad. Did I mention how much a fan I've become of this psycho ever since Snyder's The Black Mirror? I can't fucking wait what happens next. I hope Eternal thankfully keeps this pacing up!

RECOMMENDED: 9/10

 

Batman Eternal by Snyder and Fawkes issue #11

Ian Bertram's art style strongly reminded me of Frank Quitely's who illustrated Morrison's Batman Reborn. Bertram's style was more lavishly cartoonish and edgy in an indie sort of way, but this actually made me really enjoy looking at the pages for this issue entitled Day of the Dads. True to the title, this issue was thematically about fathers. A large portion of the pages are dominated by Batgirl as she goes to Argentina to follow a lead about the train massacre that could hopefully clear up her father's name from the manslaughter charges. We get guest appearances of El Gaucho and Scorpiana (whom I have first encountered in Batman Incorporated two months ago). Something unmistakably soap-operaish is happening in the pages and I was endlessly entertained. I can practically hear prolonged and hard-hitting guitar strings in the background while Batgirl gets increasingly aggressive.

We also have Red Hood and Starfire to help her out (in the last issue, Batsy asked Jason to follow Batgirl to Argentina). I was fine with Batgirl taking the center stage in this issue although I'm still having problems about her characterization. Since when did she get so reckless and hot-headed all of a sudden? It's not like I haven't seen her in a dark mood before (in her tie-ins for Death of the Family, she seriously wanted to kill the Joker but that was an understandable progression for her character, considering what the Clown Prince of Crime has done to her). And while one may argue that she's got every right to tear the world apart to save her dad, I just don't buy someone as smart as Babs could be so blinded by her fury and pursuit for swift justice. It's just not the Batgirl I remember. Red Hood even had to point it out and I think it's time for Barbara to listen and calm her tits.

The two other stories centered around fathers are more intriguing and heartfelt than that of Barbara's search for evidence/suspect to save her father from public disgrace and condemnation. First, we have Julia and Alfred Pennyworth. In the ninth issue, we see Batman whisking Julia away from Hong Kong where she sustained a fatal samurai wound to the stomach. Surprisingly enough, Julia had the gull to take the self-righteous ground and accuse her old man for turning into some lowly servant to a spoiled rich kid (she has no idea that Bruce Wayne and Batman are the same person which is terribly puzzling for an espionage agent who should at least have suspicions concerning the billionaire playboy taking such keen interest and funding Batman's global recruit of heroes for Batman Inc.). Anyway, she takes an issue with her father abandoning his job as a combat surgeon where he actually helps people who do important work in service of their country. I get why Julia would be pissed about this but it's pretty close-minded of her to assume the worst about her father just because he has made a choice she couldn't support. It's grating and insensitive especially after he patched her up and tried to take care of her even if all she did was pout and insult him every step of the way. We see her leaving the Wayne Manor shortly after she felt that she sufficiently recovered yet obviously she's wrong. She's fucking bleeding in the stomach, for Loki's sake! Honestly, if she collapsed somewhere, I would only feel bad for Alfred because it's his daughter, but I wouldn't shed a tear for Julia because she was needlessly whiny.

The same thing can't be said about Stephanie Brown who has been staying/sleeping in the her school library since she stumbled upon a shocking discovery that her father is the costumed villain Cluemaster, and they are making plans to take over Gotham (or something along those lines). Clearly not going to be wining the Father of the Year award, Arthur Brown has since then tried to find ways to dispose of his daughter, including a botched assassination attempt. Brown had done some research about her father's past in this issue and it just keeps getting worse the more she uncovered skeletons in his closet. She also remembered that once Batman apprehended her father one night when she was only a little girl. It was quite a heartbreaking scene especially when she realized that her dad simply used her as an alibi to make Batman believe that he will forever quit a life of crime because of her. I feel really horrible for Steph and I wish she and Julia know about each other. If Julia thinks her father is a let-down just because he chose to become a butler then she's not going to be crazy about Arthur Brown, and may feel ashamed for being so hard toward Alfred to begin with. At least your dad isn't trying to get you killed, Julia so stop acting like a teenager which you are not because you're a grown-ass woman who should try to reconcile with your father. Steph is the teenager here, but she's taking the hard truths about her family like a champ.

This was a strong character-driven issue with a thematic scope and I always enjoy those especially when they're accompanied by fantastic illustrations. Sure, this one is also the most vastly different of all the Eternal issues as far as tonality goes but it had been a nice break, considering the issue before this that really rubbed me off in the wrong way. I'm giving this a higher rating then solely because of personal taste and bias.

RECOMMENDED: 8/10

Batman Eternal by Snyder and Tynion issue #10

This issue should have mainly focused on the confrontation between Catwoman and Falcone, the return of Professor Pyg, and the timely inclusion of Batman and the GCPD interrupting these three characters while they tried to kill each other. That's all it has to be and we all would have been fine with it. The issue would have easily stood on its own remarkably well because it would have been a decent story with a simple yet elegantly crafted plot with enough action, revelation and character insight to keep everything together. Unfortunately, this supposedly main event gets pushed back to make room for distractions and "updates" from other plot threads of the previous issues. It's overcrowding the pages.

This has to be the greatest sin of Batman Eternal as a series. It tries too hard to accomplish everything at once instead of just following one plot arc to allow the readers to get a better sense of the small details before we get to any big-picture moments. And from the twelve issues I finished since last night, Eternal is a series composed of the small details as oppose to any discernible large-scale moments. It almost feels like the writers are so excited to tell us everything about their arcs and yet they also fail to give us anything nutritional to digest because they hurry along and leave us dry and frustrated. The fact is this reckless information overload is testing my patience and isn't helping me step back and appreciate the events unfolding because I have to be constantly reminded that character A and character B are like this, or plot A and plot B will converge as plot C and so forth. It's highly distracting, okay? Stop undermining my enjoyment!

We all know that Batman Eternal is supposed to be a weekly installment type of series which meant that readers can still remember what was happening between issues so there is no need to keep doing recaps every goddamn time and this issue is the biggest offender of that. I'm also reading this by batch now (four issues per night since Monday) and that should show all of you that the readable quality of this series will never hold up if we get a trade paperback collection in the future. I'm becoming more disappointed whenever I have to call attention to this mishaps and might continue to do so because it's necessary. This is constructive criticism expressed by a fan who really does hope for the best of things from this series. There was a time not long ago when Batman Eternal issue #3 showed me what this series can potentially become; an engrossing, visually striking and character-driven adventure where stakes are raised and nothing is what is always seems. That effect is slowly diluting and I'm reaching a point where it's getting too hard to type a review that doesn't just come off as a grievance piece which this one is unavoidably one. And I hate myself for it just a little bit.

What a wasted potential, this one. The Falcone-Catwoman scenes were anticlimactic. Professor Pyg provided some entertaining sequences but his role was not as strong as I hoped it will be when he eventually caught Falcone and snagged Catwoman while he was at it. Nothing game-changing happened for these three at all so why did we even bother again? Maybe Batman should have delayed his appearance a bit more, I guess. We do find out that Carmine Falcone is not the Big Bad of Eternal after all.

At least that piqued my interest.

RECOMMENDED: 5/10

Batman Eternal by Snyder and Tynion issue #9

The most overwhelming aspect about Batman Eternal for me is that it's so goddamn polarizing every step of the way. I can never consistently like it or hate it, and I'm both frustrated and intrigued every time I read issue after issue. But there was never a moment while reading them that I absolutely hated the story. If I did, then why am I even bothering right now? Generally, I'm enjoying the plot threads and characters being offered to me so far although I do have problems with the delivery in some aspects because I still feel that the writing is uneven, and it really has a lot to do with the fact that it's released weekly and that it's a collaboration among four to five writers each issue. I can only recall praising the third issue and that was the standard in which I compare the other ones that came after it. The thing about Batman Eternal is that when it's good, it's exemplary in so many ways. When it's bad, it tends to drag in ways that makes me sort of sad. However, when it's in the middle, there are parts that you can just enjoy and not think about much as long as it does work. This installment was exactly that.

I would like to raise the subject of Bixby Rhodes though (a.k.a. Roarunner) who I failed to mention when he appeared in issue #7 of Eternal. He's an original character created by Scott Snyder in The Black Mirror run. He's a criminal who owns a car dealership and who now functions as yet another henchmen of Falcone. We see him finding a bomb that was planted by no other than Professor Pyg to get back at him and Falcone since Pyg's place of horrors was torched in said issue. I wonder why we still see Roadrunner very much alive here. He was so close to that bomb and he at least should sustain serious injuries. Maybe he ran away really fast which is plausible, considering he wears cybernetic legs. Are we going to see a flashback very soon about his escape or not? That still remains to be seen. In the meantime, he appears here to chauffeur Jack Forbes (a character I loathe in a degree I never thought was possible) to meet Falcone. It's interesting to see that this arrogant son of a bitch answers to someone and he could not suck Falcone's dick any harder. I don't understand his motivation for selling out his integrity and the GCPD aside from sheer greed so I really don't have any reason to care about Forbes except for the time I will see him die. And he has to die, okay? I can't stand reading him talk and spew out more bullshit. He IS NOT the Commissioner. And he needs to go.

I think it's time that we talk about the things that did make me happy while reading this. Batman goes to Hong Kong to figure out what happened to Falcone there and why he decided to come back to Gotham. We find out that he had some problems with the Chinese mob led by Fang and that, for some reason, Falcone just gave up his claim to the place and allowed Fang to take over. That is rather suspicious and I'm curious if there is more to that story because I was unconvinced. Anyway, to the fun stuff: Batman beats up ninjas because it's super cool and he was assisted by Jiro, Japan's Batman from Grant Morrison's Batman Incorporated. I was an instant fan of his when I read Bat-Inc. two months ago so I was so happy that Snyder and Tynion utilized him and I wish there's going to be more of him though I won't get my hopes up. And then this woman whom I originally thought was Catwoman from last issu because she was covered in the same dark spandex and she sports the same haircut (minor mistake, sorry) joins them and gets herself stabbed with a samurai sword. Ouch. She survives though which is fortunate for Alfred, seeing as it's no other than her own estranged daughter Julia (who hates his guts, by the way). Batman decides to take her with him as he leaves Hong Kong after he took care of business. Time to have a heart-to-hear conversation with Falcone.

We also hear Fang's side of the story. As it turns out, Falcone agreed to back off and allow everyone to think Fang had won Hong Kong as long as Fang pays him an acceptable fee/commission from the Chinese mob's illegal activities. That's embarrassing and quite dishonorable so Batman asserts that Fang won't be in power for long once the secret is out and he's consequently shamed. We say goodbye to Jiro and it sucked because I wish to read more of him. We get back to Gotham where Catwoman happily steals from Falcone until she gets caught. We'll be reading that confrontation in the next issue.

The visual contrast of the muted colors for Gotham and the more vibrant color palate for Hong Kong scenes and landscape must be commented upon. I really enjoyed looking though the pages because of these combinations and there is also plenty of action to hold together a story that at least made more sense than I expected. I liked the pacing even if there was really not much going on for this issue, but it was not a confusing plot to follow unlike the ones I read from the previous set, so it was great.

RECOMMENDED: 7/10

 

Batman and Robin by Peter J. Tomasi issue #35

It's been a long time coming and it's finally happening.

DAMIAN WAYNE IS COMING BACK. There is a small part of me, however, that keeps crushing every seed of hope that would persist to grow from my broken heart. I still don't want to believe that his resurrection is a guaranteed thing even if this is the point of Tomasi's issues as of now. I should be happier about this. I don't think anyone loves Damian Wayne as much as I do, and losing him last year was so devastating and so real that I never thought I'd recover.

So yes, it's been a long time coming.

But is it really happening? Maybe I just don't want to dare myself to hope. Maybe I'm still in denial that things can and should get better for Batman and the Bat-family, but if any fictional group of characters deserve some sort of happy consolation for all the tragedies they faced alone or together, it's the Bat-family.

We are now at the third part of the continuing Robin Rises saga and this issue entitled Hellbound brings us to Apokolips where Batman, donned in a specialized Hellbat suit (a combat armor designed by the collaborative efforts of the Justice League), confronts Godfrey to claim back his son's cadaver as well as the crystal. Back on Earth, his surrogate children Tim, Barbara and Jason finally made up their minds to aid Bruce in his mission . They go to Batwoman to tell her that she's going to have to take care of Gotham by herself for a while because they need to help Batsy. She agrees with this arrangement readily. The kids return to the cave and they are then assisted by Alfred so they can go to Apokolips using a device called a Boom tube. It's something akin to space-dimension travel, and Leaguer Cyborg is the only one who the means to create one. The Bat-family then decides to lure him to the cave and use any means necessary to subdue him and get the equipment necessary inside his circuits to make the Boom tube work. Lots of technical mumbo-jumbo that you don't really need to understand to be able to enjoy what is happening. Artist Gleason and colorist Kalisz turned this issue into a vibrant explosion of colors, with the majority of the panels dominated by red, yellow and black. It's a flattering combination, I daresay.

Once the kids got the Boom tube working, they immediately jump into it to get transported to Apokolips but not after Cyborg wakes up and follows after them. Titus, Damian's pet dog, latches onto him though so he's going to make the trip. They were greeted by a group of, er, hell aliens who are carnivorous and ready to fight them. Meanwhile, Batman is getting closer to Damian's corpse but there are still complications. The issue ends with a cliffhanger and I have to wait for next month to know what happens to the Bat-family and if that issue would mark the return of the Boy Wonder. The mixture of dread and anticipation may just become the death of me so I try not to think about Damian these days. It's a good thing I'm solely reading Batman Eternal this week because I am not ready to continue reading Grant Morrison's Batman and Robin run because Damian's there and I can't allow myself to start feeling things for him again. I just...DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT DAMIAN, OKAY--

No, Alfred. SHUT UP! I'm not ready. I'm just not ready to unearth my precious feelings for this character! Seriously, when I saw that image above, I felt my nose flare and my eyes sting. I could feel the tears coming and it's so confounding because I don't understand why I even want to cry. I can't deal right now. Give me some Eternal for now. I need the distraction!

RECOMMENDED: 8/10

[GOTHAM] Episode 5 Review

Let's keep this week's review for GOTHAM short and sweet. I'll be doing bullet points this time around to save both of us the trouble in exploring my thoughts and insights. Besides, the entirety of Viper was pretty fucking fantastic, actually. This was almost as exciting and enchanting as the pilot episode had been, if not more so. I want to use this opportunity then to deliver a review that's more compact yet still very substantial as this episode has pleasantly been. This might be my favorite of the season so far. The plot was very comic book-y in the most delightful way; the characterizations and performances were engaging (the actors are more at home with their roles at this point); and the pacing and tonality were just superb. Let's do a rundown, shall we?

• I'm quite okay that Gotham as a show set in a pre-Batman era wants to set itself apart by applying 'gritty' 'realism' in their stories but even Nolan's own cinematic trilogy allowed for some of the more pronounced comic-book elements to seep in, and finally the show has started to walk near that territory. The resulting effect is a rather thrilling one. I sincerely believe that this show could benefit in the long run if they meet a balance between the Nolan grit and grim and that Burtonesque appeal that's both somber and campy while still becoming its own unique animal in the process. This week's episode showed that they can go down that path and still stick its landing. The formulaic freak-of-the-week installment so far had brought us villains that are as conflicted as the tonality of the episodes themselves and Viper gave us one who may even have stepped out of a comic book page himself, considering the method in which he infects his victims with a serum that gives them superhuman strength. The Bane connection is instant (especially with the few "venom" name-dropping here and there) and the imagery of a green-colored airborne substance people inhale which then turns them berserk is reminiscent of the laugh gas employed by no other than the Joker. Gotham shouldn't be afraid to do more of this, considering their source material. Sure, Batverse is a dark and scary world but it's also filled with an array of colorful, dizzyingly maniacal and otherworldly rogues that personify cartoonish awesomeness; Gotham is a city of 'freaks' where the imagination and utter insanity can run wild, producing bold strokes of entertaining stories. Personally, an episode like Viper gives me hope that the writers will take more fearless measures from now on to incorporate more elements found in the Batman comic books that made their appeal so timeless and universal in the first place. So carry on, please. We need more villains with nefarious grand schemes and bizarre methods of crime.

• I think this is also the first time in the series where Ben McKenzie's James Gordon is becoming the moustached commish I know and love from the comics. The broody, self-righteous and morally upright portrayal of a young Jimmy in this show is something I can get on board still, but it does get a little played-out whenever he always has to make some sort of moral argument as he goes about solving cases. This episode toned down that aspect of his personality and that's probably because Gordon himself for once can't offer any justification for the acts of the criminal they're trying to apprehend. This is also the first time I buy his deductive reasoning as he pursues the investigation with partner Harvey Bullock. There is just something refreshingly pleasant about Gordon in this episode and that's probably because he had stopped trying to impose a higher set of standards about everything by this point; for himself, his partner, his line of work, his encounters with other people. I hope this continues because it's his gratingly constant moralizing that often makes Gordon less entertaining and enjoyable. I really think viewers have to like him first (and I honestly don't know if I do even if I acknowledge the pivotal role he plays in the show). This episode finally put him in circumstances where he can't moralize or judge too harshly. If this keeps up, we might even get a different development for this character, one that is more true to who Commissioner Gordon has been in the comics' canon for decades now.

• Harvey Bullock, I believe, is becoming rather fond of Gordon by now. He even expresses unexpected interest and concern about his partner's relationship with Barbara. I am really enjoying the natural progression of their relationship and they definitely have a better grip of things as they solve crimes together. How awesome was that scene when the elderly college professor inhaled some venom and threw Bullock against the door then tries to choke him? Actor Donal Logue has been splendid all throughout, especially the way he reacts to things (the expression on his face when a venomed-up guy lifts up an ATM machine before him was priceless!). He also has the best one-liners of the episode: ("We're Homicide but it's our lunch time"; "I will help you die faster, you terrorist!" and, let's not forget the amusing quip: "What's altruism?" which I thought was really funny, considering he knows what 'lackadaisical' means episodes ago but not 'altruism'). Like Gordon, he stopped counter-arguing with Gordon's moralizing which is healthy for these partners because now they're helping each other out. However, Gordon needs to make sure Bullock doesn't find out about the fact that he didn't kill Cobblepot in the pilot episode just as Falcone ordered. But how long could that secret stay buried anyway? I'm really excited to see how Bullock reacts to this.

• Speaking of Penguin, Robin Lord Taylor continues to be the show's best asset but this episode has done a great job of slowing him down on his tracks by making him commit quite a misstep when he revealed to Salvatore Maroni so easily who he really is. I was doubtful of Maroni's ready acceptance of Oswald last episode but now it made more sense, considering how he was characterized at this point. One moment he was congenial with Oswald, spoiling him and taking him into his confidence and the next he's beating his face against the table and ordering his henchmen to put Oswald's face in the slicer in case his story doesn't check out. I thought that was quite a lovely paradox, enhancing Maroni's volatile and unpredictable personality. Actor David Zayas has finally stepped up to the plate and he was such a joy to watch on screen the entire time with his perfect mixture of glibness and bluntness. The confrontation between him and Gordon as he casually interviews him to validate Oswald's story was played just right. It was intense yet light-hearted especially once Maroni got the confirmation that he needs and he's back to patting Oswald like a master would do to a good pet. Now that Maroni knows Gordon's secret, he has placed himself in a formidable position against the other man and Gordon may be forced to walk on eggshells around Maroni to appease him while ensuring that Bullock and Falcone still believes that Gordon is still one of their own. I bet Gordon wishes he did kill Oswald Cobblepot, and now he's getting further into messy situations that could have been avoided if he only pulled the trigger.

• The villain of this week's episode is Stan Potolski, a disgruntled scientist who used to design pharmaceutical weapons and has now decided to expose the citizens of the city to the evils of WellZyn corporation, a subsidiary of Wayne Enterprises, by giving away the custom-designed drug known as Viper. When he doesn't get the attention he needs for the radical awakening he was expecting, he targets the most influential and wealthiest of Gotham during a charity event hosted by Wayne Enterprises. In the previous episode, I was disappointed of how the Arkham storyline was introduced into the show and I was hoping that we'll be getting a more nuanced exploration of that in the succeeding episodes. But, for now, I was quite surprised yet pleased that it looks like Wayne Enterprises may be portrayed as a villainous entity for this show as I have theorized during my review of the second episode. It's a fascinating angle for the very legacy of Thomas and Martha Wayne to be exploited by the corporation, where certain people inside that circle are using the Wayne family's power and resources to fund dangerous and illegal experiments and activities. Falcone did hint that the death of Thomas and Martha was a continental shift in the power struggle for the city's soul and this may have something to do with that. All that's left to figure out is if Thomas and Martha are completely unaware of this before OR they may be the perpetrators themselves. I personally do not want the latter because that would ruin what was established in the canon for Batman, but I would still be open to that distressing possibility and how Bruce himself would react if he uncovers such an ugly truth. I'll be watching this plot thread very closely now.

• David Mazouz as the young Bruce Wayne was finally given more material to justify his continued appearances in every episode. Here we see him taking more action with a hard-edged assertiveness, obsessing not just about his parents' murder but the implications and conspiracies that may have led to it. He's asking questions and he's connecting events through research. Yes, all this detective work is familiar and canonical for his character. Mazouz's Bruce is also showing maturity beyond his years which was unexpected yet beautiful to witness because it sort of speeds up the character's transformation which meant that we may get to see at least more indications in the next episode that this is the boy is truly going to become Gotham's savior one day. Meanwhile, Sean Pertwee's Alfred continues to shine because underneath all that gruff and dismissive outer shell is a caring and nurturing man who will support his young master every step of the way, and the deftness of such loving devotion was spectacularly magnified in this week's episode. I teared up in their last scene, I'm not going to lie. I admit that their relationship has to be the brightest corner of the show.

• Fish Mooney trains her secret weapon in shape of a woman named Liza who is the blank slate that Mooney is hoping to accomplish great things from. Their scenes together in the episode are juicy snippets that are memorable enough to sustain the interest and curiosity of viewers. The revelation that she's also working with another one of Falcone's men is not surprising. As a woman who desires to seize power in organized crime, sex must be used as a reliable weapon. I know for a fact that she seduced this other man by making him believe that she will be servicing him both as his consort and right hand once Falcone is out of the game. I also know that Mooney will dispose of him once he outlived his usefulness and then crown herself as the sole queen in the end. On the other side of the chessboard, Maroni steals from Falcone with the help of Cobblepot. Sooner or later a clash will happen and both sides will reveal their cards. I can't wait until Mooney figures out that Cobblepot lives. That piece of information is a ticking bomb. Gordon will be thrown into that mix and will further complicate his relationship with Barbara.

• Said girlfriend doesn't appear in this episode which was okay. Selina Kyle being in here didn't have an impact on the plot at all which was wasteful for the young actress. The Major Crimes Unit is also a no-show and, again, this was okay. Hell, Edward Nygma felt a more realistic character now rather than an easter egg. The actor is not just creeping in the background for the sake of it. That scene where he watches one of the Venom's victims die as he mutters "fascinating" repeatedly was great, actually, and I wonder if we'll be getting scenes of him taking a more active role in bizarre cases because his dormant trickster nature is going to be emerging soon. I just hope they utilize this character better and his appearance in this episode is the first step towards the right direction.

• Ah, that last scene with Carmine Falcone. It's notable to see that he may be getting old and soft after all. In his earlier scenes with Fish Mooney and the other mobsters, he emphasized that they are a "family" which is a usual mobspeak, sure, but now the viewers understand that the man also has severe mommy issues and Liza is supposed to be the surrogate representation of that. Perhaps the chaos in his professional life is becoming too much to handle, and he now seeks serenity in the form of a nurturing woman who happens to emulate his mother. I have to applaud Mooney for coming up with such a wicked plan to destroy Falcone by going for the heart with such frightening precision. Every man, no matter how evil and crooked after all, loves his mother. This was a great twist and also explains why Mooney's training of Liza was composed of her learning to sing opera and saying non-sexual affectionate things. She is supposed to ensnare Falcone by becoming his mother figure. Whether or not there's still going to be a sexual element to that relationship (because Falcone could just as easily treat her as some sort of pure maiden he wouldn't want to soil but will keep by his side as his special friend and confidant) remains to be seen.

• Where is Harvey Dent? Are we getting him next episode? Please say yes, Gotham.

FINAL VERDICT: 4 STARS

A well-paced  and well-acted tantalizing episode that defined upcoming plot threads while deftly developing its character motivations in preparation for the next stage of the story.

Batman Eternal by Snyder and Tynion issue #8

How many times does the Bat-signal have to die over and over again? The answer to that, apparently, is ONCE MORE with feeling. (I actually looked through the first few pages of Snyder's Batman issue #35 last week and the Bat-signal was once again assaulted there). I suppose it's becoming a recurring theme now (or a running joke, whatever you call it) to destroy the fuck out of that signal. This issue was no exception. It makes you wonder how Gordon affords to replace that hefty thing. It must cost a lot for maintenance alone.

Now after my nitpicks for the previous issue which was also written by the Snyder-Tynion team, this issue was better paced and written than that so I can at least get back to focusing on the things I enjoy about the events unfolding in line with the multiple storylines bundled up together for the series so far, instead of needlessly re-living the stuff that I wasn't crazy about Eternal as a whole. Eight issues in and I'm still having a great time in spite of evidence to the contrary in my reviews. This isn't torture for me to read (believe me, I know torture-reading better than anyone since I subjected myself to Tony Daniel's Detective Comics volume 1 not long ago). Even if I dislike some of the choices the writers have made throughout said issues, I'm still having fun.

Honest to Loki who is my god, by the way. Or maybe Tom Hiddleston is. Striking this through because unimportant.

The opening sequence was, firstly, SUPERB. Reading about Batman going all night long being a sexy vigilante machine and beating up criminal scum just like the old times makes me happily nostalgic. If Falcone wants the old ways back then Batman will comply and remind him the relentless pressure of the one-man crusade that is the Dark Knight that managed to drive Falcone away in the first place. But why the hell did Falcone bother coming back anyway? Is he being as nostalgic as I am? Surely, being Hong Kong's crime boss should suffice. His motivations appear unclear to me. Something must have happened in Hong Kong--a catalyst of some sort--and I hope the next issue is going to reveal that. Also, Catwoman is there too...for some reason. Yeah, things are about to get complicated again and I earnestly hope it will also be compelling.

Can I just state for the record now that I hate Jack Forbes and I will NEVER EVER EVER call him GCPD's Commissioner? I wish he dies very painfully when this series ends. It will be the only consolation I will settle for. Honestly, he frees the criminals Batman has carefully gift-wrapped for the police force all because of his hypocritical stance against vigilantism? He's a Falcone henchman and he makes my blood boil. So goddamn you, sir. God damn you to the bowels of hell.

Should I acknowledge how weird it is for Tiger Shark to be working for Falcone? Can anyone else see how this relationship will surely deteriorate in time? No? Okey-dokey then.

Meanwhile, I absolutely adore Jason Bard and his scenes and role here in this issue were one of the few things I enjoyed the most. Vicki Vale makes yet another appearance and if the writers plan to get her and Jason together (whether in a professional or possibly romantic relationship), I wouldn't mind as long as it serves the plot and/or gives room for their characters to further develop. I got my eye on Vale already and I hope she's utilized more realistically. I don't have to like her, you know. I just need her to make sense when I read her. In line with the scenes between Bard and Vale, we also get sliced panels with whatever happened to Stephanie Brown from where we left her in issue #4. Her parents want her dead and she once again botched an assassination attempt out of sheer luck. Man, is this nightmare ever going to end for Steph? Will she encounter Batman or some other caped crusader (Barbara, anyone?) while she's trying to get to a safe place? In bloody Gotham City. With GCPD being led by an asshole crook. While another surge for the ongoing gang war will spill in the streets sooner or later. And a swarm of nanobots are infecting children. And Professor Pyg is on the loose and now has plans to claim the city as his own playground. And the Joker's Daughter is abducting people to sacrifice for her mystic ritual. And now Batman has just left for Hong Kong. Damn.

GODDAMN, I'm getting more excited now that I have just thought about the multiple subplots all unfolding from a distance and will hopefully converge sooner or later to shake the city to its foundations. So let's do this, fuckers! Bring it on, Batman Eternal!

RECOMMENDED: 8/10

Batman Eternal by Snyder and Tynion issue #7

This is going to be mortifying to admit because Snyder and Tynion wrote this issue but this has to be the very first one of their batch for Eternal that I did not like. Sure, I enjoyed the action (explosions strategically located and timed to go "boom" are always fun), and this issue has thankfully continued the Penguin vs. Falcone main plot, and I was actually glad that they got rid of that stupid Iceberg Lounge/Casino as Penguin's base operation. Still, something feels...lacking.

For all the build-up we established in the first four issues, and then the understandable breaks with the next two, we finally reach this one which should be the turning critical point but it was shockingly so action-oriented as oppose to the usual contemplative and character-driven style that I'm so used to with Snyder's writing. I don't want to believe that this is more of Tynion's speed because this is the work of two writers and I'm sure they both made the decisions together of how this issue should play out. I just...can't like it as much as I did with their other previous collaborations. This upsets me greatly, especially when I see John Layman was presently credited. I'm just beginning to like his writing. Holy Loki, Batman Eternal has been such a mixed bag for me lately and my feelings are now becoming erratic because of the stories this title has been offering me.

The scope of the action sequences in here can make a reader's head spin in a good way if you can adjust your perspective as to how you want this story to go which meant expecting an economy of dialogue in the panels that won't get in the way for some cool effects. There are great scenes for that if it's exactly what you are looking for. As for Falcone--I don't understand him anymore or perhaps I'm far too close to the picture and need to take a hell of a step back RIGHT NOW. So here's what I know so far: The Roman is trying to transform Gotham back to its roots when mobs used to rule the city and the cops are in their pockets. I remember that Gotham very well. Fox's show of the same name is taking the same narrative direction since that one is in a pre-Batman era. But to what extent and just how long does Falcone intend to reign the city with the old ways? At this point, I'm dying to know.

READ THE CONTENTS OF THIS PARAGRAPH OR PROCEED TO THE NEXT: I also don't understand why some old characters from the established continuity pre-New 52 act as if their history is readily given. Do we all require comic book readers now to wiki the hell out of these characters first before they can proceed to read the story they are in? I just worry about those who may have subscribed to DC comics for the first time and are not really familiar with many of the Batman's ensemble of characters. Are they starting to find it tedious by now whenever they have to do a google search of characters before properly settling into the story at hand? From what I've noticed, writers seem to drop supporting yet important characters from the old continuity complete with the history from that timeline, and simply expect the novice reader to just accept it and enjoy the show. But isn't the New 52 launch supposed to be more newbie-friendly? I'm expressing these concerns because I'm relatively new to comics in a way where it was only six years ago when I decided to keep up with major DC stories especially anything about/with Batman. I ensured I had enough knowledge to write reviews and discuss individual releases of New 52's Bat-titles here, and that requires devotion and focus. I know for a fact that I will keep reading more Batman in the future (and the old, I am whittling down a comprehensive list of considered Bat-classics), but I'm afraid that new readers are being alienated and I don't want that happening because DC is at its prime now, and comic books are, in a way, more mainstream that they have ever been, thanks to the shift in pop culture where superheroes do dominate the silver screens and the box office. But I digress. I shouldn't have made this review a grievance piece.

I wasn't sure about the inclusion of Catwoman but I suppose I just need to see more of how this plays out in the next issues so I won't finalize an opinion here. One thing that struck me as odd, though, is the fact that while the sequence with Penguin, Catwoman and Iceberg Lounge was going on, the sidestory with Batman and Pyg manages to be more interesting to see unfold. Professor Pyg becoming an unwitting errand boy for Falcone is hilarious and I knew that he will get his revenge one way or another. He's a very engaging villain and I sure hope they can still fit him somewhere because there are plenty of fun things they could still do with him. I'd give away my limbs for this to happen, if it would also mean we dispose of the Joker's Daughter in place of Pyg. Only one fucked-up cartoonish villain should be a part of Eternal and I'd rather we have Pyg...as long as he doesn't strip-tease while he delivers a villain speech. Heh-heh, sorry. Batman Incorporated inside joke. I just had to say it.

One more issue to review before I can get some deserved rest...

RECOMMENDED: 7/10

Batman Eternal by Fawkes and McCarthy issue #6

For a weekly release title, Batman Eternal sure has far too many subplots readers need to follow and keep up with. I'm free to read them in whatever convenient schedule I see fit this week (four issues per night is my quota) but even I'm struggling in a lot of places, though relatively still enjoying the ride.

It's important to remember that five writers are working for this series, as well as a roster of skilled artists, and I think it's unavoidable for them to come up with multiple storylines to make use of everyone's talents (if not to stretch the run of this series to meet whatever dates DC has imposed on their team). Generally, this is a fabulous creative achievement not only for Batman but for the DC flagship itself. As polarizing as it has been, the New 52 launch was still a bold and smart undertaking. It revitalized my interest in comics and got me to the most secure place that I am now with my childhood hero.

But not all issues can be winners.

The previous issue with Tim Drake, Harper Row and Vicki Vale was amusing enough. However, this issue written by Ray Fawkes and Trevor McCarthy, and which now dwelled on the supernatural elements such as the Spectre (Jim Corrigan) and (I'll be damned) the ghost of Deacon Blackfyre, was...distracting and underwhelming. Granted, the first ten pages or so was gripping. I was focused and willing to go with whatever flow I've suddenly been tossed in. But the pay-off at the end was confounding. I believe this is the kind of filler issue that didn't work with its strength or fulfill the potentials with a more nuanced approach. And I actually like paranormal plots especially when they surprisingly work in a Batman story (Grant Morrison's Gothic is forever going to be my primary reference to this kind of Bat-stories because I really loved that one). This was a poor use of the Spectre, considering I barely know this character to begin with and I would have liked to know more about him. Unfortunately, I couldn't care about him or whatever vital role he's playing in the issue's plot/conflict. He was even paired with Batwing but...that's it. We don't get to see them in action. We just see them talk about stuff. It's like a really awkward blind date where neither one knows if they will put out or not. And I actually adore Batwing, and aside from his awesome opening sequence with the Gentleman Ghost in the beginning of this issue, he didn't have much to do after.

One thing that really...distressed me was the appearance of the Joker's Daughter. Just what the fuck, guys?! I have successfully avoided this character since accidentally reading The Joker's Daughter issue #1 one lazy Sunday afternoon that turned sour as soon as I finished that said comic. I just plain disliked her. Her characterization is iffy and I see no purpose to her. So can somebody else try to resurrect the Joker and not this awful, just awful underused and inexcusably sickening character? Anyway, she's the reason the Spectre was in Gotham because she's doing something, er, magical to bring back the Joker from the dead which meant she's collecting offerings in the form of human sacrifices. When did she find time to do all of this? Why does it have to be her? I'm trying so hard to contain my negative bias from polluting this review so let's move on.

To what now exactly? Doctor Phosphorous? The issue did end with a bang. Literally. As soon as I close this comic book, however, I realized how uneventful it was. I was not happy about this but since I thought Trevor McCarthy's illustrations captured the right tone even if the narrative was all over the place (isn't McCarthy the same artist for Batwoman?), I'll be generous with my rating below.

RECOMMENDED: 6/10