This issue was an absolute dud, and just knowing I still have to review it is a little disheartening which was why I delayed it for a few days. Yesterday was my birthday but the celebration came in with three installments starting on the 22nd. This was why I didn't submit any Bat-reviews, but now I'm back and I at least can finish the first volume of Tom King's run and do more of Snyder's All Star Batman and realistically be able to reach issue #8 before this month ends.
The fifth chapter for I Am Gotham was a dud, like I said, which was disappointing since King has delivered capably enough so far and he was also quite fairly consistent with his narrative. This issue, however, completely detracts from that consistency which made it utterly baffling, more notably at the last pages. The cover promised readers a violent showdown between Batman and Gotham, but it had been a gimmick because the Justice League apparently swooped in and was a part of the mission. I'm all for a long-winded superpowered battle with a person taking a team of competent fighters which is what happened here with Gotham vs. JL and yet at the same time it came off as an afterthought. We got this technicality that Gotham can increase his powers based on his opponent's own ability but doing so earns years off his lifetime. That I can get behind with too.
But what I find rather hard for me suspend my belief upon was how easily Gotham managed to defeat every leaguer---including Superman and Wonder Woman. Perhaps I would have been more open to the idea if there was any build-up to Gotham's formidable prowess as a threat even to the big players. This wasn't the case. He was just simply too powerful for even Sups and Diana to handle, regardless of the brainwashing thing and blind rage or whatnot. I mean, do we really have to diminish the league just to show Gotham is strong? But Batman holds his own against Gotham, at least for a while before Claire as Gotham Girl saves the day.
I say 'saves the day' very loosely at this point because she was still a hot mess. Leave it to the psychologically impaired superheroine to handle her own brother, I suppose, whatever. But she didn't handle it that well since she ended up killing him which sucked because Hank had a real fleshed-out motivation to begin with than his sister and yet we're stuck with that sibling now. I'm still not impressed about Claire. She had more screen time and autonomy here, I can acknowledge that, but again it felt too rushed and too perfect of a timing just to kill off Hank. There's nothing more I can say for this issue.
I just didn't like it overall; except only for that small scene at the beginning with Alfred dressing up as Batman.
NOT RECOMMENDED: 5/10
No comments:
Post a Comment