The Good
One of the reasons it was so difficult to write a truly compelling, true-to-form Hush storyline after his absolutely explosive introduction seems to have been because his plans are so layered and nuanced that trying to compress them into a standard-length arc became nearly impossible and trying to integrate him into another storyline defanged him. Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Ray Fawkes, Kyle Higgins and Tim Seeley seem to have done the impossible by combining the two flaws into one giant positive. Since BATMAN ETERNAL is so long-form with a team of consistent writers that the character actually winds up fitting in perfectly. This issue is another jumping-on point, taking place after Hush’s masterwork has seemingly unfurled to its fullest extent (though even THAT can’t be fully counted on) and Wayne Enterprises is in big trouble for its weapon caches hidden throughout Gotham that the villain detonated. This issue is a Batman-heavy one and the fact that that requires highlighting is one of the reasons I love this book: sure Bats’ name is on the cover, but it casts a net over the entire Bat-Family. So when an issue like this comes out, it’s actually refreshing and cool. Julia Pennyworth is fitting in nicely in her support position, despite her new “roommate” in the cave, and Vicki Vale doing some hard-hitting investigative reporting that turns up at least one shocking fact about Commissioner Bard. It’s interesting to see Bruce Wayne begin to crack, even losing bits of his support network, and how that does inevitably affect Batman. We get a Bats who’s been pushed to his mental breaking point and might be nearer to a breakdown than he’d care to admit. Hush and Bard both remain incredibly compelling and well-written, both with their own motives and even their own plans.
Fernando Blanco’s linework is pitch-perfect for this issue. Giving us hard, defined lines and jagged character designs that communicate the mental and physical stress that these characters are under. Marcelo Maiolo’s colors look like they’re about to explode out of the lines, and the visuals seem to almost shake with tension and potential energy. This is a very, very dark book from a visual standpoint and even when it’s morning, there’s a kind of pall over the panels and pages that informs the tone and the fact that many of the characters are hitting low, low points.
The Bad
In the middle of an issue, a trap is sprung on Batman in the Batmobile and he continues to go with it far, far longer than it feels like he should. Unless it’s all part of the plan, there’s no good reason to keep Batman in the Batmobile and if it’s all part of the plan, he should probably let Julia in on what that plan IS because then we get into the territory of trying to trick the reader rather than have the characters behaving organically.
The Verdict
The main problem with this book has a number of decent resolutions, making it a minor problem overall and the rest of the book is well-executed from top-to-bottom. As a jumping-on point it establishes the stakes and the state of Gotham with extreme economy, avoiding the problems of a holding pattern, and allowing it to function as an issue that fans of the series can get plenty out of.