Batman Eternal #8

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Batman

Welcome back to another review, this issue focuses on the darker side of the Batman universe. The cover of the comic has Batman fighting cops on the roof of GCPD, you can tell he’s there because the Bat-light is right behind him. Like last week the cover is drawn very well, we get two good covers in a row. Let’s hope they can keep it up. This looks like a hard fight for Batman and sets a dark mood for the story. Carmine Falcone’s dive team searches the wreck of the Iceberg Casino for Penguin’s stuff as the story starts. There is too much going on in the pictures on the first page, can’t tell if the artwork is good or not.

Batman shows up and we get a montage of him beating up Carmine Falcone’s men all over the city. Good drawing of Batman but little hard to believe all of it happens in only one night, even for Batman. Batman gives a message to one of Carmine Falcone’s men. We learn what it is once we cut to Carmine Falcone’s place. I think Batman would have done this job in person. On the up side, Carmine Falcone is drawn great for once. We get more of Batman’s message through flashbacks as Carmine Falcone says he’s not worried. In the flashbacks Batman looks intimidating, as he should.

We cut to Harvey Bullock and Jason Bard looking at a crime scene, thing is now Harvey Bullock looks too old. Harvey Bullock and Jason Bard talk about how they’re at the scene against Interim Commissioner Forbes orders and how they hate him. Jason Bard is drawn well, Carmine Falcone’s man is tied up and badly drawn. Then we cut to a classics ‘goon sucking up to his boss’ scene with Carmine Falcone. Carmine Falcone spares the goon’s life as he calls Interim Commissioner Forbes to tell him to get Batman. This scene went in a different direction than I thought, this page has good drawing as well.

At the Bat-Cave, Batman and Alfred learn that Interim Commissioner Forbes is crooked. I like that Batman is realizing that now, reinforces how busy Batman is. We cut to James Bard meeting Vicki Vale at a crime scene where she questions him. Vicki Vale is drawn beautiful as she should be. As they talk, we get a flashback of Stephanie Brown’s parents talking about “dealing” with her. They’re looking at Stephanie Brown through a security camera, all three characters are drawn great. Stephanie Brown dodges a drive-by shooting as we return to James Bard and Vicki Vale at the crime scene. I love the drawing of Stephanie Brown diving for cover. James Bard and Vicki Vale argue about what James Bard can tell, as we get good drawings of both of them.

We cut to the GCPD as they set a trap for Batman as he fly’s in. The swat team in the back ground looks good, Interim Commissioner Forbes look ok but the sky looks terrible in my opinion. Batman pops out of nowhere, then argues with Interim Commissioner Forbes. He tells Batman that he wants Batman off the street, artwork tells the mood of the scene. James Bard tells the swat team to fire smoke bombs on Batman, what the hell? I thought he was a good guy. Smoke fills the roof as James Bard helps Batman get away, smoke looks ok. Interim Commissioner Forbes smashes the Bat-light and chews out James Bard.

Batman returns to the Bat-cave where he tells Alfred that he’s leaving Gotham for a bit. Batman without a mask looks ok, I would say that it’s nothing to write about but I am. The issue ends with the Bat-plane entering Hong Kong as a girl that looks like Catwoman, but is not, sees the Bat-plane. The unknown women is drawn well. This was a very good issue and one of my favorites so far.

Batman Eternal #7

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Batman

Welcome back to another review, after two weeks of sub-par issues we get a good one. As always let’s start with the cover of the book. We see the Penguin swimming away from an exploding Iceberg casino, his base of operations. The Penguin is drawn extremely well and very detailed. The cover does look like something that we have seen before but it has a different feel to it. Continuing from the end of the last issue, we open with Batman saving a guy from a fire. Batman sends the guy to the hospital via rocket chair, this is cool but this feels like we skipped something.

Cutting to a warehouse, we see that Professor Pyg is gathering a small army of robots that look like Curly from the three stooges. Curly really? Why not get Norman Bates, Freddy Krueger or Mel Gibson? While this is happening, Batman rides away on a motorbike which looks great. At the Iceberg casino, we see the Penguin as he beats his henchmen to death. Like the cover the Penguin is drawn well and very detailed, this scene is also very violent. The Penguin walks into a room where a woman is tied up, I didn’t want to know about his sex life. Catwoman sneaks up on the Penguin and ties him up while wearing ridiculously big boots.

We return to Batman as he fights Professor Pyg’s army on his bike. This is a great fight scene for only a single page. At Carmine Falcone’s place, we learn that Carmine Falcone has given a friend robot legs. Carmine Falcone is drawn very old and his friend looks like any other African American in this series. As the Penguin fights Catwoman, we see a bunch of good explosions and an alarm going off. The Penguin look at a security cam screen to see one of his penguins eaten by a whale, the two animals are drawn ok.

Back at the other fight with Batman and Professor Pyg’s robots, Batman takes down the robots like nothing. Professor Pyg rambles like his nuts as we get two great drawings of Professor Pyg. We return to the Iceberg casino as Catwoman wraps her leash around the Penguin’s neck. The Penguin tries to get Catwoman on his side as we get a few great drawing of both of them. Carmine Falcone’s men blow up parts of Iceberg casino as the fight continues. As the chaos happens, we see reactions from all the characters. Good drawing all around but Catwoman looks copied.

At the other fight, Batman tells Professor Pyg that Carmine Falcone set him up and head-butts him. Professor Pyg is drawn well as he gets beat up. As the Iceberg casino floods, Catwoman saves the people while Penguin saves his money. The water looks amazing as it floods into the casino. The Penguin is chased by the whale until Catwoman saves him. We get a great underwater chase with the whale looking better.

Commissioner Forbes arrives where Batman tied up Professor Pyg and releases him in front of everyone. Commissioner Forbes is doing this to hurt Batman, we don’t see what effect this has on Batman yet. Commissioner Forbes is drawn ok, looks like the way he did the last time we saw him.

As we return to Batman and Catwoman, we see them sitting on a roof together looking over the sinking Iceberg casino. While this is going on, the Penguin mourns the loss of his empire and vows revenge. As the Iceberg casino sinks we get a beautiful underwater drawing. The issue ends with a bomb blowing up a mansion as Professor Pyg watches from a distance saying that all of the city is his lab now. This has very creepy drawings of Professor Pyg to go along with the scene. This issue was a lot better than the last two issues and regained my hope for the series.

Batman Eternal #6

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Batman

Welcome back to another review. This issue goes under the “what the F***” category. To explain why let’s look at the cover of the book. We see Batman and Batwing are tangled up in vines with another person. The first tag line of the series reads, a spectre lurks in the shadows of Arkham. This cover looks good from a distance but at closer inspection the people are not detailed and only drawn ok. The good part of the cover is the tag line, it’s a good lure for the reader.

We begin our story with Batwing fighting a thing that looks like a ghost tuxedo while both of them are falling. Seriously? What is with this comic and people falling? Every issue someone is falling at least one story. As for the character designs, both of them are in weird angles, I can’t determine if they are drawn well. The pair crash in an industrial park where Batman is waiting for Batwing. We don’t get any good reason how Batman knows that Batwing was going to be there, because he’s Batman I guess. The ghost thing disappears as Batman tells Batwing what the thing is, a good bit of dialog but I won’t tell you for people who want to read the story themselves.

We cut to a cave beneath the two heroes, where Blackfire is walking around. Blackfire is drawn great for a skeleton on fire but adds nothing to the story. On the next page Blackfire walks around the sewers and we get a bunch of good drawing of him but still it adds nothing to the story. At Wayne manor, Batman comes home and Alfred tells him there’s someone in the lounge. It’s Jim Corrigan, one of the people who knows Batman’s secret and the man in the green suit from issue two. Jim Corrigan claims to work for the Spectre and is there to give Batman a message. Jim Corrigan is drawn ok, nothing really special. The Spectre want’s Batman to go to Arkham Asylum. Jim Corrigan tells Batman there’s something other-worldly involved there and it has effects on the gang war. Why is this other-worldly stuff in this story? Jim Corrigan offers Batman help if he’ll help Jim first but of course Batman refuses.

We cut to Arkham Asylum. A patient is following a doctor and asking questions but the doctor ignores him. This adds a good mystery aura to the story. The doctor leads the patient to the sewers where we see two pages of weird cult stuff. The patient is drawn well, but don’t know if the weird cult stuff works for me. We find that the Joker’s Daughter is behind the cult thing. She is drawn ok but needs to be creepier.

In another part of town we see Luke Fox, aka Batwing, and a friend hanging out at his house as an explosion happens outside. Batman calls Luke Fox and tells him to check something out. Luke tells Batman that an explosion happened nearby, but Batman says this task more important. Luke Fox is drawn in a way that he looks like Obama to me. Luke Fox changes in to Batwing and goes to meet Jim Corrigan, where Jim Corrigan asks Batwing for help on a mission. Jim Corrigan casts a spell on Batwing to protect him. Batwing trusts Jim Corrigan only because Batman said he could. The way Batwing is drawn he just looks like a black figure. On the next page Jim Corrigan asks Batwing if he’s ready to help as the sun sets, they are in silhouette and it’s ok.

We return to the Bat-mobile as we see Batman and Alfred are talking about the gang war on the phone. We receive a few great drawings of the Bat-mobile with it racing down the street. Batman tells Alfred that he is going to investigate the latest in the gang war. I want more of this, Batman comics excel when Batman and his enemies are on a some-what level playing field. The Bat-mobile races down the street as Blackfire kneels beside flammable barrels, why aren’t they exploding? The guy is on fire, right? We see Blackfire as he sets a trap for Batman. The issue ends with the Bat-mobile driving toward an explosion, did Blackfire miss or just wanted to block Batman’s way? The issue confuses the hell out of me. I would only read it again if it was in a collection graphic novel.

Batman Eternal #5

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Batman

Welcome back to another review of Batman Eternal. This week’s issue had me a bit confused, not because of the story but the way it was executed. As always we look at the cover of the book first, where we see Batman tries to save Red Robin from robo-bug and foam. What the hell is this? This cover looks like something from a drug induced nightmare. I am not sure if this is a good piece of artwork or not.

As we start the story we find Red Robin doing research on the children that were kidnapped by Professor Pyg the night of the Jim Gordon accident. He tells Alfred that the kids were poisoned before Professor Pyg kidnapped them, this is a good way to start a story. Red Robin is drawn the same as he is in Teen Titans. I had hope that the artist would use his own style. Red Robin tells Alfred that the kids were in a Wayne care home, interesting. A thing that bugs me a little is some scenes have a blue tint over the drawing, does not work for me.

We cut to Harper Row and her brother, where she is telling him that she is going out to do crime fighting. Her brother asks her not to go, but she won’t listen, like Batgirl. Harper Row is drawn ok for the angles she is in. In the news room, Vicki Vale meets Joey Day the new guy and she hates him already. She does not think Joey Day has worked as hard as she has. Vicki Vale is drawn a lot better than her last appearance. Joey Day looks too old in my opinion. Vicki Vale’s boss tries to calm her down by giving her the chance to report on the gang war, he tells her to take the new guy. The boss is drawn as well as a side character should be.

We return to Red Robin looking over a child in bed, cause that’s not creepy, as Batman walks in. Batman said that they should work together but Red Robin disagrees. Question: is this going to be death of the family all over again? We don’t need another story like that only a year after it ended. Red Robin finds out that the child is infected with nano-bots. After learning this Red Robin decides to work with Batman. This scene has way too much blue tint for me. Before anything can be accomplished Batman gets an alarm to a crime in progress. As Batman leaves, Red Robin tells him he’s different emotionally. Batman agrees and leaves. Why tell Batman that? It won’t help him.

Catching up with Vicki Vale and Joey Day, we see them trying to interview some thugs in an ally about Carmine Falcone. The thugs being thugs attack Vicki Vale and Joey Day. That was one of the dumbest moves ever. Harper Row jumps on the thugs saving Vicki Vale and Joey Day. After, she asks Vicki Vale and Joey Day to follow her to safety. We get to see Harper Row at a better angle but she still does not look good.

Back with Red Robin, a ghost-like thing comes out of the child. This looks so weird, anyone who knows what is in an X-rated anime will know my first thoughts. For people who don’t know what I’m talking about, you’re very lucky. Back with the other group, Harper Row tells Vicki Vale and Joey Day they’re idiots while opening her apartment door. I am glad someone pointed out their stupidity. I was beginning to think that I was the only one who thought that interviewing thugs was a bad idea. Harper Row’s brother steps out and introduces himself to them, nothing special.

The thugs from the alley break in and threaten the four of them. While this happens Red Robin crashes though the roof with the ghost thing around him, this is too convenient. The ghost thing attacks the thugs when they threaten it. The ghost thing is made up from the nano-bots but the story doesn’t make it clear. Red Robin hacks the nano ghost thing with a tablet to put it to sleep, which only worked for a minute.

Joey Day notices the nano ghost thing goes into Harper Row’s brother. Is this book trying to be a horror movie, because it’s not working for me. Everyone tries to help Harper Row’s brother as he is knocked out. The nano ghost thing looks creepier now. Vicki Vale borrows Harper Row’s Taser and threatens a thug thinking he would know what is going on, why not ask Red Robin? The issue ends with an old man with his monkey discovering the nano-bots are active. The old man is drawn great, but why does the monkey have a robot arm? The eighty’s ended twenty-four years ago. This issue took a change in direction too fast, making the last quarter not as good as the rest of the book.

Batman Eternal #4

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Batman

I’m back to do another review and this issue has something different, a new artist. As always let’s start with the cover of the book. We see a fight in the air between Batman and Batgirl, this cover has great artwork. This make me wonder if the cover will be good every second issue, like the old Star Trek movie curse but for covers. Our story begins with Batgirl beating up random thugs on a roof top while crying saying “it’s not true”. While this is happening we see two panels of a judge telling Jim Gordon that the accident is all his fault. The new artist has both Jim Gordon and Batgirl drawn better, like The Animated Series from the 90’s.

The judge denied Jim Gordon bail thinking he would flee, this is reasonable since Jim Gordon is good friends with Batman. The court room looks like it’s from the story The Long Halloween and the people in the background looks really good. On the next page the scene cuts back and forth between the roof and the court room. Batman arrives on the roof telling Batgirl to stop because she’s almost killing them. This panel has a beautiful drawing of Batman gliding down. On a panel to the side Batgirl, as Barbra Gordon, tells her dad in the court room that he didn’t do a crime but Jim Gordon doesn’t believe it. I like that Jim Gordon is breaking, it show something new for the character.

Back on the roof top Batman tries to get Batgirl to stop but this doesn’t go well. After saying “leave me alone” to Batman, Batgirl throws some punches at him. This scene is a great showcase for the amount of anger in Batgirl. Batman calms Batgirl down a bit by saying he’s doing all he can. She talks about her frustration at the way her Dad is being treated. Batman tries to comfort her but we don’t see how well it works, don’t know if we need to or not.

We catch up with Stephanie Brown as she telling her mom on the phone that her dad tried to kill her. Her mom doesn’t believe her, we have seen this story element before. Stephanie Brown is drawn better but not by much, her mother is drawn plain. Stephanie Brown’s mom tells her not to worry and will pick her up where she is. After she hangs up we learn that her mom is working for her dad. This is a great and new twist because her mom was good before the New 52.

We cut to the GCPD as James Brad is settling in to his office while he updates Interim Commissioner Forbes on the gang war. Interim Commissioner Forbes tells James Brad to ignore the gang war and focus on Batman. In this scene James Brad and Interim Commissioner Forbes are both drawn great and detailed.

As the scene changes, we see Batman crash down through a window hitting two thugs. We have seen this many time before, hell it’s even used in most Batman live action movies. On the next page, Batman continues to beats up some more random thugs until someone in the background says no more. This is a generic fight scene but you can’t do much with one page. Carmine Falcone comes in and says Batman has no right to be here because he didn’t do anything, sure I believe you … not. Batman leaves with saying I’ll be watching you, why did he not kick Carmine Falcone’s ass? I would have. Carmine Falcone is not drawn as well as the last two issues, he looks a lot older in my opinion.

Batman returns to the Bat-cave to see Batgirl viewing data on the Jim Gordon incident. Alfred tells Batman that Batgirl won’t eat or sleep, obviously failed at calming her down earlier. Batgirl tells Batman that she is going after a guy. Batman sees that she doesn’t have proof and tries to stop her. Batgirl won’t listen and leaves to catch this person. I like this, I am really wondering what an angry driven Batgirl is like.

We return to Jim Gordon as he enters Blackgate Prison to learn that no one in the prison, not even the Warden, likes him. This really sets the mood of no hope and makes it looks like Jim Gordon is going through hell. Our story ends with Jim Gordon’s cellmate, Leo, telling him that he is going to die here. Leo is drawn great all gray and saggy, makes you believe he has been here a while. This was a real good issue, I had very few problems with this one and the problems I do have don’t hurt the book.