What's Broken Can Be Fixed
Scott Snyder has just finished with a monumentous year long story arc, The Court of Owls, so this issue comes across very unexpected, it's a completely different kind of Batman story. This is a more grounded, street level kind of story, something that also ties into some key moments from the Court of Owls epic, and looks to the future.
Harper Row's odd appearance in #7 was one of the negative points, not due to her character, just the offhanded nature in which Batman acknowledged that she knew her previously. This issue would've been nice before that, but at the same time, judging this issue on its own it works better afterwards. Harper Row is an interesting character, with a lot of very uncertain potential. Will Batman accept her help? Will she wear a costume? Will she take a currently unused persona or be something completely new? What we know for certain is that she's going to be an ally for Batman in his main series, and here we have her origin story.
Harper Row grew up in a bad situation. There's no mention of her mother, and her father was abusive and neglectful, breaking things and leaving for days on end. She learned the value and skills to fix things, especially electrical equipment. Which brings us to her present day where she balances a job with the city's electrical department, and looking after a frequently bullied and beaten homosexual brother; Harper Row's got a tough life, but she's always so positive. But there reaches a point where she and her brother are backed into an alley, a gang of bullies with knives set on 'torture,' when Batman swoops in and changes their lives forever.
For this offbeat and emotional story, Becky Cloonan provides some very unique and fitting artwork, reminds me a bit of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. The cartoony sort of style provides some amazing facial expressions so full of raw life and intensity. The only problem with this issue is the quite jarring switch between artists when the last 10 pages is akin to a co-feature, yet part of the same story. Andy Clarke's artwork is awesome and crazy, but it clashes heavily with Becky Cloonan's. I'm super happy that Snyder brought back Tiger Shark though.
In Conclusion: 4.5/5
If only because of the jarring art switch, otherwise this was a very interesting and intensely emotional tale about a character who was set up loosely during The Court of Owls and is sure to have a continued prominence as this series continues.
