Arkham Unhinged #53
Welcome to the Slough of Despond
Karen Traviss is the writer of this current long running story arc, and she has brought this title from a series I dread reading every week to one I greatly enjoy. Arkham Unhinged is still not among the upper echelon of Bat titles, but the current story is quite satisfying. Does this issue satisfy my lust for quality Batman comics, or does it leave something to be desired?
In this issue, Penguin punishes an Arkham noob, Bruce ponders his case, and Mayor Sharp finds an enemy.
Too Many Irons or Just Enough?
Traviss continues to make me a believer in this story arc as she moves the narrative ball further and further down field. All the elements of the story, at least in this issue, are handled with great care. Each scene has its own arc. Each character has his own voice. Each panel seems to be there for a reason.
That being said, I am beginning to question just what that reason is. Though I am enjoying the ride, I am beginning to wonder if Karen has too many irons in the fire. At the beginning of this issue, she dedicates a full five pages to the previously unseen character Penguin. How he plays in to any of the multiple plot lines already underway is beyond me. Calender Man has been seen from time to time throughout Traviss' run, but there is never any explanation for his presence. Catwoman, another character absent from this arc, makes an appearance on the "cover," so it stands to reason that we will be seeing her added to the mix as well. All of this is in addition to all the many other story arcs underway.
At the moment, I am on board and willing to give Traviss the benefit of a doubt, but I do hope she has a plan to tie all of this up in a neat little package.
Conclusion 9/10
This seems to be a solid story. Check it out.
I am sorry that I did not get this review up sooner. This review is technically coming out three days late, but Arkham Unhinged is my least checked title, so I figured I should concentrate on more popular content when I got behind schedule. If there is anybody out there who waits for bated breath for my weekly Arkham Unhinged review, let me know, and I will make an effort to review it in a more timely manner.
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