Alfred cat!
I only recently caught up on this issue after reading issue 5 which was brilliant and I decided to buy the whole series until it ends which I believe is issue 12 so I wanted to see what happens and I wanted to see what Morrison did next.
Plot
Batman goes to the building that Batman Incorporated were investigating before it blew up. Batman goes into the house and is spoken to by Talia Al Ghul when he is attacked by some of the members of Leviathan. In the Batcave Damian is given a cat.
Review
This was a fantastic issue and I’m glad I decided to continue getting this series and I hope it keeps this quality. One of the parts I was interested in with this issue was what happened to Batman Incorporated after the last issue it was a real twist at the end of the last issue as it came right at the end after we had the future storyline and it was really sudden we see that in this issue. This issue really is a standalone because it tells a story that you could easily pick it up without that much knowledge of the previous issues (just look it up on Comic vine if you don’t know what’s been going on) but it isn’t a throwaway story as it does tie-into the bigger picture and it does continue the story still.
One of the interesting parts of this issue was Talia Al Ghuls story about a goat herder I had to read this several times to properly understand it I won’t spoil what happens in it but it does tell an interesting tale and it is an interesting part of this issue. I did like that Talia didn’t appear in the issue (apart from the cover) but spoke from the shadows as it builds suspense about what she is doing and it makes it more interesting when the villain is planning from the shadows and it does make you think if there is something different about her and she might have changed. Talia basically reveals her plan in this issue but it is a gradual build up to it as Talia leads Bruce into various traps and into the paths of her men it really builds the suspense up for this final reveal and Talia’s dialogue is inspired she comes over as a very clever character but I like her sort of flirts with Bruce along the way.
My utter favourite part of this issue is the bit in the batcave with all the robins I liked all the little insults thrown at each other especially between Jason Todd and Damian Wayne since it is fun to see these onetime partners (last issue) with having an argument with each other. Yet the best part is definitely Damians new cat Alfred I love Bat Cow in the first issue and I thought that in the midst of all that happened in that issue it was good to see that happen. Now Damian has a cat but what is interesting is that the cat appeared last issue in the future I dismissed it as a tribute to Alfred since he is dead in the future but it was nice to see his origin in this issue and well what happens is pretty funny to see and it is nice to see Damian having an affection for something.
Well that was a shock Grant Morrison had to continue the story with the members of Batman Incorporated but like that?!. I really won’t spoil it but it did make me sad to see this since I am a fan of the character in question since I read Batman and Robin and it was a touching scene. I really liked the suspense in this scene with Knight trying to save Squire from dying from her injuries and I also liked what Squire did when she woke up as it was touching to see what she did especially for the character that is being attacked. This then brings us to the fantastic ending of this issue and it is really tense what happens and I love the final page as it showed what had just happened to Batman but it also showed what was happening with Commissioner Gordon and I really liked the fragmented image (I mean fragmented as in broken glass) it was a really well done image.
The art is mainly done by Chris Burnham and the part is excellent as always. A lot of people complain about it saying that Damians face looks odd yes it does but everything else look great Burnham really makes this book he really sets the tone of this book with the gritiness of it and he does draw some great action scenes I don’t know why so many people are upset about Damian’s face looking off when everything else is excellent. Really the down part is that Andres Guinaldo does some of the art while not bad some of the faces look really off especially one with Damian and one where one of Talia’s men looks like he is trying to kiss the air it just looked weird and also Guinaldo artwork is a lot smoother than Burnham’s while not a bad thing it doesn’t look grittier enough for this series and takes away the tone that has been set for this book for a few pages.
Verdict
This was a fantastic issue and I’m glad I decided to stick with the series and I hope it keeps up this quality for the rest of the series terms of writing this could not be better yet parts of the art aren’t great so I can’t give this a five but give this series a try it is worth it.
4.5 stars
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