Shining the spoiler signal...
The Good
Holy action and cameos, Batman! This issue is completely stuffed with familiar faces, solid writing, standout visuals and lots and lots of painful looking hits to the face. This issue pretty much boils down to one huge brawl as members of Batman Incorporated and the closer Bat-family take on a building packed with assassins.
The battles are fun and filled with quips, but every now and then the hits take a cringe-worthy and violent turn... most notably when arrows are involved (there's a few that are sure to make you exclaim). Seeing Gaucho continue to fight with an arrow impaled through his wrist was hilarious and gave me a new level of respect for the man. Though, sometimes it's the smaller things that'll standout. "Wingman" has a great set of panels where he easily drops two fools but what might not immediately catch your eye is when he walks over them... and happens to step on the guy's crotch. It's a painful panel to observe, especially when you gaze at the victim's expression. Another standout panel involves Batwing using a powerful sonic weapon... just don't stare at it for too long or you're sure to hurt your eyes.
To no one's surprise, writer Grant Morrison manages to find the right tone for Damian -- making him a brat, but a completely lovable one ("I beat two dogs unconscious. Some blood was spilled."). There's also a huge reveal about Wingman and it really makes me want to see more team ups with said individual and Damian. Despite the rocky relationship, they have a fair amount in common and it could make for some incredibly entertaining conversations.
Fanboy moment for me: Shrike returns! ...only to get kicked in the face by Nightwing. Hey, at least that's in character for him.
The Bad
Chris Burnham's art is sure to be hit or miss for many. While I do like it, there's quite a few things that irk me, especially surrounding some faces. When Wingman's identity is revealed, he's sporting a chin that would make Jay Leno jealous and to be blunt, I would have no idea who he is if we're relying only on the artwork.
Damian's line, "What does everyone know that I don't?" expressed my own thoughts at the conclusion, but I'm certain we'll be treated to the details in issue #5.
The Verdict
This issue was pretty much a solid dose of popcorn entertainment. It's sporting a more than unique style as the action fluctuates from fun to downright painful. Throw in some sharp dialogue and an interesting cliffhanger and what you have is an issue well worth your time and money.