Comic Vine Review

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Batman Eternal #34 - State of Truth

4

Hush’s plan enters its next phase, and this time it isn’t Batman who’s in the crosshairs.

The Good

The BATMAN ETERNAL crew has done a lot of things very well over the course of this series, but one of the best, most subtle things is maintaining narrative momentum. BATMAN ETERNAL hasn’t really ever jumped around narratively nor used jumps forward nor back, yet has still managed to keep a steady pace, transitioning seamlessly from one story to the next so the whole narrative still feels cohesive and connected. This issue is another excellent example of that as Hush’s plan to detonate Batman’s weapon caches throughout the city is revealed to not be the final step of his master plan. When that step is revealed, it not only makes for excellent storytelling, but it connects organically to the previous steps. Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV have done a helluva job charting and architecting this story while Kyle Higgins’ script holds it all together and Ray Fawkes and Tim Seeley make all the little details click on consulting and I know I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: these guys must have a great line of communication because the continuity of both events and quality is beyond the pale.

Alvaro Martinez’s pencils are incredible. This is a very action-heavy issue and the fights explode across the page with violence and impact that’s amazingly well blocked. We’ve been waiting to see Batman and Hush throw down for several issues now and this fight does not disappoint, particularly showing the gulf between the two fighters’ skill. Hush has some moves for sure, but this issue makes it clear that he has not been to the mountain. He hasn’t even SEEN the mountain. Raul Fernandez handles inks and brings the characters, and city, into stark relief with details that bring out the atmosphere and expressions of the panels and Brad Anderson’s colors give a sense of depth to Gotham and its denizens.

The Bad

Julia Pennyworth has been an interesting, worthy addition to this universe and this storyline especially, but in this particular issue she feels highly misused. Her effectiveness is called seriously into question in a situation where it should have been more than sufficient against an opponent she highly outclasses in terms of fighting acumen.

This is also a plot-focused issue, and while the plot develops along some very interesting paths, and the fight at the end is satisfying, the characters bounce off each other without any substantial interaction or development and they go along feeling almost like they’re on rails, which makes some moments ring hollow when they should have some substance.

The Verdict

The storyline appears to be turning another corner, and now would be a good time to grab a few back issues and get into this book. It’s seemingly found exactly what it wants to be and how it wants to get there, eschewing the more globetrotting, bombastic storylines for some real intimate, smaller-scale stories. Too many cooks sometimes spoil the broth, but that’s of no concern here as the consistent quality of this book hasn’t significantly wavered in several issues.