Detective Comics #1047 Review

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Arkham Asylum, Arkham Tower, Batman, Batwoman, DC Comcis, Detective Comics, Detective Comics 1047, Detective Comics 1047 review, Gotham, Ivan Reis, Mariko Tarmaki, Shadows of the Bat

Detective Comics #1047

Review by Paul Bowler

Arkham Tower looms over Gotham in Detective Comics #1047 like a dark ominous shroud. Yet beneath its gleaming high-tech facade and promises of new therapies from the mysterious Dr Wear, a terrifying darkness is waiting to be unleashed. But with Batman taking a break from Gotham City following the events of Fear State, the Bat-Family’s supporting heroes must step-up in the Dark Knights absence. If, like me, the solicitations for this issue made you think another year, another ‘Bat-Event,’ then you’d be wise you to think again as you may find yourself pleasantly surprised. The Tower: Part 1 kicks off a 12-part weekly Detective Comics event, Shadows of the Bat, written by Mariko Tarmaki, and the first chapter of its engaging and mysterious storyline draws you in right from the outset. 

Arkham Asylum has fallen and been replaced by Arkham Tower; a new facility built in the heart of Gotham itself and run by the enigmatic Dr Weir together with Dr Chase Meridian – a consultant appointed by Mayor Nakano. The issue is something of a slow burn to begin with,  as Tamaki builds the tension with scene setting flashbacks that shift between the Towers opening, Batwoman’s investigation of the new Arkham’s therapies, and a chilling portent within the pages of a hand made tarot scrapbook before plunging us full throttle into the carnage the Bat-Family must confront in the present-day when the inevitable riot break out in Arkham Tower. Tamaki weaves grim, action-packed descent into chaos for the Bat-Family, with action divided between characters either rushing to the scene while others are missing, or trapped inside the tower in dire peril. 

Featuring pencils by Ivan Reis and Inks by Danny Miki, Detective Comics #1047 looks absolutely stunning. Every panel is awash with rich detail and steadily gathering menace. The panel layouts are dynamically structured, moving from free-flowing to chaotically haphazard, all in perfect sync with the beats of the story. There’s intense close up drama, horror, and high-rise shocks cleverly interspaced with the Bat-Family’s interactions against the backdrop of Gotham and the terror unfolding within the tower itself. The vivid colors employed by Brad Anderson stylishly accentuates the mood and pace as the drama unfolds, and letterer Ariana Maher also does a fantastic job of making this surprisingly dialogue heavy issue a throughly engrossing and gripping read.

Batman may be out of town but he still plays a major role in this issues backup story: House of Gotham by Matthew Rosenberg. Its a dark, unsettling glimpse into the not-too-distant past, with an unflinching tale of the horrifying cracks in Gotham’s mental health system that one poor unfortunately soul could soon fall through. Featuring art by Fernando Blanco and colors by Jordie Bellaire, this bleak foreshadowing of the main storyline unfolding in Shadows of the Bat looks set to be every bit thrilling.

Detective Comics #1047 is like a gloriously dark and sinister mash-up of One Flew Over the Cuckoos  and The Towering Inferno. As comic book events go this one has certainly gotten off to a compelling start with its taut scraping and impressive artwork. Detective Comics #1047 is a terrific set up for Shadows of the Bat that poses just as many question as it does answers, let’s hope Tamaki can sustain the pace and keep the narrative on track for the duration of this immense storyline. 

Publisher DC Comics

Writer Mariko Tamaki

Pencils Ivan Reis / Inks Danny Miki

Colors Brad Anderson / Letters Ariana Maher 

Cover Irvin Rodriguez

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About The Author

Hi, I’m Paul Bowler, blogger and reviewer of films, TV shows, and comic books. I’m a Sci-Fi geek, a big fan of Doctor Who, Star Trek, movies, Sci-Fi, Horror, Comic Books, and all things PS4.You can follow me on Twitter @paul_bowler,or at my website, Sci-Fi Jubilee, and on YouTube and Facebook

Batman Kings of Fear #1 Review

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Arkham Asylum, Batman, Batman Kings of Fear, Batman Kings of Fear #1, Batman Kings of Fear #1 review, Batmobile, comics, DC Comics, Kelly Jones, Michelle Madsen, NCBD, Scarecrow, Scott Peterson, The Dark Knight, The Joker

Batman Kings of Fear #1

Review by Paul Bowler

Renowned artist Kelly Jones returns to the Dark Knight’s world with Batman Kings of Fear #1, the first issue in DC Comics stunning new miniseries written by former Batman editor Scott Peterson. Batman has been watching over Gotham City for many, many years, but now the Dark Knight is beginning to question the effectiveness of his relentless war on crime. Plagued by self doubt, insecurities, and personal fears that threaten to overwhelm him Batman must now face Scarecrow as he unleashes chaos in Arkham Asylum! This blockbusting new six-issue miniseries has Batman confronting the darkest challenge of his crime fighting career and portrays Scarecrow in a terrifying new way that’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.

Batman Kings of Fear #1 kicks off in a fittingly macabre fashion as Batman takes on the Joker and stops another of his maniacal schemes. Kelly Jones striking visuals and Scott Peterson’s intense storytelling quickly immerses us in the warped schism that Batman and the Joker seem perpetually condemned to play out. Scott Peterson weaves some especially insightful and haunting dialogue into their journey to Arkham Asylum – so much so that the Clown Prince of Crime even seems to jangle the Dark Knight’s nerves at one point. Once inside Arkham the dark humour, a snarky Doctor, and the ensuing breakout of mayhem all collude to ramp up the ominous air of brooding menace that’s been closing in on Batman right from the outset.

Kelly Jones illustrated some of the most acclaimed Batman comics imagery during the 1990’s, including the brilliant Batman & Dracula trilogy – which kicked off with Red Rain back in 1991 – and many of the covers for the acclaimed Knightfall storyline where Bane broke the Bat. Esteemed writer Scott Peterson also worked as an editor on the Batman books during Knightfall and many other pivotal Bat-stories from the 90’s. Its great to see Jones and Peterson working together again like this on Batman Kings of Fear, and their shared creative vision for the Dark Knight shines through just as vividly now as when they originally worked together on the Batman books in the 90‘s. The story in Batman Kings of Fear is not connected to DC Comics current Batman storylines, but is instead set after Bruce has been the Dark Knight for many years – giving the creative team the scope to explore the core facets of the character in new and dynamically exciting ways.

Artist Kelly Jones brings all the hallmarks of his distinctly dark, horror-tinged gothic style to Batman Kings of Fear, and then some! I’ve always been a huge fan of Kelly Jones artwork, especially Jones’ portrayal of Batman as a constantly shifting shape that always seamlessly blends in with the shadows. One of the major highlights in this issue is a face-off with some of the darkest members of Batman Rogues Galley – a truly jaw dropping sequence that places you right in the heart of Batman‘s nightmarish predicament. Another nice touch with Batman Kings of Fear is that it features the Dark Knight in his classic costume – yellow oval and all! I love how Kelly Jones always renders Batman’s billowing cape in a way that gives him an almost supernatural visage, effectively making the cape and cowl as equally a distinct character in its own right. It is this, together with Michelle Madsen’s gloriously sombre color pallet that perfectly encapsulates the raw, terrifying, almost primal presence that makes Batman so uniquely special and intimidating.

The greatest threat though comes from the Scarecrow’s terrifying plot against him. Jones and Peterson’s darkly compelling story is made even more striking by having Scarecrow as the major villain of the piece, and this creative team certainly don’t look like they will shy away from brining the most frightening aspects of this creepy iconic character from Batman’s rogues gallery to the fore either.

Batman Kings of Fear #1 hurtles along at a cracking pace, the eerie atmosphere is brilliantly offsets by the spectacular visuals, and the chilling cliff-hanger rounds off this start of this superb miniseries in fine style. Kelly Jones and Scott Peterson have certainly crafted a brilliant premise here, with Scarecrow seeking to make the Dark Knight face his greatest fear, and I’ve no doubt the creative team will continue to weave their dark magic as this story unfolds. If you like your Batman classic, unburdened by recent continuity, and laced with overtones of gothic horror then Batman Kings of Fear is the Bat-Book you’ve been waiting for!

Publisher: DC Comics

Writer: Scott Peterson & Art and Cover: Kelly Jones

Colors: Michelle Madsen / Letters: Rob Leigh

Variant Cover: Bill Sienkiewicz

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Sci-Fi Jubilee My New You Tube Channel Batman Return to Arkham Collection: Arkham City Completed!

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Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, Bane, Batman, Batman Return to Arkham Arkham City Walkthrough, Batman: Return to Arkham Collection, Catwoman, Clayface, Gotham, Harley Quinn, Hugo Strange, Killer Croc, Mr Freeze, PS4, PS4Share, Ra's al Ghul, The Joker, The Mad Hatter, The Penguin, The Riddler, Two Face

Sci-Fi Jubilee My New You Tube Channel Batman Return to Arkham

Arkham City Completed!

Hi, I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone for checking out my YouTube channel while I’ve been playing the Batman Return to Arkham Collection. I’ve completed Arkham City now, well, the main story anyway. Its been great of fun to revisit Arkham City, the storyline is really action packed, there are plenty of side missions to complete, and the game features lots of classic Batman villains including Two Face, Penguin, Solomon Grundy, Bane, The Riddler, Harley Quinn, Mr Freeze, Mad Hatter, Victor Zsasz, Hush, Deadshot, Clayface, Ra’s Al Gul, Talia Al Gul, and of course the Joker! I also played the majority of Arkham City using the Dark Knight Returns version of Batman, so that features in nearly all of the videos I streamed of the game.

　

This video features one of my favourite boss fights, the battle with Mr Freeze in the old GCPD building. It was a bit of a tricky battle as you can only use each form of Batman’s attacks once before Mr Freeze adapts to your tactics. Then it was time to save Vicky Vale after the Joker has her helicopter shot down.

Batman takes the fight to Hugo Strange in his tower lair right at the heart of Arkham City for a final showdown! Took me a few goes to get past all the guards, especially the ones at the entrance. Sorry, I’m a bit rubbish at doing the combos with all the Bat-Gadgets, but I got through and defeated Hugo Strange eventually!

Time for the final showdown between Batman and the Joker in Arkham City! I really enjoyed this part, it was a great finale to the game!

　

The remastered graphics in Arkham City were every bit as good as those in Arkham Asylum. I liked the wider scope of Arkham City, the side quests are good too, and it was fun to play the DLC content as well. The Batman Return to Arkham Collection is the first time I’ve streamed games like this on PS4, usually I’ve just done clips or edited the best bits together, so it was interesting to just play through the games and see how things turned out. It seemed to go down well, becoming a really popular feature on Sci-Fi Jubilee.

Thank you so much for watching and supporting me, its become such a fun addition to Sci-Fi Jubilee as well, especially with all your comments and suggestions. I hope you’ve enjoyed my return to Arkham Asylum and Arkham City as much as I’ve had fun playing these brilliant games again, and please feel free to hit that like button and subscribe if you did. I really appreciate the great feedback you‘ve given me, so keep an eye out for more videos as I might stream more games like this on my YouTube channel in the future.

　

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Sci-Fi Jubilee My New You Tube Channel Batman: Return to Arkham Collection Arkham City

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Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, Bane, Batman, Batman Return to Arkham Arkham City Walkthrough, Batman: Return to Arkham Collection, Batmobile, Catwoman, Gotham, Harley Quinn, Hugo Strange, Killer Croc, Mr Freeze, Paul Bowler YouTube, Poison Ivy, PS4, PS4 Share, Ra's al Ghul, Scarecrow, The Joker, The Penguin, The Riddler, Two Face, YouTube

Sci-Fi Jubilee My New You Tube Channel Batman Return to Arkham: Arkham City

Hi everyone! Thanks for checking out my YouTube Channel while I’ve been playing the Batman Return to Arkham Collection. I had a great time completing Arkham Asylum, so, after short break I’ve now started Arkham City. I’m really enjoying revisiting Arkham City again, the scope and scale of the game is even bigger than Arkham Asylum, and there are loads of great story moments and villains for Batman fans to enjoy!

The first video I streamed features the opening of the Arkham City as Bruce Wayne is captured by Hugo Strange and sent to Arkham City. Once Batman suits up its time to save Catwoman from Two Face. We also get to see Penguin, Calendar Man, Harley Quinn, and Bane, before Batman tracks down the Joker’s hideout in the Steel Mill.

Having reached Joker’s lair its time for Batman’s first confrontation in this game with the Joker! I found a few Riddler trophies as well, sorry if I wander around a bit looking for them! There’s also the first part of the Catwoman storyline here as well, I’ve never played any of the DLC for Arkham City before, so that was fun.

In this video Batman searches the Old GCPD building to find out where Penguin has taken Mr Freeze. The Riddler and Deadshot missions begin, and this part concludes as Batman makes a poignant visit to Crime Alley.

I think the remastered graphics in Arkham City look really good as well, even better than Arkham Asylum. I’ll stream and post some more Arkham City videos on my channel as I play through the game, obviously it’s a much bigger game than Arkham Asylum, so I’ll probably concentrate on the main storyline and boss fights. I might uses some of the different character skins as well, like the 70’s Batman or Dark Knight Returns Batman, to mix things up a bit. So, look out for new videos on my YouTube channel as I explore Arkham City, I hope you enjoy them, and please feel free to hit that like button and subscribe if you do.

Thanks for watching and cheers for all your support!

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Sci-Fi Jubilee My New You Tube Channel Batman Return to Arkham Collection: Part 2

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Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, Arkham Knight, Batman, Batman Return to Arkham Arkham Asylum Walkthrough, Batman: Return to Arkham Collection, Batmobile, Gotham, Harly Quin, Killer Croc, Paul Bowler YouTube, Poison Ivy, PS4, PS4 Share, Scarecrow, The Joker, The Riddler, YouTube

Sci-Fi Jubilee My New You Tube Channel Batman: Return to Arkham Collection

Part 2 Arkham Asylum completed!

Hello everyone, and thank you checking out my YouTube Channel.  I’ve been playing the Batman: Return to Arkham Collection recently, and I’ve now completed Arkham Asylum!

I’m a big Batman fan, and I love all the Arkham games – so I’ve been eagerly awaiting the chance to play the remastered version of Arkham Asylum in this collection. The trio of new videos here cover lots of my favourite moments from playing Arkham Asylum again.

First is a face-off with the Scarecrow, featuring a really wacky mind-trip for Batman that cleverly gives us a chilling new version of the games opening sequence.

Time to explore Killer Croc’s lair! This was probably my favourite part of Arkham Asylum. Its creepy, atmospheric, and you never know when Killer Croc will jump out!

After defeating Poison Ivy in the Botanical Gardens, its time for the epic showdown with the Joker, and the final battle with the Titan / Joker! I’ve included the end credits as well and the cut scene afterwards.

This is the first time I’ve streamed a game from start to finish like this on my YouTube Channel, it went quite well, and I’d just like to say thank you for all the support you‘ve given me. It was a lot of fun to do. I thought the remastered graphics in Arkham Asylum looked very impressive overall, the storyline and combat mechanics were just as good as I remembered, and I loved the dark, creepy atmosphere of the whole game. All my Arkham Asylum walkthrough videos (1-12) are now on my YouTube channel, so please feel free to check them out and like and subscribe if enjoy them. I’ve had a great time playing Arkham Asylum again, cheers everyone, and thanks for joining me!

Next stop, Arkham City!

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Sci-Fi Jubilee My New You Tube Channel Batman: Return to Arkham Collection

Tags

Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, Arkham Knight, Batman, Batman Return to Arkham Arkham Asylum Walkthrough, Batman: Return to Arkham Collection, Batmobile, Gotham, Harly Quin, Killer Croc, Paul Bowler YouTube, PS4, PS4 Share, The Joker, The Riddler, YouTube

Sci-Fi Jubilee My New You Tube Channel Batman: Return to Arkham Collection

Hi all, thank you checking out my YouTube Channel. I’ve been a little busy with lots of comic book reviews recently, so I haven’t had as much time to play PS4 games for a few weeks. Anyway, I’ve been really looking forward to the Batman: Return to Arkham Collection, and I’ve just started Arkham Asylum.

I’m a huge Batman fan so I’m going to have fun revisiting Arkham Asylum and Arkham City. These two new videos feature the opening parts of Arkham Asylum that I’ve played so far, I think it really set up the dark atmospheric tone of the game. From what I’ve seen so far the remastered graphics look good, but not quite as good as those in Batman: Arkham Knight.

I hope you enjoy the Return to Arkham videos, please feel free to hit that like button and subscribe if you do. I’ll probably post more Arkham Asylum videos on my channel as I work my way through the game. Maybe I’ll do longer clips like these, or just focus on the boss battles, which do you prefer? Let me know. So watch this space and get ready to meet some of Batman’s deadliest and craziest enemies as we return to the asylum…

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Batman #9 Review

Tags

Arkham Asylum, Batman, Batman #8, Batman #9 review, Batman I Am Suicide, Batman I Am Suicide Part 1, comics, Commissioner Gordon, DC Comics, DC Rebirth, Gotham, Gotham City, June Chung, Mikel Janin, Tom King

Batman #9

Review by Paul Bowler

It’s a case of better the devil you know in Batman #9 as the Dark Knight embarks on a mission to return Psycho Pirate to Gotham so he can save Gotham Girl. Recruiting a team from the bowels of Arkham’s most deranged and dangerous to break into an impregnable prison in order to take something from one of his deadliest enemies, there’s no doubt that Batman has had some crazy ideas in his time, but this could be suicide!

Tom King really begins to stamp his mark on the series with this issue of Batman. I Am Suicide Part 1 is a wonderfully brooding and menacing opening to this new story arc. King brings us a frighteningly graphic and nightmarish glimpse into Bane’s psyche forged in brutality right from the outset, one that’s chilling in the extreme, and it makes Bane‘s presence feel all the more formidable and ominous as a result. Psycho Pirate is also something of a revelation here; and his role is potentially the most intriguing one of all.

The embellishments King waves into the narrative are sublime, there’s a wonderful scene with Alfred, and a nostalgic tip of the hat to the Batman TV series, but ultimately it is Batman’s decision to accept Amanda Walker’s proposition that brings him to Arkham, and that’s were the issue really notches up the suspense. The Dark Knight’s recruitment drive is uncompromising, calculated, and full of surprises. There’s a host of familiar faces here, some old, some newer, some unexpected, and King is clearly relishing every moment here as Batman’s makes his way through this ghoulish pick-and-mix of madness and mayhem to form his team.

Mikel Janin’s excellent pencils and inks on this issue gloriously flesh out the powerful nuances and subtexts within every scene, matching the beats of King’s tautly scripted plot perfectly, and the result is stunning. The psychological horror and revulsion of that opening scene alone nearly drowns you in terror, Janin’s rendition of Bane is as mesmerising as it is intimidating, this makes the contrast with the tender emotional scenes with Gotham Girl all the more striking, and if ever there was a money shot in comics then our glimpse of the Dark Knight standing outside the gates of Arkham in this issue will totally blow you away. June Chung’s colors are equally magnificent, with deep shadows, aquatic hues, and hazy dread dominating early scenes, while Arkham’s interior with its red railings and opaque off-white walls, and resplendent atmospheric gloom are just some of the many visual highlights that fires the imagination as the issue unfolds.

Indeed, there’s a legion of foreshadowing to enjoy, and hints that several things are going to spin out from the issue. The final addition to Batman’s team brokers no argument as this issue draws to a closes in fine style. I’ve been enjoying Tom King’s run since he took over on Batman. Sure, I had a few misgivings and some slight niggles with the early issues, but those gradually ironed out. His approach to Batman has ushered in a fresh new era and simultaneously widened the scope of Batman‘s world and has made him even more integral to the rest of the DCU overall. It takes time to get used to a new creative team sometimes, I Am Gotham got things off to a good start post Rebirth, Night of the Monster Men had its moments, but I feel that with Batman #9 Tom King is really hitting his stride now and bang on the money with this first instalment of I Am Suicide.

Publisher: DC Comics

Writer: Tom King / Pencils & Inks: Mikel Janin

Colors: June Chung / Clayton Cowles: Letters

Cover: Mikel Janin / Variant Cover: Tim Sale and Rico Renzi

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Batman Eternal #29 Review

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Arkham Asylum, Batman Eternal #29, Batman Eternal #29 Review, Batwing, comics, DCComics, Deacon Blackfire, Hush, James Tynion IV, Jim Corrigan, Joker's Daughter, Kyle Higgins, Ray Fawkes, Romulo Fajardo JR, Scott Snyder, Simon Coleby, The New Doctor, The Spectre, Tim Seeley

Batman Eternal #29

Review by Paul Bowler

Gotham is gripped by chaos, marshal law has been declared, and Commissioner Bard is in league with Hush. Now that Batman and his allies know the truth about Bard’s alliance with Hush, and with Catwoman, the daughter of the Lion, determined to reassert the natural order of crime in Gotham, all Hell is about to break loose in Arkham Asylum. The spirit of Deacon Blackfire has possessed Maxi Zeus, the Deacon and his supernatural forces now control Arkham. Batwing and Jim Corrigan are trapped. The power of the Spectre is all that can help them now, but the Deacon has other ideas, one that will unleash Hell on Gotham City itself!

The pieces of Hush’s grand design begin to fall into place in Batman Eternal #29, as the Dark Knight evaluates the full extent of the corruption within the GCP, Bard’s betrayal, and the nano-swarm in the Narrows. The City of Shadow and Doubt also brings Arkham’s role in events to the fore, in this dark storyline by writers Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV, with script by Ray Fawkes, and consulting writers Tim Seeley, and Kyle Higgins, as Batwing and Jim Corrigan face the supernatural resurrection of Deacon Blackfire in Arkham Asylum.

Batman Eternal #29 picks up this supernatural subplot with ghoulish relish, the sight of Alfred alone, raving in a cell, driven out of his mind after Hush injected fear toxin directly into his brain, is enough to send chills down the spine. There are some disturbing interludes with the Joker’s daughter, Hush is also stalking the streets of Gotham, implementing another stage in his plan, and Batwing has to claw his way back through Arkham after becoming separated from Jim Corrigan – who is now at the mercy of Deacon Blackfire.

Batwing’s struggle to escape from the phantoms beneath Arkham, trapped underwater, with his air supply running out, is another highlight of this issue. Its good to see how Batwing manages to cope with his predicament, especially with so many of his suits systems offline, he’s able to fight back against the supernatural forces and re-establish his com-link with Batman. This leads to a great scene, were Alfred’s daughter, Julia, now acting as Penny Two, is able to coordinate their efforts from the cave, and work together to attempt to decipher the cryptic code from the Riddler’s cell that Batwing’s suit has been analysing.

The art by Simon Coleby really helps to build the dark and sinister tone of this issue. The exterior scenes in Gotham, especially those featuring Hush and the Joker’s daughter, bring us right down to street level, while Batman takes to the air to tackle the GCPD’s heavy handed approach to the civil unrest in Gotham. Coleby’s art brings a dark, gritty tone to a variety of locations and characters, each superbly defined and illustrated, which, together with Romulo Fajardo JR’s intricate colors and subtle tones, really enhances the brooding atmosphere of impending dread that permeates every aspect of this issue as events unfold in Arkham.

Batman Eternal #29, with its diverse plot, extensive cast of characters, and spellbinding action, is the culmination of several plot threads that have been developing for a while now over the course of this weekly series. This issue builds to a nerve jangling climax; as Batwing races to save Jim Corrigan from Deacon Blackfire’s power, and the paranormal shocks and twists continue right up until the final page. Batman Eternal #29 continues to impress on every level, with its great story and art, this excellent issue sets the stage for some significant developments at Arkham Asylum just in time for Halloween!

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Batman Eternal #17 Review

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Arkham Asylum, Batman, Batman Eternal, Batman Eternal #17, Batman Eternal #17 Review, Batwing, DC Comics, Derek Fridolfs, Dustin Nguymen, Harper Row, James Tynion IV, Jason Kalizi, Jim Corrigan, John Layman, Ray Fawkes, Scott Snyder, The New 52, Tim Seeley

Batman Eternal #17

Review by Paul Bowler

Arkham Asylum is in the grip of a terrifying new horror. Batwing and Jim Corrigan were sent by Batman to investigate the Asylum, where they both encountered supernatural forces, before uncovering the horrifying truth. Meanwhile, Red Robin and Harper Row find a new lead in Tokyo that could solve the mystery of the nanovirus that is slowly killing her brother. Many years ago Gotham faced a power that even Batman struggled to defeat. Now this same dark force is gathering in Arkham’s shadowy depths, soon he will rise, and the city will tremble before him.

Batman Eternal #17 delves ever deeper into the hellish events unfolding beneath Arkham Asylum, enlightening us with a series of flashbacks that offer us greater insight to the cause of what’s happening in Arkham, while other plot threads involving Batman’s allies continue to play out and reach new turning points. With it’s tightly plotted story by writers Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV, with script by Ray Fawkes, and consulting writers John Layman, and Tim Seeley, Batman Eternal #17 casts a spectral eye over the horrors emerging within Arkham while other significant characters and events in this weekly series also get a share of the action.

The Savior is a terrific story that sees Batwing and Jim Corrigan faced with the full horror of what has been happening in Arkham, as they confront the spiritual manifestation of Deacon Blackfire himself in a cavern below the Asylum. Deacon Blackfire’s spirit has returned to unleash havoc on Gotham City. The story of this deranged cult leader, who first appeared in the four part mini-series Batman: The Cult (1988), is told here though a series of flashbacks. It’s revealed how he preyed on the homeless, using drugs to subvert them to his cause to create an army beneath Gotham and begin a war on crime. Blackfire even captured Batman and attempted to brainwash him, but the Dark Knight managed to turn the Deacon’s minions against him and they killed him.

As well as the ghostly happenings in Arkham Asylum, Batman Eternal #17 catches up with Red Robin and Harper Row in Tokyo where their investigation into the nanobots released in Gotham has brought them to the Akihabara District, and a meeting with Sergei Alexandrov. Meanwhile, back at Wayne Manor, Alfred’s daughter, Julia, confronts him about his decision to dedicate his life to serving the Wayne family, leading to some particularly emotional scenes where Alfred’s dignified silence conveys everything the ideal he serves so loyally means to him.

Dustin Neguyn’s art for Batman Eternal #17 really gives a dark and chilling edge to the scenes in Arkham, with Derek Fridolfs inks also enhancing the foreboding atmosphere, to make Batwing’s and Jim Corrigan’s plight seem all the more desperate. The investigation by Red Robin and Harper Row in Tokyo provides a stark contrast to the main events of the issue, as they confront Sergei Alexandrov in his high-tech lab, while the scenes back in Gotham at Wayne Manor serve as a backdrop to Julia’s argument with her father. Each location is given its own distinct pallet and tone by colorist Jason Kalizi, with vivid hues used for the interludes in Tokyo and Wayne Manor, while the flashbacks featuring Deacon Blackfire have more a grainy, darker tone, and the pitch black shadows beneath Arkham are punctuated with a shimmering blend of unearthly energies from beyond the netherworld.

With the return of Deacon Blackfire, channelling his spirit via the lumbering form of Maxie Zeus, and with the Joker’s Daughter as a maniacal sidekick, this issue ends on a supernatural high, and sets in motion a series of startling events and ghostly transformations. I really like how Batman features in this storyline, as the past entwines with the present, it shows just how flexible and versatile the format of a weekly series can be. Personally, I really like Batman stories when they dip into the realm of the supernatural like this, especially when the art and the story works so well together. Batman Eternal #17 is an excellent issue with and exciting story, great character moments, and enough dark paranormal twists in the plot to keep you guessing right up until the final page.

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Batman Eternal #15 Review

Tags

Arkham Asylum, Batgirl, Batman, Batman Eternal, Batman Eternal #15, Batwing, Batwoman, DC Comics, Derek Fridolfs, Dustin Nguyn, Harper Row, James Tynion IV, Jason Kalisz, Jim Corrigan, John Layman, Ray Fawkes, Red Hood, Red Robin, Scott Snyder, Tim Seeley

Batman Eternal #15

Review by Paul Bowler

Gotham’s gang war is over following the blood soaked showdown between Penguin and Carmine Falcone. While Jim Gordon had to make a decision that could alter his life forever, Lieutenant Bard and Batman reached a new understanding after tackling the corruption within the GCPD, leading to the arrest of Commissioner Forbes and the Mayor. Batman Eternal #15 follows Red Robin’s mission to Tokyo, while Batgirl and Red Hood run into Batwoman in Rio. Plus, as Batman and Bard deal with the remaining gangs in Gotham, we return to Arkham Asylum, where Batwing and Jim Corrigan must confront the hellish forces which have been unleashed there.

Batman Eternal #15 juggles multiple pot strands, building successfully on the aftermath of the gang war, while also giving the rest of Batman’s globe trotting allies’ time in the spotlight, as well as the sinister events in Arkham Asylum. With its fast paced story by writers Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV, script by Ray Fawkes, along with consulting writers John Layman, and Tim Seeley, Batman Eternal #15 makes good use of all the characters and finely hones each aspect of the multiple plot threads that have been gradually building over the course of this weekly series.

The Common Limit sees Red Robin pilot his aircraft to Tokyo, having uncovered the stowaway Harper Row en route, who is determined to find out who is behind the nanotech that is slowly killing her brother. There are some really fun moments between Red Robin and Harper during these early scenes, the banter between them is excellent as well, especially when Harper gets his name wrong and dons a makeshift mask, something that nicely links into the Bluebird crime-fighting persona we know she will eventually adopt (as we saw in Batman #28) to fight alongside Batman.

As Batwing and Jim Corrigan explore Arkham the full extent of what has been happening begins to become apparent. While they may seem an unlikely team, the combination of Batwing’s hi-tech suit and Corrigan’s in-depth knowledge of occult forces, actually works really well, and the characters seem to have stuck up a very natural bond. Their descent into the lower levels of the Asylum is quite unsettling, we catch sight of Riddler’s cell, a shadowy stairwell finds an inmate babbling with all kinds of madness, and the Scarecrow’s fate is almost as disturbing as the bizarre manifestations in his cell.

Two further interludes, one involving Batman and Lieutenant Bard as they round up the remaining gangs members, the other with Batgirl, who has reluctantly teamed up with the Red Hood, on her mission in Rio to find evidence to clear her father of causing the Gotham train crash, although brief, ensure that both subplots are kept bubbling away in the background. I really like the dynamic between Batman and Bard, it’s very different to the one the Dark Knight had with Gordon, and I look forward to seeing how it develops over time. Batgirl and the Red Hood also had some intense scenes, and it was good to see Batwoman show up as well.

Dustin Nguyn’s art for this issue of Batman Eternal is excellent, together with Derek Fridolfs inks, the various locations and extensive cast of characters are all handled really well. Nguyn’s art brings a real sense of kinetic action to every scene, especially the segments in Arkham, with its sinister supernatural elements and hordes of raving lunatics lurking down in the Asylums shadowy depths. The colors by Jason Kalisz also gives each section of the story its own distinct tone: from the crimson hues inside Red Robin’s aircraft, the greys and blacks of Gotham are in stark contrast to the purple neon glow over a back street in Rio, while the horrors of Arkham are cloaked in mixture of deep shadows and ghoulish magic as Batwing and Jim Corrigan explore its secrets.

Batman #15 rounds everything off with a thrilling double edged cliff-hanger, one that will see Batwing’s reliance on the technology of his armoured suit pushed to the limit, while in Arkham’s basement Corrigan must face a new terror waiting in the darkness. I really enjoyed this issue, the various plot elements all meshed together well, and I also liked how we finally got to return to the storyline in Arkham as well. All in all then, I’d have to say Batman Eternal #15 was a good solid issue, the story and art were really impressive, and I look forward seeing how the intriguing global adventures with Batman’s allies and the supernatural storyline in Arkham pans out, as well as the impact they’ll have on future events in Batman Eternal.

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