All Star Batman #10 Review

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Alfred Pennyworth, All Star Batman, All Star Batman #10, All Star Batman #10 review, Batman, Batman the First Ally Part 1, comics, DC Comics, DC Rebirth, Jordie Bellaire, Rafael Albuquerque, Sci-Fi Jubilee, Scott Snyder, Steve Wands, The First Ally

All Star Batman #10

Review by Paul Bowler

The Dark Knight detective faces a new, deadly enemy in All Star Batman #10, an unpredictable foe, one whose attacks are seemingly impossible to counteract! Batman uncovers a dark scheme from decades past, but inconceivably the architect of this insidious plot could well be one of his closets allies of all! All Star Batman #10 reunites Scott Snyder with his American Vampire collaborator Rafael Albuquerque for this stunning new Batman story arc: The Last Ally!

Interspaced with flashback to a rooftop chase across the pond in London and Batman and Alfred’s present day escapade in Miami, All Star Batman #10 hit’s the ground running, and doesn’t let up for a moment. The Batmobile is driven like an old pro, there’s an enemy with a familiar face to be caught, and the crowd goes wild before you‘ve even finished turning a few pages. Hell, you’d be forgiven for thinking that’d be enough full-on Bat-action for one issue alone, but this is Snyder and Albuquerque we are talking about here, and like Batman in this issue they sure know how to grab our attention with a scene stealing entrance!

Having got word something dangerous is being smuggled into Miami, Bruce and Alfred go all good cop bad cop to get the information they need, and their subsequent attempt to infiltrate an old fort off the coast sequestered by a quartet of leaders from Miami’s most feared crime families puts Bruce in terrible danger. Initially what feels like an Oceans 13 heist coated with Miami Vice glamour and menace, soon becomes a deadly game of pirates, and before you can say shiver me timbers all hell breaks loose as the bullets start flying!

This storyline is going to delve into Alfred’s past, an exciting concept in itself, but what I really liked about this issue was how Scott Snyder used the narrative to highlight the surrogate father / son bond between Alfred and Bruce. There are certain points in this issue, usually right in the thick of the action, where Alfred’s reminiscing feels genuinely heart-warming and quite moving. However, these moments are also powerfully counterbalanced with Alfred’s steely determination, especially during the interrogation scene, where we gain further insight into his character and just how far he’d be willing to cross the line if need be.

The pencils and inks of Rafael Albuquerque’s artwork brings the first chapter of The First Ally to life in glorious fashion. The action is often fast and furious, with concisely structured page layouts relaying Snyder‘s vision with the same flawless synergy their collaborations always bring, as story and art seamlessly fuse as one. Rafael Albuquerque’s spectacular art effortlessly draws you in, you’d swear can almost hear the roar of the crowd as Batman ejects form the Batmobile, there’s centrally no doubting that Alfred means business either, those flashbacks have a unique favour that perfectly encapsulates the era, and the high-tech security of the fort soon becomes engulfed in a slow-motion barrage of gunfire with a yo, ho, ho, and a bottle of rum. The colors by Jordie Bellaire beautifully complement Albuquerque’s art, from the dusky hues of London from times before to the bombastic tones of the opening chase sequence, though to the vivid shades of the Miami skyline, and the ice blues and greys of the fort showdown, Bellaire’s colors sublimely enrich every single scene.

Killers-In-Law, written by Rafael Albuquerque and Rafael Scavone, featuring art by Sebastian Fiumara, and colors by Trish Mulvihill, is the new backup story which accompanies this new All Star Batman story-arc, involving Bruce Wayne going deep undercover to infiltrate the Russian mafia. It’s an edgy, brutal, bare knuckle story, one that plays its cards close to its chest, insomuch that it fills in just enough back story to keep us guessing how everything is going to slot together with The First Ally story-arc.

Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque round off The First Ally: Part 1 in fine style. You might say that Bruce’s good taste in art is his saving grace in this issue, but it also puts him smack-bang in the middle of a heart-grabbing mystery, one that Snyder brilliantly blindsides us with as past and present collide in the most unexpected way possible. The First Ally is another masterpiece in the making from Snyder and Albuquerque, with its gritty storytelling and outstanding artwork, All Star Batman #10 doesn’t just exceed expectations, if anything, it drives right through them!

Publisher DC Comics

Writer Scott Snyder / Art and Cover & Variant cover by Rafael Albuquerque

Colors Jordie Bellaire / Letters Steve Wands

Variant Cover Sebastian Fiumara

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Batman (2016) Annual #1

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Batman, Batman #1 Annual, Batman (2016) Annual #1, Batman Annual #1 review, Batman Silent Night, Bilquis Evely, David Finch, DC Comics, DC Comics Rebirth, Gabe Eltaeb, Gotham, Ivan Plascencia, Jordie Bellaire, Mat Lopes, Neal Adams, Paul Dini, Ray Fawkes, Riley Rossomo, Scott Bryan, Scott Snyder, Steve Orlando, Tom King

Batman (2016) Annual #1

Review By Paul Bowler

The hush of winter snowfall settles over Gotham City as Christmas draws near in the Batman (2016) Annual #1, but as we all know, there can never truly be a “Silent Night” in Gotham for the Dark Knight, his allies, or even his enemies, in this quintet of special festive tales from the Bat-Caves finest talent!

So, considering Gotham City can be a bit of a gloomy, crime ridden, place for much of the year, you’ll be pleased to know that this Batman Annual brings some surprise Christmas cheer for Batman and Gothamities alike as the holiday season fast approaches.

First off, we have Good Boy, written by Batman series writer Tom King, with pencils and inks from David Finch, and colors by Gabe Eltaeb. Ok, well, I have to admit the first page of this one freaked me out a little. Ever since I was a kid I’ve always been very, very weary of dogs, so the start of this story put me on edge a bit. Still, its testament to King’s writing and some rather fine art from Finch that I found myself, along with Bruce, being won over by Ace and this story that turned out to be a far more heart warming tale than I first expected.

Scott Snyder returns for the next story, together with Ray Fawkes, to bring us Silent Night, a thoughtful and moving Christmas story with Declan Shalvey on pencils and inks, and colors by Jordie Bellaire. Snyder and Fawkes bring an ingeniously techno-themed spin to the Bat-Signal with a new system designed to guide Batman’s actions, and one that ultimately leads into the eponymous silent night of the title itself. Its a lovely story, beautiful rendered by Shalvey and Bellaire, and one that gives us all call to take some time out from all the technological noise and clutter of our haphazard modern world to enjoy those small moments of grace and wonder while they fleetingly last.

Not So Silent Night of the Harley Quinn is actually every bit as festive as its title suggests. The script by Paul Dini throws Batman and Harley Quinn together for a jaunt around Gotham in the Batmobile while Batman patrols. This was easily my favourite story in the Annual, mostly for the distinct style, tone and look of this story because of the pencils, inks, and colors by the brilliant Neal Adams. It was great to see this more classic take on Batman’s costume again, and the Christmas spirit also permeates every aspect of this fun story.

On the flipside, Stag, written by Steve Orlando, with pencils and inks by Riley Rossomo, and colors by Ivan Plascencia, proves an altogether different affair. There’s a sound Christmas message beating at its heart, well-meaning and indeed quite thought provoking, but I felt the coda to this story jarred somewhat. It sets up something for 2017, but it all just seemed a little too grim to me, especially considering the other stories around it.

The Insecurity Diversion rounds of this Batman Annual with a trip to Arkham and an audacious escape attempt by one of the inmates. Scott Bryan Wilson’s script builds a concise and complex narrative as the mystery unfolds, with Batman shadowing the escapee every step of the way until the real villain of the piece – who isn’t really a surprise – is revealed, but it is a journey that is nevertheless a compelling and insightful one. Excellent artwork and inks from Bilquis Evely set the scene perfectly, and Mat Lopes colors nicely complement the festive tone with cool icy tones, before the story closes as Batman turns the tables on his enemies in fine style.

I don’t normally tend to read comic book annuals as a rule, however, considering the great writers and artists involved in this Batman (2016) Annual #1 from DC Comics I simply had to check this one out (especially with its gorgeous cover by David Finch and Brad Anderson), and I’m pleased to say I wasn’t disappointed. It’s a great little anthology of Christmas themed Batman stories, each is uniquely different and brings something new to the table, and while I enjoyed some more than others, overall I thoroughly enjoyed reading this annual.

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All Star Batman #1 Review

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All Star Batman, All Star Batman #1, All Star Batman #1 review, Batman, comics, Danny Miki, DC Comics, Dean White, Declan Shalvey, Duke Thomas, John Romita Jr., Jordie Bellaire, My Own Worst Enemy, Scott Snyder, Two Face

All Star Batman #1

Review by Paul Bowler

After the phenomenal success of his five year run on Batman, critically acclaimed writer Scott Snyder is back with an all new Batman series, one that will reimagine many of the Dark Knight’s Rogues Galley, along with legendary artist John Romita Jr. – the first of many of the industries best artists who Snyder will work with on the title – to bring us All Star Batman #1, and the first villain of the piece is Two Face!

Taking an extreme course of action Batman decides to bring Two Face to a secret location outside Gotham, but the scarred villain’s warped duality has devised a terrifying quandary for Batman. Bound together by circumstance and trapped on a highway to hell, with every two-bit assassin, gun for hire, and even ordinary citizens out to kill the Dark Knight, get ready for a Batman and Two Face story quite unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.

In many respects, All Star Batman #1 makes it abundantly clear from the outset that it will redefine what we expect from the way Scott Snyder writes Batman. It’s still connected with the rest of the Rebirth DCU to a degree, but this is a decidedly fresh take on the Dark Knight. All Star Batman is tonally very different from anything Snyder has done before, both story wise and visually, and it all kicks off with My Own Worst Enemy: Part 1, drawn by John Romta Jr. and featuring a remarkably dark and terrifying new version of Two Face.

Following his recent corrosive attack on Gotham, Two Face has been captured, and now Batman is flying him to a special place outside the city in an attempt to counteract Dent’s increasing reign of power in the city. But what should have been a routine trip goes drastically awry when Two Face after manages to make a surprise proposition that reaches out to everyone in the state, in which he claims, that providing anyone can stop Batman from delivering him to his fate and free him, Two Face will offer up the hidden fortunes of three of Gotham’s biggest crime bosses, and his stake in this deadly game doubles down on everyone’s untold secrets just for good measure!

From the everyday peace shattering opening, the issue unfolds in a flurry of flashbacks across minutes, hours, and weeks, all blended masterfully in with present events, where bombastic action and brooding drama infuse every scene. The insightful verbal and psychological sparing between Batman and Two Face during the early stages of their journey is marvellous, and Snyder presents us with a chilling examination of the flipside of darkness Two Face’s unflinching defaced gaze can see within all of us. We’ve had the big Joker and Riddler storylines, now Snyder brings us a story that provides Two Face’s moment in the spotlight, this is very much Two Face’s time, the heavy hitters in Gotham’s criminal fraternity are even rattled, and All Star Batman #1 will certainly gives us all cause to reconsider our preconceptions of this duplicitous villain because Scott Snyder makes Two Face more diabolical, manipulative, and ruthlessly cunning than you ever could’ve thought possible.

This story also gives Snyder a chance to write Batman in an entirely new and much more exuberant way. This is, after all, a Batman renewed after the events of Superheavy, there’s such a fresh sense of vibrancy and energy about Bruce now that really shines though here in spite of the incredibly dark themes this story tackles, and its clear that Snyder is having an absolute blast writing this reinvigorated Dark Knight outside of his usual Gotham environment.

Following his run on Superman and Dark Knight Returns: The Last Crusade, John Romta Jr. now brings his dynamic artistic style to All Star Batman, and the result together with Danny Miki’s exceptional inks and the striking palette of colors employed by Dean White, are truly astounding. To have Scott Snyder and John Romata Jr. working together on Batman is like a dream come true, John Romata Jr.‘s art syncs in perfect harmony with Snyder’s intricate storytelling and characterization, and the page layouts and settings both in and outside of Gotham are all beautifully realized.

Who’d have thought that such bright wide open spaces could feel as ominous and as threatening as Gotham’s dark streets? There’s also a slightly grittier, harder edge about John Romata Jr.’s work on All Star Batman which gives the Dark Knight a defined, yet somewhat more rugged appearance. The action is fast and furious too. Romata Jr’s Two Face is equally impressive, the contrast depicted between the healthy and scarred side of the character – both physically and mentally – is genuinely unsettling at times, and the depiction of his hideous looking scarred color blind eye and Two Face’s uncanny perception of the world is ghoulishly chilling.

Numerous standout moments in All Star Batman #1 will make you want to read this issue many times over just to immerse yourself in the thrilling experience this new Bat-Title has to offer. Those initial scenes in the diner blindside us with a false sense of ordinariness, but as the full scope of the narrative kicks in a surprising roll call of villains, a wonderfully moody scene between Gordon, Batman, and new sidekick Duke Thomas, there’s also an iconic horror themed addition to Batman’s arsenal that is simply brilliant, and the powerfully staged exchanges between Two Face and Batman all collectively add up to make this first issue a gripping read indeed.

The back up stories featuring Duke Thomas and his training by the Dark Knight is another key ingredient of All Star Batman that makes this new DC Comics series feel so special. The Cursed Wheel Part 1: written by Scott Snyder, featuring pencils and inks by Declan Shalvey, and colors by Jordie Bellaire sees Duke’s training really begin in earnest. I love how the characters address the enormity of the task ahead, with the role of being a “sidekick” transcending even the moniker of simply being defined as Robin, to evolve into a refined challenge that will make Duke into the hero he will become… Tautly plotted by Snyder, and with striking visuals – that view of the Bat-Cave is a real showstopper – by Declan Shalvey and colors by Jordie Bellaire, the first part of this backup story complements the main storyline in the issue perfectly.

I’ve been eagerly anticipating All Star Batman #1 and I was totally blown away by how good it was. It’s everything I could’ve hoped for, and then some! Scott Snyder and John Romita Jr. have crafted one hell of an issue here, you’ll see Two Face in a completely different light afterwards, and those killer final moments are guaranteed to make your jaw hit the floor! All Star Batman soars beyond all expectations, with its brilliant all star creative team and wealth of variant covers, this is one Bat-Max fury road trip that you won’t want to miss for anything!

Publisher: DC Comics / Writer: Scott Snyder Pencils: John Romita Jr

Inks: Danny Miki / Colors Dean White Letters Steve Wands

Cover & Variant by Romita, Miki, White

Variant Cover: Jock

Variant Cover: Declan Shalvey & Jordie Bellaire

The Cursed Wheel Part 1 Writer: Scott Snyder / Pencils & Inks: Declan Shalvey

Colors: Jordie Bellaire / Letters Steve Wands

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