Travelling Man's Blog

Batman Eternal

Story by Scott Snyder & James Tynion

Script by James Tynion IV (21, 26), Kyle Higgins (22), Tim Seeley (23, 28), Ray Fawkes (24)

Consulting writing by Ray Fakes, John Layman, Kyle Higgins (22,23) and Tim Seeley

Art by Jason Fabok (21), Jorge Lucas (22), Dustin Nguyen (23), Andy Clarke (24),RM Guera (26), Meghan Hetrick (28),

Colours by Brad Anderson (21), Brett Smith (22), John Kalisz (23), Blond (24), Giulia Brusco (26), Juan Ferreyra (Flashback art and colours for 26), Romulo Fajardo Jr. (28),

Inks by Derek Fridolfs (23))

Letters by Dezi Sienty(21, 22, 28), Steve Wands (23, 24, 26)

Cover by Dustin Nguyen (21), Jay Fabok & Brad Anderson (22, 23), Brad Anderson (24), Clay Mann & Romulo Fajardo (26),

Published by DC

£2.20

At times over the last 28 weeks it’s felt like Batman Eternal is a tremendously excited puppy, running up to every single element of the Bat universe and jumping up and down. It’s always tough with a story that’s both longform and finite to keep interest going in the first half. You have an endpoint but you also have an obligation to tell satisfying stories in their own right that also move towards that endpoint. It’s a ridiculously tough way of telling stories and is the main reason TV shows tend to have a Writer’s Room.

It’s also why Batman Eternal has a team of writers and this run of issues is where they really start to come into their own. The story has got (Almost) as wide as it can be; gang war, supernatural riot in Gotham, Commissioner Gordon exonerated (OR IS HE?!), conspiracies galore and a whole lot of people in black Kevlar being grumpy at Bruce Wayne. So, with everything laid out, what do the writers do next?

Mayhem.

And for the most part it’s glorious.

In short order we get the following; Gordon being exonerated, Jason Bard being promoted to Commissioner, Jason Bard being revealed to be evil, The Architect being sprung on Commissioner Bard’s orders, the Architect doing some serious property damage, the reveal of another major villain being involved, something incredibly awful happening to Alfred, Jason Bard’s real loyalties being discovered, Stephanie Brown being a badass and something else EVEN awfuller happening to Alfred.

Oh and character moments galore. And the best Catwoman story I’ve read so far this year.
Let’s start with Selina, as big things are on the way for her in her own title. Seeley’s story sets up Genevieve Valentine’s run on Catwoman but does so in a way that feels organic and complete. Selina’s always been a street-level picture kind of hero and that’s exactly what she does here. It costs her, badly, and that coupled with some very well written exchanges with her dad makes her realize she needs to change her game. Selina Kyle has always been one of the smartest people in the room and now, at last, she’s decided to make it official. It’s a nice way of tying off her role here and setting up her next big plot and, aided by some excellent art from the entire team, it’s a highlight of the series so far.

Let’s look at the Bard stuff next. Jason Bard, when he was introduced, looked set to be the Ben Mackenzie/Gordon 2.0 for the comics. The revelation that he’s actually, if not evil then certainly on the wrong team, Is really nicely handled and throws some serious doubt on all his past actions. Bard’ an interesting figure that, I suspect, they aren’t close to done with. He may just be a ruthlessly ambitious asshole, he may be a tragic hero. He may even join the We Wear Black Kevlar And Hate Bruce gang by the end of the series but he’s interesting every time he shows up and remains one of the success stories to come out of the series.

The other, to the rank amazement of anyone who’s watched her treatment by DC over the last few years, is Stephanie Brown. The Ray Fawkes’ scripted 24 focuses on her and is huge fun for two reasons. Firstly because it gives Steph the chance to cut loose and fight back that she’s needed for 23 issues. The chase/debate/fight with her dad is kinetic, well thought out and confirms exactly how Steph fights; with no fear and far more brains than she’s given credit for. It’s been a long time coming but it’s great seeing her back on Gotham’s streets. Secondly because it places the C-Level villains in a really clever part of the DC villain ecology. Your Hushes, your Jokers, your Luthors? They’re big picture guys. But you need sewers backed up? Ratcatcher. You want traffic systems messed with? Trickster. It positions them less as joke gimmicks and more as very specialized high level henchmen. I’m hoping this is going to be an ongoing thing too as it bears exploring.

The last big reveal here is Hush and…it doesn’t work quite as well. Hush has always been a character so melodramatic you sort of expect crashing organ music everywhere he goes and there’s a bit of a sense of that here. Also he doesn’t seem quite right as the mastermind and I half suspect another ‘ACTUALLY, BRUCE! YOU WERE WRONG ALL ALONG!’ reveal to land in short order. Regardless, he’s actually more interesting here than he has been for some time. Juan Ferreyra does wonderful work with his flashback origin and the writers have some fun with someone who’s Batman’s intellectual equal but has none of his moral qualms. Plus his interactions with Alfred, and the scenes following them, are real ‘OH NO!’ reveals that are handled in a really fun way.

But the best issue of this run, by a mile, is 28. Seeley’s back in the main script chair and is joined by Meghan Hetrick’s wonderfully brawny art and Romulo Fajardo Jr’s subtle colours in a story that focuses on the least subtle, and the most principled, Bat family members; Red Hood and Batgirl. Hood is on his way out of the city and gets his ass good naturedly kicked by Starfire and Arsenal about the thing he doesn’t want to do; go say goodbye to Batgirl.

Batgirl has been one of the stars of this series and deservedly so. Barbara Gordon has always been one of the DCU’s best characters and, far too often, one of its least well served. Here she’s been on