Batman Confidential #35 - DC

This issue wraps up Batman's trip to Moscow, and the Bat and the Beast story-line. Last issue the Tsar had ordered Fyodor, the Bear, to kill Lukzov's wife and daughter. Lukzov is the police commissioner, so he thought that if he got him back in line, he'd also show his strength to the rest of the police force . . and anyone else who may get the idea to stand against him. However, looking at the 2 girls, Fyodor decides that he just can't do it. And with that he decides to stop being the pawn of the Tsar. However, in the process . . he is shot. So he goes back to the Tsar for help. He doesn't agree with what he's doing, and he may think he's an animal, but . . in the end the Tsar is still his step-father. So he won't let the Batman or anybody else bring him down. At least until Batman confronts him with the information that it was the Tsar who made him an orphan in the first place. It was by his orders that the gangsters killed his father. So in the end the Tsar goes down. And Bruce arranges for Fyodor to get treatments for his condition. However, back in Gotham, Bruce learns that Fyodor broke out of the hospital before the treatments could begin. On his way out he tells a nurse that he didn't want to be cured. He had to stay the way he was . . to do what he had in mind. And on the final page we see he's beginning to terrorize some of the Kingpins. He wants them to have a message . .'Gotham City has the Bat . . and Moscow has the Bear.' All in all I thought it was an ok story-line. I wasn't sure at first. Batman really seemed to be out of his element. In fact, I think he might've gotten better results had he come to Moscow as Matches, or something. Anyways, as always, Peter Milligan's stories end up coming together and working out dramatically. Batman still seemed out of his element, but . . he was effective. It doesn't look like the Russians will be coming to Gotham any time soon. Also, some fantastic artwork by Andy Clarke. It looks like Batman's European tour will continue next issue as Royal McGraw and Marcos Marz takes him, and the Blackhawks to Poland to try to retrieve some stolen Wayne-tech. I like this book. I'm glad it didn't go the way of Superman Confidential.