First of all, Andy Clarke's pencils are amazing. I really like the way he's so detailed and crisp with his art. The splash page, with Robin attacking Batman, almost seems like it has a bit of a Brian Bolland influence to it. Anyways, we really don't dig to much into the whole
Return of Bruce Wayne storyline here. We do get a few clues . . a few things in the mansion, and below it . . not to mention this death garden thing, which I don't really understand. But not a whole lot that we didn't already know. Most of this issue is spent with Damian and Dick dealing with the dirty hand that Talia has dealt him. It appears that when she operated on his spine that she also installed some neural receptors that allows her to use a harness that she has back at her lair to control Damian and his actions. The problem is, she offers to let Slade Wilson use it to get a little payback for Dick. And with him . . a little is never enough. He wants more control, and the ability to control his voice also. The problem is if you push the receptors to hard, they can burn out pretty easily. But he does do enough damage that it's pretty easy for Dick and Damian to figure out what his mother had done to him, and who was in the driver's seat. They then head to Talia's secret island to give her a little piece of both their minds. Talia is still convinced that Dick and Alfred are brainwashing her son, and trying to indoctrinate him into the way of the Bat. But Damian insists that he's staying with Dick of his own volition. So Talia disowns him. It appears that she's already began cloning another version of her son, 'Made from the same augmented
DNA combinations. He'll be 10 years younger than you when he's born. I offer you one last chance to accept your destiny my darling.' Which of course he doesn't, so her reply is, 'Ill always love you in my own way. And I will permit you to leave with your circus boy in tow. But from now on, you are no longer welcome here. You may consider yourself an enemy of the House of Al Ghul.' To which Damian responds, 'Very well. I hope I can be a worthy one, mother.' So that's it? He's done with Talia? I don't think she's going to let him get off that easy. Plus, what happens if somethings wrong with the new child that she's birthing? No, I definitely don't think this is the last we've seen of Talia. Anyways, when they get back they once again find themselves dealing with the Cult of Barbatos. They took a casket out of the cemetery and Dick and Alfred think that it might be the key to figuring out this whole thing with Bruce. There also seems to be a new player in town. Or . . the return of an old one. It appears that the Doctor Hurt is back. Or is he really Thomas Wayne as he claimed to be? And we finally get to the bottom of the mystery about Oberon Sexton. On the final page of the issue it's revealed that he's actually . . the Joker. In my eyes, this title gets better and better with every issue. I think Grant Morrison is doing a tremendous job. And I think Andy's crisp art is the perfect contrast for the dark mood that Grant has set here. Together, it paints a rather eerie picture. But . . it's cool. Right now, this is my favorite Batman title.
First of all, Andy Clarke's pencils are amazing. I really like the way he's so detailed and crisp with his art. The splash page, with Robin attacking Batman, almost seems like it has a bit of a Brian Bolland influence to it. Anyways, we really don't dig to much into the whole Return of Bruce Wayne storyline here. We do get a few clues . . a few things in the mansion, and below it . . not to mention this death garden thing, which I don't really understand. But not a whole lot that we didn't already know. Most of this issue is spent with Damian and Dick dealing with the dirty hand that Talia has dealt him. It appears that when she operated on his spine that she also installed some neural receptors that allows her to use a harness that she has back at her lair to control Damian and his actions. The problem is, she offers to let Slade Wilson use it to get a little payback for Dick. And with him . . a little is never enough. He wants more control, and the ability to control his voice also. The problem is if you push the receptors to hard, they can burn out pretty easily. But he does do enough damage that it's pretty easy for Dick and Damian to figure out what his mother had done to him, and who was in the driver's seat. They then head to Talia's secret island to give her a little piece of both their minds. Talia is still convinced that Dick and Alfred are brainwashing her son, and trying to indoctrinate him into the way of the Bat. But Damian insists that he's staying with Dick of his own volition. So Talia disowns him. It appears that she's already began cloning another version of her son, 'Made from the same augmented 
DNA combinations. He'll be 10 years younger than you when he's born. I offer you one last chance to accept your destiny my darling.' Which of course he doesn't, so her reply is, 'Ill always love you in my own way. And I will permit you to leave with your circus boy in tow. But from now on, you are no longer welcome here. You may consider yourself an enemy of the House of Al Ghul.' To which Damian responds, 'Very well. I hope I can be a worthy one, mother.' So that's it? He's done with Talia? I don't think she's going to let him get off that easy. Plus, what happens if somethings wrong with the new child that she's birthing? No, I definitely don't think this is the last we've seen of Talia. Anyways, when they get back they once again find themselves dealing with the Cult of Barbatos. They took a casket out of the cemetery and Dick and Alfred think that it might be the key to figuring out this whole thing with Bruce. There also seems to be a new player in town. Or . . the return of an old one. It appears that the Doctor Hurt is back. Or is he really Thomas Wayne as he claimed to be? And we finally get to the bottom of the mystery about Oberon Sexton. On the final page of the issue it's revealed that he's actually . . the Joker. In my eyes, this title gets better and better with every issue. I think Grant Morrison is doing a tremendous job. And I think Andy's crisp art is the perfect contrast for the dark mood that Grant has set here. Together, it paints a rather eerie picture. But . . it's cool. Right now, this is my favorite Batman title. 
The only thing that was good about this comic was Sexton being Joker. The rest of it was just recap of the earlier comic. I did kind of like the thing with Talia, but it wasn't good enough to call this a good comic. After they hit issue 10 the comics have been getting worse and worse.
ReplyDeleteI think that part of the problem that this book is experiencing right now is that they're trying to balance the stories about Dick and Damian with pieces of the Return of Bruce Wayne story-line. Obviously the Joker revelation was the coolest part of the book, but it's all connected. We just don't have all the pieces yet. And with the Return of Bruce Wayne mini-series coming out over the next 6 months, they can't reveal to much to quick. Plus I think Talia's decision about Damian is huge. I mean, think about it. This is an adolescent child who's only living parent has treated him like a pawn on a chessboard. She's deceived him, used him, and when he told her that he didn't agree with her methods, she spit him out like an old piece of gum. I feel kind of sorry for the kid.
ReplyDeleteAs sad as that is (truly it is sad) Damian wasn't showing much grief, he really always considered himself an enemy of Al Ghul. It would suck to have someone controlling your every action, but once he recovered he seemed fine. However he is a Wayne and Waynes have a history of hiding their emotions so it could be something like that.
ReplyDeleteAlso they have been trying to connect all of the "cowl" stories, especially with red robin, but then how come they still need proof that Bruce is alive when Red Robin already figured it out. So they are trying to do something but not doing it at the same time.
You know how it is. They have to drag it out into this big story-line. But when all's said and done it won't seem as complicated, or as long and drawn out as they made it. Plus, like I said, the Return of Bruce Wayne is the main book, and all the other stories will have to chug along until that one comes to it's conclusion. We'll get bits of information in all the other books, but none of the important stuff. But I figure, at least with Grant Morrison writing everything . . it should be interesting.
ReplyDeleteI suppose you'r right.
ReplyDelete