Comic Review: Batman Eternal, vol 1.

Batman Eternal
Volume 1 (#1-21)
by Scott Snyder & James Tynion IV (story)
DC Comics

In the wake of Forever Evil, the world looks at heroes in a different light, creating tension between Batman and his allies and the Gotham City Police Department. When a gang war breaks out and new villains arise, it's up to the Dark Knight, Batgirl, and more to turn the tides as best as they can—but will the GCPD be a help or a hinderance? Plus, a fan-favorite character makes her long-awaited DC Comics—The New 52 debut.

Ex-mob boss Carmine Falcone (of The Long Halloween fame--which makes me so happy to know that it's now considered canon, since it's one of the best Batman comics to date) has returned to Gotham after being silent for the last five years. With him comes a wave of chaos that the whole Batfamily has to deal with. Family is important in any Bat-story. There are some who believe that Bruce works better alone, but he has flaws--flaws that the others make up for.
In this instalment, Bruce has to deal with the internal workings within the Batfamily, as they introduce several new characters into the mix.


With Carmine in charge, he buys out the mayor, who in turn, buys out the police force. This sneaky plot wages a war against the cops and Batman, a tale of good versus the corrupt.

Comic Review: Batman & Robin: The Hunt for Robin

The Hunt for Robin
Batman and Robin vol 6, (#29-34)
writer Peter J Tomasi
art by Patrick Gleason et al.
DC Comics

Premise:

After losing his son Damian - a.k.a. Robin - Batman has finally found peace with his death. Damian's grandfather, Ra's al Ghul, has not, however. In order to resurrect Robin, he's stolen the body - and now Batman will stop at nothing to reclaim him. (from Goodreads) 

Before I begin this review, I must add that I haven't read volume 5 of this series, mainly because I had a time limit on this copy of the comic. As such, I felt confused at the beginning, but I know the gist of it, being a continuation of vol 4, searching of Damian's body.

Here, it feels like R'as ahl Ghul is hinting at the fact that Talia didn't kill Damian, that someone else put the half a billion dollar bounty on his head. I hope this prediction is true, because I adore Talia, and refuse to acknowledge the versions where she rapes Bruce (in fact, in this volume alone, Bruce consents to sex with her, though doesn't exactly consent to his sperm being used to make a baby clone)

Bruce hunts R'as all across the globe, until they finally reach the Himalayas, and finds in his possession are the deformed bodies of unsuccessful Damian clones. The fatherly love he has for Damian makes it difficult for him to injure these malformed versions of his sons.

I'm not a fan that they recognise Clark and Diana as a couple--but that's a rant for another day. But once again, on their travels to Themyscira, they are attacked by Amazons who hate men with a bleeding passion, and paints them as murderous women who fuck and kill for procreation.I hated it when I read it in one of the early volumes of the N52 Wonder Woman, and I hate it now.

My biggest complaint came from the opening of the portal to Apokolips. I cannot begin to tell you how sick to death I am of Darkseid and Apokolips. And here, it made it feel cheap and convenient. I pretty much give up on any comic that mentions Darkseid/Apokolips, so I'm not sure I'll be reading the rest of this series, just keeping up with the story.

I found this to be the weakest of the Batman and Robin series, and I think it's because it's trying too hard to connect strings between all the JLA members and this narrative, when it's unnecessary. And the way he turns back everyone who offers to help him, while I understand it, it makes for a long and arduous journey to slog through.