I believe we are entering the third part of this series now. After a bit of a surprising end last time, things keep on changing for Batman and the Bat Family. What could happen next? Who are the masterminds pulling all of the strings in this gigantic plot? Let us venture in and hopefully find out. Is it good?
Spoilers below!
Batman Eternal #35 (DC Comics)
Lead Writer: James Tynion IV
Other Writers: Scott Snyder, Kyle Higgins, Ray Fawkes, and Tim Seeley
Artist: Fernando Blanco
Story
Two weeks after Wayne Enterprises has been seized, things have certainly changed. Wayne Manor is being turned into the next Arkham Asylum, Hush is being locked up inside the Batcave since he can’t be turned over to the police with Bard in charge, and Bruce Wayne has nothing (all of his money, assets, and even access to the Batman Incorporated supplies are gone). Also, Jason Bard has control of Lucius as well and has him planning something to take down Batman. What now?
Spoiler Corner
Vicki Vale and her cohort Joey have left town and the hunt for a special news story. They headed to Detroit, Bard’s old home, and decided to check out Bard’s past. They find out what exactly motivates him and brought him to Gotham.
Jason Bard sets his trap for Batman, using Lucius and his special equipment to track Batman’s presence through the city. Bard intentionally has the cops blow up a construction site to attract his attention and once Batman is in the city, he hacks into the computer on the Batmobile consoles and orders him to surrender.
When Batman refuses to, Bard has Lucius take over the controls of the vehicle and Bard forces Batman into a deathtrap, intentionally launching him through a building and down several stories to his death. Batman tells him he doesn’t have to do this, Hush now being out of the picture, but Bard says he has. As he says that, he looks at a badge with the name ‘Jodie Hawkins’ on it in his hands.
Back in Detroit, Vicki and Joey have found a cop bar where the bartender used to know Jason Bard before he left. He says that he used to be a sweet kid, but his life became so screwed up due to “the cape.” You see, he used to be Detriot’s own Bat-Man and he lost everything in one single night.
Thoughts
This an interesting way to start the final part of Batman Eternal (at least, I keep hearing it’s the final part) and makes me curious to see where this is all going. Plus, we are finally getting some insight into Jason Bard’s past and what motivates him as well, so that’s a big plus. However, I can’t help but find that this particular issue is very hard to buy into. The characterization for Sawyer and Bullock and why they are just going along with Bard’s insane attempt to capture Batman and all the risky moves he is pulling without much argument is baffling. Then there’s Batman himself and what he is doing in the issue, which seems to be extremely questionable as well. I’m sure he has a plan, but for the life of me, I don’t see or get the point of all of this. At the artwork by Fernando Blanco is very nice and moody looking (he so needs to be working on a regular series).
Best Moment
Vicki ain’t takin’ any of his crap today.
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