Batman: Off-World continues to impress with each issue, and its third is no different. Picking up some time after the events of the previous issue, Batman: Off-World #3 now finds Batman ready and willing to take down the War Storm and its leader Captain Syyn. To finish the mission, he’s assembled a plan to beat Synn and his forces; including a brand new Batsuit, the help of the Tameranean warrior Ione, and a gigantic wolf-like creature he befriended on an abandoned planet.
Yes, you read that last sentence right: This is a comic book where Batman befriends a giant wolf. Such is the insanity that Jason Aaron brings to the table – Batman’s the only known human in the galaxy, of course he’d run into some strange and unusual sights. Aaron also continues to showcase that Batman’s greatest superpower is his mind, which comes in handy when fighting the extraterrestial. Not only has he learned how to incapacitate his new foes, but also how to utilize fear to his advantage. After all, the Batman thrives in shadows – and what’s space but one endless shadow?
Even more impressive is Mahnke’s artwork. I’m constantly impressed by the level of detail that goes into his work, from the scars on Synn’s body to the armor plating on Batman’s wolf companion. That’s not even going into the material that makes up Batman’s new suit – it feels like a mix between medieval armor and a spacesuit. The detail pops thanks to Jamie Mendoza’s layered inks, as well as David Baron’s color work. The word “eye-popping” is thrown around a lot when it comes to comics, but this is one comic that earns the title.
Where Batman: Off-World #3 stumbles is a plot twist toward the end that feels like it came out of nowhere. I understand that the book is only in its halfway point, but I definitely feel like some more buildup could have been warranted. If nothing else, there’s the promise of more alien fights, which should make up for any narrative discrepancies. Yes I’m the guy who is easily hooked by monster/alien/robot fights.
Batman: Off-World #3 doesn’t let off the gas, closing off one conflict while introducing a new interstellar threat for the Dark Knight. It’s pedal-to-the-metal insane in the best ways; here’s hoping that Aaron and Mahnke don’t run out of steam in the back half.
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