Batman: Off-World has stood out for many reasons. Its entire premise was something you wouldn’t expect from a Batman book, especially his early years, as it sent the Dark Knight to the furthest reaches of the Galaxy to fight aliens. It marked Jason Aaron’s first DC work after a lengthy tenure at Marvel. It was also Doug Mahnke’s first interior work in a few years!
But Off-World ran into an issue that even Batman couldn’t anticipate: delays. The reason for those delays isn’t clear yet, but thankfully Batman: Off-World #6 wasn’t impacted by them as it finally delivers the fight the entire comic has been building to. In the process, it also highlights one of Batman’s most underrated aspects: his ability to inspire others. Yes, the idea of a guy dressing up as a bat to battle evil (and deal with childhood trauma) doesn’t sound like it would inspire others, but with all the allies he’s made over the years it’s clear that Batman has become an icon in his own right.
Aaron and Mahnke do a great job of exploring this, especially with how Batman has inspired others in the Slag Galaxy to stand up against the Blakksun siblings. It comes to a head when Ione the Stormchaser, the Punch Bot – now renamed the Bat-Bot – and the giant mechanical wolf that Batman tamed come to rescue him from the Blakksuns, even participating in a meticulously planned jailbreak. In the process, they even refrain from killing their opponents, which shows how much Batman influenced them.
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But the real challenge comes when Batman has to face Whisper Blakksun, who quite frankly is one of the most terrifying aliens in the entire Off-World series. True to his name, he can bring his opponents to the point of death with a series of whispers. How does Batman, a mere human, beat him? The answer is something that only Batman could pull off – and only something Aaron could script, but it’s definitely satisfying.
Equally satisfying is Mahnke’s artwork. He doesn’t pull any punches, but he sure loves to showcase people getting punched; the Punch Bot lives up to its name by delivering a spectacular haymaker to Wrath Blakksun’s face, while Ione tears into her opponents with a storm of martial arts moves and laser fire. There’s a glorious two-page spread that is packed to the brim with violence, but Mahnke draws it so beautifully. Every page is chock full of detail; there’s blood spatter, there’s burn marks on armor, there’s broken screens and weaponry. Jamie Mendoza’s inks makes all this battle damage feel textured and real, which provides a sharp contrast to David Baron’s bright colors.
The final pages of Batman: Off-World #6 do present a mixed bag: while there’s an awesome moment that speaks to how Batman’s legend endures even in the depth of space, some fans might expect more from Batman’s rematch with the foe that drove him into his interstellar quest. Regardless, it brings things full circle.
Batman: Off-World #6 manages to stick the landing, never letting up on its bone-breaking art while showing how Batman can inspire others – even if they come from a different planet. While attention might be on Aaron’s Absolute Superman and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles runs, this is still worth reading if you like his work.
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