Things have been getting more and more overwhelming for Batman recently. In a short period of time, he’s faced an increasing amount of conflict from Vandal Savage, The Ōjō, and the regular old criminal underworld of Gotham. And he’s lost a few teammates as a result of this (both Tim Drake and Barbara Gordon are out of commission for various reasons). While he’s tried to push back and remind the citizens of Gotham that Batman will always be there to protect them, it’s starting to look like he’s going to need some help pretty soon. It sure would be nice if Alfred Pennyworth were alive and well right now, wouldn’t it?
But maybe that’s asking for too much in the world of comics. It’s not like comics are a medium where people come back from the dead all the time for absurd reasons, right? Well despite my curmudgeonly attitude (that maybe a few of you might share), Alfred isn’t coming back anytime soon. But that doesn’t mean Bruce is a bat out of luck. Not when Matt Fraction and Jorge Jimenez deliver an issue creating a new character to fill the supporting role that has been left vacant for far too long.
DC
Batman #11 is a fast-paced issue. While the series was marketed as being episodic in nature, this issue is a great example of how that still can have a few pitfalls. Don’t get me wrong, because I’ve been following the book, I think the conflict is great – I feel just as overwhelmed as Bruce is starting to look. I mean, this is more than just one villain at a time causing a mystery for the Caped Crusader to solve; now, there’s problems for both Bruce Wayne and Batman occurring simultaneously.
Obviously that isn’t a new concept, but it isn’t one that I feel has been featured as much as it has for other characters like Superman. Having Bruce Wayne run Wayne Enterprises should matter more than we’ve experienced. And the overlapping conflict arising from Bruce refusing to engage in the manufacturing of weapons has worked very well to show how the decisions Bruce makes in his business capacity are directly causing more strain on his bandwidth as Batman. While he doesn’t know the people who’ve become a frequent thorn in his side, as Bruce are the same as those who’ve been making Batman’s life more difficult, we do. And seeing the impact of how many moving parts are happening simultaneously in Gotham makes for a fun read. Why? Because in a medium where comics can either get wacky or stay grounded, sometimes it’s nice to have Batman face a reasonable threat rather than a world-ending one. It makes the story feel more memorable rather than trying to force itself as another attempt of giving Batman a great arc that will go down in history. Sometimes, the best stories people think of for Batman are the ones where things are a bit more grounded rather than overly grand.
Overall, while this is a more loaded issue of Matt Fraction’s than some previous ones have been, I appreciate that despite the number of moving parts, the series is trying its best to avoid becoming overcomplicated.
DC
That opening sequence? Jorge Jimenez and Tomeu Morey, you have outdone yourselves. Having an old school unknown secret society (no, not the Court of Owls) in Gotham working to pull the strings perfectly sets the stage for how things are starting to stack themselves up against Bruce Wayne just as much as Batman. Something I really enjoyed in this sequence was that Tomeu Morey colored these opening pages ice cold blue. This neon color palette helped immediately capture my attention for an issue full of various criminals scheming for control of Gotham. And this is just one of many visually stunning moments where the color palette being used helped to emphasize emotions and tones that help to connect the reader with the issue.
Batman #11 is definitely a worthwhile read if you’re curious about what’s going on in Gotham City. This run has done a spectacular job giving equal attention to Batman’s supporting cast rather than making them into one-dimensional characters. That said, I do feel like the issue felt a bit overcrowded, as some characters only had a page or two of exposure in this issue, and it felt kind of awkward to see them pop in and out so fast. As a result, the issue, although very enjoyable as a longtime reader, still felt a bit overwhelming. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a confusing story or one that’s too hard to follow, it’s just a lot to digest at once. However, its congested cast also works quite well to grab a variety of different readers’ attention as there’s surely at least one character present here to pique the interest of Batman fans. If you’re curious how Matt Fraction is preparing to brace itself for its upcoming Bad Seeds event, now would be just about the right time to catch up on the crazy train that is Gotham City.
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