Batman Incorporated #1 sprung onto the scene with a robust cast, a new leader for the team, and the trainers of Ghost-Maker and Batman dead. The book had an adventurous side that sent many different Batman-themed characters globetrotting to solve mysteries and maybe even turn up new Batman characters. In Batman Incorporated #2, writer Ed Brisson and artist John Timms uncover new characters while Ghost-Maker tries to prove he’s not the killer.
Batman Incorporated #2 juggles four subplots, starting with Ghost-Maker fighting an old teacher who assumes he’s come to kill her. Little does she know he’s trying to beat the killer to the punch, but their sparring allows Brisson to unpack their complicated relationship. Their dialogue also reveals things that’ll make you question Ghost-Maker, like the reminder that he’s a psychopath. There are also interesting new details regarding Ghost-Maker’s past that heavily affect Clownmaker.
Meanwhile, the story jumps between China, Moscow, Canada, Central Suriname Nature Preserve, and Dublin. At each location, two Batman Incorporated employees are trying to protect a potential teacher who may be a target or figure out who the killer is from the previous issue. Each Batman character is different than the last, and it’s great fun to see these various personalities. Part of the fun of this series is how good it is at juggling so many characters.
Every location gets a smidge of time, which is a detriment to the overall reading experience of this issue. Much of this issue is devoted to Ghost-Maker’s sequence in China, but the new characters introduced at other locations will pique your interest far more. It’s not that the Ghost-Maker plot is bad; it just feels too long before it gets to the big twist.
Swinging like Spidey.
Credit: DC Comics
If you’re worried about decompression storytelling, don’t be, this issue delivers big answers. Not only is the cliffhanger hugely revealing, but you can also start to see another operation at work here. That gives this issue a Mission: Impossible vibe as covert teams encounter covert teams.
John Timms’ art continues to impress for its level of detail. Costumes, the city around these characters, and finer details are all super refined. Rex Lokus colors the issue, adding a nice pop of color in the city backgrounds and some interesting rendering of Ghost-Maker’s mask in shadow. Multiple new characters are introduced here, and each has a wildly cool costume you’ve never seen before. The innovation of these new costumes, paired with the level of detail, is unparalleled in most superhero comics.
If you’re looking for a massive ensemble cast in subplots that span the globe, look no further than Batman Incorporated #2. On top of that, in a bit of a shocker move, this issue doesn’t hold back with new character reveals and a significant twist that answers many questions. An impressive thing as it’s so early in the story.
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