Finally, writer [tag]Grant Morrison[/tag] and penciller [tag]Andy Kubert[/tag] are back at the helm of Batman with issue 644. Grant took over some half-dozen issues ago with a storyline in which an off-duty cop in a Batman outfit shoots the [tag]Joker[/tag] the face. This gives Batman an even scarier rep among the criminal community. Batman is able to use this new rep put a virtual halt on super villain crime. Bruce Wayne jets off to Europe on vacation, where he flirts shamelessly with a rich and famous young lady named Jezebel Jet (a lovely African woman with a diamond stud in her nose, of all things). Of course, romance is put on halt. Batman’s former lover Talia, daughter of R’as Al Ghul, getting a hold of Kirk Langstrom’s “Man-Bat” serum and using it to create an army of flying Ninja assassins. But it’s all a plot to introduce Batman to his and [tag]Talia[/tag]’s love-child, a murderous and starved-for-love boy named (and I’m not kidding) [tag]Damian[/tag]. Batman takes in boy against his wishes. Damien locks Alfred the closet, assaults Robin (Batman’s adopted son) and slices off the head of The Spook, an old villain I sorta likes from 30 years ago. It all ends tragically, as Talia and Damien seemingly end up getting blown the hell up. The past couple of issues were fill-ins by other artists and completely ignored this mythos changing storyline.
Spoilers follow:
Morrison picks up where he help off. The opening scene shows Bruce Wayne walking away from what looks like the end of a terrific battle with dozens of Ninja Man-Bats, answering a call from Jezebel setting up a hot date. The next scene shows him parachuting, ala James Bond, onto a mountain to keep a skiing date with her. While dining, Jet reveals her parents were murdered for their beliefs, while Bruce has trouble opening up. From there it gets grimy, as Batman investigates what looks to be a string of prostitute murders, seemingly done a monstrous guy wearing another Bat suit. It’s all wrapped up in a bunch of crooked cops and is the talk about a mysterious “black case book” Batman has been keeping. The book ends with a scene that’s going to remind readers of Bane. A lot.
Yeah. This is a big improvement over yet another Riddler story. Batman is cool again.
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