This issue represents all that bothers me about modern comics. Nothings happens and characters have no voice of their own. They are pawns in a plot.

Basically Bats is in fake country where he was fighting Luthor’s Batman Inc. The character Abyss, about whom we have been told nothing, is scaring villains to get info. It turns out that this Abyss is a fake and is the female cop who was helping Batman in previous issues before the story was interrupted by the big crossover. The cop has parents who were killed and she captures some guy to get him to tell her where the bodies are buried. Abyss has such a rep that she gets the info.

It appears that she is going to kill someone and asks Bats if he is going to stop her. He says no, if he stops her now, she’ll just kill later, she has to stop herself. She does, joins Batman Inc. there will be a series in September.

Problems. They go back to Bats reliving the death of his parents. Again. There is a flashback to Bats staring in the cell of his parents’ killer. Spoiler, he realizes killing is wrong and doesn’t do it.

I am so sick of visiting the Waynes’ death. While I am ranting at the kids on my lawn, having the movie they see be Zorro is too on the nose. Zorro is fun and having that be an inspiration for Bruce to be dour Batman doesn’t track. It also reminds us that Batman is basically a Zorro ripoff, in part at least.

Also we don’t know this female cop. She has no personality, no sense of self. Why should we care about her? Also Bruce is broke, but has the money to fly private jet to another country? He finances Oracle? It’s like when Denny O’Neil halved Superman’s power. It didn’t stick, powers got ramped up anyway. Same with Bruce’s wealth. Batman is rich. That is a fundamental aspect of the character. (Ripped off from Zorro), deal with it DC.

This whole Williamson run shows how DC is writing Batman poorly. Prediction rant. Chip Z’s new villain who he says will be a mental and physical challenge to Batman is just Bane redone. I read an interview and Chip said the same things about his villain that was said about Bane - 30 YEARS AGO, STAY OFF MY LAWN YOU DAMN KIDS.

Not a good run.

Or I could be wrong. more

The only things Dan slott is good at are being a short fat bald HIDEOUS gremlin

visually confusing on the first death and heavily ripping off Alien for the rest of it.

The art for this issue is not too appealing to me. Solid issue to probably end this arc

Black "Almost John Wick" Widow

I have never been a huge fan of this character, but MAN, this book is fun! We get just enough of the mystery to keep it alive and just enough to make us wonder why Natasha has gone all Somerset Holmes (smile if you remember that book, please). If you haven’t read this series yet, pick up the previous two issues...it’s worth it.

What a time to be Black Widow fan!

Love the premise of this arc

Almost there... Just one more

This is probably my favorite issue of the run. And it's such an incredible shame that this is the end. If DC had any sense, they'd bring it back, even if the sales aren't what they'd like. Sometimes a story is worth publishing even if it's not a major seller. It'd look good to have one of the most critically acclaimed and universally praised series on shelves.

I love Delano's and Ennis's Hellblazer runs. This one was better. It's possible the comics market isn't big enough to support this sort of book anymore, which is a shame, because I wrapped up this story looking at the final black page and cursing that this was it. The story ends at a point that someone else can pick up from in the future, but it will be a real shame if Spurrier/Campbell aren't involved in the next chapter. Regardless, I'd expect several of the elements from this story to impact Constantine stories in the future. more