Batman Incorporated #9
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artists: Chris Burnham, Jason Masters, and Nathan Fairbairn
Cover Artists: Chris Burnham and Nathan Fairbairn
Publisher: DC
Last month’s issue had consequences that echoed throughout the entire Bat-Universe, and this issue works as a great follow up to that issue. Over the past month the Bat-titles have been released showing the various heroes’ reactions to Damian’s death, however, this issue gives us the immediate aftermath. Batman, Nightwing, and Red Robin fight off Damian’s clone and rescue Damian’s body, Damian is laid to rest, and the family begins to mourn. Unfortunately for them, Leviathan is not finished. With all the chaos and destruction that Talia has already caused, it’s surprising that we haven’t been told her endgame yet. This series, as well as the last volume, has been fantastic. Morrison and Burnham, with Masters and Fairbairn, are producing one of the best Batman books, in both story and art. 4.5/5
The Flash #18
Writer: Brian Buccellato
Artists: Marcio Takara and Brian Buccellato
Cover Artists: Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato
Publisher: DC
The Rogues are off doing their thing and the gorillas have all run off home, which gives the Flash exactly ten minutes of free time. Between trying to get his job back in the forensics department, helping to rebuild the city after the gorillas destroyed it, and keeping up with his job at the local pub, it’s surprising, but nice, to see that Barry has time to have a life and a relationship (even if that relationship isn’t with Iris). Of course, life is never simple for heroes, and this issue is no different when Trickster gets framed for something he didn’t do. Throw in an Iris cameo, new “superheroes,” and the surprising cliffhanger, and you’ve got yourself an excellent issue. This series has been top notch from the very beginning and continues to be excellent issue after issue. 4.5/5
Teen Titans #18
Writer: Scott Lobdell
Artists: Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, and Alex Sinclair
Cover Artists: Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, and Alex Sinclair
Publisher: DC
The Robin Requiems conclude with this latest issue of Teen Titans, and in regards to that, Lobdell does a nice job once you get over the terrible cover. Regarding the cover, it begs to be mentioned that it is so terrible it shouldn’t have been printed. Inside the book, however, Lobdell uses Damian’s death to further establish Tim’s reasoning for forming the Teen Titans: the adults are too busy saving the world, so it’s up to the teens and the young adults to help the next generation of heroes. Unfortunately, that’s about as good as this issue gets. The rest of the issue is a muddled, confusing mess. The last issue had Tim being in multiple places at once, and this issue had Tim blatantly lying to his teammates, immediately after telling them it was time to start acting like a team. If there is a reason for Tim’s confusing portrayal in these past two issues it hasn’t been apparent, and the book has suffered because of it. 2.5/5
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Arnab Pradhan
arnab@comicattack.net
