Batman: The Dark Knight #29
Writer: Gregg Hurwitz
Artists: Jorge Lucas and Hi-Fi
Cover Artists: Ethan Van Sciver and Hi-Fi
Publisher: DC
What looked like a fantastic end to a decent series ultimately fell short in this issue. The story, which had a strong first part, faltered in this second issue. Greg Hurwitz, who had done a strong job with his storytelling has trouble delivering here. There was too much narrative, the dialogue felt forced in some parts, the story itself felt very rushed, and the majority of the characters felt too out of character for the most part. Batman’s solution was absolutely ridiculous. Instead of creating an digestible antidote or even injecting the Man-Bat’s mouth, he risks being drained dry of blood, without any backup. It was a rather illogical conclusion to the story. The art in this issue certainly didn’t help any. From start to finish, the art felt rushed and even unfinished at times. While this certainly hasn’t been the greatest of the Bat-books, it definitely deserved a better conclusion. 2/5
The Flash #29
Writer: Brian Buccellato
Artists: Agustin Padilla and Matt Hollingsworth
Cover Artist: Mikel Janin
Publisher: DC
If there were ever any lingering doubts that Brian Buccellato could write, his work on The Flash should be more than enough to prove otherwise. His run with Francis Manapul was one of the most consistently well written books DC was producing, and his solo issues have been just fantastic. The Keystone Killer’s story was nicely written and tied up quite well, with a couple plot twists thrown in for good measure. Deadman’s appearance was a surprise, though at the same time it was nice to have other heroes from the DC universe make an appearance. Agustin Padilla, along with Matt Hollingsworth, does a fantastic job with the art. Padilla’s style worked very well with the fast paced nature of the book. 4/5
Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #6
Writer: Brian Buccellato
Artists: Scott Hepburn and Nick Filardi
Cover Artists: Jordie Bellaire and Declan Shalvey
Publisher: DC
The Rogues are without a doubt one of the classiest groups of villains in all of comics. They commit crimes, but at the same time they keep to a strict code. Break the code and you’re out, but as long as you keep to the code, you’re pretty much family. And like with most families, if all hell breaks loose, you defend each other, regardless of how everyone is feeling. Brian Buccellato has done an amazing job this entire mini-series, and especially with this final issue. From bringing back the Pied Piper to fight alongside the Rogues, reviving the Golden Glider, to the huge array of villains they faced, Buccellato packs this issue with a solid amount of action, great character moments, and a satisfying conclusion to the story. He did a fantastic job depicting the familial ties that have been forged amongst these individuals who are in so many ways anomalies and rejects in both the hero and villain community. Scott Hepburn, with Nick Filardi, does a really good job with the issue. While there are certain points that were not the greatest, the spread where Golden Glider appears jumps to mind, for the most part this book is wonderfully illustrated. 4.5/5
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Arnab Pradhan
arnab@comicattack.net
