Batman #698
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Tony Daniel
Art: Guillem March
Cover: Tony Daniel
Pages: 32
Price: US $2.99
Release: April 14, 2010
***MAY CONTAIN MINOR SPOILERS***
Riddle Me This – Part One: Black Magic Tricks
Dick Grayson just doesn’t get any rest! After putting the Black Mask away last issue, he’s thrown into yet another awesome murder mystery!
Recent parolees of Blackgate Prison are starting to show up dead. Each of the murders have been done in styles that would suggest Mr. Zsasz, the Penguin, and other known criminals to be behind them. Batman starts to find a link in all these murders when the Riddler, excuse me, Edward Nigma provides even more insight as to what’s going on.
Batman receives a hot tip. He’s got five minutes to prevent another murder from happening. A quick phone trace from Oracle puts Batman on the scene with seconds to spare. It’s a trap. Batman is ambushed! Dick was too gung-ho, something Bruce would have never done. By the time Batman finishes dealing with his attackers, it’s too late. There’s been another murder. Mr. Nigma shows up with more clues.
With the new information, Batman and Alfred are able to find the killer. Batman decides to pay a little visit to the culprit. Instead, he finds another murder and more information on the previous crimes. The suspect runs. Batman gives chase. Laughter ensues. Batman reaches a sickening finish line.
Awesome! Tony Daniel actually gets Batman! He doesn’t try to shock and dazzle us with a crazy story full of psychobabble. If you want that, see Grant Morrison. No, Tony Daniel gives us a deep, rich murder mystery in old school Batman fashion! Whether you like Dick Grayson as Batman or not, Daniel will grab a hold of you for 32 pages and capture your brain. He’ll darkly entertain you. Guillem March’s art will seduce you as you get lost in this gritty, mystery filled Gotham. March even pays tribute to The Dark Knight Returns in the pages of this issue.
Issue #700 is almost upon us. As expected with such a milestone issue, Grant Morrison will resume writing duties. Something I’m not looking forward to when Tony Daniel is doing such a magnificent job. Daniel will, however, be doing some of the art chores for the celebration along with Andy Kubert and Frank Quietly. But before that happens, we’ve got one last treat from Tony Daniel in #699. I can’t wait. Batman is the best Batman book on the shelf. I hope you picked it up and are enjoying it just as much as I am.
Aron White
aron@comicattack.net
Isn’t Bruce supposed to be coming back soon?
your hot
Uggh! Don’t remind me! I think that’s a stupid idea. At least in the way they are handling it. Almost, but not entirely quite, the same way Steve Rogers came back. He is “trapped in time”.
Oh? I thought he was just hiding out somewhere, pretending to be reclusive as Bruce Wayne. I didn’t know he had actually “died.”
That “trapped in time” thing is really stupid, by the way. It makes the whole thing meaningless.
It adds a whole sci-fi angle to Batman that is not needed! Batman has no business mingling with sci-fi. He has no business running around on a JLA space station or off fighting somewhere in outerspace, either. He belongs in the streets, dammit!
Sounds like this was a good issue. Maybe when Bruce comes back he can join Shield too. 🙂
agreed Kris lol
The Dark Knight tribute was very cool to see in this issue and I’m getting used to Dick in the costume and I’m actually liking him. I just think it’s too soon to have Bruce back in the cape and cowl but we’ll see what happens in the 700th issue before I assume anything.
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