Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 #1 Review

It's funny to note the changing tides in the Batman franchise. While Grant Morrison's various Batman books have tended to be the flagship titles of the line ever since he began his run back in 2006, Scott Snyder's Batman quickly moved to the head of the pack once the New 52 relaunch began. Since then, only the over-sized one-shot Batman Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes! has surfaced to continue Morrison's saga. But after months of waiting, Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 is finally on hand to continue the tale of Batman's global crime-fighting empire and his war with Talia al Ghul. Batman Inc's thunder may have been stolen, but this new series was worth the wait regardless.

Vol. 2 picks up shortly after the conclusion of Leviathan Strikes. Bruce and Damian are now the Dynamic Duo of Gotham, but their relationship has hit a rough patch thanks to Damian having killed Doctor Dedalus. Further exacerbating matters is the bounty Talia placed on her sons head. Legions of villains and would-be assassins have flocked to Gotham hooping to claim the bounty, and Batman and Robin have plenty to keep themselves busy.

This first issue is about as accessible as could reasonably be expected considering how much story material precedes it. Suffice it to say, Batman newbies would be much better off looking to Snyder's Batman or heading back to the beginning of Morrison's run (though I will take the opportunity to plug my Batman Inc. reader's guide). Morrison doesn't dance around the fact that this is the climax of a much larger tale. The issue opens with the familiar flash-forward sequence we saw in other watershed storylines (Batman RIP, Batman and Robin Must Die). Once again, the device immediately builds tension and leaves the reader wondering just what dire events will unfold to lead Batman from point A to point B.

That said, while Morrison builds plenty of tension initially, the bulk of the issue is surprisingly fun and lighthearted. The tone feels very similar to the first arc of Batman and Robin, with goofy villains running amok and Morrison's writing marrying the grim, modern Batman with the colorful Gotham of the old '60s TV series. It says something when the true highlight of the book is the debut of Bat Cow. But it's really for the best, as the series faces more competition on the stands from rival Bat books than ever. The Leviathan conspiracy in particular loses some of its punch coming right in the middle of the Night of the Owls crossover. Morrison's delightfully manic writing and his fun depiction of the Bruce/Damian dynamic are instead what sets this book apart.

The dynamic is a little weird in the sense that Morrison downplays the tension between Bruce and Damian regarding the latter's various acts of murder. Bruce does little more than scold Damian for a panel or two before the two are off and battling villains again. It seems like there should be a harsher reckoning for Damian, but perhaps that's still to come.

Another dynamic at play in this issue involves a new villain named Goatboy. Though a sniper in a goat mask would seem like another silly throwaway character, Goatboy actually becomes an integral part of the issue. His narration frames much of the conflict as Morrison compares and contrasts the character with Batman himself. The approach works well and further develops the unique tone of the series. With his peculiar animal fixation and his knowledge of Gotham's secret hiding places, Goatboy also seems like Morrison's sly parody of the Court of Owls.

For those wondering how well Batman Inc. adopts to the confines of the New 52, Morrison manages to insert his story pretty smoothly into the new continuity. He seems to sidestep the thornier areas, ignoring characters like Nightwing and Batgirl in favor of underused, international Batman Inc. characters. Morrison directly acknowledges New 52 events in at least one instance, while also referencing bits of older Batman and Justice League lore at the same time. It's a shame this story couldn't have wrapped before the New 52 got underway, but the shift doesn't appear as though it'll harm the series in any significant way.

Chris Burnham is no stranger to Morrison's Batman run, but this series finally marks the point where Burnham takes full control of the book's visual direction. Burnham hits the ground running in this issue. The similarities to the opening arc of Batman and Robin are as much due to Burnham's pencils as they are to Morrison's writing style. There's a similarly frenetic approach to depicting action and movement. Burnham frequently experiments with layouts and panel construction. These experiments don't always work as well as intended (the page with shots of Batman and Robin projected on the sides of buildings is pretty wonky), but the sheer amount of energy on every page can't be denied. Burnham proves right away he has the creativity, the flair for action, and the dramatic storytelling hops to do justice to Morrison's final Batman adventure.



Source : http://www.ign.com