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Batman Eternal #20
Written by Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, and Tim Seeley
Illustrated by Emanuel SimeoniJames Gordon takes on Falcone’s crime army from inside Blackgate!
News, notes, debuts:
Let’s start with the obvious – “Batman Eternal” needs to step up its covers game. Alex Garner’s stuff looks like cut scenes from unproduced Batman video games, and simply doesn’t match the excellent art on the inside of the issues. The series really missed the ball not having someone like Ryan Sook, who is doing all the “Futures End” covers, working on the book.
Outside of that, this is another aces issue of “Eternal.” First of all, we get a nice conclusion to the Batman/Bard/Killer Croc story in the sewers, with Croc walking the anti-hero line quite nicely. He almost feels like the pre-“Flashpoint” Bane at this point – not trying to actively go after people, but willing to snap your neck if you get in his way. This sequence also sees Bard being a true cop, and attempting to arrest Croc after he is finished with him. The way Bard is being developed is really interesting – he isn’t crooked, but he isn’t exactly enamored with saving lives above all else. He is a pragmatist, which means he and Batman will have some scuffles. More on that later.
Over in Brazil, we see the Batgirl/Batwoman/Red Hood team corner Falasario, and right before they could get to him, he gets dead. Aw, man! The most notable thing about this (aside from the big clue of the sword) is the warmth shown between Jason and Barbara. Again, since Jason has come back, I can’t recall too many interactions they’ve had at all, let alone ones that show them having some kindness and relationship. I think this is a really clever piece of storytelling, as with Dick gone, Jason assumes the role as, along with Barbara, the elder younger statesman.
Over in Blackgate, everyone’s favorite cop, Jim Gordon, essentially stops a riot all by his lonesome, with a little help from his cell mate, a disguised Rex Calabrese. Who is Rex Calabrese, you ask? Well, he has been referenced throughout “Eternal” as the pre-cursor to Penguin and Falcon as Gotham crime boss, reveals his lion chest tattoo (these “Eternal” writers love having an emblem on someone’s chest – both Falcon [via a t-shirt] and Calabrese love rocking them, let alone Batman) and his sharp dentures and, essentially, fucks shit up along with Gordon.
Finally, the issue ends with Stephanie Brown fully revealing herself as the Spoiler, revealing a theretofore unseen career as a gossip blogger (?!?) as the reason for picking the moniker.
Emauel Simeoni continues his run on the book, and continues to impress. His work is gritty enough to fit the underworld like a glove – I am just, now, starting to get a feel for the full potential of his work, and I look forward to him being a regular part of the art rotation for the next 30 issues.
Three Eternal Questions:
1. Who killed Falsario?
All we know is that a sword was the murder weapon, and that said sword has red tassels hanging off of it. A few thoughts immediately popped in my head: El Gaucho? KGBeast? Azrael? None of them, however, really make sense. Tim Seeley did tell MTV that Batman would pick up the trail of the murderer, so it looks like the answer won’t be too far away.
2. Is Calabrese Catwoman’s Father?
We have seen Selina at her father’s grave, killing the theory that many thought that Falcone was her father. However, it does make sense that her father would be a criminal. In addition, Calabrese, the Lion, would keep things in the feline world, name wise. Is it flimsy? Sure, but I could see it happening.
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3. When does the Gotham PD stuff break bad?
We know from “Batman” #34 that Jim Gordon eventually loses his trial and that the relationship between Batman and the G.C.P.D. goes sour. The question is, how do those things happen? It appears like each passing issue more people are convinced that Gordon is innocent and more evidence is found to support that claim. Additionally, Bard and the Bat are working well together, and both believe Gordon to be innocent.
My guesses on both is that Gordon decides he can do “more good” in jail at this point, and elects to stay, as crazy as that sounds. As for the G.C.P.D., I have no such theory.
If you have theories, please let me know in the comments!
