As Gotham enters yet another dark period, heroes and villains react to an interesting, yet familiar status quo in the dawn of ‘Future State!’
Written by John Ridley, Brandon Thomas, and Paul JenkinsCover by Ladrönn
llustrated by Nick Derington, Sumit Kumar, and Jack Herbert
Colored by Tamra Bonvillain, Jordie Bellaire, and Gabe Eltaeb
Lettered by Clayton Cowles, Steve Wands, and Rob LeighGotham City has always been dangerous—but now, it’s downright deadly! Following the tragedy of “A-Day,” the mayor allowed the private law enforcement group known as the Magistrate to take over policing so-called mask crime—and that has given rise to a new Dark Knight! What is this mysterious crime fighter’s connection to former Batman weaponeer Lucius Fox? The fight for justice has never been this dangerous!
Then, in an new tale of the Outsiders, everything in Gotham City may be under the thumb of the Magistrate—but even members of that totalitarian force know that the outskirts of town are protected by the sword of Katana!
Plus, ride with the Arkham Knights on their quest for freedom. Arkham Asylum has been decommissioned, and the Magistrate rules the land with an iron fist and zero tolerance. Now it’s time for the lunatics to take back their town! Follow Croc, Two-Face, Phosphorus, Zsasz, Clayface, and Astrid Arkham as the Arkham Knights raise holy hell on the occupiers of Gotham!
There has been an apparent massive change in the DC Universe by the time of ‘Future State,’ especially where Gotham City is concerned. Then again, the more things change, the more they stay the same, which leads readers into the (metaphorical) dawn of a new Batman and a brief introduction to the status quo insofar as it is important to the specific characters used as a focus.
John Ridley wastes little time in his tale, instead giving a rather succinct look at how this new Batman operates in both his civilian and vigilante personas. The idea of a version of Gotham City under martial law that is against all masked vigilantism is not exactly unheard of (having been used as recently as “Batman Eternal,” if not later, even discounting its use in other media), but instead of try to reinvent the wheel, Ridley allows us to see how Gotham may have changed through more subtle means of showing rather than telling, such as new groups of villains based on old ones, a classic “Batman arrives and saves someone but has to leave” setup, and more. Even the use of his secret identity is given away without much fanfare, just shown up front without ever acting like it should be a big deal. In fact, the way it is written, Ridley’s first story with this “next Batman” feels as though it carries over seamlessly from countless others that have never been written, instead of introducing someone entirely new.
Nick Derington is no stranger to the Caped Crusader, having been the artist of the six-issue “Batman: Universe” in 2019 and 2020. His style is seemingly rough and raw, getting down into the grit of the violence permeating Gotham City to help emphasize a rougher take on the city’s usual state without seeming to be overwrought. This kind of artwork is at its best when Batman is on patrol, as seems, while the artwork on non-masked persons is not inherently worse, it simply does not measure up to the excitement of the rest of the story, especially when it comes to facial expressions being a bit too understated.
Tamra Bonvillain’s colors on the first story for ‘The Next Batman’ give a glimpse into her sheer range that has been demonstrated time and again across a wide variety of issues, both related to Batman and not. While she is not entirely new to colors for Batman, she does give a new, brighter style that is similar to the one she uses in “Once & Future.” Not quite happy, the color palette instead invites excitement in general, especially as applied to even the most mundane of scenes in the dark, though it does not do much for those in the daylight, unlike in the aforementioned series.
Aside from the main event, two other stories take up the next two thirds of “Future State: The Next Batman” #1. Each of them takes up a different faction in Gotham City or connected to it in some way, but both are outright noted as continuing not in the next issue, but in the third in this miniseries. It is a bit hard not to speak to the choices made in this regard, but hopefully they are enough to entice interested readers to continue on instead of just dropping it for an issue.
Continued belowFor ‘Outsiders,’ the second story, Brandon Thomas writes a semi-futuristic take on the recently concluded “Batman and the Outsiders” run by Bryan Edward Hill. Following up quite nicely, he focuses on Katana in particular, though other characters do appear such as the Signal. The entire story is rather fast, much like the first in this anthology, with a focus far more heavily on combat and introducing threats than an entire world, ending up creating a situation that, while not explaining much, provides enough ground work to interest readers in what happens next.
Considering he had previously worked on stories about the Flash and Batman, Sumit Kumar is an excellent choice for the extremely action-oriented ‘Outsiders’ story. Kumar uses a highly dynamic art style, focusing heavily on movement and impact, from vehicles to people, as well as concentrating on just how outmatched the common person is when compared to the likes of Katana. This focus is shown nowhere better than in a two-page spread that reads like something out of the most famous scene of the film Oldboy or The Raid, a collection of rows filled with violence that emphasizes just how powerful the swordswoman truly can be when she lets loose.
Jordie Bellaire has copious amounts of experience with the Batfamily and associated characters, and her knowledge of color plays well into just how ‘Outsiders’ comes together, helping to further enhance the already enticing illustrations put forward by Kumar. Darker scenes are lit in a way that fits right in with the nature of the story both outside of Gotham and in, flashing lights are rather alarming, and even pitch blackness is put into contrast with the rest of the city, all feeling not unlike the more horrifying scenes Bellaire colors for “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”
The third story, ‘Arkham Knights,’ is the shortest, but the return of the eponymous villain is still very much welcome, even if it is through a different writer, Paul Jenkins. Unlike the eponymous story of the issue itself, Jenkins uses the Arkham Knight’s narration to explain what is actually going on in the city, including what has become of various classic villains. His take on the eponymous vigilante of the story is rather different from that in the first comic-based ‘Arkham Knight’ arc in “Detective Comics,” much more benevolent and heroic as well as paying attention to the mental and physical needs of the associated former Arkham Asylum inmates. While this version of the Knight is definitely shown as more benevolent, it seems to come at least partially from the fact that there is no direct animosity toward the current Batman. Is Jenkins’s take a sign of things to come, or just another “possible future?”
Jack Herbert admittedly does not have much experience with illustrating Gotham-centric comic books when compared to others in “Future State: The Next Batman” #1, but his time with rather action-heavy stories such as “Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps” and more does a great deal of good in showcasing how he can draw from intense emotion as much as explosive violence. Both of these skill sets are on display as Herbert uses combat scenes as much as quiet conversations to help characterize this future version of various Batman villains, both new and old, helping to add pathos to a group that often is seen as in the wrong (most likely for good reason), including even the relatively faceless Doctor Phosphorous.
Gabe Eltaeb has had a lot of experience with colors for the Batfamily, including, interestingly enough, comics based on the very game the Arkham Knight originally came from (under a different secret identity). His use of color is rather engrossing, focusing heavily on darker hues to both set a relatively somber (but pseudo-redemptive) tone and showcase the darkness of Gotham itself.
Final Verdict: 8.0– With three intriguing stories, the only real downside to this new take on Batman, his supporting cast, and numerous villains is the fact that two of the stories won’t continue for another two issues.
