In the midst of all this ‘Night of the Owls’ and ‘Death of the Family’ hullabaloo, Grant Morrison has been quietly and continually writing the best Batman book on the stands. While Snyder’s latest opus was found wanting, the latest issue of “Batman Incorporated” comes out of left field and throws a brutal game changing curve that will have major repercussions on the entire “Batman” universe.
(This review is as spoiler-free as possible, considering the circumstances)
Written by Grant Morrison
Illustrated by Chris Burnham• Everything Grant Morrison has been planning since the start of BATMAN, INCORPORATED leads to this stunning issue!
• You must not miss this one!
Batman just can’t catch a break these days. When he’s not dealing with secret societies and anarchic psychopaths, he has to pay alimony! Of course for Batman, that means battling the vengeful mother of his child, with his city and the lives of those closest to him hanging in the balance. Talia’s assault on the Bat has claimed several casualties, but as Christian Bale points out in The Dark Knight Rises, our hero still has much left to give for the cause.
From the moment you pick up this issue it’s obvious Morrison is beginning to bring things full circle, creating his own meta-ouroboros. The cover hearkens back to Alex Ross’ brilliant opening to the ‘Batman R.I.P.’ arc. Much like the end of that story, Bruce is buried alive, this time trapped under water in a locked safe. These callbacks to earlier points in Morrison’s run perfectly set the stage for the beginning of the end.
Morrison’s primary focus of this issue is on the Robin(s). Dick, Tim, and Damian take it upon themselves to save their fallen father figure, and each valiantly proves their worth to the Bat-family. Morrison continues the theme of reprisal by reuniting Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne. This fan favorite duo served as Batman for much of Morrison’s run but were split up as a result of the New 52. It’s fantastic to see the two teaming up once more and acknowledging what fans have know for ages, Damian works best when he’s with Dick.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Chris Burnham delivers some of the best work of his career. Over the past couple of years, Burnham has gone from a Quitely knock-off to a definitive Batman artist. Burnham’s Batman is broken and battered, all muscles and gritted teeth, a precursor to the Batman seen on the iconic cover of “Batman: The Dark Knight Returns” #2. However, Burnham masterfully balances the grimness of 80’s Batman with spunk and camp of the 60’s. In one scene, Nightwing and Robin team up against a squad of Leviathan soldiers. Amidst the smoke that obscures the fight are colorful sound effects, classic “bifs,” “bams,” and “pows” that capture the fun and wonder of Quitely’s “Batman and Robin” arc.
As the issue reaches its climax, Burnham showcases a brilliant fight between Damian and his abominable cloned brother, told across twenty panels on a single page. Burnham’s work does not dip in quality or detail, even when cramming so much art on a single page. Rather, he gives a dynamic fight scene that feels full and satisfying. Finally, when all seems darkest for the Dark Knight and Boy Wonder, Burnham smashes the pages like broken glass, and all that’s left behind is sorrow on blank canvas.
Somehow, with all the attention payed to the individual characters, Burnham manages to give life to the city of Gotham as well. Burnham uses weather to great effect, drenching the city in a sheet of rain. Characters drip soaking wet, hair plastered to their foreheads. Drops fall on a rooftop pool, leaving hundreds of colliding ripples in a beautiful depiction of water on the page.
Burnham may be the star of this issue, but his success comes on the shoulders of colorist Nathan Fairbairn. Fairbairn’s bright and varied color pallet gives the book a lush and vibrant look, making each page eye-cathingly brilliant. Artist Jason Masters fills in for a few pages, but Fairbairn’s colors give the book a unified look. The change in artist is almost unnoticeable to the unsuspecting eye, allowing the flow of the comic to go on unhindered.
Continued belowShying away from spoiler territory as much as possible (although DC has done all that they can to let every person on the planet know what happens in this issue), a major event does occur in this issue. While some have questioned the canonicity of “Batman Incorporated,” recent statements from Morrison make it clear that his story does and will have lasting effects on the Batman family. Morrison goes straight for the heart, completely overshadowing the fallout of the recent ‘Death of the Family.’ Some will question the necessity of Morrison’s choices here, especially since similar ground was tread just a few issues ago. If taken at face value, this is yet another instance of Morrison “closing the loop.” However, fans have learned time and time again not to take anything written by Morrison at face value.
Much like the recent end of ‘Death of the Family,’ this is a huge turning point that’s hard to judge without knowing where it will lead. However, as a single issue, “Batman Incorporated” #8 is a masterstroke in graphic story telling and a fantastic continuation of Morrison’s Batman.
Final Verdict: 9.0 – Buy, this is a fantastic issue that is only hindered by DC’s inability to keep a secret.
