After months of searching, Batman finally locates the bodies of Damian Wayne and Talia al Ghul, and comes face to face with the Head of the Demon in an action packed “Batman And Ra’s al Ghul” #32. Some spoilers are discussed.
Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Illustrated by Patrick Gleason“The Hunt for Robin” concludes! Batman has caught up to Ra’s al Ghul, and the battle for the bodies of Talia and Damian begins!
For the majority of its New 52 incarnation, the “Batman And…” series has been beholden to larger events occurring in other books. Everything from reconciling the events in “Batman Inc” with the revamped Bat-line to the death of Damian Wayne and the ensuing fallout has landed at the feet of this series. Now it appear that the creative team has been tasked with paving the way for Damian’s inevitable return and triumph over comic book death. This form of fictional resurrection has become so common place that fans now greet it with little more than an eye roll, but Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason seem determined to win over the skeptics, and make the return just as exciting as everything that came before.
Batman and his new pal Frankenstein’s Monster have tracked Ra’s al Ghul to a hidden location in the mountains of Tibet, complete with one of the few remaining Lazarus Pits, where Ra’s plans to bring Damian and Talia back to life, wipe their minds, and use them as loyal servants in his plan for world domination. Batman is determined to prevent his son from experiencing such a fate, and fights Ra’s for Damian’s sarcophagus.
Peter J. Tomasi is an expert of pacing. The aftermath of Damian’s death has now stretched through more than a dozen issues, and it has been exciting and emotionally fulfilling for the vast majority of the journey. This does have a lot to do with the inclusion of a different partner for each issue, but Tomasi plays each character against Batman so differently and so well that it does not seem like merely publicity grabbing team-ups. Frankenstein’s Monster is a perfect example, as here he is not just some brutish muscle who tags along, but a cunning ally in the quest. And Batman is wise enough not to refer to him as a monster, as one hilarious panel demonstrates.
As the plot breakdown above displays there is not an overly complicated story occurring, but Tomasi keeps the tone of every page tense and avoids any padding simply for length. The first two thirds of the issue is all dialogue, and Tomasi demonstrates his ability to craft emotional moments, while still including lighthearted touches that prevent everything from getting too dreary. It’s Batman and Ra’s literally fighting over the soul of child, and it comes off as very sincere but never veers into soap opera or super gritty territory. The ending does come close to being a deus ex machine, but such is the nature of comics. Batman couldn’t really go full Mountain vs Viper on Ra’s, so a New God popping up is as good a reason as any to set up the next chapter.
Patrick Gleason has quietly become one of the best Bat-book artists in recent memory. It’s easy for a Gotham-based penciller to become lost in a haze of skyscrapers and shadows, but Gleason has carved out a unique and consistent look for the series that makes it stand out. The fact that the series often follows the Dark Knight across the globe is definitely an asset to Gleason, who’s had the opportunity to draw everything from underwater cities to mountain top lairs, and he pulls them all off. Ra’s al Ghul’s hideout is appropriately dark and moody, but Gleason keeps the art from becoming boring and repetitious. The opening page features a gorgeous vertical cross section of everyone’s face, with a sarcophagus framed in the middle, which sets a gripping tone for the rest of the issue.
Once the action kicks in everything brightens up, finally releaseing the tensions that’s been building since page one. The fight looks fittingly chaotic as the bad guys swarm Frank and Bats, but it never looks confusing or blurry. Once Batman reaches the Batjet with Damian’s remains, it’s time for the main event to start. Batman and Ra’s have an absolutely brutal one on one fight, which should rank among their best encounters. In Gleason’s hands the fight is thrilling, not pose-y, and bloody without becoming gory. The anger these two characters feel for each other is palpable on the page, and this scene is definitely the highlight of the entire arc.
Final Verdict: 8.0 – Buy. A last page deus ex machine keeps the score from being higher, but this still a seriously great issue.
