I hate this comic.
Scratch that, I hate this series.
Now, unlike a lot of people, I didn’t have issues with the premise. Yes, is it something that Renee Montoya had done in the past? No. But this is a world of superheroes. Anything is technically possible if the creative team is willing to put in the effort. Dick Grayson as Batman after Bruce Wayne “died” in Final Crisis? One of the most beloved eras of modern Batman. Storm getting a Mr.T mohawk and losing her powers? Gave us two of the most well remembered Storm focused X-Men stories of all time. Renee Montoya, former Gotham cop and struggling alcoholic, taking on the mantle of the Question? One of the most beloved passing the torch moments in the 2000s.
Unfortunately, we don’t get any new ideas from this creative team. We see Renee struggling with her self-esteem, which was relatable back in Gotham Central but now seems to be all she’s known for. Yes, I guess it’s important to show that our heroes have emotions, but how is seeing the same emotions over and over again supposed to be narratively satisfying?
Speaking of things that happen over and over again, we get drama between Kate and Renee again. I never got the appeal of “will they, won’t they” relationships in sitcoms and the like, so maybe this appeals to someone? (Sidebar: Ross and Rachel definitely broke up again off-screen mark my words). But to me this reads like page filler, something the writer had to add to the plot. We know the steps to this dance and how it ends. There is no new ground to tread here.
As for the rest of the story, don’t worry we have every cliche imaginable presented to you, just the way you remember it. We will not dare stray away from the sacred formula. I mean, could you imagine trying anything different? Gasp the horror!
Let’s run through the cliches, shall we? An unwilling protagonist is given a unique job that only they have the skills for. They get a crew who seem to exist to do a specific role for the plot. They are forced to work with an old flame and there might be something still there. The villain monologues about their motivations and schemes, yet will allow the protagonist to run wild and not actually take them out. To retain audience attention, a cute pet will be introduced at some point. The mentor of the protagonist will show up to tell them how proud they are of them and that they have nothing left to teach them. And of course, the villain will lose because…what were you expecting to happen?
Now, I know what some of you are thinking — he hasn’t actually reviewed the comic or mentioned anything that happened in it in this entire review. Well, here’s my one sentence summary of the issue: Cyborg Superman monologues for 16 pages, Renee deals with him in 3, and the last page is a summary of Renee and her team getting back to work.
There have been several 6-issue minis that have gone on to get a full series. I am glad that this isn’t one of them.
Recommended If
Overall
In my time here at Batman News, I have reviewed sub-par anthologies, underwhelming attempts at social commentary, and books that won’t end thanks to endless delays (yes I’m talking about you Batman 89’ Echoes). But as of this moment, there is no title that has frustrated me to the point of not even wanting to read it for review purposes than The Question: All Along the Watchtower.
Score: 1/10 (for those who have never picked up a comic with Renee as the lead…or a comic in general…)
Disclaimer: DC Comics provided Batman News with a copy of this comic for the purposes of this review
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