First Impressions
I was expecting a lot more from the first issue of a new Batman run. Instead, I got a comic that felt like a forgettable filler episode. The story was generic, the characters were uninteresting, and the stakes felt nonexistent from the get-go.
Plot Analysis
The comic opens with two Gotham City police officers encountering an attack on a Meatvan truck, which quickly becomes a major conflict when the truck’s attacker is revealed. The situation escalates, forcing a massive response from the GCPD. Batman, of course, is already on the scene, observing from the rooftops. He speaks with Dr. Zeller of Arkham Towers, who explains Killer Croc escaped in a violent rampage after a recent exposure to morphotoxins caused the scaley criminal to get stronger and more primal but more childlike.
Meanwhile, Vandal Savage gathers the GCPD to introduce a platoon of private shock troopers he’s adding to the force to deal with super-threats. Eventually, the shock troopers will set their sights on Batman.
Batman sidetracks his hunt for Killer Croc when he receives a call about a gang called the Creeps attacking joggers in Robinson Park. Batman quickly deals with the gang before finishing his hunt for Croc at the nearby Natural History Museum. There, Batman finds Croc relaxing at the foot of a T-Rex statue.
Batman calmly enters the museum to have a casual chat with Croc, convincing him to return to Arkham Tower with Dr. Zeller. The issue ends back at Pennyworth Manor when Batman receives a semi-frantic call from Robin.
Detailed Review
Writing
The writing is the comic’s biggest weakness. The dialogue is clunky and unnatural, especially in the opening scenes with the police officers. The plot is thin and lacks any real substance. It meanders from one action sequence to the next without a compelling narrative to tie it all together. The pacing is off, with the initial setup dragging on and the climax wrapping up far too quickly.
Art
The art is this issue’s greatest strength. The line work is clean and dynamic during the action sequences, and the character designs are powerfully on point. The coloring is overly bright and distracting in spots, failing to set a proper mood for a Gotham City story. There are moments of visual flair, but they are few and far between, and they don’t do enough to save the overall aesthetic from feeling generic.
Characters
Batman himself feels like a passive observer rather than a proactive hero. He spends most of the comic reacting to events instead of driving the plot forward. The new villain is weirdly odd hybrid of Killer Croc and Solomon Grundy, which obliterates the elements that make Killer Croc a unique villain.
Further, Vandal Savage’s presentation as Commissioner (a role that never received an adequate explanation from the failed Chip Zdarsky run) serves only as a prop for the weak cliffhanger. The police officers are shallow and forgettable. None of the characters are given a single reason to care about them.
Positives
The standout aspect of this issue is the dynamic action sequences. When Batman is in motion, the art team does a decent job of conveying a sense of speed and fluidity, which is the best part of the comic. The layouts of the city are also commendable, creating a sense of a living, breathing Gotham. The coloring and composition during these moments are the only times the comic feels exciting and visually appealing.
Negatives
The worst part of this comic is the plot. It’s uninspired, nonsensical, and moves at a snail’s pace. The lack of stakes makes it impossible to invest in the story. Nothing that happens feels important, and the main villain is so boring it’s hard to even remember why there’s a conflict in the first place. The cliffhanger at the end is perhaps the weakest I have ever read, offering no real hook to get me to buy the next issue.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
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Final Thoughts
Batman #1 is an unfortunate example of style over substance. Despite some great art, the comic is a complete letdown with its unoriginal plot and a cast of characters that are about as exciting as a wet newspaper. This is a limp start to what should have been an electrifying new run.
5/10
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