Batman Incorporated #13 Review

Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Chris Burnham

This has been one of my favourite series as of late, with Grant Morrison's Batman run being the best that I've read, and with this being the last issue I will be sad to see it end, and I will miss his amazing Batman stories (hopefully he may return some day).

Plot

Batman and Talia al Ghul finally square of against each other, with the fate of Gotham City in the balance.

Review

This was an amazing issue, and it was a terrific way to end the series. This may not have been quite how I expected the series to end (I expected something a little more spectacular), it was still brilliant, and Grant Morrison did a phenomenal job. He managed to add some fabulous action, whilst also adding symbolism, and emotion, which was brilliant. He also handled this issue in a perfect way, so as it's an obvious end to his run, whilst keeping the door open for future Bat tales, and overall was very appropriate considering the circumstances. Morrison also did an excellent job of revealing the remaining mysteries in this series, and I will seriously miss his work on the Caped Crusader.

Chris Burnham did a phenomenal job of the artwork on this issue, and he certainly kept his best to last, as although his art throughout the series has been amazing, this was something else. The detail in Burnham's art was simply outstanding, looking perfect all the way through, with his gritty tone suiting the story perfectly as usual. The action was also outstanding, being very dramatic, as well as dynamic, and exciting, with plenty of tone. Burnham also once again did an amazing job with the layouts of this issue, adding yet more drama, as well as depth, and tone, and was perfect for this final issue. It was also nice that Morrison did the art for this issues variant cover, as it was so appropriate considering it's the end of his run.

This issue was narrated in a unique, and appropriate way, being the memoir of Commisioner James Gordon. I found this to be a brilliant way of ending Morrison's run, as who besides possibly the Bat-Family knows Batman better that Commisoner Gordon? I found the dialogue between the two characters to be outstanding, having plenty of depth, and meaning, whilst also adding suspense, and drama, which was all perfect. I also loved how this left the question of what Batman, and Bruce Wayne's futures will be, having tons of symbolism behind it, which was very appropriate.

The big fight that has this series, along with the last Batman, Incorporated series, as well as Morrison's Batman run in general has been setting up finally happens, with former lovers Batman, and Talia Al Ghul squaring off. To be honest there was no other way to end this series, especially considering the events that have happened during this series, and I'm glad Morrison didn't hold back. Besides this the fight itself was outstanding, as although it may not be the best fight of the series, it was perfect for this issue. I did however question why Batman kissed Talia, as although they have history I would have thought that would have meant nothing after her having Damian killed.

The mystery woman who was shown during last issue was also revealed in this issue, though I won't reveal who it was as to avoid spoilers. I will however say that her timing in this story couldn't have been better, adding yet more drama, and atmosphere to the issue. I also loved the shock on Batman's face, as well as the overall tone off her appearance, and hope that this will have some development in another series, as it'd be a bit of a waste otherwise.

Final Verdict

This was a fantastic issue, and the perfect way to end the series, as although it may not have been as shocking as I expected, it had the right tone, and atmosphere that this issue needed. It also had some great action, and dialogue, as well as some brilliant symbolism, and I will sadly miss seeing Morrison work on Batman, though great things must end. Due to all this I'd highly recommend this issue, as whether you've been following this series, or enjoyed a few stories from Morrison's run, it's worth seeing how it ended.

Rating: 5/5

Batman Incorporated #12 Review

Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Chris Burnham

This has easily been one of my favourite series in the New 52, and this series has been a vast improvement over the previous Batman, Incorporated series. It has however had a few down points over the series, but overall it has been amazing, and looks to be the perfect way to end Grant Morrison's fantastic run on the character.

Plot

Batman now souped-up with Man-Bat formula takes the fight to Leviathan, and mainly The Heretic.

Review

This was a fantastic issue, and one of the best in the series so far. Although last issue was interesting it was nice to see Grant Morrison's story back in the limelight, and with the way issue 10 ended I was desperate to find out what happened next, and I wasn't disappointed. Morrison did a phenomenal job of showing Batman's rage, and fury, with the emotional Batman getting straight down to business. The action was also perfectly written, and due to Morrison getting straight into the action, it was exciting all the way through. The dialogue was also brilliant, and although there weren't many detailed discussions, it had perfect fighting dialogue. Morrison also did a great job of showing what the other character's were up to, as well as add yet more mystery, setting up next issues finale perfectly.

Chris Burnham returns to arts on this issue, and although he did a decent job writing the filler story in last issue, he's much more suited as an artist. The detail in Burnham's art is simply amazing, and his rough, and gritty style really suits the series, and especially this issue. The best part of Burnham's art in this issue was naturally the action sequences, which were simply outstanding, and although Morrison's script was perfect during the fight, it was Burnham's art that made it extraordinary, making the fight that much more exciting, and dramatic. the layout of Burnham's art was also superb, especially in the more mysterious sequences, adding ton's of suspense. Burnham also did a fantastic job of showing the character's emotions, and although Batman was the best example of this, the rest was also brilliant.

I've already talked a bit about the action, but felt that I'd go into a little more detail seems this was my favourite part of the issue. I will however avoid spoilers though, so don't worry about that. What was best about the action in this fight was that it had lot's of impact, and tone to it, giving a brilliant atmosphere. It also had plenty of emotion in it, on both sides, as you could see the rage, and determination for revenge in Batman's eyes, as well as a desire for victory from Heretic, to win his mother, Talia al Ghul's approval. It did however have to be good, as with it taking up most of the issue it would have really hurt the issue if this wasn't the case, but thankfully it wasn't.

Talking of Talia, she didn't really make much of an appearance, appearing at the start, as well as another couple of times for brief periods. Without going into details, as to avoid spoilers, the time she did appear was however brilliant, and very dramatic, as well as shocking. Another character who slightly shocked me in this issue was Knight (Beryl Hutchinson), who really showed her emotions towards Heretic over the former Knight's (Cyril Sheldrake) death, which added yet more drama to the issue, as well as more emotion.

Besides the fight the thing that interested me most in this issue had to be the mysterious woman who offered to help Batman Inc. Now I love mysteries, and with this story, as well as the series coming to an end what a better time. Both Morrison, and Burnham handled the mystery perfectly, showing the profile of the woman, without actually revealing her identity, which was smart. It also makes me question whether this is a person who has already featured in the series. It does appear however that Nightwing (Dick Grayson) knows the woman, recognising the voice, so this would indicate that she has a connection to Batman at least, if not Talia as well.

Final Verdict

This was a brilliant issue, and one of the best in the series so far. It had brilliant action, amazing dialogue, and some emotional sequences. It also had a hint of mystery, and sets up next issues finale perfectly. Due to all this I'd highly recommend this issue, as well as the series, which has been brilliant, and one of the best Batman stories in a while.

Rating: 5/5

Batman Incorporated #11 Review

Writer: Chris Burnham
Artist: Jorge Lucas

I've really been enjoying this series in recent months, and it's been much better than the previous Batman, Incorporated series, being much more dramatic, and eventful, having a proper story structure.

Plot

In Japan a female motorcycle gang who work for a Leviathan side group are on a rampage, and it's up to Batman of Japan, and Canary to stop them.

Review

When I started reading this I wasn't too sure whether to love it or hate it, but as I progressed through the issue I surprisingly really enjoyed it, and it was a really fun interlude, and Chris Burnham has done a decent job on his first issue writing on his own (he previously co-wrote Batman, Incorporated #0 - Brand Building with regular Batman Inc. writer Grant Morrison). At the same time I'd have still preferred to continue reading the main story, as with only a couple of issues left it's slightly annoying to have to wait longer to finish it. The story was however very fun, and the interaction between Batman of Japan, and Canary was very entertaining, but I'll talk more on that a bit later. Burnham also did a decent job of the action in this issue, as besides it being fun, and entertaining, it was also very exciting, which was nice. There was however still the odd negative thing about this issue, as it started very slow, and dull, and the dialogue was at times a bit awkward, and weird, not feeling natural. In saying all this it was a brilliant job for his first solo written issue, and I'm sure he will get better with time. In addition, Burnham also did an amazing job with the cover, and I really loved the simplicity of it.

With Burnham taking over writing duties for this issue it left the door open for a different artist to also show his stuff for one issue, and that artist was Jorge Lucas. I've never seen Lucas' art before, and to be honest I wasn't sure what to make of it. To be honest the art was a little too rough for me, as although I like rough art (when it works for the story) this was a little too rough, and nowhere near as good as Burnham's art. I also didn't much like the way Lucas inked his art, as the lines were too bold, which made his art even less appealing. It wasn't however all bad, as there were some positives, as he handled the action sequences very well, making them very explosive, and entertaining. He also did an excellent job of showing the character's facial expressions, as you could easily see what the character's were feeling, which was nice. Another thing about Lucas' art that I wasn't sure whether to love or hate was the layouts, as there were times were it was nothing short of amazing, and others were it felt a bit out of place, and weird. Overall Lucas did a decent job, and there are a lot worse artists than him, but I can't say that I'm not looking forward to Burnham returning to art next issue, cause I am.

This issue featured the Batman of Japan, and although when I heard about this I was upset that it would be delaying the conclusion of the main story, I was happy that it was one of the character's that I preferred in the original series. Being the first member recruited to Batman Inc. way back in the first issue of the original series it was only right that he would be the Batman Inc. member to have his own story feature in this issue. What I like about Batman of Japan is that he's a little clumsy, and easily confused, and this makes him a very fun, and unique character. In saying that he still has a lot of skill, and when it comes to the crunch he can get the job done.

One of the things that caught my attention early on in the issue was Batman of Japan's date with Canary. Now I know nothing about this character apart from what I've picked up in this issue, and she just appears to be a miniature version of Black Canary with wings. I did however enjoy the interaction between Canary, and Batman of Japan, especially during their date, as you could tell that they cared for each other, but at the same time wanted independence. I did also like how during their date they used Internet 3.0, which we've not seen in a while, and it really made it much more interesting, and the way that Internet 3.0 would also be used later in the issue was brilliant.

The main threat in this issue was a group of female motorcyclists that are part of a side group of Leviathan. Now when I first opened this issue I wasn't too sure what to make of these character's, but as the story developed I started to find them quite interesting. Now they may not be the most interesting character's ever created, but they did have their good point, and the attitude that they had was very interesting, and entertaining. I also found the secret that these women were hiding to be even more interesting, and even shocking, but I won't go into any more details as to avoid spoilers.

Now these girls worked for a woman named Lady Tiger Fist, who was appropriately named. Now I wasn't fond of Lady Tiger Fist as a character, as she was your typical female antagonist, looking to get back into the good books of her master. I did however like that she was a character that you could easily hate, as although there are villains like Joker, and Riddler that you can't help but love, it's nice to have a villain that you as a reader despise, and that's what Lady Tiger Fist was.

The action in this issue was very interesting, and entertaining, and also very fun. It was however slightly awkward at times, and although I loved it being fun, I wasn't too sure if I liked how it made Batman of Japan look like a fool at times. At the same time there were certain parts in the fight sequences that were very cleverly thought out, and the fact that it wasn't easy for Batman of Japan, and Canary made it that much more exciting. I also loved how during the fighting that Batman of Japan, and Canary weren't totally in sync with each other, not wanting the other to fight on their behalf, which again made the fight that much more interesting, and exciting.

Final Verdict

Although I'm not necessarily happy about the series taking a detour, this was a very fun, and entertaining issue, and a nice change from the normal dark mood that this series has had as of late. I also loved seeing the Batman of Japan again, and how he worked with his partner Canary, and although the issue did have it's flaws, it was overall very fun, and thoroughly enjoyable. I would recommend this to anyone that's been getting this series so far, but would recommend caution towards other readers, as although I enjoyed it, you may not, as it's the type of issue that you either like, or hate.

Rating: 4/5

Batman Incorporated #10 Review

Writer: Grant Morrison
Artists: Chris Burnham, Jason Masters & Andrei Bressan

This has been a series that I've really been enjoying, and more so in recent months. Although it's not always been consistently outstanding, it's always been good (apart from issue 0), and I'll be slightly sad when Grant Morrison's fabulous run on the Caped Crusader comes to an end.

Plot

Batman is a wanted man in Gotham City, so he goes to Azrael for help in his war, as well as going to drastic measures to get his revenge. Also Talia al Ghul visits her dad, Ra's al Ghul.

Review

This was a brilliant issue, and although not quite as good as the very emotional last issue, it's still amazing, and the end of Grant Morrison's run seems to be shaping up nicely. Morrison has been one of my favourite Batman writers over the last few years, and he continues to show how good a writer he is again. The way he's managed to keep Batman calm and collected in this issue has been brilliant, as although it's still obvious that he's upset about the death of his son Damian Wayne, he's managing to do things that need to be done to get his revenge, and in a way that's not too aggressive, still being thought out perfectly. I also loved how he continued the entire story, and how finally it's moved to a different scenery, as although the huge fight that claimed Damian's life was brilliant, needing a fair few issues to build the suspense, and drama, it's nice that it's finally moved on. This issue was however slightly slow at points, as with Batman focusing, and preparing for the endgame it doesn't give as much excitement, or action, but that's actually a nice thing, as the last few issues of the series are bound to be explosive. Morrison's also done a wonderful job of showing Talia's emotions to this, as although there isn't many, they are shown, and seeing her in morning black was interesting, but I'll talk a little more on that later.

I've really enjoyed Chris Burnham's art on this series, and although I wasn't a fan of his art on the original Batman, Incorporated series, it's really grown on me, and he continues to show why his arts so good in this issue. The best thing about Burnham's art is that it's very gritty, and rough, and that really suits this style of series, making it more darker, and moody. The layout of Burnham's art was also brilliant, adding more drama to the issue, which was nice. I also love how Burnham's artwork has a lot of depth to it, which makes it also more dynamic, also giving yet more drama. There was however one part of Burnham's art that confused, and annoyed me, and that was whilst Batman was talking to Azrael, as he appeared to be smiling at one point, and then awful serious the next, and whether this was meant or not it just felt strange. I know that Batman was trying to make Azrael feel better with himself, but I just can't see him being happy any time soon, due to Damian's death. The additional artwork from Jason Masters, and Andrei Bressan was also good, and although not as good as Burnham's art it was still decent. Master's art which has been featured in the last few issue was however the better of the two.

This issue saw Batman as a fugitive, which was interesting. With Talia being the ultimate terrorist Gotham has to do as she says, so the Gotham City Police Department is after Batman, smashing the Bat-Signal. Batman has been a wanted man a couple of times in the past, with War Games being the most recent, and more memorable times, but it was interesting to see it again. What I loved most though was the symbolism of breaking the Bat-Signal, as it showed the extent that things have gone to. I also loved how Commissioner James Gordon hung his head in shame, not happy about what he's doing.

This issue started with Batman visiting Azrael. Now although I'm not the biggest Azrael fan he has played a big part in Batman in the past, so seeing him return was nice. I also found the conversation he had with Batman interesting, and the fact that Batman had a dream of Damian putting the world into ruin couldn't be now that he's dead. I liked this as it shows that the 666 future that was prophesied way back in Batman #666 (continued in Batman #700, and Batman, Incorporated #5) should still happen, which begs the question who is the future Damian? I've always thought it'd be a clone, and hold to that thought.

Talia also went to visit he father Ra's in this issue, which was very interesting. I personally haven't seen Ra's in anything since he featured in Red Robin, so it was nice to see him featured in this issue, especially considering the story, and the fact that this is the first appearance of Ra's in the New 52 (as far as I know). The conversation itself was very interesting, but it was the symbolism in the chess game that Ra's was playing that caught my attention the most, as with the Black Knight attacking the Red Queen, it symbolises Batman's revenge over Talia. The words that Morrison chose for the conversation were also brilliant, as they showed both Talia, and Ra's characteristics, as well as making it dramatic.

This issue also saw Bruce go to Lucius Fox to acquire some tech. I won't go into any details about what Batman actually acquired, as to avoid spoilers, but I will talk about the tone of the sequence, as well as my overall feelings. It was nice that Lucius was added to this issue, as despite getting him ready for his fight against Talia, with the absence of Alfred he needs someone to confide in. I also found it interesting that Bruce managed to keep things normal, as with Lucius not knowing of Damian's death he has to keep a strong act, and it showed some very light humour in Batman's darkest hour. The tech that Lucius showed him was brilliant, and although it looked like similar stuff that's featured in the past, the way Batman would put it to use was very interesting.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

Now if you've seen the gatefold cover this won't be a huge spoiler, but I thought I'd warn you anyway. This issue also featured Dr. Kirk Langstrom who got broke into by the police whilst working on a Man-Bat antidote. Now the big question I ask is where this comes in with the events of Detective Comics #19, as it appeared that them events took place after Talia started using the Man-Bat formula, but it would appear that this may take place after Detective Comics #19. Either way, apart from the confusuion this was interesting, and the more interesting thing was that Batman would go to the lengths of turning himself into a Man-Bat to beat Talia. Now the only thing I didn't like about this as well as most of this weeks New 52 issues is that the gatefold covers have been spoiling the endings of the issues, and although I liked the concept, I'd have preferred the surprise.

Final Verdict

This was a terrific issue, and although the pace has been slowed down a bit, the endgame to Morrison's Batman run looks to be heating up, and the shock, and interest of this issue has me real excited for the final few issues. I would highly recommend this as well as the entire series, as although not Morrison's best Batman story, it has been a brilliant one to end his run.

Rating: 4/5

Batman Incorporated #9 Review

Writer: Grant Morrison
Artists: Chris Burnham & Jason Masters

This has been a very good series, and I've really been enjoying what Grant Morrison's been doing with the series, and have found it much better than the previous Batman, Incorporated series. It's not always been brilliant, but it has been good, and after recent shocking events (not too shocking it was on the cover) I was really looking forward to this issue.

Plot

Batman (Bruce Wayne) and Nightwing (Dick Grayson) battle The Heretic, and Bruce buries his son, Damian Wayne.

Review

This was a brilliant issue and a fitting follow-up to the death of Damian in the previous issue, with Batman and Robin #18 being the only Requiem issue that was better, and more moving. Grant Morrison has done a marvellous job of this series, and I for one have loved all his work on the Caped Crusade (obviously some better than others), and I've always felt that his best work has came out of the Damian Wayne character, even though now he's dead, which although sad, it does make for a good, dramatic story. What I liked most about Morrison's writing in this issue was how it jumped back and forward between the end of the previous issue, and the funeral of Damian, and it almost felt that the sequences that were just after Damian's death were triggered memories, and I liked that. I've not always liked it when Morrison's done similar to this in the past, but I did this time. The emotion throughout this issue was also brilliant, and whether it was the funeral sequence, or the fight against the Heretic, you could easily see how upset, and angry Batman is, and you can't blame him, as he's not just lost a member of the Bat-Family, he's lost his son, and Morrison showed this in his writing brilliantly.

The art from Chris Burnham was once again brilliant, and I've loved his art throughout this series. As I've said before, I never actually enjoyed Burnham's art that much on the previous Batman Inc. series, but since seeing it in this series I have loved it, feeling that it really suits the tone of the book. This could easily be due to it being a new series, or it could be that I like the way he drew Damian, but I have loved it, and I'm glad he's continuing to work on this series. I really think that Burnham's unique, rough style has been what makes the art so good, and I've also loved how it's made the series much darker, but also lighter when it needs to be. I've also liked how Burnham hasn't been afraid to go all out when it comes to the violence, as it's bloody, and gory, and really adds even more darkness to the issue, and this type of issue needs darkness, as it helps show the emotions. I did however think that some of his art in this issue looked a bit awkward like for instance, Batman shoves the tips of his fingers into the visor of Heretic's helmet, but due to the art it looks like it's the sleeves of his suit that's going in, and it isn't actually easy to notice that it's his hand, but besides that the art was brilliant. Jason Masters also did a good job on the four pages he drew, and although his art isn't as good as Burnham's, it's still better a lot of artists, and suited the sequences it featured in.

Damian's funeral was probably the best part about this issue, or at least in my opinion. I really felt the emotion coming from the characters, especially when Bruce, Dick, Alfred, and Tim Drake carried the coffin to the hole, as although he was battered and bruised you could see that nothing but the loss of his son was on his mind, and maybe also the thought of revenge. The other thing I liked about this sequence came in a later part, and that was when Bruce started to blame Alfred for letting Damian leave the Batcave, and even though Damian showed that he could have done it on his own, you can still kind of see how Alfred is to blame, even though he really isn't. I personally saw this coming, and I couldn't believe nothing happened between the two characters in Batman and Robin #18, but I think that was mainly due to Batman and Robin being a silent issue, and the fact that Peter J. Tomasi would have wanted to leave that for Morrison in this issue. I do however question why Alfred was still there in Batman and Robin, as Bruce told him to take a vacation (must have been a short one).

The fight between Batman and Heretic was also brilliant, and you couldn't half see the anger in Batman during this fight. I also found it interesting that Heretic had the brass to challenge Batman, saying boldly that he killed his son, and although this is a natural thing for Heretic to sat, especially considering his characteristics, I still found it shocking, and thought that it made the sequence more dramatic. I also found it interesting that Nightwing git involved in the fight, as although Heretic's much too big for one man to fight, I'd have thought he'd have gave Batman some space. At the same time you could say that Nightwing's emotions could be enough reason to want a piece of Heretic, plus the fact that Batman didn't exactly have the upper hand at this point. The fight overall was very entertaining, and although there were the odd problem art wise, it was much better than any of the fights from the last few issues. I also liked how during this fight that Damian's face was covered by his cape, giving some respect to the departed character.

WARNING: SMALL SPOILER IN NEXT PARAGRAPH!

It was also nice to see the aftermath of the death of the Knight (Cyril Sheldrake), as with everything that happened last issue, along with the fact that all these events have meant to have happened the same night hasn't given any chance to show the effects it has on the characters of this series, and more so Squire. I did however find it interesting that it showed the effect it had on the United Kingdom as a nation, as with Knight being their main superhero it would be a blow to them. It was also nice that he got a hero's death, and that the Prince William, and Harry attended. The part of this sequence that interested me the most however was the reaction to Squire, as she was awful upset, curled up on the sofa watching the news coverage on the TV, but then she decides to become Knight herself. This isn't a shock, and it actually makes sense, as after the first Knight's (Percy Sheldrake) death, his son Cyril (who at the time was Squire) became Knight, so it makes sense that now he's dead that the current Squire becomes Knight.

Talia al Ghul's reaction to the death of her son Damian was also showed in this issue, and although I won't go into massive detail as to avoid spoilers, I will say what I though about the sequence. I found what Talia had to say to the Heretic very interesting, and I also found it interesting that you get to see more characteristic come from Heretic during this sequence, as well as a awkward emotional response from Talia. Last issue we saw Talia kind of upset at the death of her son Damian, so I wonder how she'll cope with it in the long run, as although his death may have been for the greater good in her plan, she's still most likely going to be upset over the fact, and although I won't exactly how she reacted in this issue, I will say that I look forward to seeing her reaction throughout the rest of Morrison's run.

Final Verdict

This was a brilliant issue, and probably the most emotional Requiem issue bar Batman and Robin #18, and is also probably the best Requiem issue bar Batman and Robin #18. Morrison's run is almost near it's end, and he isn't half going out in a big way, and I hope he can keep as much excitement as this issue had throughout the remaining issues. I would easily recommend this issue to anyone, whether you want to get one of the better Requiem issues, or a fan of the series already, as it's a very emotional issue.

Rating: 5/5

Batman Incorporated #8 Review

Writer: Grant Morrison

Artists: Chris Burnham & Jason Masters

WARNING: THERE WILL BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW!

I usually try to avoid spoilers but due to the press coverage of this issue, which already spoiled what happens I thought that there wasn't much point tip toeing around the spoilers.

This has been a very good series and I have really enjoyed what Grant Morrison has been doing. Although not always brilliant the series has been very fun, with lots of suspense, and shock, and it's much better than the previous Batman, Incorporated series.

Plot

With Batman trapped in a safe underwater, and the remainder of Batman Inc. at the mercy of Leviathan Robin (Damian Wayne) comes to help out, and try to reason with his mother, but at what cost?

Review

As I said at the start of my review, this issue has been talked about out loud in the media over the last few days, and surprisingly the creators have been talking about the big surprise, which is unusual in comics as writers, and comic book companies like to keep there big surprises secret. As I said due to this my review will contain spoilers so this will be your last chance to stop reading without knowing the spoilers. I was both dreading and looking forward to this, as although I wasn't looking forward to seeing Damian die, I was interested in how Morrison would handle it. He did a very good job, but the issue overall wasn't quite as good as I'd hoped for. Like last issue Morrison had most of Batman Inc. involved in the story, and this didn't leave as much room for the fight between Damian and his brother The Heretic, but I'll talk more about that later. Besides that Morrison has done a brilliant job, and the story was very entertaining, and suspenseful, with ton's of emotion. H's starting to shape up the big finale to his Batman run, and he's showing that it's going to leave big changes in the Batverse.

Chris Burnham has continued to amaze me with his art on this series, and I'm very happy that he continued into this series. As people who have read my previous Batman Inc. reviews will know I initially wasn't keen on Burnham's art when he worked on the previous Batman Inc. series, but I have come to really enjoy, and appreciate it throughout this series, and am very happy that he's worked on it. His unique style really helps with certain sequences, and especially with the violence. Although there are a lot of artist who's work I enjoy, with a fair few of them being higher on my favourite artist list I don't think any of them would have given the same atmosphere to this series as Burnham has, which shows how much his style of artwork has influenced my thoughts of this series. The detail in Burnham's art is also fabulous, as he really shows a lot of detail throughout the series, let alone this issue. His cover is also brilliant, and I love the way he's taken Alex Ross' Batman R.I.P. cover from Batman #676 and made it his own. I also liked that it showed that it was Robin, but that it kept him in the shadows, only highlighting the yellow of his cape, parts of his face, and the R on his chest, all of which I really liked. It was also nice to see Jason Masters return to draw four pages in this issue, continuing the sequence he drew in the last issue. Master's art was still not quite perfect, but I much preferred it this time round, and wouldn't mind seeing it in another series in the future.

I was really happy to see Red Robin (Tim Drake) used a bit more in this issue, as although he's been involved throughout it's rarely taken time to focus on him. It was however the right time to have him featured more, as the issue has most of the former Robins involved, and it makes the issue feel more centered around them. I really liked the way he kept himself composed, and did the job at hand. At the same time he didn't feel quite the same character as I know. This is most likely due to it still being a small sequence which didn't give him a lot of time. It would have also been nice to see him have interaction with Damian, even if it was only a couple of lines/words.

I was however really happy to see Damian and Nightwing (Dick Grayson) interacting with each other one more time. I really enjoyed when the two characters were Batman and Robin during Morrison's Batman and Robin series, and have really missed them working together since. I also thought it was very nice that Damian acknowledged that Dick was his favourite partner. It's not usual to see feelings come out of Damian, but with this being probably his last chance it was nice to see. I also thought it was the right thing to have Damian think of Dick as his favourite partner, as Dick mentored Damian when his father was assumed dead (Batman R.I.P.), and Damian would have seen him as a role model, as well as a rival. Also the only other partner Damian had is his father Bruce, and with Bruce always worrying over both Damian's actions, and safety it would be a bit hard to work as a well oiled unit.

I'll move on to talk about Batman's struggle to escape the safe. It was interesting to see Batman featured less in the series for a second straight issue, and like last issue I think it was the right decision, as it gives more opportunity for the development of the story. Plus also with Batman out of the game it will make his sorrow over Damian's death even stronger as he will know that he could do nothing to save his son, and that he was to slow. The interaction from Talia al Ghul to Batman was also interesting, as it continued to show that she was doing whatever it took to move on from him, and the only way she could really do that is by destroying his life.

Another thing I was curious about was what's happening between The Hood, and Jason Todd? Last issue showed Hood turning on Todd (who was dressed as Wingman). I was looking forward to see the continuation of that, but it never happened in this issue. This was probably a good thing as it gave more time to develop the events that happened in this issue, as having already thought that there wasn't enough time spent on Damian's death, having this would give even less time. I do however look forward to seeing the continuation of it sometime down the line, preferably next issue, or the latest the one after that.

Finally I've came to Damian's death. This is the spoiler that has been featured in articles on the internet over the last few days so I thought that I'd leave this till last. If anyone was going to kill Damian off it was right that Morrison was the man to do it, as having created Damian as a character it wouldn't be the same if someone else did it, especially when Morrison had supposedly created the character with the intention of killing him. Anyway I'll start with the fight between Damian, and his brother the Heretic. With the extra training and size the Heretic had an obvious advantage over Damian, and in a way that took away from the quality of the fight. It was also interesting that even with Dick fighting with him that the Heretic was still stronger. I did however find it interesting that Damian kept calling out for his mother, asking her to stop this, which showed that Damian wanted to save his mother, and that there may have been a slight bit of fear in him. I wasn't however overly happy with the way Damian died. Although it was very sudden, and believable it just didn't have the overall wow factor that I expected. I did however like the montage page showing Damian's final attempt in slaying the Heretic, as it showed both the determination in him at the start, and the realization of his fate at the end. I also liked that Damian didn't go down without a fight, as although he was at a massive disadvantage in size he still managed to show all his skill and determination. I also thought this sequence was drawn brilliantly by Burnham, and thought that the violence was even better than anything in this series before.

I will miss Damian now that he's gone, but hope that like most comic deaths that he will return, and look forward to seeing just how badly this affects Batman in the remaining 4 issues of this series.

Final Verdict

Although not the best issue in this series, or the best death in comic book history, this was still a very good book, and I for one am looking forward to seeing how this affects Batman. I would highly recommend this, and the rest of the series as it's a truly wonderful series.

Rating: 4/5

Batman Incorporated #7 Review

Writer: Grant Morrison

Artists: Chris Burnham & Jason Masters

I initially decided to skip reviewing this issue, but after hearing that issue 8 would have a major change (the specifics were spoiled in an article online) I decided I'd go back to review it. Overall I have really enjoyed this series, and it's been a huge improvement over the original series, which although good wasn't startling, and had a very different style than most Batman series'.

Plot

With Knight dead and Batman captured, Batman Inc. is at a serious disadvantage over Leviathan, who are now using children in their army.

Review

Although this was still a very good issue it was however one of the poorer issues in the series. Ever since I bought Batman R.I.P. I noticed that Grant Morrison was able to write the Caped Crusader brilliantly, and have since acquired all his work on Batman, whether in comic form or graphic novel (think I have all his works in comics since Batman and Son). Morrison will go down as one of my favourite writers of the character, and when the time comes I will be sad to see him leave the character, but it had to end sometime. Like he's done with the rest of the series Morrison has kept this issue very interesting, and suspenseful. However in doing this he has let things slip away slightly, as with everything happening at the same time the issue feels slightly over the place. I did however love the emotion he has added to this issue, and overall he is brilliant at showing the characters for who they are emotionally, and symbolically. With the issue focusing on so many aspects of the story it did drag on slightly, and I think the development would have been better if it focused on less characters. It was however still very enjoyable, and suspenseful.

I've really loved the art in this series, and Chris Burnham continues to amaze me. Initially back when Burnham joined the original Batman Inc. series I wasn't too keen on his art, but after seeing it more often, and in a better series/story I've started to really enjoy it, and his unique quirky style really suits the series. His art in some ways reminds me of Frank Quitely who worked on Morrison's All Star Superman series, and gives a similar atmosphere as well. I also really enjoy Burnham's attention to detail, and some of the action sequences are wonderful to look at. Burnham also shows the characters emotions excellently, and especially with the deranged Leviathan children. The panel that I especially liked in this issue was on page 18, with all of Robin's (Damian Wayne) pets (Alfred, Titus, and Bat-Cow) together. I don't understand why it the series has needed a different artist for no more than a few pages each issue for the last few issues. However Jason Masters did do a good job on the art for three pages of this issue. It wasn't however as good as Burnham's art, and at times felt a bit still, and awkward. Although I don't see the point of an extra artist for three pages it was however nice to see Master's art shown in this issue, and I wouldn't mind reading something with it in the future.

Last issue showed that this series is about to hit a new level that will affect Batman Inc., and the future of the Batverse drastically. The Knight died, and it showed that the war against Leviathan would involve casualties. Knight and Squire have appeared in a lot of Morrison's work, and with Morrison actually creating this version of Knight and Squire it was a shock to see him kill Knight. If anyone was to do this it should have been Morrison, and at the end of the day there needed to be at least one death from Batman Inc. to show just how far Talia al Ghul has pushed Batman. Although I'd be lying if I said that I was a huge fan of the Knight character, but I was still shocked, and a little upset to see him killed off. It did however lead for some emotional sequences in this issue, especially the one between Squire and Nightwing (Dick Grayson).

In continuing with my previous paragraph I though I'd talk about the rest of the damage inflicted upon Batman Inc. The way Morrison portrayed the damage was very interesting, and showed that it's not always rosy for the good guys. Right from the start it's noticeable that the members of Batman Inc. are broken, and with their leader being out of the picture it would drop their morale even more. I always find it unrealistic when the good guys always win, mostly without any effort, and although it's always right to show that good rules out, it's not as easy as other stories show it as, so it was nice ti see Leviathan on top, even though I want Batman Inc. to win the overall war.

Damian is still stuck in the Batcave during this issue, and to be honest I think that this was the best place for him to be at this stage of the story. Damian being at the cave gave the perfect opportunity to develop his side of the story a little more, giving him time to think over his mothers scheme. It also gives Damian some time to interact with Alfred the butler, and Alfred his new cat, which I thought was very nice. Damian also tells Afred (butler) about a secret of his mothers. I won't go into details to avoid spoiling it, and although it's been a month since this issue was out I wouldn't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it. I will however say that it was an interesting discovery, and should add an interesting sequence later in the series.

Leviathan having children in their army was also a shock. It is shown on the cover of the issue, so it wasn't a total shock, and due to this I felt that me talking about it wouldn't really spoil much. Leviathan using children adds another angle to an already brilliant story, and it gives yet another obstacle for Batman Inc., as they would find it difficult to even consider attacking children. I for one will be looking forward to this continuing into the next issue, and seeing whether Batman Inc. fights back or not.

Batman was absent for most of this issue, and although it was strange not seeing him around it was nice for a change. It also gave more time to show how the rest of Batman Inc. was coping after his kidnapping, and Knights death. The few pages that Batman was in was interesting, and if the series hadn't showed it before now this issue showed that Talia had given up on any future between the two of them.

With the way this issue ended, and the articles around the internet regarding the next issue I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens next, and how much it will effect the rest of the Batman titles.

Final Verdict

This may not be the best issue in the series, but it;s still a very good issue, and sets up the next issue nicely. I would still highly recommend both this issue, and the series, and am looking forward to reading the next issue.

Rating: 4/5

Batman Incorporated #6 Review

Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Chris Burnham

I have been really enjoying this series, and it's been a vast improvement over the previous series. I've always felt that Grant Morrison's best Batman have been the ones featuring Damian Wayne, and this series continues that. I've loved seeing how Damian has caused this feud between Batman, and Talia al Ghul, and hope it keeps getting better, and better.

Plot

This issue sees Talia's plan to take out Batman Inc. put into effect, and Batman must stop her. Meanwhile the former Robin's and current Robin Damian are at the Batcave listening to Batman and Talia's conversation. Damian also gets a cat in this issue (the one featured in Batman, Incorporated #5), which he names after Alfred.

Review

This was a brilliant issue, and this series just keeps getting better and better. Morrison has done a fantastic job bringing this huge threat to Batman Inc., and it made for a very exciting, entertaining, and interesting story. One of the things I've loved most about this series has been that each issue feels like a stand-alone issue, whilst continuing an ongoing story. You get a lot of stories like this (e.g. Iron Man) , but unlike this series, you don't feel the bigger picture as much, and they just feel like one-shot's that coincidently fit into a story. Another thing I liked about this was that despite it's fast pace, the story was very exciting, and wasn't affected by the pace. I say this because there are a lot of comics that take no time to read, due to being very fast paced, but they're also very mediocre, and not exciting. I've also loved that this series feels like it's own, and doesn't actually feel a part of the New 52. Most New 52 series I would be upset about this, but I can make an exception this time, as Morrison has been writing a continuous Batman story for years now, and it would spoil it to tie-in with current New 52 events (like Death of the Family).

Chris Burnham continues to produce some outstanding artwork on this series, and brings the gritty tone this series needs. As I've said in the past I wasn't a fan of his art when I first saw it in the previous Batman Inc. series, and wasn't to happy when I heard he'd be on this series, but I have been blown away by his excellent work, and he's really changed my mind during this series. As I said, his grittiness is what this series needs, and the way he draws the violence in the action sequences shows this. The detail in his artwork is also phenomenal, and although there are a few inperfections they are hard to notice, especially if you're not looking for them. Although Burnham does most of the art in this issue, Andres Guinaldo also contributes for a few pages. I don't usually like when multiple artists work on one issue, but in this case I didn't mind. Guinaldo's art was also very good in this issue, and a much more realistic approach to drawing Batman, unlike Burnham's unique, gritty style. There was also plenty of detail in Guinalso's art, but does have the odd weird facial expression. Although both artists did fantastic work on this issue, I did however prefer Burnham's. This is mainly due to him being the main artist on this series, as it's what I'm used to seeing, and in my opinion is more suited to this series.

Batman Inc. Dismantled

Batman Inc. took a heavy blow in this issue, with most of there members getting severely injured and almost killed. This was a brilliant touch to this issue, as it added a lot of drama and suspense, and made reading the issue feel like watching a film. I also loved that you could really feel the desperation in these sequences, and I especially liked the emotion between Knight and Squire, as they've been together in a similar fashion to Batman and Robin for a long time now. It was also nice to see Batwing involved in this issue, as I loved him in the original series, and have missed reading him since dropping his ongoing series following issue #0. I also loved Batman's reaction to all this, as being the leader and founder of Batman Inc. he feels responsible for them, especially considering they're being attacked due to being members of Batman Inc.

Talia's Scheme

Talia's role in this issue was also very interesting, as despite being the main antagonist throughout the series she's not made many appearances. I always think it's a good idea having a villain that fights out of the shadows, as it put's a lot of suspense into a series, and makes the build up to their physical appearance better. I t was also interesting to see The Heretic make an appearance in this issue, as he's Talia's main henchmen in Leviathan. Whenever I see the Heretic in this series I can't help but think of Talia, and Bane's relationship in The Dark Knight Rises. Although the Heretic doesn't look anything like Bane, apart from having a slightly similar mask, he does remind me of Bane whilst he was in the Pit, as Bane was dressed similar in that scene. I'm also looking forward to seeing Talia's future plan's and how they effect Batman Inc.

Alfred the Cat

This issue also introduces Damian's cat Alfred. During the issues that show the future Damian as Batman, he has a cat named Alfred. Alfred the cat has been present in most, if not all of these future issues, so I was very happy that we get to see him introduced in this series. I also liked that Damian originally didn't want the cat, but once he saw that it had a similar personality to him, he was happy, accepting it. The introduction of the cat does however question how far in the in the future the events featuring Damian as Batman exist. I can't remember if a date was stated in any of these appearances but either way it's still interesting, as they could have been changed due to the New 52. There is also the possibility that Damian continued to own a cat, getting a new one each time one died, and always naming them Alfred. Despite the questions I am still interested in this, and am looking forward to seeing the development of this, or any other hints to Damian future (especially things from the issues showing his future as Batman).

Final Verdict

This was a brilliant issue, and one of the best in the series so far. I would highly recommend both this issue, and the entire series (but if you've read the previous series skip issue #0, as it's a retelling of Batman Inc.'s formation, and quality wise, far from the normal standard). I am extremely looking forward to the next issue, and hope that Morrison can keep up this standard for the remaining portion of his run on this series.

Rating: 4.5/5

Batman Incorporated #5

Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Chris Burnham

I have been enjoying this series and it has been much better than the first Batman, Incorporated series. I have enjoyed how this series has explained more about Leviathan, and how due to Talia al Ghul leading Leviathan, her son Damian Wayne has been more involved in the series.

Plot

This issue shows what the world will be like if Damian becomes Batman, and how he will destroy Gotham City. In this story Damian, now Batman, with the help of Barbara Gordon (who's once again wheelchair bound) attempt to save Gotham from an infection of Joker gas.

Review

This was an amazing issue, and when I heard that this issue would be taking another look at Damian's future as Batman I was very excited, and I wasn't disappointed. Grant Morrison has done an amazing job at continuing stories he's shown in pre-New 52 comics, and how he's managed to make them new reader friendly. I loved how he made the story transition from the present to the future, and how he used Damian's current, and future emotions to do so. I also loved that due to this being set in the future he doesn't have to worry about the changes that happened since the New 52 effecting his story. I am mainly talking about Barbara being in a wheelchair once more. The New 52 established that Barbara's paralysis was only temporary, so it is interesting to see that she will once, again become paralysed in the future. I've also liked how Morrison has handled Damian, a character he essentially created, throughout his work on Batman, and love how he's shown the changes Damian has went through.

Chris Burnham's art is truly beautiful. When I first saw his art during the previous series of Batman Inc., I wasn't initially too keen on it, and thought it looked a bit messy, but after seeing it again throughout this series I have changed my mind and really enjoy it. Burnham's art suit's this series, and the grittiness of it, gives the series a dark tone to it. I've also loved how he's incorporated some classic moments in Batman's history into his work, and think it shows the history in Batman perfectly. The way he draw's the current and future Damian was probably the best thing in this comic and I liked how you can tell that they're the same person due to the expression on their faces, as the story goes from the present to the future. The way he drew the burning Gotham was also brilliant, and the way he showed Damian coming out of Arkham Asylum to a burning Gotham on the cover, was genius.

Seeing Damian as Batman again was nice and I liked how it's hard to tell if he's Gotham's saviour, or it's demise. I did like how this story showed that Damian wanted to protect Gotham and how straight away we see Daminan saving a child. I also loved that we get to see Damian's Batcave again, as I loved this in Batman #666. I also liked how we get to see some of the trophies Damian has kept once more. It was also nice to see that Damian still had his cat Alfred which was named after Bruce's butler, as I liked this in previous issues featuring the future Damian, and like how despite everything he's been through he still remembers all of Bruce's Bat-Family, even Alfred.

The present Damian's reaction at the start, and the end of this issue was brilliant, and I loved how we get to see some innocents shown in Damian. When you see Damian going about all confident in the way he talks, and being raised as a killer, it's easy to forget that deep down he's a child, and has the same needs as a child, and I liked how this issue showed that. I also like how Damian wants to continue living with his father and how he has grown to love Bruce.

Will Damian eventually kill Batman? It's been asked in a previous issue, and this issue asks it again. With the future being able to change easily, especially if someone has seen it, it questions if this sequence showing Damian over his father's dead body will actually happen. The progression of Damian's story in the present will be an interesting factor in deciding if this will happen or not, and it will also be interesting to see if Batman can prevent the future from happening.

Doctor Hurt involvement in this story was also very interesting, and it was nice to see him once more. After all Hurt has put Bruce and his family through during Morrison's run it's nice to see that he won't stop once Bruce is dead, and that along with Talia he has a huge part in Damian becoming Batman.

WARNING SPOILER AHEAD!

There was a sequence near the end of this issue that particularly interested me. Nearer the end of the issue, once Damian figures out what's going on he returns to Barbara, attempting to save her from the infectious Joker gas. He arrives too late and Barbara has been infected, and eventually shoots Damian (which is the sequence that interests me). When Barbara shoot's Damian you can't help but think of when Joker shot her. The way she shot him was very similar to how Joker shot her, and even the way she was looking just before she shot him reminded me of how Joker was standing in the doorway. The similarities were nice and it goes to show that even Barbara can be turned into a similar monster as the Joker.

Final Verdict

This was a brilliant issue and the best in the series so far. Morrison has produced a truly outstanding series, in Batman Incorporated, and besides issue 0 they have all been exceptionally good. I would highly recommend this issue, and it is a brilliant place for newer readers to join.

Rating: 4.5/5