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

Detective Comics #19 Review

Writers: John Layman & James Tynion IV
Artists: Jason Fabok, Andy Clarke, Mikel Janin, Henrik Jonsson & Jason Masters

I have been a huge Batman fan all my life, and although I stopped reviewing this series following Death of the Family due to not having time to review everything, I wouldn't be much of a fan if I neglected to review the 900th issue of the series that introduced Batman, whether the issue was good, or not.

Plots

The 900

The 900 block of Gotham City has been infected, turning into Man-Bat's, but without the help of the rest of the Bat-Family, Batman is relying on someone else to help him cure this outbreak.

Birth of a Family

Dr. Francine Langstrom reveals how Dr. Kirk Langstrom created the Man-Bat formula.

War Council

Bane tells of how he faced the Court of Owls, and how they're his next target in taking control of Gotham.

Birdwatching

Mr. Combustible, and more of Ogilvy's men raid Gotham during the Man-Bat outbreak.

Through a Blue Lens

An injured officer is visited by other members of the Gotham City Police Department, and they talk about what they think of Batman.

Review

Now due to this being a super sized issue, featuring five different stories I'm going to review the main story, The 900, in detail, but the other stories in a more summarised fashion, although I will still mention all my thoughts on the stories, just not necessarily in as much detail as I'd normally give.

The 900

Now I have loved John Layman's run on this series so far, and he's truly turned this series from the poor series it was into something brilliant, but although overall this was a good story, it wasn't his best. The story itself was fun, and very entertaining, and dramatic, but there were minor flaws in it which annoyed me. I usually don't mind minor imperfections in stories, as long as overall the story's fun, or interesting, but these flaws were really annoying, and one in particular actually kind of spoiled the whole story. What I did however like about Layman's writing on this story, and his run on the series in general, is how he's managed to intertwine most of the previous plots that have happened, giving a series that flows very smoothly, and I've also liked that all the things he's added have been setting up the future of the whole story, which has been a good thing. I already stated that this story was far from perfect, and that although it was fun, it did have it's flaws, and although I don't want to go into much detail overall, I will say that I felt that the ending of this story, the main story was very anticlimactic, and it kind of ruined the entire story.

The art from Jason Fabok is once again superb, and I've really enjoyed his work on this series. Although Fabok's art isn't necessarily the most beautiful artwork that I've ever seen, it is however very realistic, and it suits this series perfectly. The detail in Fabok's art is also another thing that sticks out, as everything is drawn with such precision, and it really makes everything look so much better looking. Fabok also draws every character brilliantly, whether Batman, Nightwing (Dick Grayson), Ogilvy, but besides Batman the best characters he drew in this issue were the Man-Bat, as they looked simply stunning. The layout of the drawing is also fabulous, and Fabok really has a knack for making the art feel as dramatic as possible, and although a lot of artists do this, with writers helping in how they write their scripts, I still feel that it's worth pointing out, as it really makes the story feel more alive, and vibrant. I also love the way Fabok draws the facial expressions, as it really gives a lot more emotion to the story. Fabok also does a brilliant job with the inks on this issue, as everything looks so smooth, and overall tidy, adding more depth to his artwork. I do however feel that most artists that do they're own inks are better, and although there are plenty of brilliant inkers out there, the artist is bound to know exactly what he want's and can't blame others if it's not perfect prior to the colours being added. Talking about colours, the colours from Jeromy Cox are also fantastic, and they really make Fabok's artwork look truly magnificent, making it look even better than it already does, with the tone of the colours also being perfect for this style of story.

The issue starts with a prologue that shows Dr. Langstrom looking at ton's of Man-Bat's in the sky, and although this was a cool sequence, with brilliant artwork, but it did kind of makes the following sequence a bit redundant. The following sequence shows a mother and her child turning into Man-Bat's, showing that there's a contagion that's spreading, but this wasn't as powerful as it could have been, as it's already been established that there are many Man-Bat's going about. The sequence with the mother and child was however very emotional, but it would have been even more so if the prologue hadn't been there.

Although the Man-Bat's have already featured in the New 52, having featured in Batman, Incorporated, we've not really been given any details as to how they came into existence, and now we do. I really enjoyed how Layman handled this, and although the way he involved them wasn't perfect, it was still very good. The main problem with the way that Layman introduced the Man-Bat's into this story was that you could easily tell that he had to work round the fact that they'd already been used in a previous series, and that he needed to find a way of making this an introduction story, whilst also acknowledging that the Man-Bat's have been around, and although as I said it wasn't perfect, he did do a decent job of it.

This story also featured another couple of members of the Bat-Family (Nightwing and Batgirl (Barbara Gordon), as Batman tried to contact them, asking for help, with both refusing to answer. Now I know that the Bat-Family's still mad at Batman for not telling them everything during Death of the Family, and possibly keeping secrets, but I felt that this was a bit petty, and with a crisis hitting Gotham I'd have thought they'd have put things to one side. Besides that with the death of Robin (Damian Wayne) in Batman, Incorporated #8, I'd have thought the rest of the Bat-Family would have at least forgotten about the events of Death of the Family for now, and rallied round in support of Batman.

This story also featured an appearance from Batwoman. Now she didn't really do much at all in this issue, apart from putting the final element in place (which could have easily have been done without her), but I was still happy to see her make an appearance, and after the falling out she had with Batman in Batwoman #18 you could feel tension between them. The main thing I liked about her appearance was that it was appropriate for 900th issue, as having made her first solo appearance as the main character in the pre-New 52 Detective Comics series, during the Batman: Reborn era it was only fitting that she made an appearance in the milestone issue.

Verdict

This was an interesting, and fun story, but it had it's flaws, and the anticlimactic ending kind of spoiled the story, although besides that it was a good read.

Rating: 4/5

Birth of a Family

WARNING: MAY SPOIL THE MAIN STORY!

Again this was a very good, and interesting story, and fitting considering what happened in the main story, and once again Layman did a good job of the writing. To be honest, although I prefer the first story overall, the writing in this one was probably better, as although it wasn't quite as exciting as the first story, the structure of the story was better, and overall it was more interesting, also not having as many flaws. This was also a much more emotional story than the main story, and Layman did a good job of showing not only the sadness that Francine has over what has happened, but the joy she has from fonder memories.

The art from Andy Clarke was brilliant, and although I personally still prefer Fabok's art from the main story, Clarke's art was still very good, and really suited the style of this story. I've always enjoyed Clarke's artwork, especially on Bat titles, so I was very happy to see him featuring on one of the back-up stories. Clarke's art is very detailed, and I love the way he adds shading to the characters, as the lines are brilliant, and don't look as rough as most artists that use shading, which was very nice. I also felt that his art was very emotional, and for the type of story that this was that's what's really needed, as although most Batman stories are dark, this one wasn't so needed a more lighter tone, which Clarke's art more than provided.

This was a nice origin story, and although not the best that I've ever read, it is still one of the better ones that's featured in the New 52. What I liked most about the origin is that it comes after the main story, and that it's told by Dr. Langstrom's wife, Francine. As I said earlier this was a very emotional story, and that's probably what made it as good as it was, as despite being interesting, it was also slightly dull, simply re-telling something that's already been told, and although I don't mind the re-telling of origins, they still need something else to make them unique, and the emotion in this one, along with the fact that it's told from Francine's point of view was what did that in my opinion.

Verdict

This was an interesting follow-up story from the main story, and was a brilliant re-telling of the Man-Bat origin. Besides that it didn't really do much, and was a bit dull, and it wouldn't have been as good if not for the brilliant art from Clarke, and the emotional tone to the story.

Rating: 4/5

War Council

This was the only story to feature in this issue that wasn't written by Layman, being written by Talon writer James Tynion IV. This was probably the best story to feature in this issue, and I would have rated it more, but it felt more like it should have been in the Talon series, as opposed to being in this. I say this as the story appears to be a set-up for a future issue of Talon, and although I don't read Talon I still think that it belongs in that series, as it means that people who follow Talon may need to get this issue (which I personally wouldn't like). Besides that small detail this story was still brilliant, and it had a lot of excitement, and action in it, as well as being interesting. Although I don't get Talon, I will say that this story has made me more incline to possibly get the issues that have been out, or get the trades when they're released, and although that's probably the main intent of this being added to this issue (besides filling in the extra pages needed), but I still felt that it could have been put into the Talon series.

The art in this story was brilliant, and Mikel Janin did a phenomenal job, and I was very happy when I noticed he was doing the art for a story in this issue. I've loved Janin's art in Justice League Dark, and have felt that Janin is a very talented artist, having a very unique style, and I was happy to see that he could do a good job on something that wasn't JLD (although I knew he would). The detail throughout Janin's art is magnificent, as all the muscularity of Bane, and his army are brilliant, and it really shows the power that these characters have, especially Bane. I also loved how Janin handled the action in this short story, as although I've loved the way he's handled the action in JLD, it's nothing compared to the way he's drawn the action in this story, as it's nothing short of phenomenal. What I liked most however about Janin's art was the reference to when Bane broke Batman's back, way back in Batman #497, and although I sometimes feel that this has been referenced too much, it was fitting for this story, as it's not just a milestone for Detective Comics, but the first proper appearance of Bane in the New 52 (he briefly appeared in Batman: The Dark Knight, but it's best to try and forget that).

Although I felt that this story wasn't necessarily appropriate for this issue, I can't complain about how good it was, as it was brilliant, and the perfect re-introduction for Bane. With Bane being one of my favourite Batman villains I've been annoyed that he's not had a fitting appearance in the New 52, and although there are others that I'd like to see a proper appearance from more (like Riddler), I'd still love to see Bane used right in the New 52, as his appearance in Dark Knight was terrible (as was the series at the time). I liked how Tynion wrote Bane in this story, as it showed the determined character that I loved in his earlier appearances, but it also showed that he needed a little persuasion as well, which was nice, so I have every faith that Tynion will handle Bane right in the Talon series, and may actually get the series to find out. Another thing that interested me in this story was that Bane was approached by a mysterious man that persuades Bane that going after the Court of Owls is the right thing. I found this man intriguing, and although I don't know who this person is, and having not read any of Talon I can't make a judgement from that, but I'd find it interesting if it was someone like Ogilvy that told Bane, as although this isn't very realistic, and that it will most likely be someone from the Talon series, it would make the addition of this story in this issue more significant.

Verdict

This was a very fun, and action pact story, that was very interesting. Talon fans in particular will probably like this, as it appears to be setting things up for that, and although it's goal appears to be to get more readers onto Talon, I personally feel that it shouldn't have been in this issue (even though I've probably been persuaded to get Talon). Besides that it was however a very good issue, and a very good read (even if not necessary for this issue).

Rating: 4/5

Birdwatching

After a small break from Layman's writing in the previous story, we're back with the remaining two stories being written by him. Once again this was a very good story, but ye again it wasn't anything special. This was however probably Layman's best story in this issue, and it showed the quality of storytelling that I loved from his run so far, and although it's still nothing too startling, it's still good, and shows signs of things to come. Like the end of the main story this story shows that Layman is far from done with the whole Ogilvy story, and I'm not surprised, as that's been the basis for all his work on the series so far, and it's been good. Although this story wasn't necessarily very entertaining, it had it's moments, and besides that it was very interesting, I loved the way he developed things that will happen in the upcoming issues, without giving too much away.

The art from Henrik Jonsson was good, but it wasn't the best in this issue, and actually probably the worst. In saying that, that shows how much talent's actually working on this issue, as with five different stories, with five different artists, and this being the worst art wise, that's got to say something, as this art was good, and most multi-story issues have at least one artist that doesn't quite make the grade. Anyway the detail in Jonsson's art was brilliant, and the only real thing that I didn't like about his art was that it was a little too rough, and although I don't mind rough artwork, it just didn't feel as good as the other artists that featured on this issue. The characters that I felt Jonsson drew the best were, Mr. Combustion, and the man that turned into a Man-Bat, as both looked brilliant. I really liked how he handled the character transforming into a Man-Bat, as it wasn't as simple as here he is as a human, and here he is as a bat, as he showed the in between. What impressed me the most however was the Man-Bat stage, as Jonsson really made the Man-bat look grotesque, which was brilliant.

Mr. Combustion was introduced in this series by Tony Daniel, in Detective Comics #6, but to be honest he hasn't really done much, and I don't really like him as a character. I don't mind the look of him, and although he looks very unrealistic, I still think that that's the best part about him, but at the end of the day I don't see him being remembered for very long, and although Layman has continued to use him a couple of times in this story, I personally don't see him lasting for too long, and if he does it'll be as nothing more than a Z list villain. I did however like that his involvement in this story revealed the reason behind the Man-Bat toxin outbreak in the first place, and that it filled some of the questions that were left from the main story. Another thing I liked about Combustion's appearance was that it showed that he was loyal, and although I won't say any more than that to avoid spoiling the story, it was something that I found noticeable, and helped to develop the possible future story of this series.

Verdict

This was a very interesting story, that answers questions left from the main story, as well as developing the Ogilvy story that has been the main theme of Layman's run.

Rating: 4/5
Through a Blue Lens

Although Layman once again did a good job on the writing of yet another story, I personally felt that this was the worst story in this issue. I really wanted to love this story, as I love it when we get to see the police against Batman, but this time it felt a bit tame, and the overall story just felt like a filler for the issue, and it doesn't appear to have much affect on future events. In saying that it was still very interesting, and Layman did a brilliant job of writing both sides of the argument, showing a lot of emotion, but it did feel like a filler. On another positive note it was nice that this story, like most of the stories featured in this issue, continued from the original story, and although it didn't really contribute anything new, it was still interesting, and an decent read.

The art from Jason Masters on this story was brilliant, and although I'm still not a huge fan of his work, I am starting to like it more, and feel that it suited this story brilliantly. Master has been making appearances in the Batman Inc. series, drawing two to three pages each issue, for the last few issues, and although it's not been perfect on that series, it has been nice to see, so when I saw that he was working on the art for one of the stories in this issue I was actually happy, as I've wanted to see more of his art, but not on a series that already has a brilliant artist, so this is the best way to see more. Anyway, I liked the detail in Master's art, and although some of the fight sequences between Batman and a Man-Bat (the injured officer who was affected by the toxin) looked awkward, it overall looked brilliant. I especially liked how Masters drew the facial expressions in this story, as although it wasn't much for most of the time, when he showed emotion it was brilliant, as it added a lot of drama, as you could feel what the characters were feeling.

Although I felt this was pretty much a filler story, there were elements of it that I really liked, mainly the way that most of the officers seemed to hate Batman. I can kind of see why some people, especially cops would hate Batman, as there's the clear argument that not as much bad stuff would happen in Gotham if it wasn't for his influence. What was however a bit questionable was how the cops talked about Batman, only really stating the negatives, and although there were a couple of cops that praised Batman, there wasn't actually any that had a neutral opinion, seeing both the good, and bad of Batman, only really having one opinion. In saying that the argument was written well, and it was very bold with the character emotions. Now I may be wrong (although I don't think I am), but I'm sure one of the characters that featured in this story has appeared in this series before. If I'm write that's a nice thing, as I like it when a writer re-uses a minor character that featured in a previous issue, and although he may not have done much with him, it did show that he wasn't forgotten.

The fight between the officer that turned into the Man-Bat, and Batman was also good, and although I'm glad that it didn't take up much of the actual story, it was nice to see, and it gave more fuel for the argument that was shown between the officers.

Verdict

Although this was the worst story in this issue, it was still very interesting, and it showed the argument over whether Batman's a hero, or a menace brilliantly. It did however not really give anything new, and felt mostly like a filler story, which was a shame, and what made the story the worst in the issue.

Rating: 3.5/5

Finally I'll talk about the additional art that featured in this issue, from Alex Maleev, Brett Booth, Chris Burnham, Jason Fabok, Andy Clarke, Francesco Francavilla, Cameron Stewart, and Dustin Nguyen. All the artists that contributed to all these lovely artwork did a brilliant job, but there were some that stuck out. My favourite out of these was from Booth, as he made Batman look fun, something that you don't see a lot, and although I enjoy Booth's art in general, having loved it on Anita Blake comics, and Teen Titans, whilst also looking forward to seeing his art on Nightwing, I'd love to see him work on Batman at some point. The other two pieces of art that really stood out were Nguyen, and Maleev's, as Maleev's gave a brilliant, dark feel, showing Batman next to the Bat-Signal, which just embodied everything that Batman is, and Nguyen's was a brilliant tribute to my favourite Batman story, The Killing Joke, showing Batman grabing Joker by the cuff of the neck, whilst laughing. The rest of the art was still very good, it was just these three that stood out more too me.

Final Verdict

Overall this was a brilliant issue, and although the stories weren't perfect they were all fitting, and went perfectly with the main story (besides War Council). They were however all very different styles of stories, as some were more fun than others, and some were more interesting, but overall they were all good, and although I'm not sure if this was a fitting issue to have for the 900th issue landmark (especially considering the price), it was however a good issue, and I'd highly recommend it, whether you're a Batman fan or not.

Overall 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