Review: Batman #85
This issue brings Tom King’s oft criticised run on Batman to a close. Through the run there have been ideas that have been extrapolated and stretched out further than Plastic Man and Elongated Man combined. In between those stories there have been some great moments for sure. But have those moments been enough to quell the disinterest that’s been brewing in this book since the non-wedding in Batman #50?
This issue has an odd tone, which I feel has been used for a number of reasons. Firstly, its bumps up the page count and you all know what that means? It costs more to buy! Secondly, and more importantly for the narrative, King has tried to show you the present and a number of just afters, to some extent. We do get a fight between Batmen and of course Bane gets to do his thing, but these elements are ensconced within a tapestry of Bruce and Selina, Batman and Gotham Girl and a football game. The jumps are not well advertised in any way, so it’s up to you to try and keep up and put it together into what you think is the correct order. This methodology also feels like a link to the up and coming Batman Catwoman book due out next year. I don’t mind have lead-ins, but you got to love the timing of a lead-in into a book that has already been delayed. My final comment on the multi-parts element of this issue is that taking all things into consideration, the final battle doesn’t actually take up that much space. This points to one of the major problems with not just this book, but DC as whole at times; the pacing and content of issues is scandalous. Did we really need issues #83 and #84 for this conclusion? The dialogue is, as you would come to expect, is wordy to say the least, though there I did enjoy “you’re not my father!”. It’s shame then that we have to endure an Avengers Endgame parable about “a good life” and “Let’s try to live one of those”. Even though I half expected the non closure of the football game, I am annoyed as at one point this was the most interesting part of the book!
The art of the book is predominately Mikel Janin, with Hugo Petrus helping with pages 10-12. I always want to enjoy Janin’s clean lines; there is something almost graceful about how he can position characters and camera angles. Here, the action scenes work, though at times they can be a tad nondescript. The longer sweeping shots of Bat and Cat on the rooftops of Gotham however, are simply gorgeous. It’s a shame then that the basic law of gravity and its impact the human body can be ignored; page 23 for example, whilst lying on her left side, Selina’s breasts should also lean towards the bed, yet whilst one does, the other stay firmly rooted in place. With all the calls regarding how women are portrayed in comics, I would have thought that the powers that be would want to get it right. The colors are by Jordie Bellaire who again does a fantastic job and is becoming a go to colorist. Letters are by Clayton Cowles, who with all time spent working with King, has the style of fonts and placements down to a fine tee. We also get a snippet of what to expect from the future of the book, with a tease from James Tynion IV and Gullem March; shame to see that the Joker is back………again. I have my theories of where this is going, but will keep them to myself for the time being.
As much as the idea of one writer for an extended amount of time sounds attractive, the reality is, at least in this case, that it leads to overblown, oft repeated ideas that come full circle. I understand that “full circle” is a comic book foible, especially working on a Big Two book or with one of the biggest icons. But did it have to be so laborious? On King’s watch, Batman has gone from being a regular top 3 book to a mere 9th in November sales. Yes, there was a lot of X books out at that time and yes part of that is on DC for not having a strong non-Bat portfolio, but King’s book has been sliding down the charts for some time. Almost new blood in James Tynion IV may have a thankless job on his hands as he shepherds the book to the upcoming event next year. Still, looking back, Tynion’s run on Detective was very enjoyable and often read better than its sister book. So here’s hoping for the future.
Writing – 3 Stars
Art – 4 Stars
Colors – 5 Stars
Overall – 3 Stars
Written by; Tom King & James TYnion IV
Art by; Mikel Janin, Hugo Petrus & Gullem March
Colorss by; Jordie Bellaire & Tomeu Morey
Letters by; Clayton Cowles
Published by; DC Comics
Author Profile
- I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow
Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network
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