BLACKEST NIGHT: BATMAN #3 REVIEW

[Walt Kneeland]

Review by: Walt Kneeland (walt.kneeland@gmail.com )
Quick Rating: Very Good
Story Title: Who Burns Who Conclusion

Batman and Red Robin face their lost loved ones while Robin must see to the safety of two old friends of the Batman Family.

Story and Words: Peter J. Tomasi
Penciller: Adrian Syaf
Inker: Vicente Cifuentes
Colorist: Nei Ruffino
Letterer: John J. Hill
Editors: Adam Schlagman and Eddie Berganza
Cover: Andy Kubert and Alex Sinclair (variant by Bill Sienkiewicz)
Publisher: DC Comics

We have another mostly-action issue here, as Batman and Red Robin team up again (with Robin bringing up the rear for the issue) as these human heroes fight the alien-ring-super-powered corpses of their loved ones and enemies. Tim Drake's returned at Dick's request given the situation Dick saw developing. Having rescued Barbara and Jim Gordon, their focus is getting those two out of things alive--and with Black Lanterns focused on Dick and Tim...Damian is left to get the civilians to safety. Deadman is sent to "recruit" some supernatural help, while Dick and Tim discover what it truly is to fce their lost loved ones as specific emotions are manipulated in the two heroes. Finally, Batman seems to have gotten a significant clue about the Black Lanterns, but in order to survive, makes a desperate gambit.

This was a pretty quick issue to read...in some ways, I'd prefer it slower. Then again, it read quickly because it drew me in, hardly losing me during the course of the issue. Tomasi certainly has a great handle on these characters and the situation they're in. Though most of the issue is fast-paced action, he still finds room to insert some rather deep character-moments...like the Black Lanterns re-enacting Jack Drake's death, and Dick--all these years later--reacting to old words from his father instinctively. The words and dialogue accompanied by the art make for a moving, desperate story--as the Black Lanterns--set on killing our heroes--are dealt with BY the heroes, who have no physical right to best these opponents.

The art is really good here, getting a good mix of things into the picture--facial expressions that say as much or more than words can, the sheer creepiness of the Black Lanterns, and even some nice effects showing the more supernatural elements of the situation that develops.

As a whole, there's a real sense of danger for the characters--and that helps to really make the story what it is. Though this issue ends this 3-issue mini, the story itself seems only to be at a momentary breathing point. The end hardly feels like true resolution, but more a prologue for what's to come...fitting the old adage bout winning a battle, but not a war. This mini-series is like a single battle in the greater war--it's got its finite, arbitrary-ish ending...but the story's far from actually being over.

This is well worth snagging if you're following the entire Blackest Night event, or specifically interested in the Batman corner of things. While there's not a truly satisfying hard conclusion, there's a soft ending to the specific story this mini was telling, and makes the entire 3-issue run a worthy tale to seek out. Even if you're not following Blackest Night as a whole, the situation presented here--forcing Batman and particularly Red Robin to face lost loved ones--allows for a load of potential character growth probably not available outside this sort of story.

Highly recommended.


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[Gabriel Sosa]

This might have been my favorite issue of the series. It was interesting enough, and had good characterization in general.