Batman Incorporated #12 was a fun issue with a ton of action.
When Grant Morrison is writing Batman, chances are we are going to get something that is unconventional, and that is precisely what happens in this issue, as Batman continues to battle the Leviathan.
This issue delivers a Batman enraged and bulked up after taking the Man-Bat serum, and fighting Heretic in response to the murder of Damien. Talia, wearing a mask like Black Mask’s, sends an army to take down Batman, but to no avail.
The fight between Batman and Heretic is great. Batman is truly going over the edge, and he is not holding back an inch with the punishment.
The fun part about this is that Grant Morrison injects some humor into a very serious issue, when the brawl makes its way onto a school bus full of terrified children. During this scene, Batman says to Heretic “Your Figurehead. Just another thug bawling for his mommy.” This was my favorite part of the issue, and I thought the line carried an extra punch considering it was said in a school bus.
There is a small subplot going on with the other members of Batman Incorporated being sent to take down the Oroboro Ring.
Also, it is hinted that Batman Incorporated may be in danger of being shut down. The intelligence community is wary of a global army run by Batman. This subplot only lasts a few pages, and serves to set the stage for next issue, but not a lot happens with it in this month’s release.
Talia is truly out for blood in this issue, and in a vicious act of violence we get to see what Heretic looks like, and what we see is a young Damien’s face, even though Heretic is supposed to be an aged clone of Damien.
Despite Batman’s rage, he never betrays his morals in this issue. However, I thought it was a possibility that he would kill in this issue considering his anger, his use of the Man-Bat serum, and his enhanced suit. Even given the circumstances, Batman never crosses the line, and seems at peace to a certain degree after the fight with Heretic, even though he received some assistance at the end of the brawl.
The ending of this issue had me excited. It looks like we are in store for a big showdown between Talia and Batman. I was very happy to see this. Batman is always being manipulated behind the scenes by the Al Ghuls, but now he will confront Talia face to face.
I think this a good storytelling choice. The Al Ghuls operate behind the scenes, and they can be rather ambiguous characters. Letting these two characters face off against each other is a good idea because they both need a resolution with each other, even if it ends being a deadly one.
Chris Burnham supplied the art for this issue. He did a great job, the fight scenes were especially good.
Grant Morrison’s long Batman story is coming to an end. His time on Batman has received a mixed reaction. Despite my own mixed feelings about Morrison’s time with the Dark Knight, there is no doubt that next month’s conclusion is going to be interesting.
Have A Question? Ask Jessica!
-
Jessica: Hi, I'm Jessica, the Consumer Press AI, can I help you with a consumer question?
