Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Batman #46
DC Comics
Snyder, Capullo, Miki & Plascencia
"Batman" continues down the multi-threaded track that involves Gordon not succeeding in his Batman role, while trying to deal with the Mr. Bloom threat. While these events are unfolding we get a little more of Bruce Wayne and his girlfriend as well as Robin investigating on the side. The read is an average one for a bunch of reasons, but primarily because the decisions the characters make in the comic book aren't really explained and don't really make a ton of sense. This story line is not Snyder's strongest.
The book opens with a frustrating sequence. Mr Bloom busts into an event and starts killing some people. What is odd here is he really doesn't seem to have a point other than to cause some mayhem. In that vain, it doesn't make sense that he identifies certain victims, but doesn't kill them. He spots the police commissioner but leaves her alone. I found myself confused by his actions and confused at the ease of his escape. This sequence needed some more reasoning behind the actions of the characters.
The book then touches on the various other subplots. It's still difficult to believe that Wayne has lost his memories. While reading this comic it still kind of has that vibe that Wayne could be faking for some reason that ties to something bigger. The Robin subplot seems to have hatched from thin air, but is getting some major traction in this issue. This subplot is one of the highlights of the comic.
The comic contains a big confrontation at the book's close. While these scenes are suspenseful and have a lot of tension as they build up, the means to get there feel forced. Gordon was fired as Batman in the previous issue. He is introduced to an army of robotic Batmen in this issue. He manages to convince his handler to let him take on Bloom alone in the normal Bat-suit. The argument was not convincing at all and felt like an idea that just didn't get executed in a natural way.
Perhaps the book is a weak read because Bloom is such a hollow villain. It's not that he's not a threat because he definitely is. It's more that he doesn't have any kind of motive or goal. He just seems to spread evil whenever he feels like it. Additionally, there isn't any detective skills needed here, they have a tracker to find him. It just feels like a filler arc with an under cooked plot.
The artwork is strong. The sequence where Gordon finally gives in and has a cigarette is a great example of how the artwork takes on the subtle jobs with the same detail as the bigger ones. Gordon shows some defeat as he realizes he might not survive this, either as Batman or as a person, so he might as well go back to smoking. It's a great scene in a book that is a visual story unto itself.
"Batman" continues to explore a number of plots in the current issue. The primary one has Gordon taking on Mr. Bloom in a strong confrontation with a very weak setup. The comic struggles to provide convincing arguments or explanations for decisions the characters make and that hold this issue back. The artwork helps to deliver a strong visual story to balance out the weaker script. Overall, this is a very average read in what is proving to be an average arc. They all can't be blockbusters.
3 out of 5 Geek Goggles
