Batman Eternal #1
DC Comics 2014Story & Script by Scott Snyder & James Tynion IV
Consulting Writers are Ray Fawkes, John Layman & Tim Seeley
Art by Jason Fabok
Colours by Brad Anderson
This year’s big weekly Batman event is here and to be honest I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but I went into this with no expectations. I did not read the hype or the previews of what’s going to happen in this series with the exception that Stephanie Brown would make her new 52 debut in this run. I do like that while this will be a weekly book, DC is keeping it at a $2.99 price point allowing more people to get it without feeling like they’re overspending.
We open with the ending scene, supposedly, where Bruce is strung up on the Bat-Signal and Gotham is behind in flames. There is absolutely no clue i can discern of the identity of the person who’s seemingly destroyed Batman (that in itself is a triumph!). Let everything unfold and let the reader be surprised by the turn of events. Let’s jump into the story shall we as we’re introduced to Jason Bard, a Lieutenant transferring to Gotham from Detroit. He is met by Harvey Bullock and voilá, we are in the thick of things already. Commissioner Gordon was supposed to meet him but well, it s Gotham and he’s in the middle of rescuing children and other civilians from Dr. Pyg. In swoops Batman to the rescue of both Jim and everyone else but we clearly see is the relationship Batman and Gordon have and their dependency upon each other is vital to the safety of the city. It’s nice to see the dynamic so clearly on display and both getting credit they deserve. It is also nice to see that as Harvey gets Jason to the station, we see that corruption hasn’t been entirely rooted out of the force. Though a certain Captain Sawyer is on hand to greet him as well as let them all know Gordon needs back-up. Though in all honesty this sets things up for Commissioner James Gordon to take one hell of a fall from grace as what he experienced and saw isn’t anywhere near what the reality of the situation was. Someone is going to a lot of trouble to get Jim Gordon out of the way and do it with finesse not force.
There is some real thought and planning going on by the creative minds on this book and whatever the collaboration is i want it to keep going like this throughout its run! It is amazing, well thought out and executed and keeps the interest and focus on the players in Gotham and not so much Batman but their to him and the consequences of that. As if this wasn’t enough, but what is Scott Snyder working on that hasn’t turned to gold lately? The interiors by Jason Fabok are also masterfully done. I’m definitely what you’d call a peripheral Batman fan, I’m more fans of Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon to be honest but this series is gorgeously rendered and impeccably well co-ordinated between words and visuals. This is how Gotham looks and feels to me and i don’t think it could have been done any better.
