Sunday, June 11, 2017

Batman Vol. 6: Graveyard Shift

This collection is a mixed bag of single & double issue stories that Scott Snyder & friends put together.  Issue zero in this book really is connected to the Zero Year story-arc so I don’t understand why it wasn’t collected in those volumes particularly the first volume.  However that story is not as important it is the backup written by James Tynion IV that focuses on the first lighting of the Bat-Signal it showcases so many characters of the Bat-Family in there & how inspired they are by seeing the signal.  As a Batman fan I have a big problem with this in that it skews Jason Todd’s origin writers seem to forget that he was ever Robin & keep throwing references to him becoming Red Hood.  That they forget why he took the Red Hood persona in the first place, it was to psychologically mess with Batman due to his history with the Joker & what the Joker did to Jason Todd.  This is one of the biggest problems for me out of the New 52 era.  I also have issues with how they have treated Tim Drake but that is a discussion for another entry. 

The next story is the requiem issue for Robin R.I.P. which was the finally of Grant Morrison’s multi-year spanning Batman run through multiple titles.  This issue sees Batman deal with the loss of another Robin but this time it goes much deeper as Damien Wayne was his son.  This is also a very Harper Row centered story.  The following two issue arc is a Clayface story that is truly suspenseful.  I have come to realize that Snyder may not always write the best voice for Batman but for his rogues gallery he is spot on.  The backup’s to the Clayface story take on the mystical side of Gotham City.  It’s not a great story but it is nice to see Batman & Superman team-up.  The following single issue story is a Batman Eternal crossover that was written by Snyder & friends.  This crossover sees many things happen such as Jim Gordon be arrested, Catwoman becoming the Kingpin of crime in Gotham City & the return of Stephanie Brown as Spoiler. 


There are two more single issue stories one which sees Batman helping the staff of Arkham Asylum test out their new security system.  Batman comes face to face with one of the oldest inmates of Arkham.  She accuses Batman of changing the purpose of Arkham from a place of healing to a living hell.  The next story showcases that no criminal is above the law when it comes to crime & they are not below Batman’s radar.  Batman is on the hunt for a serial killer who is murdering Dr. Thompkins patients & burying them in potter’s field.  It is a great little story about Batman’s crusade on terror.


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