Friday, November 30, 2012

Batman Incorporated #5 Review

BATMAN INCORPORATED #5
by Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham
WARNING: Spoilers!

HOLY. FREAKING. CRAP. Did I just read that?

Every now and then, in any Grant Morrison story that lasts for more than 6 issues, Morrison gives us one big issue that breaks away from the story to give us (what seems like) a transition issue that turns out to have a MASSIVE impact on his story later. This... is not that kind of issue. Instead, it's obvious this issue is foreshadowing things to come, and it's brutal as hell. I love Batman #666, and I'm glad Morrison has brought us back to the future of Damian Batman. Morrison pulled out all the stops for this, and turns the dial to 11. Much of this issue is built on shock value, and boy, does it live up to the word, shock. The last half of this issue is one reveal after another, while giving us a terrifying story to boot. I mean, in this issue, we find out that Doctor Hurt is still alive and well, and mere pages later, Barbara Gordon goes crazy, and snaps a baby's neck. Unlike many transitional issues, we even get some progression in the main story, The issue ends in what I believe, is going to lead to where Bruce is at the start of issue 1. 

Chris Burnham rocks this issue. He draws a truly hopeless vision of the future of Gotham, and does a marvelous job in showing the city fall into chaos.  Watching Burnham's normally cheerful style turn to darkness and doom is heartbreaking. However, there was one panel on the first page where Damian's face is drawn TERRIBLY wrong. It drew me out of the story for a second, but after that, everything flows smoothly.

Batman Inc #5. BUY IT. This is definitely one of the best issues of Morrison's Bat-Saga. Even if you don't read, BUY IT. It will read fine as a single issue.

STORY: 5/5
ART: 4.5/5
VERDICT: 4.5/5


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