Written by Sam Hamm
Art by Joe Quinones; Leonardo Ito; & Clayton Cowles
Cover Art by Joe Quinones
SUMMARY:
Released by DC Comics for November 2021, this issue is entitled “Shadows, Chapter Two.” Eluding Gotham police, Batman inadvertently contributes to heartbreaking tragedy at a Burnside tenement. Possessing one of Batman’s high-tech batarangs as evidence, District Attorney Harvey Dent draws closer to suspecting the Dark Knight’s secret identity. In the blue-collar Burnside neighborhood, mechanic Drake (as a hooded Robin) dispatches some teenage Bat-themed punks (reminiscent of The Dark Knight Returns) attempting to rip off a closed retail store. One thug tails Drake back to his home above the garage he works at.
Along with a guilt-ridden Bruce Wayne, Harvey Dent works to ingratiate himself with Burnside’s community. Dent privately thinks that the distracted Wayne has more money than brains. A retaliatory fire draws Dent and Wayne into action. Catwoman’s unexpected presence detains a ski-masked Wayne. In a cliffhanger, Dent’s rescue efforts to save Drake from the blaze may result in further tragedy.
Note: Though his image isn’t provided, artist Mitch Gerads produced the variant cover.
REVIEW:
Let’s start with the plus column. The art squad’s visuals easily surpass DC’s lackluster 1992 one-shot adaptation of Batman Returns. In particular, these new likenesses of Billy Dee Williams, Michael Keaton, Michael Gough, and (briefly seen) Michelle Pfeiffer are excellent. Only the imagining of Marlon Wayans as Drake/Robin is generic. Writer Sam Hamm (who penned the Batman ’89 screenplay and initial drafts of Batman Returns) takes a fresh approach swapping out ghoulish super-villains for some contemporary social messaging. Suffice to say, this Keaton-esque Batman is realistically fallible, as his ongoing mistakes should have Dent eyeing Bruce Wayne as his prime Bat-suspect.
The downside is: if one wants more of Keaton’s memorable presence (i.e. sudden bursts of manic intensity) from his first Batman, then be ready for disappointment. Some odd in-jokes aside (like the Batcave’s giant penny), this Batman ‘89’s Bruce Wayne/Batman is really Batman Returns’ subdued, world-weary, and greying incarnation … where a mellow Keaton blends into the background.
Briefly inserting Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman doesn’t help matters, as her scene makes too little sense, plot-wise. The only what-if inference readers might readily draw from Issue # 2 is that Billy Dee Williams might have been better cast as Commissioner Gordon over Pat Hingle vs. playing an ultra-slick makeover of Harvey Dent. Otherwise, this second installment is somewhat disappointing, as there isn’t enough going on to justify humming Danny Elfman’s iconic Batman theme.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
The ‘DC Nation’ spotlight interviews writer Joshua Williamson to hype his new Deathstroke Inc. series co-starring Black Canary. There’s also a note posthumously remembering comic book printer Gabriel Sauro.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6 Stars
