Batman #3 – Matt Fraction, Writer; Jorge Jimenez, Artist; Tomeu Morey, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: Matt Fraction’s run has been off to a great start, with a tone that’s more chaotic than your average Bat-run. There is no main story so far, although it seems like Vandal Savage – in his role as police commissioner – is taking on the role of the main villain. Last issue saw Batman and Tim Drake barely escape with their lives from a pair of rogue cops, one of whom was killed by his partner. Now, Savage plans to use this death to authorize an anti-Bat killsquad. Tim, meanwhile, is recovering from a bullet wound in the hospital, which has raised some suspicions among his boyfriend Bernard – in a clever revival of a plot that dates back to the very first Robin solo series in the 1990s. There are a lot of other little interesting stories, such as Damian getting early admission to Gotham University and being pushed by Bruce to focus on his future; and an amusingly low-tech new Bat-signal being put together by Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock.
But there’s also a larger plot weaving through this issue, and it’s about mental health. The young doctor who was working with Killer Croc in the first issue has debuted a new invention – the Crown of Storms, an electronic device that supposedly regulates electricity in the brain and can help tame the twisted minds of Arkham’s inmates. She paints it as a humanitarian option, while Hugo Strange is strongly opposed – suspiciously so. This becomes a much more pressing issue when Riddler makes his next move – but as Batman answers his questions, it becomes clear that Nygma is not in a good place. He’s frantically rattling off weak riddles, trying to get his compulsion under control, and Batman winds up sedating him. So far, this run seems like it’s trying to get ahead of all the questions about how Batman operates and painting a picture of a more responsible, more human Batman for the future.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes
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