Review: Batman Eternal Volume 2

With Jim Gordon behind bars and Alfred Pennyworth recovering from an injury, Batman must enlist the aid of SAS operative Julia Pennyworth to track down the villain Hush. Meanwhile, Spoiler continues her crusade against her father Cluemaster and Catwoman is targeted by the gang lord Louis Ferryman after she interferes with his operations.

Batman Eternal Volume 2 collects Batman Eternal #22-34, conceived by Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV. It features scripts by James Tynion IV, Ray Fawkes, Tim Seeley, and Kyle Higgins, with art by such artists as Fernando Pasarin, Jason Fabok, and Dustin Nguyen.

Just as with the previous collection, volume two of Batman Eternal is densely plotted with an oversized cast and numerous subplots. Thankfully, it's been refocused to concentrate on three central narratives - Batman's pursuit of Hush, Spoiler's actions against her father, and Catwoman's involvement with Gotham's criminal underworld. However, it does also tie up the loose ends of plots from the previous collection as well. 

Of the primary storylines presented here, the bulk of the action is concerned with Batman and Julia's burgeoning partnership as they work in unison to uncover the truth about the recent events in Gotham City. Batman believes it to be the work of his old foe Hush, which leads him on a hunt across the city. The most engaging aspect to this narrative is the dynamic between Batman and Julia, as well as the overall development of her character. As an operative of SAS, she's used to working in the field and seems out of place working behind the computers in the Batcave. Even still, her ability to adapt and fill the role her father once filled is quite remarkable. Similarly, there's quite a bit of development done with Catwoman as well. The purpose of her inclusion in this particular chunk of Batman Eternal is to shift her character from independent thief to queen of Gotham's underworld. It's a bold new direction for the Feline Fatale that works really well and that I find to be absolutely brilliant. 

While the story has been streamlined, the art in this collection is inconsistent. Since Batman Eternal employs a variety of artists to provide the pencils for the series, it creates an uneven tone that lacks a uniform aesthetic. There's a lot of lacklustre art, particularly early on, that is muddy and lacks dynamism. However, there are some artists whose work stands out tremendously. Javier Garron, Meghan Hetrick, and Jason Fabok all contribute memorable art that shows just how magnetic the series could be visually.

Batman Eternal Volume 2 is an improvement over the previous collection, which was admittedly quite stuffed. The emphasis placed on character development is refreshing from the more action-oriented issues that preceded this volume. The storylines presented here are still quite involved and requires a working knowledge of the Batman mythos, especially since there are some lesser known characters who appear here. Fans of Spoiler and Catwoman are sure to enjoy this trade, though those who enjoyed Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee's Hush are likely to find this to be an unfavourable rehash of it.

RATING: B-