Review: Batman Eternal Volume 3

Having captured Hush, Batman realizes that Gotham City's recent misfortunes have been orchestrated by another mastermind. As Gotham's mysterious antagonist nears his endgame, Batman must rely on rookie hero Bluebird and the rest of the Family to defeat his foe and return order to the city.

Batman Eternal Volume 3 collects Batman Eternal #35-52, conceived by Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV and with scripts by Tynion IV, Tim Seeley, Ray Fawkes, and Kyle Higgins.

In many ways, the concluding handful of Batman Eternal's issues is reminiscent of the iconic Knightfall storyline. Batman's most iconic enemies have been released from Arkham Asylum and are wreaking havoc on Gotham City as part of a mysterious mastermind's plan to defeat and humiliate Batman. What helps to set Batman Eternal apart is its utilization of the Batman Family, which goes to show how far Batman has come in his ability to trust others. As a result of this, we get to see some really great showdowns between the Batman Family and the rogues of Gotham. As a Batgirl fan, I'm especially happy about the fact that the male members of the Batman Family require help taking down their targets whereas Batgirl is able to do so solo. She's just that good. Beyond that, what makes the conclusion of Batman Eternal so memorable and distinct is its double twists during the reveal of the true mastermind behind all of Gotham City's tragedies. The revelation is absolutely brilliant as it really is a character that no one would have suspected, thus providing an unpredictable ending to what would otherwise be a fairly standard Batman story arc.

In my review of the previous volume in this series, I detailed my affection for the character development that became central to the narrative once the convoluted subplots were resolved. This collection continues this trend in spades. By this point, Catwoman has fully taken control of Gotham City as its new kingpin and she rather hilariously had Killer Croc as her enforcer. As I've said before, it's a really smart move for her character and it opens up a lot of great avenues for her to grow. What is also great about this is that it alters her dynamic with Batman and maintains an edge her character had been losing. Another standout character is Harper Row, who finally makes her debut as the vigilante Bluebird. Decked out in one of the coolest costumes we've seen in the 2010s, she makes quite the impression as she helps to rescue Spoiler from Catwoman and aids in the defeat of the Mad Hatter and Mister Freeze. Of course, what I like best is the interactions she has with the other characters. From her flirtations with Red Robin to her friendly rivalry with Spoiler, she comes across as a multi-dimensional character who fits in remarkably well within the Batman Family. Needless to say, she's an excellent edition to their team.

There's very little to nitpick about Batman Eternal Volume 3. The payoff that the conclusions offers us far outweighs the messy subplots that dragged down the quality of the first volume in this series. This collection shows how a storyline can build and improve despite having a weak foundation. The personalities and decisions made in this volume are all on point, particularly with standouts like Catwoman, Spoiler, and Bluebird. The ultimate reveal is really great and the writers manage to pull off at least a couple twists that will leave any reader impressed. While the art of this trade is handled by a rotating assortment of artists, it's much higher in quality. Of those who contributed pencils to this volume, Joe Quinones, David Lafuente, and Juan Ferreyra are my favourites due to their colourful and dynamic styles that offer a kinetic energy to the narrative and characters. Overall, Batman Eternal is worthy of being regarded as a great storyline in spite of its faults and should be read by any fan of Gotham City's Dark Knight and his costumed allies.

RATING: B+

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-