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+
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