By Grant Morrison (story), Lee Garbett (pencils), Trevor Scott (inks), Guy Major (colors)
Grant Morrison takes a trip down memory lane, flashing to key points of Batman’s life while slowly weaving the story into the events happening in Final Crisis. These memories run all over the place, ranging from golden age to modern times. There’s a good story flow here and one that even casual readers will be able to follow without too much trouble. But per usual, those with intimate Batman knowledge will get the most bang for their buck.
The story also reads rather quickly, serving as a refresher for Bat’s life while not feeling overly compressed. If you’re wanting more resolution to the RIP storyline, however, you’re not going to find it here. And that’s probably the most disappointing aspect of all. To his credit, Lee Garbett does a rather impressive job in keeping pace with Morrison’s almost schizophrenic script.
Those wanting the final fate of Bruce Wayne are going to have to wait a little longer. Batman #682 serves as a time capsule before our hero goes away. Personally, I think readers should pass on this one. If you don’t read it, you’re not missing out on anything.
Grade: C
– J. Montes
A Second Opinion
I agree with Jason that most readers should pass on this one. It’s half of a two-book story that could probably be told in a thick one-shot. Because of that, this issue feels like an excuse to get a few more bucks out of fans. I do however like Morrison’s version of the Joker. The idea of him having some sort of super-sanity or a consistent reinvention of himself is an intriguing possibility.
We were promised answers in 681 that we didn’t get, and it’s more of the same here. I like Grant Morrison as much as the next guy, but how long does he think he can keep this up? Sooner or later the fans are going to turn on him, this story, and his style of storytelling. The “style” being all setup and no payoff. At the risk of sounding crude, the last year or so, RIP and Final Crisis in particular are just verbal masturbation on Morrison’s part. I know a good bit about Batman and I’m still lost as to what’s going on half the time. Are all of this obscure references to the past an inside joke for him and the elite DC fan? Is he intentionally alienating the casual fan? You decide. The point is, just because you use big words or throw in long-forgotten references doesn’t mean the story is great, epic, or groundbreaking.
Grade C-
-Ben Berger
Grade
Conclusion