Failsafe has succeeded in defeating any and everyone else that poses a threat to Gotham except for one, Batman. Despite having lost the battle he has yet to win the war, and maybe his best option to win isn’t to be found on earth, but elsewhere.
It can be very difficult trying to conjure the right words to describe a book that you pick up to read and reflect upon. Especially when writing reviews about comics that manage to garner one’s attention. And this book that Zdarsky has been writing has been nothing less than amazing for a variety of reasons. The way Zdarsky handles the cast of characters that seamlessly appear in and out this book, all feeling three dimensional, fully realized, and consistent regardless of how brief they appear in the midst of Batman’s plight is well written, well paced and well characterized.
The bits with Aquaman and Batman as they correspond with one another, or Batman holding himself accountable for youthful mistakes continue to be a shining example of why this Zdarsky run has been enjoyable. It’s a fast-paced book that leaves you wanting more, with great characterizations of the caped crusader and his cast of characters that feels consistent with their characters while also pushing them in interesting directions that feel natural and fresh simultaneously. Failsafe continues to be arguably one of the best-written Batman villains that is noteworthy to his gallery, and Zdarsky rewardingly reminds us why every time someone steps up to the plate, regardless if they are Batman or not, they’re viciously defeated by Failsafe’s hands as designed. It’s an over-the-top, action-packed story that convinces the reader of the stakes that’s happening despite the nature of mainstream superhero comics. Even the backup feature that continues to explore the origins of Batman’s Zur-En-Arrh personality, illustrated by Leonardo Romero and colored by Jordie Bellaire is just as entertaining as the main book.
In tandem to Zdarsky’s adrenaline-fueled writing, Jorge Jimenez is knocking it out of the park with his hyper-stylized art that exudes all kinds of cool to ever grace a comic page within the superhero genre and comics medium. It’s not that Jimenez’s art looks cool stylistically, but his enthusiasm is truly felt with every page layout, choreographed scenes, and panel layouts that it is undeniably his best work to date. And coupled with Morey’s color work and Clayton Cowles’s lettering embellishing this entire book, it’s an easy read that is fast, invigorating, and entertaining as a book within the superhero genre of comics. If there is ever a time to jump into a mainstream Batman book, or a mainstream superhero title, this is one worth checking out. Add this to your pull list for new comic book day.
Newsdesk