“We did what you like. Now we do what I like”
After the of Santa Prisca mission, and the retrieval of Psycho Pirate, things are calm at the moment. Within the starry night of Gotham City, Batman and Catwoman have an important discussion as to what will be done to Catwoman. Will Batman turn her into her lawful doom? Will Catwoman accept her death sentence? Or will it be just a simple, intimate night out for the Cat and the Bat?
This issue reminded me of issue #7, it felt like a one-shot kind of issue. It’s filled with some humorous moments and banter between Batman and Catwoman. After the I AM Suicide arc which helped King find his footing, this mini feels like a departure in terms of tone. It’s actually a humorous tone, which isn’t bad, it’s usually uncommon for Batman, let alone the self-titled series. There is something humorously believable when it comes to Tom King’s version of Batman, where even in the most serious moments, there is a bit of dry hot that tends to seep through. Examples such as Catwoman’s banter with Batman about what he likes to do on his downtime, and every time they’re about to engage in something romantic, the bat signal just beams into the sky, constantly interrupting them. It’s that kind of humor that makes it somewhat interesting in a Bat title. In a way, I could see this being a one-off episode that would have fit in with the Bruce Timm Batman The Animates Series. Nonetheless, it’s weird seeing Batman and Catwoman always on a rooftop somewhere out in the cold engaging in a physical romance, because it’s been done before, but it’s still an awkwardly written shtick that tends to happen since the start of the New 52. But that’s just my nitpick.
The artwork by Mitch Gerads is beautiful. It’s got a graphic quality similar to Mike Janine’s art from the prior arc, but it’s not as strong in comparison, and it’s a slightly different animal. That observation doesn’t take away from Mitch Gerads artwork, though. His artwork still achieves a beautifully lively, illustrated palate displaying these characters and their subdued emotions which are slowly rising when they actually engage in conversation. In addition, Gerads does a good job at doing the inking and coloring as well.m, giving it the nice cold, wintery Gotham feel. There is a beautiful double spread page displaying Batman and Catwoman kissing which would make for a good screensaver on any device. Overall, this was an enjoyable issue, I’m wondering how Tom King will develop as a writer on Batman. After he found his footing with the I Am Suicide Arc, I only wonder if he can execute it again. Despite this issue being a more toned down issue, it’s still a nice read, but it’s not gonna make you react in the same way as the arc prior. Still, it’s a good 7 out of 10.
Newsdesk