Review:
In his long, 80+ year history, Batman's tales have had many different flavours. At times campy and silly, other times dark, violent, brooding. Sometimes packed with action, occasionally filled with pensive, introspective analysis. From battling thugs in alleys to space-faring extra-terrestrial adventures.
This collection is decidedly on the mystical, numinous end of the spectrum and is all the more remarkable for the prominent women throughout.
Catwoman's presence is a given, as these stories are part of the run-up to the 2018 wedding of the Bat and the Cat. But for two chapters, they are separated while Batman spends decades battling a never-ending horde of monsters alongside Wonder Woman. The setup is that the Gentle Man, who has sworn to battle those same hordes for all eternity, needs a break. Batman and Wonder Woman make good on a past promise to give him a day off. But time moves differently in that mystical land and thirty years pass for them while the Gentle Man takes his time visiting family for an evening.
The setup is reminiscent of Marvel's 2011 storyline leading to the death of the Human Torch, who sacrificed himself to stop a horde in the billions from passing through the portal into our universe (see my review here). But while it is clear why Johnny Storm battles those hordes; in the Gentle Man's tale it is not clear what Batman and Wonder Woman are protecting and why they must do battle for these many decades. It is the one, rather large, plot flaw in this otherwise fantastically plotted and imaginatively unique Batman tale.
Poison Ivy stars in the next three chapters, as Batman and Catwoman are apparently the only people in the whole world not under her control. To save the world, all of Nature and the Green, she has extended her ability to control people chemically in shocking new ways. She makes brilliant use of Justice League members in order to keep tabs on the pair. And yet, they are clearly not themselves: Catwoman easily takes out three Flashes, while Batman knocks out Superman with a whistle - hilarious!
Ivy's actions, however, have only superficially controlled Harley Quinn, which Batman manages to use to break through. It spins into a tale with a lot of conversation about human hurt, brokenness and healing. The result is an at-times gripping and fun if slow-moving therapy session of a tale.
These two centrepieces are bookended by standalone tales, the first much in line with classic Detective Comics tales requiring Batman to solve a confusing chain of murders. The final standalone tale that closes this collection shows us how Catwoman shops for her wedding dress. In her own, inimitable style, of course! With awesome insertions of historical Catwoman outfits, this final tale is a balance between sleepy and fast-paced, with a light and humourous tone throughout.
As the wedding day draws nearer, this collection gives us some delightfully off the wall tales of the Bat and the Cat. 4 capes!
Description:
The path to the altar has never been so dangerous!
Not long after Batman announces his engagement to Catwoman, he and Wonder Woman are called to honor an old commitment requiring them to fight for Earth in a distant, magical realm. But time flows strangely in this new land, and an hour in our world could be years there. The storied friendship between two great heroes begins to unravel--while the universe itself does the same around them!
Next, the Bat and the Cat find themselves isolated as Poison Ivy seemingly takes over the rest of the world, including the Justice League! Can they nip Ivy's plans in the bud before the whole world falls under her dominion? After all, there's still a wedding to plan...
The big day approaches in these stories from Batman #38-44, from author Tom King (Mister Miracle) and artists Mikel Janín (Grayson), Joëlle Jones (Supergirl: Being Super) and Travis Moore (Fables: The Wolf Among Us).
Collects: Batman #38-44
Authors: Tom King
Artists: Mikel Janin, Tony S. Daniel
Published By: DC Comics
Published When: July 31, 2018
Parental Rating: Teen
ISBN: 978-1401280277
Pages: 168 pages
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