Gotcha.
The focus on Arkham Asylum provides rich fodder for the Bat
family and this event, but never manages to justify the build-up as contrived
circumstances and underwhelming resolutions mar some beautiful artwork.
SPOILERS FOLLOW……………
Riots break out in Gotham,
while Blackfire continues to try and extract the Spectre from Corrigan to do
his bidding. The attempt isn’t all that successful, as Spectre does come out
through not to do Blackfire’s bidding. The Spirit of Vengeance consigns him and
most of his minions to hell, leading to the collapse of Arkham Asylum (which
was being held up by dark magic).
Batman finally re-establishes contact with Batwing, and
learns that Blackfire has returned. After stopping some combat helicopters from
firing on a rioting group, he makes his way to Arkham, where Alfred is being
held by Dr Milo and Margaret Magpie.
Batwing reconfigures himself and joins the battle, only to
be trapped under the rubble as Arkham collapses, while Corrigan is apparently
‘killed’ by a boulder landing on him. Alfred and Bane are trapped as well,
alongwith some of Blackfire’s stray demons that the Spectre missed.
It’s an entertaining look at Alfred’s past through it would
have been better with a more intelligent and less macho Bane. The fear toxin
continues to make Alfred see delusions, but he manages to outwit and drug Bane
while entering one of the Batcave safehouses at Arkham.
Joker’s daughter tortures a man when a minion of Blackfire
tells her to go to him. She just kills him saying that ‘daddy’ never gave her
orders – which brings into question who ‘daddy’ really is. A shadowy figure
gives her a set of explosives and a crowbar (reminds anyone of somebody
particular?), as she comes across Batman. It’s an easy task for him, especially
with the explosives being fake.
On the surface, Batman takes care of the rest of the
escaping Rogues, which include Zsasz, Clayface and Mr Freeze.
Julia learns that Alfred was transferred to Arkham, but is
safe now. Meanwhile, Hush is spotted by one of WayneTech’s satellites attacking
Stephanie. It’s a big coincidence of all this coming together, but Bruce
reaches the spot and manages to stop Hush – through not before both Stephanie
and Hush disappear.
Coming back to the cave exhausted, Bruce learns that Hush hacked
into his system and stole the location of all his safehouses – and with
Alfred’s prints, now he can access them.
Hush attacks Bruce on two fronts – one, using one of his
safehouses as a bomb that kills a military group and the other, gives some sensitive
information for Jason Bard to give to Vicki for printing.
It’s a bad time to be a bat.
SPOILERS END………………..
Some excellent artwork aside, the contrivances that brought
some events to occur is a little too much – especially with resources being used
that felt like plot device bait.
We finally got a bit of resolution of the Arkham Hell side,
and although it provided some cool visuals, the ending to a particular
character never justified the build-up. A new status quo at the end of the last
issue though can give rise to intriguing possibilities.
So, I give it 8.0 out of 10.
+Some exciting visuals
+Resolution to one of the arcs
+An intriguing new status quo
-An antagonist is given an underwhelming ending
-Contrived circumstances
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