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September 11 2010

DC Comics
Story: Adam Beechen
Art: Ryan Benjamin, John Stanisci, David Baron

As part of an effort to add Batman Beyond into the mainstream DC Universe, Terry McGinnis’ Batman has been making more appearances in comics, including a lead spot in the Superman/Batman Annual #4 (2010), which was actually quite good (expect a review soon).  We’re also being treated to a six-part limited series which has Batman battling an old nemesis of Buce’s; Hush.

This series takes place in 2039, and in terms of continuity, it’s after McGinnis defeats the “reborn Joker” in the movie Batman Beyond - Return of the Joker (check out the Original Uncut Version).

Issue 1 starts with the mysterious break out of a subject at the Cadmus facility.  Not much information is given here, and it’s basically just a setup for later. 

The action begins a few pages later with Batman fighting Spellbinder.  The fight lasts 5 pages, and it’s very well choreographed, however it goes on far too long considering Spellbinder never gets off a hypnotism spell.  This just doesn’t fit.  Spellbinder was a high school counsellor, and yet he’s holding his own against Batman for 5 pages, doing backflips and aerial kicks.

As if that were not confusing enough, Batman gets visited by Micron asking if Batman would reconsider their offer to join the Justice League.  I’m hoping there will be a reason for this later in the series and that it wasn’t just put there for the few interesting panels between Terry and Bruce as they discuss Bruce’s involvement in the Justice League many years earlier.

There is real friction between Bruce and Terry in this issue, and having read the next couple, I can safely say it gets worse.  As Terry investigates who is killing old foes of the original Batman, he’s also having to deal with Bruce in his cowl.

With the exception of the Spellbinder fight at the start, I was very impressed with this first issue.  Had they chosen another foe, perhaps Inque, whom he mentions at the start of the issue, I’d have been a lot happier with it as a whole.

Still, the art is absolutely fantastic, and the writing is solid.  Dialogue between all of the characters is engaging, especially between Bruce and Terry.  And, of course, the action doesn’t slow down for very long, which is something we’re used to with the Batman Beyond IP. 

Screenshots

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