Batman Eternal 6
May. 14th, 2014 09:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
espanolbot posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
scans_dailyThe issue opens with Batwing getting into a fight with someone that I was sure was meant to be the Architect from Gates of Gotham, but in-fact turns out to be the New 52 version of the Gentleman Ghost in his steampunk Spawn get up. Anyways, Batman comes along to help out, sending the ghost away with some nth metal batarangs, which he says makes Jim leave for a while, though he's not exactly sure why.
Batwing is skeptical over Jim being an actual ghost rather than being a dude with holograms or some other sci-fi malarky, even more so when it turns out space metal can be used to ward off said "ghosts". Batman tells him that he learnt a long time ago that there are things that even he can't explain existing in the cracks of the world, and that denying that they exist just gives them more power.
Anyways, Batwing explains that he was investigating an enormous shipment of weaponry being brought into Gotham by Falcone's men (including anti-tank stuff), when the Gentleman Ghost jumped him. The pair decide to sabotage the weapons but tag the trucks, that way they can keep them out of the Roman's hands while finding out where they're going. And while they're discussing this, Dr Phospherous watches them through a crack in the sidewalk. Seems that he'd melted his way out of Arkham and is wandering back and forth between the asylum and the rest of Gotham writing on the walls with his radioactive handprints...
Back at the Batcave, Bruce has a visitor...
"...and a strong mind."
Over in Arkham, eldritch things are afoot. At least, more so than usual. A patient complains to his doctor about needing drugs to keep his nightmares away, and how they seem to be getting worse. Without speaking, the doctor starts wandering down a stairway into the basement of the hospital, and the patient follows him, thinking that maybe he's taking him to get some more therapy or something. Instead amongst the pipes, rust and shadows, the patient finds other inmates just being allowed to wander the maze of corridors under the hospital, seemingly perfectly okay with the setting and the bizarre green glow coming from the depths of the asylum.
Wordlessly, the doctor keeps walking, and the patient follows him despite his nervousness. Eventually, they stop, in a hallway coverd in black handprints, and the man explains that he isn't actually the patient's doctor, and how the drugs he'd been giving him weren't meant to expell the nightmares, rather to make it impossible for him to disobey him. He commands the patient to continue down the hallway, and asks his master what they should do with the patient. His dreams are stronger than most, so he might have... talent.
The boss of the "doctor" is revealed: it's the Joker's Daughter.
Batwing flies over to the hospital, where he meets up with Corrigan, who "breaks the rules" by giving him some magical protection before they enter the asylum. Lucas says he wasn't sure if the things that Bruce told him about Corrigan were, such as if he starts smoking at the eyes and mouth he should just run and not look at what happens next... which Corrigan admits wouldn't be a bad idea.
Elsewhere, Bruce it following the trail of Falcone's weapons shipment, only for a bomb to go off in a warehouse that happens to belong to the Penguin, with one of the tagged trucks being spotted leaving the scene. Batman says that he needs to get Falcone and his men off the street as quickly as possible, as once the Penguin gets his act together and begins a series of escalating reprisals the city would become a bloodbath, particularly under a deliberately inept commissioner like Forbes.
He pursues the trucks through the city, while elsewhere Phospherous sits among a collection of explosive barrels awaiting instructions. And just as the truck gets to his position... he ignites them, blowing up the trucks and a good section of street from below. Eep.
Next week: Professor Pyg returns!
Overview: Things seem to be heading into a new direction now, with it appearing that Falcone is somewhere tangentially connected with magic-orientated villains rather than just the costumed-set like Arthur Brown. The fact that he's got something occult going on at the side certainly provides one possible explaination for how Jim was made to see a gun that wasn't there anyway...
The move of using Phospherous to make it seem that Batman somehow (presumably) blew up a bunch of trucks in the middle of Gotham city looks like it'll certainly add more credibility to Forbes' anti-Batman crusade. Manufacturing reasons why Batman should be arrested that effectively counterbalance the good he does is actually pretty smart on the villains' part, if that's intended. So kudos.
I liked the spookiness of what's going on at Arkham, I would say that the writers and artists might have been playing Outlast, but considering these issues were written around a year ago that's probably not very likely.
Looking forward to next week, though in week 8 or 10 there's apparently a long-missing female Bat Character making a return... hoping that it's Cass showing up to teach Steph how to live on the streets or something, but we'll have to see.
Batwing is skeptical over Jim being an actual ghost rather than being a dude with holograms or some other sci-fi malarky, even more so when it turns out space metal can be used to ward off said "ghosts". Batman tells him that he learnt a long time ago that there are things that even he can't explain existing in the cracks of the world, and that denying that they exist just gives them more power.
Anyways, Batwing explains that he was investigating an enormous shipment of weaponry being brought into Gotham by Falcone's men (including anti-tank stuff), when the Gentleman Ghost jumped him. The pair decide to sabotage the weapons but tag the trucks, that way they can keep them out of the Roman's hands while finding out where they're going. And while they're discussing this, Dr Phospherous watches them through a crack in the sidewalk. Seems that he'd melted his way out of Arkham and is wandering back and forth between the asylum and the rest of Gotham writing on the walls with his radioactive handprints...
Back at the Batcave, Bruce has a visitor...
"...and a strong mind."
Over in Arkham, eldritch things are afoot. At least, more so than usual. A patient complains to his doctor about needing drugs to keep his nightmares away, and how they seem to be getting worse. Without speaking, the doctor starts wandering down a stairway into the basement of the hospital, and the patient follows him, thinking that maybe he's taking him to get some more therapy or something. Instead amongst the pipes, rust and shadows, the patient finds other inmates just being allowed to wander the maze of corridors under the hospital, seemingly perfectly okay with the setting and the bizarre green glow coming from the depths of the asylum.
Wordlessly, the doctor keeps walking, and the patient follows him despite his nervousness. Eventually, they stop, in a hallway coverd in black handprints, and the man explains that he isn't actually the patient's doctor, and how the drugs he'd been giving him weren't meant to expell the nightmares, rather to make it impossible for him to disobey him. He commands the patient to continue down the hallway, and asks his master what they should do with the patient. His dreams are stronger than most, so he might have... talent.
The boss of the "doctor" is revealed: it's the Joker's Daughter.
Batwing flies over to the hospital, where he meets up with Corrigan, who "breaks the rules" by giving him some magical protection before they enter the asylum. Lucas says he wasn't sure if the things that Bruce told him about Corrigan were, such as if he starts smoking at the eyes and mouth he should just run and not look at what happens next... which Corrigan admits wouldn't be a bad idea.
Elsewhere, Bruce it following the trail of Falcone's weapons shipment, only for a bomb to go off in a warehouse that happens to belong to the Penguin, with one of the tagged trucks being spotted leaving the scene. Batman says that he needs to get Falcone and his men off the street as quickly as possible, as once the Penguin gets his act together and begins a series of escalating reprisals the city would become a bloodbath, particularly under a deliberately inept commissioner like Forbes.
He pursues the trucks through the city, while elsewhere Phospherous sits among a collection of explosive barrels awaiting instructions. And just as the truck gets to his position... he ignites them, blowing up the trucks and a good section of street from below. Eep.
Next week: Professor Pyg returns!
Overview: Things seem to be heading into a new direction now, with it appearing that Falcone is somewhere tangentially connected with magic-orientated villains rather than just the costumed-set like Arthur Brown. The fact that he's got something occult going on at the side certainly provides one possible explaination for how Jim was made to see a gun that wasn't there anyway...
The move of using Phospherous to make it seem that Batman somehow (presumably) blew up a bunch of trucks in the middle of Gotham city looks like it'll certainly add more credibility to Forbes' anti-Batman crusade. Manufacturing reasons why Batman should be arrested that effectively counterbalance the good he does is actually pretty smart on the villains' part, if that's intended. So kudos.
I liked the spookiness of what's going on at Arkham, I would say that the writers and artists might have been playing Outlast, but considering these issues were written around a year ago that's probably not very likely.
Looking forward to next week, though in week 8 or 10 there's apparently a long-missing female Bat Character making a return... hoping that it's Cass showing up to teach Steph how to live on the streets or something, but we'll have to see.
no subject
Date: 2014-05-14 10:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-05-14 10:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-05-14 10:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-05-15 06:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-05-15 01:23 pm (UTC)Renee: Sorry, editorial mandate.
no subject
Date: 2014-05-15 12:14 am (UTC)Very intriguing stuff. Really getting into this book. :D
no subject
Date: 2014-05-15 03:08 am (UTC)The Spectre stuff looks neat though.
no subject
Date: 2014-05-15 03:35 am (UTC)I'm half surprised that Bruce actually listens to him and offers assistance, instead of growling "Get out of my city."
no subject
Date: 2014-05-15 01:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-05-15 03:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-05-15 03:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-05-15 04:45 am (UTC)http://wrestling.insidepulse.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Batman-Jokers-Daughter-1-spoilers-2.jpg
no subject
Date: 2014-05-15 05:49 am (UTC)...unless you're Two-Face, I guess. Precedent!
no subject
Date: 2014-05-15 03:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-05-15 05:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-05-18 02:19 am (UTC)Then Joker's Daughter shows up with her stupid mask, wearing an outfit she stole from Avril Lavigne's trash. My interest dropped so fast it gave me whiplash.