You've got to hand it to writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo. They've taken their share of big risks with their latest Batman arc, from replacing Bruce with Jim Gordon to introducing a brand new villain, but they knock it out of the park every time.
There is very little here to immediately identify this Batman story as having anything to do with Batman.
Keep reading, however, and you'll find that, at its core, this is still the story of the Dark Knight. What is the Dark Knight without his rogue's gallery?
When it's all said and done, Mr. Bloom may be the most enduring piece to come from an arc that has been chock-full of new ideas. He's sadistic, grotesque and mysterious in a way we haven't seen for a long time, with Capullo's artwork doing wonders. When we last saw the character in issue #45, Bloom had raided Gotham Police Department Headquarters by crashing the Bat-Blimp into it. This issue picks up right after that moment in what makes for a revelatory issue that puts all the spotlight on Batman's new big-bad.
It's hard not to be entranced and terrified as you read Bloom's lines. Despite being incredibly creepy, the character has a certain charisma to him that makes every panel Bloom's in a joy to read, as he punctuates his words by maiming the guests at the banquet. This is the most we've seen of the character to date, and as soon as he slips off page, you're already wishing he would return.
There are a number of big revelations this issue that we won't get into too much here, but needless to say, the idea of expanding the Batman program to other cities (and superheroes) is a fascinating concept that is hopefully explored further in future issues. It ties in perfectly with the idea of what Batman's legacy is and what he means as a symbol.
It's a subject this arc has dealt with regularly. Jim has come to understand the idea of Batman in a more traditional sense, a lone vigilante who does what others can't to keep Gotham safe, somebody who occasionally goes above the law and red tape to do what needs to be done. Others in the government and police view Batman differently. To them, adopting Batman as a symbol is an attempt to inspire hope and trust in the government, hope and trust that has all but dried up over the years.
By wanting to spread the idea of government-backed heroes in armored suits to other cities, along the way, adopting the iconography of other heroes to instill trust, it becomes clear that the program is less about keeping people safe and more about having control. Though Snyder and Capullo's Batman series doesn't look like the Batman of years past, its core themes strike at the very heart of what Batman is and what he does. Issue #46 promises a fateful showdown between Gordon and Mr. Bloom to come next issue, and we personally can't wait to see the results.
Story
★★★★☆
Art
★★★★☆
Overall
★★★★☆
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Batman #44
Batman #45
Mad Max: Fury Road: Max #1
Batman Arkham: Knight #24
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