After an action-packed eighth issue, Batman: Arkham Knight #9 slows down the pace to deal with the aftermath of Bruce's battle with Harley Quinn and see how our various other heroes are holding up.
That might sound like a bad thing, but Peter Tomasi manages to make this an entertaining issue by filling it with solid character moments that more than make up for the overall lack of forward movement.
Take Lucius Fox, for example. The poor guy got his finger sliced off by Quinn last issue and is currently in the hospital. Naturally, Batman pays him a visit to talk about the stolen tablet and see how Lucius is holding up. Lucius doesn't seem too concerned about the missing tablet - saying the data on it will be wiped if he doesn't log in every 15 minutes. Perhaps he doesn't realize Quinn stole his finger for the thumbprint authorization? But even without a finger Lucius is still determined to move forward and keep working. It's no wonder Lucius is one of Bruce's most trusted allies.
Even the Abramovici brothers (the two one-armed Joker thugs) get some character development. I won't spoil the fun, but it's always great to get a glimpse behind a villains motivations. Even these C-grade villains have goals, aspirations and a history that put them on their current path, so it's a pleasant surprise to see some of that explored here.
This issue is also noteworthy for including Robin. This is the first time the character has shown up for any meaningful amount of time in this run, as he trains against an simulated version of Deadshot in the Batcave. Tomasi is no stranger to the dynamic between Batman and his prodigy, as he currently writes the ongoing Batman and Robin series, and it shows here. The back and forth between the two characters (and Alfred) feels completely natural.
In many ways this issue feels like the calm before the storm. The villains of Gotham are putting their plans into motion, and soon Batman will have to contend with all of them, maybe even at once. But for now Bruce can take a breather and help train his apprentice. Tomasi continues to prove he is well-versed in the ways of the Bat. He is a natural choice for this series and it shows, with each week's issue better than the last. If Tomasi and his inking and coloring team can keep this up all the way to the release of Batman: Arkham Knight in June, it will be a mighty impressive feat.
Story
★★★★☆
Art
★★★☆☆
Overall
★★★★☆
More Comic Book Reviews:
Mortal Kombat #15
Batman: Arkham Knight #8
Batman #39
Convergence #2
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