Batman #676(2008).
© DC

Mania Grade: A-
Comic Series: Batman
Issue: 676
Authors: Grant Morrison, Tony Daniel, Sandu Florea
Publisher: DC
Price: $2.99

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Comic Review: BATMAN #676

In this 676^th issue of Batman, writer Grant Morrison begins the arc that will supposedly culminate in the death—or a kind of death—for the titular character.  Batman: R.I.P. promises the end of the Batman at the hands of a group of flamboyantly dressed conspirators called the Black Glove.  Think of a more macabre version of Marvel’s Hellfire Club with a Gotham twist, sans the trappings of aristocracy.  The group apparently wields great power, to the extent that they can reach Bruce Wayne’s girlfriend, Jezebet Jet, with an invitation to their Danse Macabre party.  Good timing, too, as the Batman may need a more formidable nemesis.  Second-rate, would-be super-villains have occupied most of his and Robin’s time.  And, with Jet in on his darkest secret, Wayne need not worry about concealing his identity to her.  What’s a Batman to do but attend a party full of costumed conspirators who want to kill him?  Undoubtedly, readers will find out in a few issues if the Batman really dies, but don’t bank on it.  Still, this group of rich deviants has the wherewithal to contact the Joker in Arkham Asylum during a brief power outage.  The man who laughs can’t wait to get in on the fun, of course.  Meanwhile, Tim Drake still struggles with daddy issues, as he questions whether Damian Wayne—his adopted father’s erstwhile son with Talia al Ghul—is even really Batman’s child.  Tune in next month for more—same Bat-time, same Bat-channel.

Grant Morrison opens his usual bag of tricks by dropping the reader into a world with little exposition.  Pity the casual reader that wants a narrator to spell it out.  Morrison gives Bat-fans a parachute and pushes them out of a plane into a world of conspiracies, macabre introspection, and villains of the worst caliber.  Find your way through the dark with this wet match.  By way of Tony Daniels’s deliciously bloody art, he even shows us a glimpse inside of the Joker’s mind.  The short scenario involves the killer clown, three of Batman’s best friends, and a straight razor.  It’s a surprisingly intense bit for a comic supposedly approved by the Comics Code Authority, but it’s welcome nonetheless.  The Joker is not a nice man.  In a slightly more mundane arena, Bruce Wayne and Jezebel Jet continue their romance unabated by her knowledge of his secret identity.  Morrison has, thankfully, removed the need for a series of implausible vignettes—ones in which Wayne has to lie endlessly about his scars and whereabouts.  But, one can’t help but wonder how the Black Glove’s Danse Macabre will throw their relationship into turmoil.  No woman sticks around Wayne very long, anyway, except perhaps for Catwoman.

Artist Tony Daniel returns after an interlude last issue by Ryan Benjamin.  Daniel continues to serve the series well, balancing the brighter aspects of Wayne’s life—romancing Jet—with the darker ones of the Batman.  The glimpse inside the Joker’s mind must be one of the most gruesome images ever put to paper in a code-approved Batman comic.  But, it speaks of his skill as an artist that he can alternate dark and light with deftness and grace.  His regular people look appropriate, and his super-villains look horrifying, insane, or both.  He’s done a fine job on this issue.

Batman: R.I.P. is probably a good place for new readers to jump on, but they may want to seek out the rest of Morrison’s run on the series first.

Questions? Comments? Let us know what you think at comicscape@mania.com.