- As Batman and Zeiss continue to circle each other, an Bruce’s old friend (and first kiss!) Mallory Moxon shows back up in town.
- The trouble is, Mallory seems to be following in her mobster father’s footsteps—and the two seem to be involved in Zeiss’s murder of Bruce and Batman’s friend Jeremy Samuels.
- Also, an alien and a demented, Jokerized Santa Claus cause commotion in Gotham.
- Brubaker’s take on Batman reminds me a lot of The Animated Series in its voice—it’s very easy, in fact, to read these issues with the voices and deliveries of the show’s voice actors.
- McDaniel, Story, Sowd, Owens, and Tewes’s art also evokes BtAS; and if you have ever wondered about the ways different inkers’ styles can influence pages, this arc is a great example.
The first volume of Brubaker’s Batman occupies an interesting space: it feels like something classic, but it hinges entirely on characters who aren’t. It’s a lot of fun, and its Batman is a more human, relatable character than more recent takes. If you find yourself looking for tales of the Caped Crusader dealing with villains and relationships other than the usuals, you should check this out.
Collected in
- Batman by Ed Brubaker, Vol. 1 (#582-586, 591-597, Batman: Our Worlds at War #1)
Credits
Writer: Ed Brubaker | Penciller: Scott McDaniel | Inker: Karl Story (591-594), Aaron Sowd (595-596), Andy Owens (597) | Colorist: Roberta Tewes | Separations: Wildstorm FX | Letterer: John Costanza | Associate Editor: Michael Wright | Editor: Bob Schreck