| |
|
| | |
Not a member yet? Click here to register.
Forgotten your password? Request a new one here. | |  |
|
 |  | | | Comics - Ongoing - Batman - Issue #627
COVER TAGLINE: None
TITLE:
As The Crow Flies, Part Two: Partners in Crime
STORY ARC:
As the Crow Flies
RELEASE DATE: May, 2004
COVER DATE: Early July, 2004
WRITER: Judd Winick
ARTIST: Dustin Nguyen
INKER: Richard Friend
COLORS: Alex Sinclair
LETTERS: Clem Robins
EDITORS: Bob Schreck
COVER: Matt Wagner
PRICE: $2.25 U.S./$3.00 Canada
CHARACTERS:
Batman (Bruce Wayne); Robin (Tim Drake); Alfred Pennyworth; Penguin
COVER ART:
INTERIOR ART:
|
Continued From Batman #626
Continued In Batman #628
|
PLOT:
When we last left the introductory chapter to this storyarc, we found that Penguin and Scarecrow were working together causing some of Gotham’s to fall into a panic-stricken frenzy through the use of a new scare toxin. Unfortunately the thugs they’ve hired haven’t followed directions and have administered the toxin in too concentrated a dose, thereby killing the mobsters they only intended to scare. We now find ourselves in a dingy warehouse/basement type of location where yet another mobster’s life is in danger, however this time the reason is different. Eddie “the Buck” Buccelli is a mobster, one whom Batman is looking to extract some information from, and he’s got a gun pointed at the head of another mobster named Rob.
Apparently some backstabbing has taken place and Eddie feels like resolving the issue at Rob’s expense. Just before matters can get worse, Batman busts through a window and grabs one of Eddie’s thugs. A shootout ensues but Batman is able to dodge all bullets and finally gets a hold of Eddie himself and begins his questioning after taking him through a sewer. Batman wants to know whose responsible for the recent happenings regarding some of Gotham’s most ruthless gangsters, and figures Eddie is a good guy to ask.
Meanwhile back at the home of Oswald Cobblepot, the Penguin and Scarecrow are expressing their dissatisfaction with the lackluster job of their hired hands. However, that issue takes a backseat as an argument is struck between Penguin and Scarecrow and soon we see Cobblepot make it clear to Scarecrow that they are not equal partners, because Penguin is the one in charge. Next we see Scarecrow return to his laboratory where we meet his assistant Linda Fritawa. We don’t learn much about this character other than she’s very loyal to Crane and thinks quite highly of him, and perhaps cares for him as she tries to build a kind of friendliness. One interesting thing we find out about her also, is that she apparently has a medical condition as she explains that she cant function in daylight, rather only during the night is she able to do anything. They go off to work some more of a formula of some sort, likely to be related to the new fear toxin we’ve seen put to work in the previous issue.
Moving right along, later into the night we find Penguin and his cohorts stepping out of a limo and anticipating the arrival of someone named Connery as the two are to have a meeting. However its what they don’t anticipate that matters most as Batman swoops down and carries Cobblepot onto a rooftop. The dark knight lets Penguin know in no uncertain terms that he wants him to stop whatever hes involved himself with immediately. Of course the penguin denies everything all the way through but the point was to ruffle his feathers, as once back in the Batcave, Batman explains to Robin. He wants him to be nervous because then he tends to make mistakes.
Back again at Cobblepot’s place, we find Penguin once again berating Scarecrow. It is here that we see how concerned about and loyal to Crane, his assistant Linda Fritawa is. She explains to him that he deserves a greater reward than the disrespect that Cobblepot shows him. As he explains to her that his reward must apparently be earned we shift to a new location where a group of gangsters have congregated waiting for yet another to join them. Suddenly a hideous monster-like being crashes the gathering and wreaks havoc on them all. Before completing its destruction, the creature asks one of the thugs if they’re frightened.
|
REVIEW:
This issue does a good job of giving us a little bit of everything. Two-fifths of the way and we’ve gotten a good amount of action, along with story progression and we’ve even been introduced to two new characters. Winnick does a great job of showing us how alarmed the many members of various crime families are due some odd things taking place recently. He also shapes for us the distribution of power between Penguin and Scarecrow. He seems to make Crane a pushover for Cobblepot a bit too much, but I think there’s good reasoning behind this. This new creature we’re introduced to is in all likelihood a creation of Crane if not Crane himself. The way it absolutely destroyed every gangster in that room might draw for a us a nice comparison between the inferior scarecrow and the superior “Scarebeast” as it is called. We’ll have to wait and see what direction this will all take, but I think Winnick is someone who can make it work quite well. The action portions basically speak for themselves. We’re once again reminded of how ruthless the criminals in Gotham can be and how they always make the same mistake of thinking they’re so tough they can survive the Batman. As for progressing the story, as I said earlier, we got a closer look into the relationship between our two villains but we we’re also introduced to a new character, and I can not help but think there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to Linda Fritawa. Winnick gives us a nice little glimpse, but holds back enough to make us wait and see.
As far as the art goes, once again there’s not much to say, Nyguen doesn’t do anything special for me, and unless that changes, this is probably the last I’ll comment on it. However, also once again the cover does a great deal for me. Matt Wagner shines as always with his painted cover, which is actually one of three covers sharing the same theme at the time of release. The others feature Superman and Wonder Woman in a similar pose. Basically you can call this a really cool portrait of Batman.
I look forward to the eventual discovery by Batman of this new Scarebeast and their inevitable confrontation.
REVIEWED BY:
|
| |  | | | | | | | |  | | | | |
|
|
Home