BATMAN #14 (DC COMICS)
With Poison Ivy’s deal with the parliament of Trees going bad, Gotham City is dying a slow, green death.
Batman stopped Vandal Savage from a radical plan that would have killed innocents in the process. This lead to an unlikely discovery.
With a possible cure to stop the biological attack, Batman heads into the cold unknown looking for answers.
BATMAN #14 by Matt Fraction, Matteo Scalera, Tomeu Morey & Clayton Cowles (DC COMICS) keeps “Bad Seeds” rolling along.
Let’s take a closer look in this issue.
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Fraction leads Batman into the cold unknown but not without injecting some light humor in the mix. Verity Pennyworth’s addition to the cast has provided fast one-liners through a chaotic event. Her breakdowns of Mr. Freeze uplift the tension while running around a conflict of “Dr” titles. It’s well paced to give Batman some time to track down his rogue with unexpected results.
Readers watch as the encounter leans into a more brooding situation. The dialogue between Bats and the Freezes is as cold as expected. The most surprising thing about this meeting is the sense of sarcasm used in breaking down the complex relationships. It almost carries a “Batman ‘66” feel in moments. Verity’s handling of intruders is another fun nod to the drama at hand. This all runs together to end on a steady note, leaving much left on the table.
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Scalera opens with a fantastic two page spread of Verity going to work while Batman searches for Mr. Freeze. Images are staggered in a storybook style which drives home the search. A magnificent full page image shows what Batman has encountered. It unlocks more doors as Verity’s reactions feature the direct chills of Freeze’s backstory.
There’s also a solid surprise involving the latest addition to the team. A solid full page shows Verity taking down some crooked cops. The image is an electric half page that flows quickly into more direct looks at the fight. It provides a counter balance to Bat’s half page discovery of a frozen time. Pacing revs up to get more action on display. The Freezes make a half panel entrance before a full page welcomes their current friction. It all leads into a fine landing spot with another full image to take readers home with. Steady work in bringing both main stories to life.
FINAL GRADE: 8.8
Batman has to attempt a cold solution to Gotham City’s attack, but is he too late? Fraction successfully layers humorous scenes in the ever growing drama. Scalera and Morey dive into the wild scenarios unfolding in the pages. A nother unique look at the connection between The Dark Knight and his rogues.
Let me know your thoughts on Batman #14 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
