Synopsis: Batgirl, Batwoman and Jason Todd race to find evidence that may save Commissioner Gordon!
Look at that cover (done by Alex Garner)! I’d buy that issue based on the cover alone. Lucky enough for us, there’s plenty of story to offer as well. Batman:Eternal #18 soars high above the past few issues, even though a lot of action takes place down below. By below, I mean underground. A man, carrying another, takes off down an alley, ready to go underground when all of a sudden… actually we don’t even know what takes him. Bard stands spooked before The Dark Knight enters and takes them below.
Who lives down below? Why Killer Croc of course. But there’s more to the story…
Oh, and another mystery added to Eternal.
Meanwhile, on another continent… Batwoman, Batgirl and Red Hood are teaming up to take down… Batman action figure developers?
Doesn’t matter. The point is, this issue starts off perfect with a beautiful cover, keeps its plot-jumping to a minimum, and adds some interesting depths to the already overwhelming story. I still don’t know where we’re headed, but it’s in issues like these that I have my faith rewarded (thank you, The Dark Knight). Tim Seeley takes care of the script this week, while Andy Clarke (YES!) sketches. Seriously, his stuff is fantastic.
This week’s issue does right what the past few weeks have done wrong: stick to a story, steady build-up, and deliver… without losing the reader in the process. I put my faith back in the team behind this title when great issues like this one come out on Wednesdays.
Rating: 9.5/10