“A Pair of Ragged Claws”
Artists: Anthony Marques, J. Bone
Color Artist: Dave Stewart
Letterer: Ferran Delgado
Review by Eric Lee
Batman: The Audio Adventures #3 picks up the pace of the plot as multiple threads start coming together in a promising way.
The past few issues, I’ve mildly derided Audio Adventures for having multiple storylines that appeared to go nowhere and that didn’t seem to connect. Well, finally we’re getting a much better idea of where the subplots are headed. Not all of them seem connected, it’s still a mystery how the Joker or Scarecrow or the Penguin figure into this. Fortunately, we’re making more headway with both the Killer Croc and Ra’s al Ghul plots.
While it’s satisfying to see them finally overlap, the main plot of Ra’s and the mysterious sword doesn’t yet feel compelling enough. This may be due to a lack of urgency driving it. We know the Demon Brood ninjas want Batman to retrieve it and that Ra’s also wants it, but there’s no compelling reason why anybody really does, other than its generic powers. Furthermore, it begs the question, if the Demon Brood want the sword so badly, then why don’t they assist Batman instead of leaving him to find it on his own?
Anthony Marques and J. Bone’s art continues to be the bright spot in the comic and issue #3 does feel more tonally consistent than the previous one. This breezy tone of the plot really enhances the cartoony art- making this issue a fun adventure read. It also helps a lot we see some Robin action, which always lightens up any Batman comic.
Conclusion
Even though there are still some unanswered questions and a somewhat mediocre main plot, Batman: The Audio Adventures #3 is a highly enjoyable comic. The art and character designs, along with a lighter tone helps makes this tsle of the Dark Knight standout from other Batman comics.
Images courtesy of DC Entertainment