“Cult of Man-Bat” Part One
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Simone Di Meo
Color Artist: Giovanna Niro
Letterer: Steve Wands
Review by James Attias
Batman and Robin #7 is a wholesome issue that throws us right back into the thick of this multi-villain story!
Let’s delve into the madness…
Meet The (Bat) Parents
At the end of the last issue, we saw Damian’s old flame, Flatline return, just in time to surprise us all. This issue gives us the reason why she’s back, and what she’s doing in Gotham. This means that Bruce can meet his son’s friend… who’s a girl.
Bruce Wayne’s had many love interests throughout his 80-year history, nearly as many as me… just kidding. A lot of the time though, more often than not, the beautiful women that Bruce has wined and dined have turned out to be villains, criminals trying to turn over a new leaf, trying to be a better person just for him on a few occasions. Sadly, others have simply left him, turned against him, or died!
So, when Flatline, daughter, granddaughter of villains, and semi-villain herself, showed up to ask for Robin’s help, I must admit that it filled my cold bat heart with all the feels, particularly when Bruce says to his son he’s hardly one to judge… but be careful, followed by a small bat grin. These few panels are a huge part of why I’m loving this run. Seeing Bruce actually trying to be as close to a good father as he can, while maintaining the Batman scowl, has been wonderful. My compliments to the creative team!
Manson-Bat
Somehow, since his death and resurrection, Man-Bat has become a cult leader. Now he’s working alongside Shush, in their attempts to rule Gotham while simultaneously destroying the Bat and Bird. It feels like we’re going to need a solid issue or maybe even two to find out how, why, when all of this sinister planning, and execution came to be. Also, Man-Bat with long hair is a fun creative detail, he looks a bit like Gary Oldman did in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which I feel may not have been by accident. Either way, it’s fun to look at.
The art, the writing, and the story are moving forward in more ways than one, and it was really noticeable in this issue. This chapter was a solid addition to the story, which is so rare these days, with endless fillers and mega-crossovers plaguing our shelves!
This one, on the other hand, left me wanting more and smiling from ear to ear.
Conclusion
Batman and Robin #7 was great, I couldn’t pick a fault in it if I tried. So, please keep issues like this coming, as this was a great read!
Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment