“Date Night”
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artists: Jorge Jimenez
Color Artist: Tomeu Morey
Letterer: Clayton Cowles with Jorge Jimenez
Review by Max Byrne
Batman #5 is an interesting issue that sees Fraction avoid any Bat-related shenanigans in favour of throwing the spotlight onto his playboy alter ego of Bruce Wayne. Written in such an effervescent way, the Caped Crusader isn’t missed at all as we chart the pseudo first “date” between Gotham’s favourite son and Dr Zeller. This is no ordinary meet cute , as we get car chases, costumed villains and carnage galore.
Dinner, Drinks… Danger?
What starts as a gentle time swiftly escalates into mayhem, with Fraction proving that the costume certainly doesn’t make the crime fighter. As numerous goons line up to collect the underworld bounty on Dr Zeller, it is both humorous and exhilarating to see Bruce have to avoid showing too much of his physical prowess whilst still protecting his “date”. A conveniently placed bin certainly helps when one needs to kick some ass in secret!
It is here where Jorge Jimenez comes into his own. One of my favourite active artists, Jimenez has a way of depicting action packed panels that virtually leap off the page. Slightly cartoonish in fashion, with an almost abstract quality to them, his fight scenes are eye-catching and have that knack of making the reader “hear” the noises through their eyes. It is great to see such quality art on this title every month and Jimenez could end up as one of the all time greats.
The introduction of a new adversary is always worth a read and here we get an interesting new creation. A lady assassin dressed up in pirate garb, seemingly with the ability to transform into a flock of birds. Yes, you read that right! Nameless thus far, I look forward to seeing more of her in the future. Could she be an associate of the Minotaur or an independent contractor? A blank canvas yet to be fully fleshed out, hopefully she will feature more in the coming months.
No spoilers here, but the ending of the issue is a cliffhanger, with a certain Damian Wayne interjecting himself into the proceedings, doing his absolute utmost to compromise his father’s secret identity. Batman #6 should feature a lot of explaining – or a new addition to the inner Bat-Circle.
Conclusion
Batman #5 is a fun issue that provides non-stop entertainment from start to finish. Whilst it isn’t narrative-heavy, it is engaging and easy to read. I look forward to the next issue to see the fallout from the final page.
Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment