“Sunset & Siege Tactics“
Writer: Matt Fraction & G. Willow Wilson
Artists: Matteo Scalera, Giuseppe Camuncoli & Cliff Rathburn
Color Artist: Tomeu Morey
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Review by Max Byrne
The much anticipated Bad Seeds crossover event is finally upon us with the release of Bad Seeds – Sunset #1 & Batman #13. Written by Matt Fraction and G. Willow Wilson, this event sees Gotham City the victim of an act of extreme eco-terrorism with a deluge of vines engorging the streets. The event is off to an extremely solid start indeed, although the main premise does feel a touch derivative, but nonetheless it is well worth your time.
Taking place over one long, crazy night, our titular hero has to navigate his way through the city, combating not only Ivy’s green creations but also the agenda of Police Commissioner Vandal Savage too. This serves as a recipe for action, and lots of it, which gives the artists time to shine. Indeed, Batman #13 is sparse in dialogue but heavy in the fantastic art of Matteo Scalera. His style is very similar to Jorge Jimenez, which does help to provide a sense of continuity to the previous issues. His action packed panels depicting Batman’s ascent through the GCPD are visually striking, with shattering staircases and busted noses galore. Simple but extremely effective storytelling at its very best.
Recruiting Allies from the GCPD in ‘Batman #13’
The difference in the attitudes of the GCPD staff are key plot devices. The old school beat cops are clearly on the side of Batman, as they are long enough in the tooth to understand that he isn’t the threat that he is being framed to be. The saviour of the city countless times, they are too wise to fall for it. The gung ho SWAT boys are a different story. Savage’s hit squad are blinded by their trigger happy nature and seeing them getting a bat-beatdown is highly satisfying stuff!
This event does very much feel like a Poison Ivy event rather than a Batman one. The Batman name sells more comics than any other character of course, but this is Ivy’s story. It’s interesting to see how it plays it, as her term as Mayor has hit the skids. Combating Savage and his crooked coppers does actually lend her a degree of sympathy, despite her antics ushering in the potential destruction of the city. This is an excellent narrative choice, as she is a villain that has at times ridden the razorblade line between good and bad. It all helps to add shades of grey (or green) to the character. There is a dramatic heft to her situation, an internal conflict and elements of reluctance. Great writing.
Where we end up once this event is over remains to be seen. Ideally Savage will be deposed as Commissioner and a sense of normality (relatively speaking) can be restored to Gotham. There are likely to be casualties along the way and this could serve as a semi-reset for the title.
Conclusion
The Bad Seeds event is off to a solid start. Action junkies will get their fix across these two issues, and those who like character development will be well served too. The next few crossover issues should be great reads based on what has come so far. Let the green rise!
Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment
