“Canceled by Yesterday” – Part One
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Artists: Paul Pelletier and Norm Rapmund
Color Artist: Chris Sotomayor
Letterer: Travis Lanham
Review by Adam Ray
In my review for issue #33 I said, “The worst kind of enemy is an invisible one, one that so perfectly wormed their way into a place so personal.” It’s an obvious point of conflict, as this month the homely and certain formula of Bruce Wayne and the base is comforting, so when we see it disrupted so suddenly and so shockingly, it creates high stakes, and draws a reader into Batman Beyond #48 right from the off.
The briefest glimpse of Booster Gold at the end of the last issue gave us insight into this one. When a storyline wraps up in this title, we’re slow rolled into the next arc. Tensions rise and plans start to come together. That doesn’t happen here, but that’s a choice on Dan Jurgens’ part that I respect. The explanation of what’s happening and what needs to be done comes naturally over the course of the issue.
Paul Pelletier paces action so well. My dad raved when he saw Paul’s name in the credits, as he’s a huge fan of the artist’s “legendary work on The Incredible Hulk“. I can see why. The small panel sizes, and close perspective of the heroes in the time sphere, then burning buildings later in the book make things feel claustrophobic. The spaces in those closed boxes feel even smaller with Travis Lanham’s letters framing the characters, taking the space but leaving the characters as the focus. Travis Lanham’s textured, powerful inks, and Chris Sotomayor’s vibrant colors also help to heighten the drama considerably.
I’m surprised it’s taken this long for things to get timey-wimey in this title. It makes total sense, and the conflict of fixing the problems in time whilst not creating problems for time will always be very effective in stories that get twisty with time.
Conclusion
Batman Beyond #48 introduces a lot of different conflict points, and things for readers to consider from the first few pages. When you couple it with the time travel curveballs at the end, we’re left with a satisfying tale that leaves us, as ever, eager for more.
Images courtesy of DC Entertainment
