52 #30 Review

The Revolution always looks forward to reading the latest issue of 52. We are now well past the halfway point. Judging by the cover of 52 #30, it appears that we are going to finally see what Batman has been up to during this year. Should be interesting. Let’s do the review.

Creative Team
Writers: Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid
Penciler: Joe Bennett
Inker: Joe Bennet & Ruy Jose

Art Rating: 6 Night Girls out of 10
Story Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 6.5 Night Girls out of 10

Synopsis: The issue begins with recounting how horrible life has been for Batman since Jason Todd became Robin. Jason got “killed.” Barbara Gordon was paralyzed. Batman had his back broken. Gotham was burned and descended into chaos. Jason Todd came back to life as the villainous Red Hood, Tim Drake’s father was killed and Batman nearly blew Alexander Luthor’s head off at the end of Infinite Crisis.

Week 30, Day 1: We see Nightwing and Robin checking out some Middle Eastern palace where evidently Batman had been earlier and had beaten up the soldiers guarding the palace. Robin tells Nightwing that Batman wants Nightwing and Robin to be the new Batman and Robin. Robin finds Batman’s costume on the floor.

We cut to Kathy Kane’s penthouse where Kathy has a private nurse tending to The Question as his cancer gets worse and he gets weaker. Kathy tells Montoya that she and the Questions can stay with her as long as they like. Montoya is having a tough time accepting charity from her former lover. Kathy then tells Montoya that she is going out.

Montoya then goes into the Question’s room and sits down next to his bed and meditates. The Question looks at Montoya with a smile on his face.

We shift to Nightwing and Robin questioning some Intergang arms dealers that they have just beaten up. The Intergang thugs swallow their poison capsules rather than talk to our heroes. Nightwing says that while the Bat family was gone for half a year, Intergang has been running the streets of Gotham. Nightwing tells Robin that they have to go back to work. Robin says that Batman cracked. That he will go talk to Batman and they will work it out. Nightwing goes back to America to take on Intergang.

Week 30, Day 3: We see Bruce Wayne in the middle of the desert. Suddenly, one of the Ten-eyed brothers appears from the sand. Bruce says that his soul feels black and he feels sick. That he has lost his resolve. The Ten-eyed brother tells Bruce that if Bruce defeats him in battle then the Ten-eyed surgeons of the Empty Quarter will come to slice out Bruce’s demons. The two men then battle. Bruce takes down the Ten-eyed brother. The other members of the Ten-eyed tribe appear. They then slice the demons out of Bruce’s soul.

Robin then appears on the scene. Bruce tells Robin that it is over. That Batman is gone.

Week 30, Day 7: We see Batwoman battling Intergang’s animal creatures. Batwoman is looking for Mannheim. Nightwing then appears on the scene and lends Batwoman a hand. The two defeat the Intergang creatures who end up retreating. The two heroes then introduce themselves to each other. They decide to split Gotham in half and both start searching for Mannheim. End of issue.
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Comments
The Good: 52 #30 was a solid read. Even though the pacing was steady and measured, it was certainly better than the pacing of last issue. We finally focused some panel time on some of the big name characters in the DCU. Up until know, 52 has focused on second and third tier characters, with the exception of Clark Kent in the beginning. Now, we get some A-list talent appearing in 52 with Nightwing, Robin and Batman. I like that 52 has spent the majority of its time focusing on characters other than the typical A-list characters. However, it is cool that we finally get to see just what in the world Batman, Nightwing and Robin have been doing during this year.

I loved all the scenes involving Batman, Nightwing and Robin. These were the best scenes of the issue. The writers did an excellent job handling the complex relationship between these three characters. I dig that the 6 months they have spent away from Gotham was all because Bruce was having a breakdown. I liked that Bruce’s two boys where there for him and walked away from everything just to try and help him. I also liked that both Nightwing and Robin realize that they must return to Gotham. That Intergang has been allowed to grow and spread because of their absence. That they have a duty to return to “work” and fight Intergang.

The scene with Bruce with the Tribe of the Ten-eyed brothers was great. For the first time, we see a weak and broken Bruce Wayne. Batman has always been so in control, so calculating, so cold and so unemotional, that it was quite jarring and shocking to see him in this broken state of being. Bruce has been through more than any one human could possibly endure. I think that showing Bruce in a complete nervous breakdown makes complete sense. This adds more depth to Bruce’s character and makes him seem human. And making the Batman look human is important considering that DC has elevated Batman into the status of a demi-god who can routinely perform the super human.

The writers crafted some nice dialogue in all the scenes involving Batman, Nightwing and Robin. Plus, they created excellent chemistry between these three characters. They come across as a family rather than a collection of heroes.

The Bad: The scene with Montoya, The Question and Kathy Kane didn’t do much for me. Of course, that is probably just me since I really don’t like the direction that this plotline is headed. The idea of The Question dying just to DC can install Montoya as the new Question is rather unappealing and is dampening my enjoyment of this plotline.

The scene with Batwoman and Nightwing also had little appeal to me. Part of that is my natural bias against derivative heroes like Batwoman. I also thought the dialogue was just too cheesy and hackneyed. You had the obligatory comment from Nightwing about how “hot” Batwoman is and how sexy her costume is. Then the obligatory comment from Batwoman about how Nightwing “isn’t her type.” Get it? Cause she is a lesbian. Hilarious, huh? So original, right? The dialogue in this scene actually made me groan out loud. Just poorly done.

Overall: 52 #30 was another solid read. The boys at DC continue to impress me with their effort on this title each and every week. It was enjoyable checking in on Batman, Nightwing and Robin with this issue. The only thing that writers have failed to do in this title is get me interested in Batwoman or the idea of Montoya becoming the Question.