Batman Eternal #32 Review

 

The key is blood, Bard should have gone "thud", and the Batsuit has crud on this thirty-second chapter of DC's weekly Batman hullabaloo. The new Commissioner of Gotham apparently hasn't learned his lesson and is still working with Hush. Batwing is finally rescued from the hole that was once Arkham Asylum. Julia is reunited with her father. Finally, Hush exploits Batman's own devices in a scheme to frame him. But the issue doesn't feel too jam-packed with events.

 

"Eh, it waxes and wanes. Look at Jason Todd."

 

As we left off on in the previous issue, Hush had Stephanie Brown, Spoiler, cornered in an alley, and was about to bring the curtain down on her one-woman show. She at least attempts to fight him here, but she's not used to actual fisticuffs, and Tommy prefers gunplay. But fortunately, and predictably, Batman comes in just in time to save her. It's good that even though Batman is clearly the dominate fighter in this scrap, Spoiler still manages to slam her bike into him, and after Hush's grenade goes off, pulls a disappearing act that leaves Batman of all people impressed. Not bad, kid.

 

"So that's what that feels like... repeating a line from a movie about me, that is."

 

With Batwing rescued and Alfred reunited with Julia and off to rest, Batman's back to work trying to figure out what Hush is up to. But what he's up to apparently still involves everybody's least favorite turncoat, Jason Bard. Apparently no less a jerk for having almost died at the hands of Babs and Red Hood, Bard continues to plot and scheme with our bandaged baddie to ensure Batman loses access to all support. To do this, he has given our wormy Commish the locations of all of Batman's private Bat bunkers throughout the city to leak to the press. And of course, that's just one step of Hush's plan.

 

"So, uh... can I get in on that hug, or...?"

 

Bruce had become so busy with the gang war, Architect, Arkham's collapse, and fighting Hush off wherever he could find him, he hasn't been back to the cave in a long time. And thus he'd forgotten to check what it is that Hush did when he broke in aside from drugging Alfred. Now that Hush has DNA and a knowledge of the locations of the Bat bunkers, he has unlimited access to their contents, and uses it to cause an explosion that kills patrolling soldiers. This is not going to go well for Batman's public relations. But then, nothing ever does, no matter how hard he tries.

 

Take a note, kids: KRAKOOM is the sound of Batman bunkers exploding, killing members of the National Guard.

 

The series is certainly pulling its weight the past couple of issues, now that that whole Arkham bit is over. I'm especially enjoying this issue's art from Jason Fabok. He's doing the next issue, too, which pleases me.

 

NEXT: Batman vs Gotham!

 

- Penguin Truth
(2014)

 

Story: Scott Snyder & James Tynion IV
Script: Kyle Higgins
Consulting Writers: Ray Fawkes & Tim Seeley
Art: Jason Fabok
Colors: Brad Anderson
Lettering By: Taylor Esposito
Cover By: Rafael Albuquerque
Editor: Chris Conroy
Asst. Editor: Dave Wielgosz
Group Editor: Mark Doyle
Batman Created By Bob K--AHAHAHAHA, NO. Batman Created By Bill Finger

 


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