On the Rack: Batman 34
Life has never been easy for the Caped Crusader, but Batman seems to be having a particularly rough time. The events of Batman Eternal have cost the Dark Knight many of his allies, but as always Batman perseveres and pushes through to protect Gotham City. Batman’s cannon is so involved it’s always intimidating to find an issue to jump on, but Batman 34 provides just that. This book was essentially a standalone story and a great place to pick up, or jump back into Batman’s adventures. The story finds Batman discovering that a serial killer has operated in Gotham beneath his notice for years, and who leaves no trace behind.
The story feels like classic Batman. Matteo Scalera’s art captures Batman’s gritty, film noir feeling and partners perfectly with Scott Snyder and Gerry Duggan’s story. All of the traditional elements of a Batman story are there; the Batcave, the Batmobile, unique gadgets, an ally and a mention of Alfred (because you can’t have Batman without Alfred). I have admittedly been away from the tales of Gotham City for a little while so I was excited to jump back on board with this issue. While it gave me everything I wanted from a Batman book, I was let down by DC’s promises. In their pitch, they promised a story that would build into Batman’s next big story arc. For such a big lead in, the single issue story felt a bit anti-climactic but I am enticed to continue reading and see how this new arc unfolds.
