COMICS: Batman #9 Review

This issue features Batman in a large mechanized Bat-Suit fighting against a legion of undead Owl ninja assassins. What more could you possibly ask for?

After the Owls forced Bruce into a corner last issue, he comes out swinging in a Bat-Mech that seems more Tony Stark than Bruce Wayne. And its awesome. Just like the one before it, this is mostly an action issue. Iron Bat fights back against the Talons that invaded Wayne Manor and then rides into Gotham to save a Lincoln March from an untimely demise at the hands of a Talon.

I don't really have much to say about this issue. It is, predictably, really good. Batman fights against the Talons but, despite having a mech-suit, still gets overwhelmed. It was nice to see Bats still struggling to win against the Talons, and that grin he gives when he comes back "with a vengeance" is an outstanding panel. Snyder doesn't slack-off with his writing; there's a cool story about some early Waynes who used owls to kill all the bats in the caves beneath Wayne Manor.



It was also an amusing bit of misdirection seeing March pull a gun on Batman while saying ominously, "Bruce Wayne." For a while I thought Snyder was going to go the Tommy Elliot route and reveal that "it was his friend the WHOLE TIME!!!!" A plot twist that is painfully obvious and that I was worried about back when March was first being established as a supporting character. Of course, I guess its still a possibility seeing as that he sent Batman to the Court's house...and that could be a trap, but I doubt it.

It does feel a little odd to see Batman saying that he'll "go to Arkham Asylum first" and then have him arriving at March's office in the next panel, but it doesn't really hurt the story and I figured that they would have to at least once reference another Bat-book(seeing as how this IS an event).

Overall, this issue was action-packed and light on plot, but that's exactly what we were promised and it delivers.

9.5/10