[[“value”:”Batman #151 cover, via DC Comics.
Batman #151 – Chip Zdarsky, Tini Howard, Writer; Mike Hawthorne/Adriano Di Benedetto, Mariana Ignazzi, Artists; Romulo Fajardo Jr, Giovanni Niro, Colorists
Ray – 9/10
Ray: It’s a little surprising how many top books are tying in with Absolute Power with the main creative team on board, but that’s a testament to how much faith DC has in this event. Zdarsky set up a lot of this with his Failsafe story, so it’s not a surprise he’s involved – and he takes the opportunity to send Batman and Catwoman off on a fun heist adventure in the middle of the chaos. Amanda Waller has her hands on a Mother Box, the key to the whole operation, and stealing it could shut it down. But to get there, they’ll need to infiltrate a top-secret military operation – which means Batman and Catwoman get new identities, and wind up eventually getting into a fun contest to see who can outfox who.
The great escape. Via DC Comics.
It’s far from all fun and games, though – Waller has some of the deadliest assassins in the world in her corner, as well as an ace in the hole in Bizarro. Which Bizarro? I think it’s the one who hung out with Jason Todd, but he’s definitely not acting like himself. It’s interesting to see how Batman manipulates this massively powerful being, giving him and Catwoman just enough time to escape to a very surprising location – one which gives away just how far-reaching Waller’s plan truly is and how far she’s willing to go. This issue feels a lot like a cosmic heist adventure, which is a lot lighter in tone than the rest of the event – but Zdarsky never lets us forget just how high the stakes really are for the mission.
The same goes for the backup by Howard and Ignazzi – with a much more offbeat twist. With the heroes captured, Harley Quinn is Gotham’s only hope. She battles some random criminals in the street before being pulled into Riddler’s latest scheme – taking a nuclear plant hostage and threatening to blow it up if his riddles aren’t solved. His motivation? He seems more bored than anything, which is very much in character. This is a quick, action-packed story that feels like a perfect extension of what Howard has been doing with the character.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
“]] To take out one of Amanda Waller’s top weapons, Batman and Catwoman are going deep into enemy territory. Read More