Comic Book Review Round-Up – May Week 2, 2019

This week is proof that DC can’t look beyond Batman. Three major titles feature the Caped Crusader, and I review them here—Batman and the Outsiders #1, Detective Comics #1003 and The Batman Who Laughs #5. I also take a look at the conclusion of Image Comics series Vindication, and Captain Marvel #5.

'Captain Marvel' #5

It’s been a struggle to enjoy this series, but this final issue in the arc was pacey and I loved the dynamic between Rogue and Carol. I feel bad for Jen, but maybe she’s cool with being all Hulk, all the time. Seeing this group of women band together was a highlight and Carol’s central friendships in this series are still rare to see in comics.

This series has had its issues. Despite embracing its central theme of woman power, the women heroes—including Captain Marvel—haven’t been written as such at times. The villain, Nuclear Man, is also the kind of campy sleazeball that’s hard to take seriously. There was too much reliance on Som, the only male ally, and I think that took away from the theme. And lest we forget, there was no body diversity in the series. It’s not fair to criticize this title, but Marvel needs to do way more to correct the disparity between how male and female characters are portrayed.

'Batman and the Outsiders' #1

DC’s insistence on including Batman (or a version of him) in every title is getting dull. The cycle of reading that characters don’t trust him, but decide to follow his orders anyway baffles me. I’m not sure why Black Lightning distrusts the Caped Crusader here, nor why and how the Outsiders came to be Batman’s team.

I thought the art was pretty great, except for Katanna’s disproportionately large assets—comic book artists really need to stop doing that to women’s bodies, it’s extremely frustrating. The story itself didn’t grip me, but I think it’s hard to become invested from the very first issue onwards for some titles. Will I give this another go? I’m not sure.

'Detective Comics' #1003

The Arkham Knight revealed their face to Damian Wayne, and they are? A hot, young blond and blue-eyed woman. When people say they want more women characters in popular media they don’t mean only one kind of woman. The Arkham Knight bested Batman, and it’s great that the creators chose to make her a woman, but does she have to be so generically young and beautiful? The old beauty is the beast trope must end. And, in case any reader had doubts about her gender, her clan immediately begin to disobey her and the Knight must verbally reiterate that she is the leader.

It’s also tedious that we have yet another cult as the villains. There are so many in DC Comics, it’s beginning to feel repetitive. Do the DC bad guys ever just do stuff normally? I should have been interested in this arc, but I am already feeling like this is going to be an unimaginative drag.

The Batman Who Laughs #5

Batman’s on the ropes with the GCPD attacking him, thinking he’s the Batman Who Laughs. With the Joker toxin taking over, it’s not long before Batsy can’t think straight. The villain starts swaying the Caped Crusader to his cause and by the end of this issue it seems like Gotham’s protector has turned against the city.

I was swept away by this series when it first began, but now it’s devolved into a sensationalist nightmare. This issue was gory and insensitive—I didn’t like the needless body horror that seems to glorify the Batman Who Laughs' violent tendencies. This series is being stretched to seven issues, but I can’t wait for it to be over.

Vindication #4

Turn Washington’s name is cleared as the real killers of the 10-year old murder and the new murders are all revealed in the final issue of this limited series. Turn was embroiled in all this because of convenience and systemic bias towards African-American people.

The trouble with this series is that it didn’t try hard enough to engage with its central theme. There’s no other reason for why Chip behaved the way he does—it’s racial bias, and when he’s hit in the face with racism from other characters, then he sees a reflection of himself. Yet the text refused to engage with the systemic problems of the real world. This series had potential, but it has been completely wasted. Poor writing, plotting, art and wayward editorial direction makes Vindication a forgettable series.

See you again next week with another round-up of comic book reviews.