Scott Snyder

"I told you we'd all fit in the picture." 

A righteous sword burns, a villain heel-face turns, and yet I yearn for this plot thread to adjourn, in this sixteenth issue of DC's weekly Batman disappointment. Still more of Tim & Jason's Awesome Show Great Job, which is just as dreadfully uninteresting as it has been for what seems like forever. To think I was looking forward to seeing their team-up adventures some time ago. Now I just want them both to be erased from continuity. But hey, at least we get some cool flashback material.

I'd like to think Scarecrow was groaning at Dick's quip.

"I'm the worst character in this book!" "No, I am!"

The situation's dire as Tim's plan backfires, but you have to admire of all Batman's squires, he's inspired to inquire about the man covered in wires while in flashbacks Batman's a liar. All this and less in the fairly dry fifteenth installment of DC's weekly Batman escapade. Less compelling, less exciting, less informative than the previous issue! It's almost as if the Tim/Jason/Jean-Paul subplot is... pretty boring overall. But hey, that flashback is neat.

"It was Scott Lobdell. Much worse. Got me, too."

Well, they'd both qualify for Yellow Lantern rings...

Scarecrow's new gas, a lass holds a lass, Cass kicks robot ass, and one giant blast are all featured in this fourteenth installment of DC's weekly Batman annal. In this issue, it's a race to avoid being blown up in Mother's nursery or killed by her robot minions. It doesn't help that David Cain, ever loyal even in the face of death, is trying to slow Dick and the others down when they want to escape. But we also get more of that pursuit of Scarecrow by the Dynamic Duo, and discover that Batman enlisted his hooded rogue in his fight with Mother.

"Oh crap, is this an AIM base? Did we crash into Marvel?"

The problem is that Cass had to start stealing from the Red Cross to keep up with the mask blood.

A loving embrace, a father disgrace, and a blood mask on a face in this thirteenth issue of DC's weekly Batman bildungsroman. As usual, much of it is in a flashback, which is where we get the best material in this, but what we have in the present is good stuff, too, with Cassandra confronting her killer father. We see that whatever happened between Batman and Mother in the past, Cass' memory shows his compassion. But somebody without such mercy is David Cain, who's been cleaning house... er, messily.

Ooooh aah, mother, should I build the wall?

A dark revelation shakes the foundation of Grayson and he must chasten as the plot hastens without Tim or Jason. It's the twelfth issue of DC's weekly Batman chronicle, and my much delayed review covers an issue where we see the Sculptor's origin story and Batman make a decision that shocks Dick to his core. Could it be that Batman really agreed to Mother's idea, and what's more, to carry it out himself? Well, probably not, but it will look like it for a while, I think.

I have to admit, this is the best comic cover I've seen in a while. It's the perfect pyschedelic for this issue.

No time to unwind, there's a trip into the mind, and once you're there you'll find, Harp and Cass are entwined, but for now, nevermind, the past is so unkind, and before the truth's defined, Bluebird's trip is resigned and Dick's next, as he's inclined. Scrambled brains and dozens slain in the eleventh entry in DC's current weekly Batman chronicle. The new continuity's Cassandra origin is told (and it seems mostly the same, but taken up a few levels in horror), we get some not-so-subtle clues that she ties into Harper's backstory, and Dick is desperate to know what Batman did all those years ago (as am I). So let's take this mind trip, because it's a huge step up from that last stinking issue.

This issue wounds me, too, Batman.

Tim has a bad trip, in the past Dick flips, Harper drips, and the quality slips in this tenth episode of DC's weekly Batman catastrophe. There's a lot of combat in the St. Dumas cathedral, Jean-Paul Valley has terrible hair, Jason uses shark repellent, we meet that lady we saw with Mother some issues ago, and Bruce does his patented "You're a loose cannon, Robin!" speech. The artwork may be decent, but this issue might be the first truly bad entry into this series, because with all that's going on, a lot of it is just paint-by-numbers filler. I think I've had more fun in actual churches.

My reaction to this issue.

Why does Cass look completely out of her element here? She's a ninja girl! Throwing stars are like snowflakes to her!

While Dick's away, Tim and Jason play, there's a deadly ballet, and there's a bit of LesYay, all in this tip-toeing issue that'll make you plié. It's the seventh issue of the globe-trotting second Batman weekly trek from DC Comics. The Prague Batcave is full of bones, the dive bar Tim and Jason visit is full of scumbags, and the Prague Ballet is full of secret asassins (and at least one Mother). I'm shipping Harper/Cass now, but let's get to that later, there's a story to follow!