Review: ‘Batman’ #3 Asks A Riddle

Batman’s war with the GCPD is starting to escalate, one of his oldest foes has returned, and a new threat is building. It seems like just another day in the life of the Dark Knight … but I don’t think it really is.

Batman #3 from Matt Fraction, Jorge Jimenez, Tomeu Morey and Clayton Cowles continue their new epic.

Vandal Savage is continuing his smear campaign against the Bat-family. Bruce is trying to juggle his relationship with his sons. Tim Drake is recovering from his injuries. It’s a hell of a time for the Riddler to return, but there’s something much more sinister at play than it appears.

Batman has been on an interesting trajectory over the last twenty years. Since the Grant Morrison run (or maybe even earlier with Hush), the Bruce Wayne side of Batman has been de-emphasized. Meanwhile, the most prominent version of the character in pop culture is the bemused parent.

Not only has Fraction finally found a way to balance these two takes, but he’s weaving the most interesting tableau Batman’s seen in years. About half of the issue is about Bruce Wayne, and most of that is about him parenting Tim and Damian. Even better, Fraction infuses Bernard — Tim’s boyfriend, who’s been little better than a cipher since Tim came out — with more personality than he’s ever had.

And then there’s the superhero plot. Seeing Riddler breaking down and struggling through his mental health is a much stronger plot than anything the character has seen in a very long time. On top of that, after the obligatory fight, Bruce answers the age old question — why doesn’t Batman help the mentally ill? Well, just like the first issue, the moment Bruce realizes this is mental illness and not criminal mischief, he does. This is what Batman has needed to be for ages.

Jimenez has been one of my favorite artists at DC for a very long time. His Batman work stepped him to a new level, but this volume almost seems like he’s having much more fun. His fight choreography is the best it’s looked ever — both in Bruce and Damian’s training scene and in the fistfight between Batman and Riddler. And the designs continue to be great- the new invisibility/stealth suit is pretty awesome.

Morey continues to do such great work. He’s largely played with a Gotham that’s lit in neon and moonlight. Here he gets to show the bright colors under harsh hospital lighting, soft tones in a board room, and of course, Gotham at large.

Fraction gives Cowles a lot to work with and he nails all of it. Whether it’s the dialogue between Damian and Bruce, the patter of Riddler’s mutterings, or the descriptive captions, all of it looks fantastic. It’s why Cowles continues to be on so many A-list books in the industry.

Batman #3 is available now from DC Comics.