Comics / Comic Reviews / DC Comics

Batman #20

By Avi Weinryb
April 10, 2017 - 10:57

The brutal denouement to the recent Bane storyline is just as bloody as one could expect. In a no-holds barred fight to the finish, Batman and his back-breaking nemesis go head-to-head and only one of them will walk away.

This isn’t the world of Adam West’s Batman in which there’s a convenient device sitting on the utility belt (think shark repellent spray), ready to be deployed. It’s more about willpower, well-placed moves and a bit of luck that gets Batman and Bane through their final paces. But only one of them will rise to the top. While the story arc’s plot wraps itself up, many loose threads among the various characters remain – to be no doubt addressed in further issues. This installment, purely focused on Batman and Bane, contains some delicious dialogue, as Batman recounts all the times villains have announced his impending death, only to find themselves wrong. He calls Bane out on his tiresome speech, always repetitive. It’s a self-aware moment that will delight Bat-fans.

Surprising for the reader is the recycling of Bruce Wayne holding a dialogue with his deceased mother, Martha, as he undergoes a near-death experience. Neil Gaiman did this so much better just a few years ago. Tom King’s return to this material is surprising but considering the emphasis on Bane and Batman’s similar connections to their respective mothers as well as their defining motivations, perhaps it makes sense for the writer to draw from this material.

David Finch isn’t given the free rein he needs to deliver the visual variety and depth at which he excels. In a close-quarters fight, he performs excellently, but one gets the sense he is being under-utilized here. Composition is excellent though, with the King’s beats being laid out in a drip-drip panel layout, punctuated by splash pages that deliver the goods. There’s a funky rhythm to the chaos. As always, Danny Miki and Trevor Scott execute a strong ink job, choosing to deliver some high-contrasts rather than layered details. It gives the action here a more gritty feel, adding a harshness that complements the action.

It remains to be seen where the Batman title is going next. But no matter where it roams, it is traveling on strong footing; in a fighter’s stance, no less.

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12