Countdown: Arena #1

DC Comics

Writer: Keith Champagne

Penciller: Scott McDaniel

Inker: Andy Owens

In this gimmicky new series, the DC editors try to get you, the reader, to pay for a fanboy’s dream come true: A BATMAN ON BATMAN ON BATMAN RUMBLE!!! IN A STEEL CAGE!!!

Honestly, I’m not sure where this story fits into the current “Countdown” mega-plot. All I know is that I saw three Batmans on the cover, and the reptile part of my brain grabbed it. As is usually the case, I regretted this decision a few hours later.

Apparently, 80s rehash Monarch is forcing a bunch of Elseworlds DC heroes to fight each other. The winners get to be part of his “army,” which probably means something. Anyways, issue #1 shows a tame yet gory battle between three versions of Nightshade, and a more entertaining throwdown between Vampire Batman, Gotham by Gaslight Batman, and Liberty Files Batman.

Writer Keith Champagne somehow pulls some interesting dialogue out of this yarn. The three versions of Batman talk in believeable voices, and even Nightshade gets a decent line or two. That said, there's only so much any writer can do with a bad idea.

Penciller Scott McDaniel shows his usual ability to make a fight scene look convincing. McDaniel’s blocky style has an uncannily good ability to convey kinetic energy. If you distract yourself from the fact that this comic isn’t worth the extra dollar, the duel between three Batmen is actually kind of cool. But then you realize a good deal of the story is cheap, emotional manipulation, with lots of pointless death and a couple of dismemberments, and you kick that reptile part of your brain the rest of the day.

Worth the money? Nope.