It is a gloomy night when Batman shows up at the crime scene. Philip Lerner has been mysteriously murdered, and the Dark Knight is seeking some clues. That’s when a gigantic robot sneaks up behind him, wielding a huge samurai sword. The original Flash, Jay Garrick shows up to save Batman’s hide, and the two heroes are soon embroiled in a curious mystery involving bio-electric super samurai and a plot against Gotham millionaire, Bruce Wayne.

As is the tradition of The Brave and the Bold series, interesting combinations of characters are teamed up in order to solve curious mysteries and prevent odious plots from occurring. As one of the elder statesmen of the DC Universe, the original Flash is a wise figure, imbued with great experience and insight. Both he and Batman are scientists and men of great character, so to see them thrown into a plot together, one cannot help but smile.

Deference is paid to the rich history of the characters, and Flash reminds Batman that before the Batman even existed, Gotham had the Golden Age Green Lantern as its guardian. A delicious moment is offered by Waid when Batman answers the Flash with a “Yes sir”. It’s a genuine response to a more experienced elder, and the look on Jay Garrick’s face reveals his appreciation.

As the plot unfolds, a classic Batman villain makes an appearance, and some great action sequences push the story along. Jay Garrick is afforded some great lines, and the issue ends on a strong note. There is no ‘to be continued’. This is a strong one-shot with some excellent characterization.

Ordway’s art is solid in this issue. He takes great pains to depict a jaw-dropping Batcave filled with goodies and relics, and every action sequence is well defined and never messy. Characters are living and breathing on the page, and combined with some strong inking by Koblish and McLeod, this is an attractive book well worth reading.