Review: Batman Beyond #3
By Philip Schweier
December 30, 2016 - 09:25
DC Comics
Writer(s): Dan Jurgens
Penciller(s): Bernard Chang
Inker(s): Bernard Chang
Colourist(s): Marcelo Maiolo
Letterer(s): Travis Lanham
Cover Artist(s): Bernard Chang and Marcelo Maiolo; variant by Dustin Nguyen
Batman
is undercover in the Terminal gang, determined to rescue his one-time
girlfriend Dana Tan from his clutches. Terminal claims to be smart, but is he
smart enough to suss out the traitor in his midst, or is he too busy attempting
to resurrect the original Joker?
Issue 3 advances the story quite well, raising concerns that with Bruce Wayne out of the picture, how does Terry McGinnis manage the Batcave. When equipment is damaged beyond repair, what then? It’s not as if he has an Alfred to step in and fix it.
At the same time, it provides some insight as to where these characters are now. Not just Terry or Bruce, but supporting roles such as Dana, and Terry’s younger brother Max. Could he be destined to fill the Robin role? Time will tell.
Chang’s art work is great, as usual, but what really makes it resonate with me is Maiolo’s coloring. I often take color for granted, but here it stands out in the best manner. It becomes more of an equal partner in the artwork, rather than playing second fiddle to the artist’s renderings. Maiolo keeps colors softer where they need to be, muted where they need to be, and dynamic when called for, creating a much cinematic quality to the artwork, without sacrificing mood or atmosphere.