The
title of the new story arc is “A Solitary Man.” Whether it refers to the man
whose murder Batman is investigating, or Batman himself, is in the eye of the
beholder. Following the cancellation of Bruce Wayne’s nuptials, Batman is attempting
to return to basics. Maybe I missed something, but I was under the impression
it was a mutual decision (though Bruce did show up and Selina did not, so I
could be wrong).
Either
way, the broken Bat is attempting to reset his life to zero and then move on. To
do that, he is investigating the murder of a seemingly innocent citizen of
Gotham City. But as he digs deeper into the man’s past, he discovers there are
many layers to this particular onion, and what was supposed to be a routine
murder case is anything but. Major players – plus one to be named later
– are getting involved, indicating Batman’s involvement is warranted.
I’m
sure fans are sympathetic to Bruce being left at the altar, but I do wish the
Bat-writers would stop bringing it up. I feel it does a disservice. Think of it
this way: if your friend goes through a divorce, are you inclined to bring it
up every time you speak to him/her? Show a little sensitivity and steer him/her
in a more productive direction. In this case, let Batman pursue whatever
criminal he wants, and beat the living snot out of him.
One
thing I am uncertain is included in the back-to-basics approach is a simple
matter: shaving. There was a time when the Bruce Wayne persona was as important
as the Caped Crusader. Toward this end, Bruce presented an appearance of being
the clean cut corporate head he’s supposed to be. But more recently, Batman has
been seen with facial stubble, and I can’t say it serves him well. Is it an
indicator for his emotional state? Perhaps. But mostly it just makes him look
sloppy, and not in a charming Don Johnson way. I blame Ben Affleck for this,
but even he was clean shaven more often than not.
Rating:
8/10