”And
this concludes our programming day.” Most might be too young to remember when
local TV stations signed off at night, but that’s okay. It has little to do
with the current issue of Mother Panic
Gotham AD. Violet Page confronts Jason Todd. And Mr. Freeze. And her
brother. And herself – or, herself in this other reality in which she has found
herself.
But
mysteriously, all the conflict by which she has been challenged in recent
months calms, and she prepares to continue the fight as she sees it. I actually
find it a little disconcerting, that the series creators have had to re-make
the Bat-universe, as if says, “The previous 12-issue series was a dry run. THIS
is the story we want to tell.” Why not tell that from the get-go?
Perhaps
they needed a universe without Batman. Easy enough. Set the story somewhere
other than Gotham City, and never their paths shall cross. Or maybe even with
the addition of Batwoman, DC still needed another woman crime fighter in the
Bat-office. I’m hoping future issue will rationalize why Mother Panic needs to
exist, because it reads to me as if DC is trying desperately hard to reach
every niche audience that might remotely be interested in Batman. Not the best
strategy, in my opinion.
Future
issues (assuming this isn’t the end of the series, which it easily could be)
should accelerate the action and lead Violet Paige in her quest for vengeance
against Gather House and it represents. I’d appreciate seeing a balls-out,
no-holds-barred assault on the villains Violet despises. There is no need to
draw it out, even to make the six-issue trade. Just let the war last that long,
until Vi is the only one standing.
Rating:
5/10