In the first issue of the second volume of Morrison’s Batman Incorporated, Bruce and Damian are in hot pursuit of the goat-faced, gun-toting Leviathan rank and file. The chase leads them through a slaughterhouse. As bullets and bone saws fly, things get really, really bloody. With the bad guys subdued, but drenched in animal blood – Damian makes a life decision. Chris Burnham and Nathan Fairbairn execute this unforgettable moment … adorably!
Thoroughly impressed I was with Morrison’s latest issue of Batman Incorporated. You can read my review at here.
Batman Incorporated #2
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Chris Burnham and Nathan Fairbairn
Letters by Patrick Brosseau
Batman Incorporated is a story about a father and son, but issue #2 is devoted to the woman who casts a long shadow over the child in the equation. Writer Grant Morrison’s pen agrees with Talia al Ghul, mother of Damian, presented here in all her ruthless, unblinking glory. Every villain has an origin story, and Talia’s is as colorful as you’d expect from someone with her lineage.
Though there are some very familiar moments in Batman Incorporated #2, Morrison’s character sketch of Talia from childhood to present day adds to the narrative and gives the reader a fuller understanding of who she is. What kind of person would add “assassin” to the list of required life skills for her child? One who was cut off from her mother and raised by Ra’s al Ghul. But before a sword was put in her tiny hands, Talia was just a kid who wanted her father’s love and attention. It’s a little heartbreaking to see her briefly as a tot drawing cute pictures of Ra’s, knowing all the while that she’ll develop a deadly cold-heartedness to rival her father’s.
In a single issue, Morrison conveys Talia’s drive and massive sense of entitlement as a woman who has been given almost every tangible thing she’s ever wanted. Continue reading
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed Batman Incorporated #2, and The New Deadwardians continues to be a top-notch comic. Check out my Rapid Reviews for both books at Newsarama.
