Batman RIP #679

Creative Team:
Writer: Grant Morrison
Pencils: Tony Daniel
Inked: Sandu Florea





MIRACLE ON CRIME ALLEY:
Bruce is still running around as Batman Zur-en-arrh. This issue starts out with Batman beating some people up nothing unusual execpt the Zur-en-arrh costume. Then he has a nice conversation with Batmite and a Gargoyle on top of a building. Then beats some more people up. Doctor Hurt came up with the idea to use "Zur-en-arrh" to give him the power to switch off Batman anytime he wanted. Atleast thats what Batmite's telling Bruce. Batman prepared himself for a psychological attack with a backup identity which turns out to be The Batman of Zur-en-arrh. In the mean time Robin is trying to sort everything out and keep himself safe from the Club of Villains at the same time. He leaves a message on the Knights mom's voice mail telling him whats been going on with Nightwing disappearing and Batman going crazy. Alfred puts a call into commish. Gordon asking him to come to the mansion its urgent. When Gordon and a cop with him walk into the mansion. The gates were open as was the front door. The cop was the first one to walk in a bends down and picks up a card with a skull and cross bones wearing a sombrero. Then he is quickly killed by three arrows. It turns out that Wayne Mannor has been booby trapped by El Sombrero. If you don't want to know all the surprises of this issue I suggest to stop reading now. Doctor Hurt is in the Batcave with El Sombrero and Alfred, who is tied up. Doctor Hurt pours some wine on Alfred's head and tells him to wake up betrayer. "The usurper was NEVER my son was he? "It was you...you and Martha my adulterous witch of a wife am I right?" Alfred tells Doctor Hurt/Thomas Wayne that he isn't Thomas Wayne because he knows he isn't Thomas Wayne. Doctor Hurt/Thomas Wayne disagrees and says he is Thomas no more now he is Doctor Hurt.


It was a great issue once again. I think most of us had figured or suspected that Thomas Wayne would show up sooner or later in this series. Atleast I have expected him to show up. This story line continues to get more insane by the minute. I strongly suggest picking this issue up if you haven't already.


I'm starting to wonder if the Joker won't get his chance to finish off Batman like he has always wanted. I think the introduction of Bruce's father poses a problem for the Joker to finish Batman off, but with Grant Morrison writing anything is possible.


--BlackLantern

Batman 678 (August 2008)

Wow. Morrison hits another home run with this issue.

RECAP

From the beginning with Robin reading Batman's Black Casebook, to Bruce Wayne's odyssey, to the final page featuring the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh, this was another classic by Grant Morrison. Just the amount of territory covered in this issue is amazing.

The Bat-Radia is turned on.

Robin Dies at Dawn.

The original Batwoman.

The Club of Villains.

Robin reading the Casebook.

Zur-en-arrh.

Bruce's odyssey.

Crime Alley.

The Black Glove's trap for Nightwing(I don't know how he will get out of this without help).

Thomas Wayne's Batman costume.

The return of Honor Jackson.

R.I.P. has certainly kept me on the edge of my seat. I can not wait for the next installment featuring the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh, Robin vs. Damian, and the Joker.

REVIEW

Some fans love Grant Morrison and others hate him. I fall in with the group that thinks he is one of the most innovative writers in comics today(possibly ever). To date, Batman R.I.P. is his masterpiece. Grant is pulling together threads from his first Batman stories, 52, and tries to show that all of the Batman stories happened to the current Batman. If you are a fan who wants to see Batman swing into action, this issue will be a disappointment. The focus on this issue is Bruce Wayne's odyssey. I thought it was great as part of the overall storyline. Grant has me counting the days until the next chapter is published.

Tony Daniel(inked by Sandu Florea) has taken his art to the next level. I do not know if his art has naturally progressed to this point or if working with Grant has inspired him. All I know is that Tony is doing a great job on this book. His art has become the perfect compliment to Grant's scripts.

Highest recommendation possible.