BATMAN #35

[ BAT'S IN THE BARGAIN-BIN ] 

In the month of October, 2014, DC Comics will garnish their covers with a monstrous piece of artwork. Scott Snyder will pay homage to this occurrence by dressing up as Bela Lugosi. Where as Greg Capullo will accompany him by dressing up as Lady Gaga. You have been duly warned.

To QUOTE an old English Proverb: 'With friends like these, who needs enemies?'.

THE STORY:

Hey! Cut that out, will ya? Stop trying to kick my bleeding head in. Come on. Try to see sense. After all, am I not your old pal from the Justice League, Bruce Wayne, who has always tried his best to fight by your side!

I mean, one minute I was just chill-axing with Alfred and Julia at my new crib. And the next minute I find myself under attack by Diana, Barry, and Arthur.

So once again, guys and girl, please try to resist the urge to smash my f*cking face in. Because if you don't, I will have to strap on a very expensive suit -- I said 'suit' -- and do to you what you're trying to do to me. Figuratively speaking of course.

Oh! Wait a minute! Where's that super-sap? I hope he isn't being possessed by some smiling sod showcased somewhere else in this story!

Hahahahahahaaaa!  

Sh*t!

THE GOOD:

And so it has finally begun. A question we've all been dying to have answered since the New 52 shagged the Old 52.  Batman verses the Justice League. Who will win? Who will loose? And how the hell did this come about to begin with?

Personally speaking, I'm still sitting on the fence where this story-line is concerned. As I have a sneaking suspicion that this tale has a long way to go before it does what it wants to do.

You see, it started off in a very pleasant and congenial manner, where we got to see Alfred, Bruce, and Julia having some fun together -- love Bruce's 'butler gag' by the way, as well as the reference to the bat-monorail (Jean Paul Valley anyone?). Then suddenly -- BANG! -- It begins. One at a time three League members take on Bruce, in which he's fortunate enough to have built a Bat-suit capable for such a task.

Now I have to admit. Currently I'm not a hundred percent sold on how Bruce managed to get to his suit without getting his ass kicked in by Diana. And also I'm not a hundred percent sold on how this suit is being realistically portrayed, either. Yet the one thing I am sold on, is how dynamic and captivating this action scene was for me to follow. Not only because it was illustrated to hell and back by Greg Capullo's marvelous artwork. But because Scott Snyder also added some depth to these proceedings with a very grounded section of sub-text.

THE BAD:

As much as I did love reading this entire adventure, there was only one thing about it I could never quite click with. At the end of it, the main villain of this piece was revealed, when one of his victims -- who shall remain nameless -- expresses himself like most of his other victims usually do. So, what I'm unsure of; is why wasn't this characteristic expressed much earlier in the plot? Plus how could a villain such as... coff-coff-coff... find a way to do such as thing in the first place?

Also, as much as I did love following the back-up feature as well -- because it was great to see Kelly Jones back on a Bat book again -- regrettably, it did feel kind of anti-climatic in comparison to the main brunt of the story.

Sorry, chaps. But it was a big come-down compared to the final 'end page revelation'.

THE MUSIC:

Essentially this adventure was about a group of known acquaintances -- well, I don't think Bruce would call the League 'his friends' -- and how one of them is singled out in an attack spearheaded by the rest. And to me, nothing say's 'singled out' more than the Sammy David Junior classic, 'If My Friends Could See Me Now', especially if you pay close attention to the lyrics.

THE COMPARISON:

Now while I was reading this issue at my local park, out of nowhere a man came up to me and quickly insinuated how it was going to end. And trust me, dear reader, in that instant I got a right buzz that an unknown stranger took the time to actually connect with a fellow comic book enthusiast. In fact, this instant was so surprising and so memorable; I think that's what I'm going to compare it to. A nice surprise by a happy stranger.

THE CONCLUSION:

At the very end of this tale it was revealed who was the dastardly mastermind behind the Justice League's 'situation'. So just for fun, can you guess who it is out of the following eight suspects?

1. Lex Luthor -- Hey! It makes perfect sense if you pick up the Justice League book!
2. Dolly Parton -- All because Bruce wouldn't endorse her brand of edible wigs.  
3. The Scarecrow -- Oh, dear! Not that ugly looking creep again! Can't he find anything else to do? Like make an appearance in the 'Gotham' TV show for instance?
4. President Barack Obama -- Yes he can. So why shouldn't he?
5. The Joker -- Hmm. Now that would be fun!
6. Captain America -- Stranger things have happened.
7. The Mad Hatter -- I wonder what type of hat he would put on Superman?
8. Lady Gaga -- Maybe she can team-up with the Hatter and really go to town on Bruce?

Nuff said.