Comics / Comic Reviews / DC Comics

Batman #687

By Hervé St-Louis
June 14, 2009 - 14:26

Batman is not dead. Dick Grayson, Nightwing will take over the mantle of his father and mentor. Alfred, their butler wants it this way. But before Grayson can take over, he has to feel at ease and certain that he is doing the right thing. But how do you take over the mantle of Batman without losing yourself?

This story had lots of promises but some odd parts. Let’s get the bad out of the way. The subplot with Damian fighting Doctor Phosphorus was thrown in there without any thoughts. Where does it fit in a story that keeps jumping back and forth through time? Winick surprised me by providing acceptable and compelling inner turmoil for Grayson. I guess, I tend to lower the bar so low for Winick that when he does something right, I’m astounded.

Now Ed Benes. I don’t know how many times I have said that this guy just is not at the level that DC Comics is pretending he is by giving him all those top assignments that he can’t possibly deliver correctly. As this issue was mostly talking heads, he was capable of doing a decent job, but the man cannot choreograph action to save his life. At this point, I consider him as nothing than a cheaper Jim Lee knock off to sell books DC Comics thinks are important. Benes wrecked the Justice League series with scenes that did not make sense, he continues to draw stuff all over the place without any sense of composition. Perhaps DC Comics thinks that putting an overrated writer with an overrated artist is the way to go. Well, it’s making it easy for me to skip this series.

Rating: 7 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12