Back in the 1970s, during my formative comic book reading years, nobody drew a better Batman than Jim Aparo. He also drew (briefly) the Spectre, in Adventure Comics #431-440. So it seemed a natural at the time that the two would occasionally team up in the pages of Brave and the Bold.

Things have changed in the comic book world, so it’s hard sometimes to reunite two characters after so much time. Thankfully, Batman and the Spectre are still a natural pairing, despite Jim Aparo’s absence. But Kyle Hotz brings something new yet familiar to the table. His work seems a blend of Bernie Wrightson and Brian Bolland, and that’s definitely a good thing.

Unfortunately, this issue stumbles somewhat on the writing. The narrative is a bit thin, focusing primarily on the reunion of Batman and the Spectre and the horrific crime that brings them together. But it’s only the first chapter, so I’m prepared to be patient and keep an open mind.

I normally don’t comment on the covers, though in this case I must. A man in green, wearing a hood, telling Batman, “You’ve failed this city.” It might be charming were it not for the fact that Arrow has devolved into a rather mediocre program. I can think of other, better programs to sub-reference. Thankfully a cover is only one page (which is why I rarely mention them).