First on the list is Batman Inc. number 4, by bat-scribe extraordinaire Grant Morrison on writing duties and Chris Burnham on art chores. The issues opens with the new Batwoman (of Batwoman Elegy fame) tracking a crook named Johnny Valentine through the original Batwoman's (Kathy Kane) circus (apparently the original Batwoman ran a circus!). We get a flashback to Kathy Kane's first exposure to Batman and Robin. In the present, Batman and El Gaucho, the Argentinian superhero, are forced to duel with electric brass-knuckles... to the death, or three orphans will drown at the hands of villains El Sombrero and Scorpiana. The issue is filled with flashbacks of the dynamic duo coming into contact with the original Batwoman, and Batman's love affair with the Batwoman, and the forming of a 'bat-family'. Ace the Bat-Hound and Batgirl even make an appearance! But there is more than meets the eye behind Batwoman, and why she is getting so close to the Batman.
The interesting thing about this issue, or at the very least the most interesting thing to me, are the flashbacks to days of the original dynamic duo and the Bat family. I find it thrilling that Morrison is continuing his trend started in the Black Glove and Batman R.I.P of including all aspects of the character's history. The flashback scenes have a very animated and fun quality to them, and we see some expressions of happiness on The Batman's face, something you don't see very often with the modern version of the character. I also love love love how he draws Robin. Chris Burnham does amazing work in this issue, the characters all have distinct and fun facial features, and the action is conveyed extremely dynamically, no static panels or figures that look as if they have been frozen in their poses by some kind of freeze ray. The introduction of the new Batwoman did seem a tad abrupt to me, and I am wondering how she will fit into the current storyline, and at a certain point it feels like Batman turns on El Gaucho fairly quickly on the word of the villains currently making them punch each other to death...with electric brass knuckles. But nonetheless this was an exciting issue that will once again have me return to Batman Inc. Next issue.
I also Picked up FF #1, The Uncanny X-Force #6 and an interesting Captain America one Shot, Captain America and Batroc the Leaper. As an added bonus this one shot has a classic Lee/Kirby Cap story in the back, I found this page to be especially awesome:
I really like how Cap is crouched and circling his enemy in that last panel.-Eamon
