Batman 20 review

This isn’t one of Scott Snider’s epic Batman stories; it’s just the second of a 2-part story with Batman fighting Clayface. Not that this is a bad thing – this is a great comic, and a nice break from storylines such as the Court of Owls and Death of the Family.

It’s fun that Bruce Wayne and Clayface are having just as much a battle of wits as they are a physical fight. They’re both not only trying to outsmart each other, but they’re battling for Commissioner Gordon’s trust. It doesn’t make things easier now that Clayface can now manipulate other peoples’ DNA. What holds the main story back the most is that there’s a little too much exposition at times and it slows down the action a little.

This issue’s best scene takes place after the fight however. Bruce Wayne admits to Alfred that he’s not quite ready to let his son go yet. The two of them watch video clips of Batman and Robin working together, and it’s a great little scene of Bruce Wayne connecting with his butler. The scene is further improved by the art, which does a great job at subtle facial expressions. This scene alone propels this issue from being merely good.

The backup story isn’t as strong as the main story. It’s just a Superman/Batman team up that, while fun, feels kind of pointless. There’s a quick little reference to Damien Wayne’s death, but it feels tacked on when compared to the main story’s ending. The art doesn’t help either – here it looks silly when Superman is fighting a blob, even though it looks cool when Batman fights a blob in the main story.

This is by no means the best issue in Scott Snider’s Batman run, nor is it trying to be. It’s just a fun little story that gives us a nice break from Snider’s longer, darker stories. If you’re a Batman fan, this is worth reading.