Synopsis: In the wake of Asema’s murderous rampage, a new threat has emerged—one that endangers Gotham and the world beyond. Still reeling from personal revelations about his past, Batman must confront a group obsessed with shaping their own future—one that has targeted a dear friend.
The Story
After defeating Asema in the last issue, Batman still needs to investigate the organization behind her — an established group with deep roots in Gotham. While examining the remains of The Faultless Jail, where ten murdered children were found, Detective Bullock reflects on his first encounter with the group known as Elixir. He recounts a case from his early days as a beat cop, when his crooked partner Sulley protected some Elixir operatives from arrest in exchange for a payoff. Now working as a private investigator, Bullock is hired by Batman to reach contacts he can’t access himself — including Bullock’s now-retired ex-partner.
Artwork
Lee Garbett handles the artwork in this issue and makes a strong impression, especially with panels that play heavily in shadow. The scenes where Batman hires Detective Bullock for some legwork stand out visually. The issue also features two striking splash pages: one showing Batman leaping onto a car from his plane, and the other on the final page, where instead of Bullock, we’re greeted by The Penguin—an unexpected twist.
Overall
This is a powerful start, giving us a glimpse of just how ruthless and dangerous Elixir truly are, as they interrogate and murder the Faultless Prison Warden right at the beginning. We also get a compelling backstory for Bullock, who survived a deadly encounter with Elixir early in his career with the Gotham City Police Department. The big question now is: who will Elixir hire to keep Batman at arm’s length?
Overall, a fun issue that effectively sets several intriguing plot elements in motion.
- Covers9.0
- Story9.6
- Artwork9.8
- Lettering9.4
- Colours9.8
