Batman Beyond #36 // Review
An aging hero teams-up with a team led by an aging Bruce Wayne in the far future as writer Dan Jurgens' latest chapter of Batman Beyond glides into rather interesting new territory. Fellow superhero comics veteran Rick Leonardi delivers a classy Copper Age feel to the page in an issue inked by Ande Parks. The pulpy superhero future, as seen through the eyes of the past, looks particularly appealing in an installment that doesn't necessarily focus quite so closely on the title character. Jurgens sets things up in an auspicious direction at issue's end. The story shifts just in time to echo events taking place on video screens all over the country beginning the week this issue appears on the comics rack.
False Face has taken over the identity of Batman as his alter-ego Terry McGinnis has completely disappeared into the vast megalopolis of Neo Gotham. Aided by Bruce Wayne, the reformed villain known as Ten chases False Face/Batman, but she's going to have a hell of a time trying to detain both him AND the twin speed demons known as Splitt. Thankfully, she doesn't have to do so alone. A bearded, aging Barry Allen joins efforts with Ten to even-up the odds as The Flash.
Jurgens juggles quite a few different characters quite deftly in a big ensemble story with a lot of moving parts. In the mix of a rather large ensemble, it's pretty easy to lose track of the fact that nearly half of this issue is focussed on the surprisingly engrossing action of an aging Silver Age Flash as he crosses paths with a couple of far younger speedsters, ultimately deciding to help them. It's really compelling stuff. Ten comes across as a really valiant hero in her own right as she faces-off against Batman in a conflict which resolves without Wayne and company being any closer to finding Terry McGinnis. How can Neo Gotham maintain without its iconic champion? Jurgens' tease in the final page promises the potential of a really, really interesting new direction for the series.
Focussing as it does on an aging hero, it's actually very cool that this issue is both written AND drawn by a couple of guys who have decades' experience in superhero comics. In particular, the 62-year-old Rick Leonardi's framing of a heroic aging Barry Allen complete with a silver beard and cunningly experienced visage. Aided by dynamic embellishment from Ande Parks, the action shoots across the page with all of the power that one might expect from a tussle between a couple of tech warriors and a couple of high-powered speedsters.
At its heart, there's nothing more revolutionary than a conflict between super-powered individuals. There's nothing particularly original being presented here, but with a story that delivers the standard superhero/supervillain action so well. It's as entertaining as ever with Jurgens and Leonardi at the top of their games. With any luck, the new direction hinted at the end of this issue could bring about chapters of this level of quality.
