Review: Batman and Son

Quick Summary

Pros: The majority of the stories here are incredibly fun to read and have great levels of action and drama. The entire volume helps set up plotlines for future stories, which builds even more tension in the present. The artwork looks great and a few specific chapters look fantastic.

Cons: One of the stories is less enjoyable than the others.

Overall: Wonderful storytelling, beautiful artwork, and the promise of future greatness make this an essential volume for any Batman fan. This volume helps start a saga in Batman history that will fundamentally change his life. It also is simply a joy to read, as the stories contained within stand well on their own. Any fan of Batman would be remiss to pass over this volume.

Story

Batman and Son, by Grant Morrison, is the thrilling opening volume in one of the most memorable Batman sagas of all time. This volume is packed with excitement and thrills, putting Batman in tense and dangerous situations. It also places a huge focus on building up a conspiracy in the background, one that creates even more tension and ensures that future volumes are going to be even better. Though not all the stories in this volume are equally great, they are all still enjoyable in some way. All in all, this volume is excellent and is a great way to begin an amazing trip with Batman.

(spoilers start here)

Batman and Son opens by introducing a couple of major elements that go on to form the basis for Morrison’s run on Batman. It eliminates most of the problems in Gotham City, positions Talia as a main villain, introduces Batman’s son, and refocuses the direction of the series to take advantage of Batman’s already rich history. Even the “Batman in Bethlehem” chapter works well in generating excitement on its own while giving cryptic hints about possibilities for the future. All of these adventures are easily accessible and fun to jump into while also preparing readers for what is yet to come. 

The next story arc, “The Black Glove”, plays out in a similar way. It has Batman and Robin stuck on an island with Batmen from other nations. The resulting story is essentially a murder mystery that slowly introduces readers to a number of different heroes.

However, this arc is the weakest arc in the volume. Though there are some surprises along the way, Mayhew’s involvement in the murders was pretty obvious and conforms to too many tropes. In addition, the rapid introduction of the many different Batmen makes for a somewhat chaotic read.

Luckily, things get back to normal as Batman and Son approaches its conclusion. The next arc has Batman facing off against an evil-Batman looking for revenge. The villain poses a serious threat, as he is actually able to capture Batman. This makes his defeat, including Batman’s amazing breakout, even more thrilling. Like the rest of the book, this arc also does a lot in building toward future events. It reveals that someone has used Batman in the past and that this someone is coming back to face him in the present.

(spoilers end here)

Art

The majority of the artwork in Batman and Son comes from Andy Kubert. Kubert’s work is bold and dramatic. It positions Batman in ways that show how intimidating he can be and allows action to unfold from there. Kubert’s work is also wonderfully detailed, allowing emotions to clearly come through on the characters’ faces and allowing the wide variety of locations to stand out.

Specifically, Kubert’s work on Batman #656 is a fantastic example of what can be done with the comic book medium. It sets an exciting fight scene against a background of thematically relevant artworks, each of which either help guide the reader’s eye or accentuate the moment. It was easily my favorite chapter in this volume and is one of the better Batman chapters I’ve seen in general.

In addition, several of “The Black Glove” chapters are drawn by J.H. Williams III. Though these are some of the volume’s weaker chapters, in regards to story, the artwork is so good that it almost covers for any narrative flaw. The shifting styles, unique structures, and general attention to detail all make these chapters stand out. They are instantly memorable and do a lot to improve the reading experience.

Continuity

Batman and Son follows the events of Batman/Two-Face: Face the Face. However, since this volume kicks off Grant Morrison’s run on the character, it is a good starting point for new readers.

The story here continues in Batman: R.I.P.

This volume also references other comic books, detailed below:

• Jim Gordon mentions that Two-Face escaped Batman’s war on crime. This happened in Batman: Face the Face.
• Ra’s al Ghul died back in Batman: Death and the Maidens. 
• Batman’s flashback in Batman #656 is a small reference to Bruce Wayne’s Aunt from Batman #89.
• Talia references a night she and Batman spent together. This is a direct reference to the events of Batman: Son of the Demon. This event was previously wiped away during the Zero Hour event but was brought back here in an altered form, presumably due to Superboy’s reality-altering punches in Infinite Crisis.
• Talia also mentions that Batman was selected by Ra’s al Ghul to be his heir. This happened way back in Batman #232.  
• The Zur-En-Arrh phrases are a reference to Batman #113.
• References are made to Jim Gordon’s torture and the Joker’s action in Batman: The Killing Joke.
• The “International Club of Heroes” concept from Batman #667 combines concepts from World’s Finest #89 and Detective Comics #215.
• Batman first met Man-of-Bats and Little Raven back in Batman #86.
• Batman first met Wingman back in Batman #65.
• Bat-Mite’s first appearance was way back in Detective Comics #267.
• Batman underwent the Thörgal Ordeal back in 52 #47, collected in 52 Volume 2.
• In Batman #673, Batman’s hallucinations about Joe Chill are likely references to Batman #47.
• In Batman #673, Batman’s hallucinations about Robin’s death and his statements about participating in an isolation experiment are clear references to Batman #156.
• In Batman #637, Batman mentions spending time with the “Ten-eyed Brotherhood”. This is a reference to the events of 52 #30, collected in 52 Volume 2.