Review: Batman Vol. 5- The Rules of Engagement

Quick Summary

Pros: The story offers plenty of great moments between Batman and Catwoman. Portions of the volume are incredibly fun while others are highly emotional. The art is fantastic all the way through and makes reading even more enjoyable.

Cons: Some aspects of the story are left unanswered. Other aspects push the limits of credibility.

Overall: Though this book is a bit different from its predecessors, it is just as good, if not better. Batman and Catwoman are a great couple and seeing them on adventures together makes for an enjoyable experience. Plus, their interactions together and with others are charming and often very wholesome. This is a book for anyone interested in continuing Batman’s journey to happiness or anyone who enjoys seeing Batman and Catwoman together.

Story

Despite being a rather atypical story, Batman Vol. 5: The Rules of Engagement, by Tom King, is incredibly entertaining. It is deeply personal and digs into who Batman is as a person, rather than as a hero. It does this by focusing on his relationship with Catwoman, which is further justified throughout this volume. Though readers will not find a plethora of battles and supervillains, the high levels of emotion and charm more than make up for it. There are some errors in terms of storytelling that take away from the experience, but the positives still outweigh the negatives. Overall, this is a great collection that will leave readers excited to see what the future holds for Batman.

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The opening story, in The Rules of Engagement, has Batman and Catwoman infiltrate Talia al Ghul’s stronghold to convince Holly Robinson to confess to her crimes so that Catwoman can clear her name and marry Batman. Though there is fighting between the heroes and Talia, the real focus is on the newly engaged couple’s relationship. Batman shows that he is willing to risk serious consequences in order to pursue this marriage. Catwoman also gives a charged, emotional speech to Talia that lays out her feelings for Batman. Both of these give readers more of a reason to cheer on the happy couple and become more invested in this narrative.

However, the heavy focus on emotion takes away from the actual story. Readers never actually find out what Holly plans to do or see Batman suffer the consequences of his actions. Catwoman’s victory over Talia also pushes the limits of credibility, especially since Catwoman herself admits to having little experience with swords. These flaws damage the story as a whole and make it difficult to appreciate, especially on rereads.

The next story is a double date that has Batman and Catwoman hanging out with Superman and Lois Lane. The entire ordeal is wonderfully charming and, quite possibly, one of the best moments in this series thus far. It highlights the immense levels of respect Batman and Superman feel for one another while also giving another unique explanation as to why Batman is marrying Catwoman. Selina and Lois’s budding friendship is also awesome to see and contributes a lot to the overall charm found within these chapters. I was blown away with how entertaining this story was, especially considering how low-key the entire affair was.

The volume ends with a story detailing Batman and Catwoman’s past, while also diving into a possible future. It shows how Catwoman has been there to help Batman, from the very start, and will do so to the very end. This was, by far, the most emotional chapter of the volume; I would compare it to the opening sequence of Pixar’s Up in terms of quality and heartbreak. Overall, this is another great chapter and a solid way to end the volume.

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Art

The Rules of Engagement opens with a few beautiful chapters by Joëlle Jones. Set in the heart of a desert, Jones clothes the cast in a variety of creatively designed costumes that suit the environment and look downright great. In fact, character design is fantastic throughout these chapters and perfectly matches the mood that the characters need to convey: Talia is menacing, the Bat-family is relaxed, and Holly is distressed. Hopefully we’ll get a chance to see more artwork from Joëlle Jones as this series progresses.

The second story features artwork by Clay Mann. Though dramatically different from the opening chapters, Mann’s work here is every bit as visually pleasing as Jones’s. His depictions of the carnival are filled with detail, imbuing the scenes with the sense of life and energy that they require. Character designs are also well done and give the story the playful attitude it needs. Plus, Mann’s page structures work well with King’s writing style, which helps make the reading experience more engaging.

The volume closes with a final chapter by Lee Weeks. Like the rest of the book, this final chapter is beautiful. The harsh lines and wonderful contrasts in detail make the emotions more palpable, which is critical to this particular story. It gives the volume a fantastic sendoff and ensures that every page of this book looks great.

Continuity

Batman Vol. 5: The Rules of Engagement continues the story from Batman Vol. 4: The War of Jokes and Riddles (Review).

The story here continues in Batman Vol. 6: Bride or Burglar (Review).

This volume also references and continues the stories from other comic books, detailed below:

• Jason Todd’s history of death and rebirth is mentioned. He died as Robin in Batman: A Death in the Family and came back as a villain in Batman: Under the Red Hood.
• Talia al Ghul came back to life in Robin: Son of Batman Vol. 1: Year of Blood (Review).
• Superman mentions that Damian Wayne has recently been going on adventures with Superman’s son, Jon. The two met in Superman Vol. 2: Trials of the Super Son (Review) and continued their adventures in Super Sons Vol. 1: When I Grow Up (Review).