Review: Batman Vol. 8- Superheavy

Quick Summary

Pros: The entirety of this story is unique and different in a way that feels fresh and interesting. The villain being developed here is terrifying. Everything within the collection looks amazing.

Cons: The book spends a lot of time explaining the current status quo, some of which is a bit boring. Small moments seem inauthentic to Batman’s past.

Overall: In this dramatic twist on the traditional, readers experience the start of a new type of Batman story. The Batman side is different, yet retains the action and detective aspects readers crave, while the Bruce Wayne side is more personal than ever. There are some significant growing pains that hamper the story slightly but also allow the intense transition done here to be possible. All of this, and the story’s fantastic villain, make this the start to a saga with heaps of potential.

Story

Batman Vol. 8: Superheavy is the first part of a rather unique chapter in the legacy of Batman. Here writer Scott Snyder asks two questions: how would Gotham replace Batman if he fell? and what would Bruce Wayne be without Batman? The answers to both of these questions are great to see play out as one leads to a story filled with thrilling fights and new concepts, while the other leads to a touching investigation into a rarely seen side of a familiar character. As the beginning of a highly transitional tale, there are a few moments within the collection where boredom sets in or things feel out of place, causing the book to fall short of its predecessors in terms of overall quality. However, the story is a success and one that Batman fans, especially those looking for a change of pace, will appreciate.

(spoilers start here)

The first half of this collection sets about explaining how the fallout from Endgame (Review) played out in Gotham and how it affects our current story. With Batman gone, the city is ready to try and replace him with a police officer wearing mechanical armor. The officer chosen to replace him is Jim Gordon, who is initially reluctant to take on the role, but ends up coming into his own as a new Batman.

For the most part, this is an interesting premise. A new Batman who works through official channels and reports back to a real authority is a novel concept and is something that could lead to great storylines down the road. Plus, as any seasoned comic fan would tell you, Bruce Wayne’s inclusion in the greater story is a solid indication that he will return to the role of Batman at some point in the future. Thus, having a period of Jim Gordon-led Batman adventures is a nice change of pace for the series.

Alongside this storyline, readers also see what happened to Bruce after Endgame (Review). Clinically dead for hours, Bruce was revived by a mysterious substance that was in the cave with him. Now, he is perfectly healthy, but has no memory of his tenure as Batman.

Through this we see Snyder’s take on a Bruce Wayne who never became Batman. Stripped of personal trauma, he is able to develop a real life and even drum up a little romance. The entire concept is great to see play out and gives an unique layer of development to a character who is already well established. There are a few moments which felt inauthentic to me, specifically those which imply that Bruce had no family or life before the accident, which feels like a statement that completely neglects the entire Bat-family. Besides this though, the piece works and provides a pleasant change of pace where we can see the Dark Knight have a little peace for once.

While all of this is alright, the absolute greatest piece of this collection is its villain, Mr. Bloom. Bloom is a terrifying and monstrous villain who’s enigmatic nature and bizarre powers only make him more frightening to behold. The way he is able to kill multiple people with little effort instantly establishes him as a threat but the nonchalant way he does it adds in a little fear to that threat. So far, we have not seen much from him, but what little we have seen makes me very optimistic about his ultimate role in the next volume.

Problems creep in due to the sheer amount of exposition required to kick off a storyline like this. A new Batman needs to be introduced, the old Batman’s life needs to be explained, and a new villain is being introduced on the horizon. Snyder manages to keep things interesting by spacing out most informational sequences with street level Batman antics, but even this is not enough. I still highly enjoyed reading the entire collection and thought that it worked in accomplishing what it needed to do, but it simply did not feel as entertaining as previous collections because of this. Perhaps with an introduction like this, the next volume will set out to show exactly what this new status quo is capable of.

(spoilers end here)

Art

Once again, Greg Capullo delivers up another wonderful volume. Together with Danny Miki and Fco Plascencia, this creative team develops a collection that is bright and colorful when it needs to be, while still retaining darker elements for more serious moments. The biggest change in this volume is the addition of a new Batsuit. This new design is very different but works because it is different. If it was a carbon copy replica of Batman’s old garb, it would defeat the purpose and intent of what the collection is trying to do. I’ll admit I wasn’t the biggest fan of it at first, but found it to be something that grows on you as you continue reading.

This collection also contains an issue done by Jock that ends up being a big departure from the rest of the book. While the rest of the collection is telling a fun action story, this issue is a more somber reflection on Batman’s past. Jock’s style suits this well as his work is somewhat darker and more serious. It allows the issue to express certain emotions that wouldn’t work as well otherwise and fits in with the rest of the book nicely.

Continuity

Batman Vol. 8: Superheavy continues the story from Batman Vol. 7: Endgame (Review).

The story here continues in Batman Vol. 9: Bloom (Review).

This volume also makes references to other comic books, detailed below:

• Julia’s association with Batman is explained by the Batman Eternal (Review) series.
• Duke makes a reference to the “We are Robin” movement taking place in We are Robin Vol. 1: The Vigilante Business (Review).