Review: Batman Beyond Vol. 4- Target: Batman

February 24, 2021 ComicBookWire

Quick Summary

Pros: The beginning and end of the book are engaging. The volume introduces several intriguing plotlines to be explored in the future.

Cons: The middle of the book is somewhat monotonous. The artwork is lackluster.

Overall: This is one of the more mundane entries in this series. There are a few positives here and there but there are also just as many negatives. In general, these positives and negatives even out and create a book that is a bit bland overall. Readers who are already fans of the series will probably want to continue reading here but readers looking for standout entries from this series should look elsewhere.

Story

Batman Beyond Vol. 4: Target: Batman, by Dan Jurgens, is another enjoyable but decidedly average entry in the Batman Beyond series. The main plotline is solid and has some compelling qualities to it. The book starts out with some intrigue, makes some interesting points about Batman as a character, and concludes in a way that builds excitement for the future. However, the quality of the storytelling seriously dips in the middle of the book, where things end up getting a little monotonous. Altogether, this makes an average book that works alongside the rest of the series but doesn’t stand out on its own.

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Target: Batman starts with a good level of interest and intrigue. The main conflict is introduced though a mystery, as a Batman-lookalike appears to be terrorizing citizens of Neo-Gotham. Meanwhile, personal drama is introduced through Bruce’s insistence that Matt take over as Robin and from Dana seeing Terry with Melanie. All of this helps hook readers in and grab interest from the start.

Then, things slow down around the middle of the book. Terry is stuck dealing with a mob in a battle where it feels like nothing is happening, as the confusion in the battle makes it unclear who has the upper hand and how much danger is actually present. Around the same time, the identity of the main villain is pretty obvious yet none of the characters is able to see it.

Luckily, things improve a bit as the book comes to a close. Terry and Matt have a nice family moment that also helps solve the book’s main conflict. Meanwhile, Jack Ryder makes some valid criticism toward Bruce Wayne’s approach to Batman. The conclusion also opens up some plotlines for the future, adding Melanie to the book’s cast of supporting characters and introducing a potential new villain in Arkham.

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Art

The artwork in Target: Batman is pretty lackluster and does little to enhance the book as a whole. The majority of the book features a visual style that is generally a bit unappealing, possibly because of the weird contrast between the coloring and detail on characters in the foreground verses the coloring and detail on objects in the background. The artwork here also does not handle action very well and ends up leaving many of the book’s fight scenes feeling static. There are a few places where Will Conrad’s art stands out as something special, specifically when the visuals try to be frightening. However, this does not happen often enough to make up for the places where the art is underwhelming. In the end, the visuals here are passable but, considering the visuals present at the beginning of this series, they are still disappointing.