Batman: The Return

Leave it to Grant Morrison to give us the worst opening and one of the worst final panels of the Dark Knight’s career both together in a single issue for the extra-special price of $5.

This Batman: The Return one-shot further sets up Grant Morrison’s latest pet project Batman Incorporated by defining roles for the rest of the Bat-crew. Or that’s what it should do. For some reason almost all of those conversations take place off the printed page. The glimpses we get, such as the dialogue between Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson is actually pretty good, but sadly it’s drowned out by mutated killers, terrorists, and a secret organization operating around the world known as Leviathan.

And then there’s the mindbogglingly bad opening which gives us Frank Miller‘s iconic bat through the window scene from Batman: Year One…from the bat’s point of view. That’s right – FROM THE BAT’S POINT OF VIEW! Wow, just…wow.

There are short sequences here that work between the bookends of sheer crapola, but without a doubt everything could be handled better. For the increased price we’re given several pages of concept design for a comic that’s better off forgotten.

Joy.

At least the cover is kinda cool.

[DC $4.99]