All Star Batman #6 Review

Writer: Scott Snyder / Artists: Francesco Francavilla and Jock / DC Comics It’s hard to call Scott Snyder’s Batman work the most consistent in DC’s arsenal. I mean, the overall quality is consistently awesome if that’s the goal, but “consistent” doesn’t exactly do justice to what he’s going for, particularly with All Star Batman, Snyder’s road trip comic with the Dark Knight. This seems like an experiment in comic storytelling, playing with different styles and perspectives of Batman’s mythology. So far, the experiment is a resounding success. Issue #6 has Snyder teaming up once again with Jock, featuring Mr. Freeze as the central villain. The last time I read a Mr. Freeze story was during the New 52 and to be honest, it was a bit of an insult to what attracts readers to the character. Snyder’s tale seems to erase some of that and get back to basics, remaking him as more of a foil to sympathize with. Once again, he’s a well meaning tragedy of science who has become unhinged, his perspective on reality completely untrustworthy. His “evil” plans are usually just subconscious attempts to make sense of what’s happened to him and his wife and validate him as a human being. This time around (though insanely diabolical) is no different and Snyder handles it like circus juggler balancing spinning plates with his eyes closed. And of course, his Batman handles being placed in an impossible predicament with the kind of unconventional moxy and attitude we’ve come to expect from his take …