Batman Eternal #15 Review

It was a rocky road getting there at times, but Batman Eternal managed to finish off its first story arc smoothly in a brilliant issue last week. It felt somewhat chaotic but it brings the bigger picture into focus. A weekly book with an overarching plot has to have a lot of things in play and be prepared to bring a new story into focus when another is completed. Hopefully, the creative team has learned from their mistakes and can improve on a mainly awesome book going forward. This week seems to be a team-up themed book. Ray Fawkes continues a plotline put into play weeks ago with Batwing and Jim Corrigan investigating some creepy happenings over at Arkham Asylum. When the seeds were planted so many issues ago, I remember this being a delightful team up to read and that remains true once again in this go-round. Watching the ever analytical, technology reliant Batwing bumping heads with Corrigan, whose knowledge of the occult transcends conventional notions of up and down isn’t exactly new territory as far as team dynamics go, but still entertaining when it’s done right. Meanwhile, while running down a lead with Jason Todd, Batgirl runs into Batwoman, Batman has another ideology/staring contest with Jason Bard and Red Robin has another “OhMyGodWouldYouTwoJustGetMarriedAndGetItOverWith?” moment with his unwelcome ally, Harper Row.

There’s a LOT of material that gets covered in each issue and there’s no disguising how crowded it feels this time around. I mean, seriously…ther…