Writer: Tom King/Artist: Clay Mann/DC Comics
I’m the kind of guy who legitimately watches “36 questions to fall in love” and This is Us videos in my spare time just to enjoy the sensation of feeling emotions.
So I finished issue #78 of Batman feeling like it was written with me in mind.
Overall, the story feels like yet another detour from the main storyline of the series. I’m about damn ready to see Batman throw a batarang at Bane’s head and get this all over with.
But as a single issue, this is a very enjoyable story.
This issue focuses solely on Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle as they enjoy a getaway at an unnamed tropical resort. Part of their trip is devoted to preparing for Bruce’s upcoming fight against Bane. But it’s also doubling as the honeymoon they never got to have after their failed wedding attempt.
For as dramatic as the build-up was to the wedding-that-wasn’t, we haven’t gotten to see much fallout outside of Bruce being even more brooding than he normally is. And given how much time he was spending with Selina recently, it was only a matter of time before all of that came bubbling to the surface.
Imagine spending your days on the beach with the person you wanted to marry, followed by nights alone in a hotel room right next to their own. It sounds like torture, right? Bruce and Selina are forced to get a glimpse at what could’ve been only to accept that it wasn’t.
This roller coaster of emotions comes in a training session when Bruce is holding back against Selina out of his love for her. To try and push him to the edge, Selina asks him to blame her for leaving him at the aisle because she felt he couldn’t be happy and be Batman. Surprisingly, Bruce responds by telling her he never blamed her. He feels that she only left because his own actions led her to come to the conclusion that ultimately ended their engagement.
It’s often said that when a relationship ends, no one person is totally in the right or wrong. This may be hard to believe when the wounds are still fresh. But time will often show you the error of your own ways.
Bruce has had enough time to see what his mistakes were.
The hopeless romantic in me felt totally seen and appreciated with issue #78 of Batman. The comic book reader in me continues to wonder how far my patience can carry me as I’m ready for some closure.
8.5 out o 10
Reading Batman? Find BNP’s other reviews of the series here.
Want to get Black Nerd Problems updates sent directly to you? Sign up here.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Show Comments