Batman Eternal #18 Review

So, I’ve mentioned before that Batman Eternal has become a bit of an obsession for me. The strange thing is that it’s not just because of the things it does right. A weekly comic that’s actually focused on shipping on time can be open to any number of things that can go wrong, so it’s always interesting to see the minor snafus that can occur when creative talent is basically a game of musical chairs. Sometimes, it’s noticeable without causing any real consequence. Other times, it makes all the difference. This issue leaves us spending an equal amount of time involved in two different plots. The first brings Batman back into the forefront as he keeps a close eye on Gotham’s new top cop, Jason Bard. The two are pulled into the sewers in pursuit of a foe abducting innocents. The tense relationship between the two (mostly on Batman’s end) make for an entertaining team up. With such a deep network of allies and proteges in the city, it’s easy to forget that some of the best Bat-reads come when the Dark Knight teams up with people he doesn’t completely trust. Meanwhile, we get to catch up with Batgirl, Red Hood and Batwoman still tracking down parts of the machine behind Jim Gordon’s frame job. This seems like there would be more of a personality clash, but even for all of their differences, Ray Fawkes seems to allow them to come across as a well oiled machine of a team with issues. Professionals, I guess you could call them. We get a brief glimpse into the possible tension of Carm…