Batman Incorporated 001

Writer - Grant Morrison
Artist - Chris Burnham
Colorist - Nathan Fairbairn
Letterer - Pat Brosseau
Editor - Brian Smith/Mike Marts/Ricky Purdin


I can only review this issue as a reader that has not read any of the issues from the previous Batman Incorporated series. I decided to pick this issue up because of the ridiculous praise this issue has gotten, it had Grant Morrison as the writer and because it was a first issue, which is usually the perfect time to jump into a series. However, I felt like I was getting the middle of a ongoing story here.

A face only Burnham could love

Honestly, I have no idea why this issue is getting so much praise, it is nothing special at all. The writing is just okay. The dialogue was decent but I found Goatboy's narration tedious and unoriginal. On top of that, the plot was just weird. Batman and Damian chase a few baddies into a slaughterhouse and while some of the workers are actually more goons, others are not and those innocents just keep on doing their work despite a super hero battle happening right in front of them with swinging chainsaws and gunfire. Maybe that was supposed to be a joke about desensitization with society or whatever but I just did not get it. And Damian adopting a cow and becoming a vegetarian? I guess it would be funny to some. Then there is some quick jump to the Leviathan organization, showing them take over a west side criminal organization called The Brother's Grimm.

The actual plot for this issue is about Damian's mother Talia Al Ghul, having put a price on Damian's head and every assassin around was trying to get a piece of that pie. But the one that is at the front of the race is some pathetic cabdriver/mercenary that just wants the money for his kid.  Goatboy also accidentally killed a friend of his that honestly seemed more deserving of the name. I cannot figure out if the guy that was shot was wearing a mask or if that was his real head. Most masks do not show various expressions or have long goat tongues fall out when killed. Someone told me that if I was put off by gore in comics, I would not like this issue but that is not true. I do not really care for this issue because it is just not that interesting. As for gore, I read Crossed and The Boys. This was nothing by comparison.

The art was no better. At first I seriously thought I was reading a Frank Quitely issue. It took me a while to realize that it was someone just trying to draw like him, which in my opinion is not something that one should strive for in a comic book. Not that I really have a problem with Quitely or the artist that emulated him Chris Burnham strictly from an art appreciator point of view. I just think everything looks ugly. The characters, the environment, the scene transitions... all ugly. And this might be me just nitpicking but I like the art in the comics I read to look good. The proportions are just weird and there is a sloppiness about the whole thing that I do not care for. One thing I did like was the action scenes though. Burnham does seem to know how to make his fights look pretty cool.

Now, despite all my grievances, this is not a terrible issue. I am listing a few reasons why I do not believe it is worthy of all the praise it is getting. It does seem like the wrong issue to start with for a new reader, which is odd considering it is the first issue in a series. It is just not new-reader-friendly. The issue itself is not actually bad, just weird. I think it would appeal to Batman fans and readers that have a strong affinity towards quirky and odd comics. It just did not work out for me. Overall, I just felt like it was okay. A 2.7/5 seems about right for me. I do expect some serious rage from Batman or Morrison fans over my rating but it will not change my opinion of it as a new reader.

Spoiler for those that have not read the issue, Damian supposedly gets shot in the head but we never see it and he conveniently has his head covered by his hood when Batman is screaming to the heavens while holding his dead boy. I hate stuff like that. It is a weak attempt at a hook and we all know Damian did not really get shot and they will have some lame excuse why Batman and Damian played along. I actually wish he did get shot just for an actual surprise.