Bat-Reviews: Streets of Gotham #3
I asked, you answered: Some Bat-Reviews are coming your way!
Oh, Tommy Elliot … I just can’t quit you.
Paul Dini is making me one happy camper—and not to mention the Dustin Nguyen/Derek Fridolfs duo makes for drool-worthy art. Not only has Hush made his grand return in style ever since Heart of Hush, but now Zsasz is tearing up the scene, too? I’m either going to die happy or run away screaming, or both—and perhaps not even in that order.
The best thing, in my opinion, to come out of the mess that was Batman: RIP is nothing other than the new, not-so-improved Bruce Wayne … aka Tommy Elliot, aka Hush. The cunning, jealous childhood friend of Bruce turned Aristotle-quoting, dual pistol-wielding villain is putting on his most convincing masquerade yet, and it’s under the guise of Gotham’s resident billionaire playboy. But what appears to be a change of, ahem, heart for the city’s hottest bachelor—who now dishes out the family money to various charitable organizations and useless companies in a false act of philanthropy—is nothing more than an obvious act of mockery to those who knew the real Bruce Wayne.
Elliot relies on the knowledge that the new Caped Crusader, Dick Grayson, and his violence-happy sidekick, Robin aka Damian, can’t lay a finger on him without arising suspicion about their own connections to Wayne—but the Dynamic Duo have other plans in mind. With the help of some costumed friends, they’re going to be keeping a very close eye on the devious Mr. Wayne.
While the post-intimidation exchange about the nature of criminals gave me a good laugh that was unexpectedly refreshing, I can’t help—and I’m certain many feel the same way—but foster the concern that Damian is going to be the next Jason Todd, or worse … the Todd who lived. Erm … well, you know, in a “never died and thus never resurrected by the Lazarus Pit, but instead rebelled and became dangerous” sense. Okay, that made my brain hurt a little.
Meanwhile, Black Mask and Mr. Zsasz—oh yeah, creepy, good ol’ Zsasz—discuss the scarred psychopath’s role in the new Gotham. The city’s puppeteer is giving the killer a chance to dream up something bigger for himself in order to rain more terror down on the populace. I loved this issue of Streets of Gotham down to the very detail … except certain threads. I love Nguyen’s style, but I have to admit, I’m not exactly crazy about Zsasz’s new outfit. It doesn’t really fit his character in my mind, but then again, maybe that’s the point: out with the old, and in with the new. Guess we’ll just have to stick around and find out.
Streets of Gotham #3 also co-features “Under My Skin” (written by Marc Andreyko with art by Georges Jeanty and Karl Story), the continuation of the Manhunter secondaries that pits Kate against a skinless Jane Doe, who needs some new “threads” of her own, if you catch my meaning. The co-feature is a fun romp, but Buffy artist Jeanty makes Doe look like a female Warren.
Recommendation: Buy it! And while you’re at it, get Mr. Zsasz here a clean knife, would you?
