Bat-Reviews: Streets of Gotham #4
Just look at that awesome cover art of Mr. Zsasz, one of my personal favorite rogues from Batman’s gallery. The actual comic should be just as great, right?
It’s somewhere in between good and bad, I’d say. Batman: Streets of Gotham #4 follows up on the Black Mask’s seemingly generous donation to Zsasz’s criminal interests, which led to a new look and the means to fulfill it. Logically, the next issue would more deeply explore the results of Victor’s new-found fortunes, but instead the comic takes an outside view—starting with Hush and working its way to none other than the Broker. There’s nothing wrong with the narrative technique, really, and Paul Dini’s decision to take his time reinventing Zsasz, but strangely nothing seems to progress, either.
Hush is on a tight leash now that Zatanna’s illusions allow Bruce’s astute allies to keep a close watch on Tommy and his sudden passion for charity and public image. Knowing the villain, it won’t be long before he figures out a way to slip past their careful detection.
Quickly, we’re taken to a scene that works its way in later, but is perhaps needless. The connection is loosely made, and acts more as background filler than a crucial part of the issue. Likewise, the events with the Broker—while making for an interesting character story, especially later on—don’t feel essential, either, nor necessary to the current, larger storyline Dini is creating. After dealing with the Great White Shark, the Broker (aka Sherman Fine) recounts Gotham’s days as the Wonder City of amusement parks, wax museums, and other gaudy attractions that eventually died out, leaving manufacturing and crime to expand in its absence.
The following scene with Zsasz shows his first steps at the expense of Black Mask, and shortly after the story wraps up and moves on to the secondary feature with Manhunter and Jane Doe (still enjoyable, but not as solid this time around) and a cheesy preview of R.E.B.E.L.S. Annual #1: Starro the Conquerer (writer Tony Bedard and artist Karl Moline).
Streets of Gotham #4 doesn’t satisfy as much as it did previously, but it wasn’t bad enough to caution that the book might be in any sort of danger. Dustin Nguyen and Paul Dini still make an excellent team, and I’m eager to see what the writer does with Zsasz and Hush. Let’s just hope there’s more of a focus next time.
Recommendation: As good as one of Tommy’s sappy public speeches as Gotham’s most popular bachelor. Sniff. Beautiful.
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