Batman #105: Family Matters

James Tynion IV and the cavalcade of artists bringing us Batman twice a month is possibly the second best thing to happen in 2020. This issue, ending the “Ghost Stories” arc, Tynion drives home the message for anybody that hadn’t picked it up yet. Batman is as a good as he is because he cares so damn much and his extended family, often relegated to the sidelines in recent years, is testament to that care. The family makes Batman be a better Batman. The resolution of this arc, as such, may feel like it came out of left-field to some but it just makes sense in the greater context of the run and I found it to be truly wonderful. The depth of emotion here in this issue is simply stunning.

The art team is exceptionally varied, as has become the standard for this book. After some of his work on Flash I have become a big Christian Duce fan so it was a pleasant surprise to see his work pop up. Pagulayan and Miki have, of course, been in and out of the standard rotation and turn in the sharp work we’ve come to expect from them here. Barron and Cowles continue to be consistently excellent in their fields. All in all, from top to bottom, this issue is simply excellent. Thanks to everybody involved and I can’t wait to see what 2021 brings following “Future State!”