Batman #129: From a Fish to a Bat

The character of Batman is one of the most difficult to write, as he’s become locked in an endless struggle of urban legend stalking the nights alone, while also being the head of both a small army of sidekicks/vigilantes and the backbone of the world’s greatest superteam. The latter has been the focus of many recent runs and adapted media, including a recently released video game. The character has existed for over 80 years, so it’s not hard to imagine why these two ideological cores have arisen. It takes a talented creator to understand both versions of the character, and craft stories that can speak to both sides, just like the various aspects of the Batman/Bruce Wayne character. That balance is what made the Scott Snyder of Batman so interesting, and why it’s been so interesting to see Chip Zdarsky’s relaunch unfold over his first arc.  

Batman #129 – written by Chip Zdarsky, with art from Jorge Jiménez, colors by Tomeu Morey, letters by Clayton Cowles – continues Batman’s globetrotting battle with Failsafe, the robot created by Batman, to stop Batman if he ever willingly takes a life. Through the machinations of the Penguin, Failsafe was activated, and without Alfred alive to stop the robot, it enacted its central programming to defeat Batman. This issue unfolds as Failsafe takes control of Gotham, and Batman is forced to flee, first receiving help from Aquaman before escaping to the moon’s Watchtower station. A cornered Bruce is forced to try and plan something Failsafe can’t see coming, even at his own expense. 

The issue features a strong bout of scripting from Zdarsky, balancing the interiority and exteriority of Batman. The issue offers plenty of moments with Batman discussing Failsafe, its creation, and Alfred’s role regarding it with Aquaman, but can then shift to quieter moments of Zdarsky walking the audience through Batman’s thought process and decision-making. This gives Batman a personality, ensuring he’s less of the robotic portrayal of recent years, while still preserving the highly analytical mind behind the world’s greatest detective. That’s a difficult balance to maintain, but across this first run of issues, Zdarsky has hit a stride that is refreshing and original. Pitting Batman up against an enemy that knows his moves, and those of his extended family also offers the writer an opportunity to dig deeper and give a nuanced portrayal of the character, both in his relationship with himself and others. 

The choice to have Failsafe take over Gotham is a little played out, especially after the recent run of storylines like City of Bane, Joker War, and Fear State. That’s partially out of Zdarsky’s control, having been brought on to the title after multiple changing of hands in recent years. The script bypasses many of the issues by taking Bruce out of Gotham with this issue, centering most of the story in Atlantis and the Watchtower. It also is refreshing that Zdarsky is willing to play with continuity, both recent and classic, to build out his vision of Gotham and Batman’s support system. 

That is what gives this book its edge, in the way that Zdarsky gets and deepens the interpersonal relationships between not only Bruce and the Batfamily, but with the Justice League as well. The last issue focused on Superman and Tim Drake’s Robin, while this issue is centered primarily on Aquaman. Zdarsky makes it a point to show just how much the two characters respect one another, with Aquaman defending the vigilante to the Atlantan security forces. It’s a smaller moment in an arc of high-octane action and tense cat-and-mouse chases but works to establish an ethos for the Batman title and character going forward. It’s a refreshing decision, which is an even greater moment when looking at it in the context of a new, fresh DCU looming. 

Jiménez’s art is a perfect fit for this story, blending the bombastic action with the grittier moments of introspection. It’s been insane to see how well his style has shifted for this run, compared to the work done with James Tynion IV. Jiménez’s linework captures something darker, and a little more feral this time around, accentuated by Morey’s colors. It’s the same pairing as the previous run of Batman, but the tone slants further into the mythic Batman, fighting his way across the world. The design for Failsafe is a perfect example of that shift in style in this issue, jagged and mechanical, creating striking images on every page it appears. Jiménez’s time on Justice League also comes through in the issue, thanks to the inclusion of Aquaman and Atlantis. That series was multiverse-spanning, with cosmic beings and concepts clashing with one another. Here, Jiménez’s art brings that scale in its linework, even as the images created detail a much smaller fight between a man and machine. 

Corey’s coloring matches that epic sense of tone, using blinding lights and vibrant colors both in and out of Gotham to showcase the scale of the story. The depiction of Atlantis is enriched thanks to the use of blues and greens of the ocean surrounding, while the grays and browns of Gotham illuminated by the oranges of burning flames reveal the anarchy nature of the city. Even Failsafe’s design is enhanced thanks to the use of a blood-red beaming from its face and chest, reminding this is a machine in the rough shape of Batman. Corey works in the notion that both Failsafe and Bruce are symbols in their design, letting the color become a dominant expression when they are cast in shadow or light.   

The issue also features a continuation of its backup story, which is billed as Zur-En-Arrh’s Year One, tying into the creation of Failsafe. The story is written by Zdarsky, featuring art from Leonardo Romero, with colors by Jordie Bellaire and letters from Clayton Cowles. In it, Batman attempts to take down the Joker, who has kidnapped the head of a pharmaceutical company due to an inability to laugh. Bruce grapples with the mayhem and murder Joker has let loose to the world, and Zur-En-Arrh offers to swap places with him, to end the Joker once and for all. Romero’s work is reminiscent of David Mazzucchelli’s work on Year One and evokes an older, golden-age aesthetic that fits perfectly with the story. The way that his art and Bellaire’s colors bring Zur-En-Arrh to the page gives the figure an appearance that is lacking in a dimension, like he’s a character that’s escaped a comic and appeared in the “real world” of this story.