Batman #154: A Familiar Dynamic Duo

Some things go better together: buttery popcorn and a movie, cold nights and a warm blanket, Batman and Jim Gordon. Whether it be their dueling narrative tracks in Year One, the snappy buddy cop dynamics of The Batman, or even the passing of the mantle in New 52, Gotham stories work best when the duo are in play together. A major flaw of the last few years in Bat-titles has been the lack of Bruce/Gordon team-ups, due to uprooted status quos and constant elevations in stakes way beyond crime in Gotham. What makes the final arc of this Batman era is the return of the rich partnership between the two. 

Batman #154 – written by Chip Zdarsky with art from Carmine Di Giandomenico, colors by Tomeu Morey, and lettering from Clayton Cowles – spotlights a new, old dynamic duo in the form of Batman and Jim Gordon. The two are working the case together to solve the murder of Mayor Nakano, chasing down clues that connect the seemingly reformed Edward Nygma, the new Court of Owls leader, and current Police Commissioner Vandal Savage. Recruiting the help of Harvey Bullock, who recently re-joined the GCPD, the two dig deeper into the heart of Gotham’s foes before hitting a brick wall. 

Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne is still dealing with protests of his social programs and contending with a possible illegitimate sibling. Violence and tensions spill out in the streets at a clinic that Leslie Thompkins is running, forcing Bruce to stand between a rabid protestor and a child. Gotham’s newest costume, Commander Star, makes an appearance and helps Wayne push back the protestors. 

Zdarsky’s script continues the tighter mystery story established in the previous issue, trading multiversal hopping and killer robots for murder and corruption. That recalibration makes for an interesting set-up to track a new era of Gotham, which feels familiar while still pushing forward. New elements are all over the place in this version of Gotham, picking up on not only Zdarsky’s additions to the landscape but those of the last few runs. Compounded with the use of classic Batman characters like the Riddler and Gordon, the result is a strong blueprint for the in-continuity Bat-title.  

What springs as the best byproduct of Zdarsky’s approach is the renewed dynamic between Batman and Gordon. While not the archetypal rapport of vigilante and police commissioner, the partnership of detectives working a case is a fun, almost pulpy set-up. The chemistry between the two men is palpable on the page, supercharged with the tone that was established in the last issue. Maybe it’s a recency bias after repeated writings on Batman: Year One, but part of the issue feels as though it is chasing the building essence of that story.  

Having Di Giandomenico step in for this issue was an excellent choice, as the artist brings a grounded, urban sprawl style while maintaining the intensity established by Jorge Jiménez in the previous issue. His artwork blends the street-level approach to the murder and mystery that fits in the realm of Gordon and Batman detecting clues while also rendering the thrilling action of Bruce throwing fists in the protection of a child. There is a clear overlap in the two approaches that feel resonant while retaining their separate veins. 

Di Giandomenico displayed that balance during his time on Zdarsky’s other Batman book, The Knight, and elevates here now that the book is centered in Gotham. The city is at a fever pitch when depicted through the artist’s scratchy linework, influenced by the mayor’s murder, resulting in a literal backdrop of a city on fire. It’s a stunning visual that cements the moment of tension for Gotham, externalizing a thematic core from the arc. Carrying that energy into the last page results in a sequence brimming with tension and an excellent visual style that propels the story into its next arc. 

Pushing forward the idea of a Gotham on edge and ready to ignite is Morey’s coloring, which flourishes the artwork in stark reds and deceptively beautiful oranges. Morey had the opportunity to play in the striking, neon-noir hues during the start of the Mindbomb arc, the debut issue still lingering as a top from this run. Here, those same principles are on display in a new way, opting for a higher paint quality that heightens the city in moments versus the focus on Batman’s figure. It’s an effective shift that adds to the moody, atmospheric mystery at the center of the issue.