Batman Beyond #4: In Their Heads

Terry and Kyle’s journey beneath Neo Gotham continues in Batman Beyond Neo Gothic #4. The series’ strongest moments have been its character beats. The action is dynamic and has been fun, but looking at how these two characters mentally handle the growing darkness is particularly compelling. This issue tackles that side of the story more than any issue before it, and does so very effectively.

Batman Beyond Neo Gothic #4 spends most of its time in Terry and Kyle’s head as the Batman Beneath attacks them more with mental games then physical games. Terry is confronted by the events surrounding his father’s death. He moves beyond that relatively easily and finds himself in Kyle’s head watching his development into a young man (or catboi). His connection to Constantine is explained. The two characters are able to ultimately break out of the thoughtscape, but that still leaves them to try and defeat the Batman Beneath.

The exploration of Kyle’s character is fascinating. He came across as more of an accessory when he was introduced in the first issue–a guide for Terry’s journey through the dark layers beneath Neo Gotham. Kelly and Lanzing gave him some development in the previous issue. But in Batman Beyond Neo Gothic #4 they dive deep into Kyle’s backstory. It peels away a lot of Kyle’s outward strength to show a deeply vulnerable character who was taken advantage of when he was at his lowest.

Terry’s mental exploration in the face of the Batman Beneath’s assault is less revelatory, especially for readers familiar with the larger Batman Beyond backstory. But it does work in how it sets up Terry’s journey to experience Kyle’s past. This pays off as the issue goes on and it creates a real bond between the two characters.

The callback to the three lessons from the first issue adds critical context. In the first issue, the three lessons seemed abstract–perhaps a commentary from someone specific, but merely thoughtful, abstract concepts. Tying it to Constantine and what he taught Kyle reframes that narration as something particularly significant by virtue of Constantine speaking it.

Terry’s mental journey in Batman Beyond Neo Gothic #4 takes a fun visual form. Terry exists in the series’ visual style at first. But as he pushes back against the illusion, he moves through the art styles of the Batman The Animated Series season 4 and then the Batman Beyond cartoon. It’s an effective and novel representation of Terry moving through some kind of thoughtspace before he reaches Kyle. If there is a knock against it, it’s that it happens over such a short time.

It also can’t go unmentioned that Dunbar draws an outstanding anthropomorphized cat in the form of Kyle. The vulnerability he exudes when he’s young is heartbreaking. But more impressive is that even as Kyle gains strength with Constantine and Dunbar draws him with more confidence, that vulnerability in his eyes never entirely goes away. As with Kelly and Lanzing’s dialogue, Dunbar’s art is creating a truly three dimensional, complementary character for this series.

Beredo’s coloring very effectively supports the animated styles Dunbar uses for Terry’s mental journey. Robin’s bright costume stands out among everything in the issue. Beredo also nails Batman Beyond’s background coloring style with the dancing people in the club.

The choices Otsmane-Elhaou’s makes with his lettering elevates the corruption at the heart of the Batman Beneath. His rough dialogue bubbles and their pale green color leans into that sickly green surrounding and at the heart of the Batman Beneath. The white on black for text and dialogue bubble works in the same way.