Batman Eternal #1 (2014)

By. Samurai Millo

Publisher: DC Comics

Classification: Teen

Language: English

Writer(s): Scott Snyder & James Tynion IV

Penciller: Jason Fabok

Coloring: Brad Anderson

Cover Price: $2.99

Page Count:  32

Synopsis:

  The following is a description of the comic taken from the official website of DC Comics:

“A massive cast of Gotham City’s best (and worst) examines the relationship between Batman, his allies and his city. In this debut issue, Commissioner James Gordon is caught on the wrong side of the law!”

Review:

 

  It’s been a while since I’ve read a first issue of a Batman-related comic. This series has the particular distinction of being the first Batman related series that will be coming out on a weekly frequency for 52 weeks starting on April 9^th, 2014. Weekly comics are a different kind of animal, because they are put together for a very specific subset of fans, the ones that go to the store every week, almost religiously, barring perhaps natural disasters of the highest magnitude. Therefore, the stories in weekly comics, like Batman Eternal, are tailored taking into consideration that their reader base is comprised mostly of Batman fans that are very into the Caped Crusader’s mythology. The final product is a series that has all the things Batman fans crave for, while also being accessible to new readers.

  What sets this series apart, asides its weekly schedule, is that there will be different story arcs over the next 52 weeks written by different writers. These arcs will interconnect successively, one after another, and each will focus on different characters from Batman universe.

  So far, the first arc focuses on two characters. In the first issue, Jason Bard is introduced. Bard, Gotham City Police’s latest rookie cop, is a promising new recruit from Detroit who is destined to cross paths with the other main character of this story arc, Jim Gordon, who’ll need all the help that he can get to survive a very bad situation, courtesy of Professor Pyg.

  The storytelling in this first issue is articulated and brisk, which is what expected from its writers, Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV. The art, by Jason Fabok, is full details and sequentially impeccable from one panel to the other. Big props go to Brad Anderson for an outstanding coloring job that captures the grittiness of Gotham City.

Final Verdict:

  Batman Eternal #1 is a great start with a lot of promise. If you are new to Batman, this is a good place to start. If you’re a long time Batman enthusiast, this title is a must in your collection. Big changes are coming to Batmen’s world, and they’ll start in this comic.