The City of Bane is all but quiet now that there are no heroes left in Gotham. Flashpoint Batman and Gotham Girl thus only have to worry about the remaining villains they need to round up.
“City of Bane” has started off incredibly slow, yet everything about it just feels right. Tom King’s entire run on Batman has been a slow-burn, so why would that be any different now? This issue yet again feels like a set-up for the upcoming fight for Gotham and builds up the state of it as compared to the surrounding world. This is a world-building issue and doesn’t necessarily move the plot forward, but it works because of that.
For a storyline called “City of Bane,” Bane has barely shown up two issues into it. However, this isn’t for the lack of focus on the character. Bane’s presence is felt throughout this issue, even if he never shows up. It’s like there’s a looming feeling of hopelessness seeded into the pages because he’s one. Villains are scared of being killed or enslaved. Heroes are scared to even enter Gotham. Even though Bane doesn’t physically appear in this issue, it’s like Gotham City itself has taken on his characteristics. Brutal, unrelenting, unforgiving, and unbeatable. King does a fantastic job of building and expanding upon this new status quo in this issue in a way that gets under your skin.
Like Bane, Batman doesn’t appear much in this issue either. When he does though, he doesn’t speak or do anything because he’s seemingly in a coma. These parts of the issue though are where Catwoman really shines. One of the gems from King’s run has been the relationship between Bruce and Selina. It’s one of the things that has been (purposefully) missing for the past year. Now, they’re back together, at least in a physical sense, but that doesn’t stop this from feeling like a continuation of “The Wedding.” While she doesn’t come right out and say it in this issue, Selina’s regret over her decision jumps off the page. As a fan of the relationship these two share, these scenes, especially toward the end are heartbreaking. The writing is great, but the art really brings out the emotion that needs to be conveyed.
Tony S. Daniel does a great job with this issue on both an emotional and action standpoint. His action is fast-paced and his figures dynamic when they need to be. In addition to that, his figures, whether it be Gotham Girl or Flashpoint Batman, consistently look powerful and imposing, much like the city they inhabit. The emotional highpoints though stem from the sections of the issue concerning Bruce and Selina. Daniel does a great job of creating Selina’s hardened exterior that slowly breaks as the issue continues. And, once it breaks, the art packs a punch, even if it is very subtle.
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