Batman Annual #2 Review
Writer: Tom King
Artists: Lee Weeks (Pgs. 1-30 & Cover), Michael Lark (Pgs. 31-38)
Colorists: Elizabeth Breitweiser (Pgs. 1-30), June Chung (Pgs. 31-38)
Letterer: Deron Bennett
Score: 10/10
WARNING: THIS COMICBOOK REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.
READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION
Wow. Tom King is going to have to compete against himself for those Eisners with Batman, Batman/Elmer Fudd & Mister Miracle.. You would think that after so many years of on-again/off-again relationships, people would have run out of stories for “BatCat.” This second annual special shows that there's never enough stories for the timeless couple of Selina Kyle & Bruce Wayne.
Tom King is at his best when he does limited-run stories. His current Batman overall may not be the best but, these one-shot stories are simply amazing. Before I continue, you MUST read his run on Mister Miracle with Mitch Gerads. That is Tom King at his best. Now that I've got that statement out of the way, let's go back to the magic of “BatCat.”
The first half of the issue is a retelling of Bruce's early days as the Dark Knight when Catwoman steals the Batc-c-c-c-c, the Batmobile. Selina Manages to break in & out of the Manor to steal more things several times and, with every attempt, she leaves a mouse. She considers this her way of showing concern for him and, it works! When Bruce finally manages to catch Selina they have a conversation about the reason why she keeps on breaking in & out of Wayne Manor. They go on one last game of cat & mouse that leads to Selina's place. Not surprisingly, they kiss and make out. There's no other way to say it.
Neither one remembers where they first met and they have a debate that jumps into the future, where Bruce and Selina are now old & continuing debating about where they first met. The doctor comes in with some bad news and, Selina has a difficult time accepting the result.
We then have a short conversation between Selina & their grown-up child, who has taken over the mantle of Batman. The child spoke to Zatanna and said there is no other way to save Bruce. Everyone has their time.
The next moment is one of the saddest panels in any comic I've ever read since the original Wally West returned in DC Rebirth. Be prepared for Spoilers in 3....2....1....
This was a tear-jerking moment. I didn't really start bawling until the 2nd or 3rd read but, Bruce had majority of the BatFamily, and Selina, by his bedside. The Bat Signal in the sky had called for Bruce Wayne.
In the end, we see a tiny kitten waiting inside the Batmobile. The kitten has a tag around its neck saying, "I love you too cat. From the first kiss to the last."
Closing Thoughts:
You'll notice select panels in the now iconic 9 panel grids made famous by Watchmen. This is probably an interesting pattern but, a lot of DC’s best recent comics have been utilizing the 9 panel grid system to good use. From Mister Miracle to Doomsday Clock and, hints of it here in the 2nd Annual of Batman Rebirth
What else? Oh! The coloring is so beautiful. Elizabeth Breitweiser’s colors popped out in that scene on the rooftop. That added a lot of depth to Lee Weeks’ Art.
Goodness, that needs to become animated into a film one day.
As with the first half, Michael Lark & June Chung’s work on the latter half of the book is outstanding with the way the art & colors were adapting to the scene. Somber in the middle, Bittersweet at the end.
I’ve always wondered if DC would have someone make me cry more than Heart of Ice did and, this comic was very, very close. If you want a tear-jerking Batman Comic this is it.
You can find Batman Rebirth Annual #2 at your nearest comic shop like Filbar’s, Comic Odyssey, Planet X, Comic Quest, and Druid’s Keep.
STEVEN MAXWELL TAN grew up with a love for cartoons, most especially with Batman: The Animated Series. That appreciation lead to an interest in comics and voice-overs. He's currently a Voice Actor for an ESL Company. You can find his geekiness on facebook, twitter, youtube and, twitch at steviesaidyup.
