Batman Beyond #39 – Dan Jurgens, Writer; Inaki Miranda, Artist; Chris Sotomayor, Colorist
Ratings:
Ray – 8.5/10
Ray: Dan Jurgens has successfully shaken up Batman Beyond with a new lead heroine, the return of a classic villain, and a massive mystery surrounding its main character. The return of Blight has been teased for a long time, but now that he’s back it’s not his nemesis Terry McGinnis facing him – it’s a masked new Batwoman who is obviously more green than the veteran Batman.
Terry, meanwhile, has been rendered amnesiac thanks to a plot gone wrong from False Face, and has found himself wanted for murder and in the company of a suspicious woman who used to work for Derek Powers before he was a radioactive skeleton. The title has kept coy about what side she was actually on and what her intentions were for Terry, but Batman Beyond #39 makes it clear – not only does she have ties to Blight, but she was involved in one of the biggest tragedies of Terry’s life and may be about to betray him in a devastating way.
After all the hype for Blight, he could have easily disappointed. But Jurgens calls back to the very beginning of the series and reminds us that he was one of the vilest villains any Batman has ever faced. He had more in common with Norman Osborn than any Bat-rogue, and seeing his impact on Matt as his return becomes known is powerful.
Blight easily handles the new Batwoman, overpowering her, but she’s able to pull off some guile moves that let her get away and accelerate his deterioration – making his plans with his former minion all the more dangerous. The ending of Batman Beyond #39 doesn’t reveal her identity – yet – but it does promise a reveal next issue and further eliminates the two leading suspects. This is easily the most intriguing this series has been, with a plot that captures the vibe of the beloved original while advancing the plot in exciting ways.
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Disclaimer: GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
