Batman vs. Bigby: A Wolf in Gotham #2 – Bill Willingham, Writer; Brian Level, Penciller; Jay Leisten, Inker; Lee Loughridge, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: The first issue of this strange Vertigo crossover was an odd one, with unusual pacing and new characters that it felt like we were supposed to know. After reading this second issue, I’m starting to get my bearings here—and it feels like we might be in for something special. The issue opens with a great segment where Bigby, trapped in the Batcave, rips himself free using his incredibly powerful breath, leaving the core of Batman’s network in ruins. We also get the reveal that Molly Grace is in fact none other than Bigby’s ally, Cinderella, on a deep cover mission. As the mysterious new villain and his fellow literary fans plot a brutal attack on Gotham, Bigby and Batman circle each other and attempt to intimidate their fellow alpha. Willingham does some clever things with the way these two get one over the other, before a shocking attack by the villains raises the stakes and may force them to work together.
But it’s impossible to talk about this issue without discussing the status quo. Why does this Gotham feel like an odd hybrid of old-school and modern Gotham? Why is Dick Grayson both still Robin and heading up a massive Robin school where he trains future agents of Batman? Something odd is going on here and it doesn’t feel like Gotham—and I think that’s because it’s not. I think this story might be taking place in the Fablesverse, and these versions of the characters we’re meeting here are the ones shaped not by the writers, but by the collective version of Batman distilled in people’s minds from the countless adaptations. That’s a fascinating concept, I have no evidence of it beyond my gut feeling, and it may be too clever by half. But one thing is for sure—I am thoroughly intrigued by what Willingham is building towards and a little wary about just how strange it’s going to get.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
