Batman One Bad Day: Ra’s Al Ghul #1 – Tom Taylor, Writer; Ivan Reis, Penciller; Danny Miki, Inker; Brad Anderson, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: The final installment of the One Bad Day series continues the pattern of taking a completely different path with each chapter. These interconnected stories all seem to have one piece of DNA in common—giving the villains a psychological spotlight—but they can’t seem to agree on whether the villain is supposed to be scarier than ever (Riddler), a tragic villain (Clayface), or even the hero of the story (Penguin, Bane). Which one Ra’s Al Ghul falls into will depend on your perspective—but it’s pretty clear Tom Taylor has some sympathy, if not for the character’s actions, then for his motivations. Taylor has been deeply passionate about the environment for a long time, and this issue makes that its core DNA.
This issue leans heavily into the fact that Ra’s has been around for hundreds of years, and shows us his awakening from the Lazarus Pits in a unique and tragic way. And when one of the few tethers to his old life—an endangered species of wolf—meets its final end, he’s pushed beyond his limit. That leads him to pull off a flashy slaughter of a corrupt corporate executive responsible for damage to the environment, while carefully covering it up. But while he fooled the authorities, he didn’t fool Batman—who figures out that not only was this not an accident, but it’s part of a pattern targeting the most dangerous people in the world to the Earth and replacing them with more responsible stewards.
While there are other characters including Talia here, there are three key players—Ra’s, Bruce, and Damian, all of whom are bound by blood. As Ra’s carefully manipulates the situation to push Batman into a final showdown, Batman is forced to answer an impossible question—is he willing to stop a plan that will make the world a better place? The story takes several unexpected turns, and while it’s clearly out of continuity, it doesn’t feel like it’s distant from the versions of the characters we know. Its take on Ra’s is incredibly ruthless and terrifying in places, but never completely lacking in his moral core. Ivan Reis was the perfect choice to illustrate this issue, capturing both natural beauty and bloody violence. It’s a fitting close to a fascinating experiment.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
