Batman: Off-World #3 – Jason Aaron, Writer; Doug Mahnke, Penciller; Jaime Mendoza, Inker; David Baron, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: Jason Aaron has landed with a big impact at DC, and this series is already showing he’s an absolute perfect fit for Batman. Could a run on the main title be up next? We’ll see, but until then, this thrilling sci-fi adventure is scratching that itch. When we last left off, Batman and Tamaranean bounty hunter Ione had escaped the pirate slave colony and landed on the planet of Akkari, where Batman quickly found himself in another very atypical situation—fighting a massive metal-clad wolf to prove himself the alpha. As the issue begins, he’s not only survived—but gained the trust and loyalty of the wolf, making them a clan of three. He’s also developed a much deeper relationship with Ione, but there are problems in the making—because she’s starting to realize what so many lovers of Batman have over the year. He may love them, but the mission and Gotham will always come first.
Tensions are running high as Batman rejects Ione’s plea to let the mission lie and to leave well enough alone, but there are still thousands of alien slaves locked up on Captain Synn’s ship, and that’s something Batman can’t abide. It’s a wonderful little flourish that both Batman and Superman have had stories about them heading to space to liberate slaves recently, but while Superman was bringing the slaves hope, Batman is about bringing the slavers pain in brutal fashion. It almost seems a little too easy this issue, albeit very satisfying, as he brings the empire down, but it makes sense. As menacing as Synn is, he never seemed like a master villain—just a cruel piece in a much larger plan. And the end of the issue is where the larger story kicks in, with Batman reminding us that he isn’t just a fighter—he’s a detective, and the big mystery that set up this story is about to begin. Fantastic stuff.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
