The Penguin #12 – Tom King, Writer; Rafael De Latorre, Artist; Marcelo Maiolo, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: No writer in comics is better at paying things off over a long run than Tom King, and this issue brings us back to the events of the very first issue – which was easy to forget over a whole year, especially given the delays on the final issue. But when this all kicked off, Batman and Penguin were trapped in a sinking Batmobile, both bleeding out from gunshot wounds, minutes away from death. How we got here is a complex tale, but it involves the Black Spider finally getting his revenge for the death of his lover and a lot of bad decisions along the way. This is a rare case where Batman is simply outgunned and outmanned – taking one too many hits along the way and having no answers for his current plight. Fortunately, Penguin has one last trick up his sleeve – in the form of The Help, the ultra-skilled henchman who Penguin essentially drafted back into service early in the series.
I maintain that this character might be the best new addition to Gotham King has created, and the interplay between him and Batman is easily the best scene of the series. From there, King does an incredible job in only a few pages of tying up every single loose end from the series. The villains get their comeuppance, as Penguin proves to one after another that he’s far more skilled at this game than they are. Meanwhile, Penguin’s ex-lover from the first issue gets a surprisingly gentle but melancholy ending, as Penguin’s cruelty to her in some ways actually seems like a mercy in some ways. And of course, this ends where it begins – with a focus on Batman and Penguin, as the two old rivals meet again to hash out a new working relationship. This might be the only time I’ve ever seen someone genuinely just outplay Batman – because while Batman fights crime, Penguin masters it. What a great spotlight for one of the characters I never thought I’d see a solo title for.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
