Batman: Full Moon #2 – Rodney Barnes, Writer; Stevan Subic, Artist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: Rodney Barnes and Stevan Subic threw us into a new and darker version of Gotham last issue, as a mysterious stranger came to town – a werewolf named Christian Talbot, haunted by his past and desperate to find salvation and freedom from his curse. That led him into conflict with Batman as he rampaged his way through Wayne Pharmaceuticals – and when he and the Dark Knight scrapped, Bruce wound up bitten and infected with lycanthropy himself. As this issue begins, it’s all hands on deck to cure him before it’s too late. Zatanna and Constantine are handling the magical side, while Dr. Langstrom knows transformations and Alfred provides practical support. But after some strange mystical journeys, they come up empty – and Batman is faced with a critical decision of whether he can still be Batman while this beast lurks inside him and puts Gotham in danger with the full moon.
But like the first issue, this is just as much Talbot’s story as it is Batman. The flawed, ancient werewolf has been seeking freedom from his curse and has crossed some major lines in the process, but he never sought to harm anyone deliberately – which leads him to seek refuge in a church, overseen by a kindly woman who knows more than she’s letting on and accompanied by a collection of the motleyest crew Gotham has to offer. It’s interesting to see this corner of Gotham explored a little more, and Barnes has created a very unique supporting cast here. But of course, we’re all waiting for the main event – as Batman braves the curse and heads into Gotham, and our two werewolves face off for the first time. This has shades of the iconic Red Rain Elseworlds, with some great horrific visuals and a less straightforward threat than its counterpart. Another strong issue for Batman in Black Label.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
