Batman #158 – Jeph Loeb, Writer; Jim Lee, Penciller; Scott Williams, Inker; Alex Sinclair, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: Hush was one of the best-selling comics of the modern era – and also one of the most controversial, thanks to a Jason Todd fake-out and the introduction of a mystery new villain from Batman’s youth. Now, the creative team behind that megahit returns for an official sequel, bringing back the original villain but set firmly in the present day of the DCU. As we kick off this story, which will be told in two six-issue arcs separated by a break for Jim Lee to finish, Batman is in familiar territory – chasing the Joker, who has revived some of his most iconic criminal gags for a second go, including Joker-ized fish. But that’s when things go wrong. Joker gets the upper hand, Batman winds up electrocuted when his suit gets penetrated, and when he comes to, he’s been rescued by Talia Al Ghul, his proteges are searching for him – and Joker is gone, taken not by an ally, but by an enemy with a very different plan for Batman.
We know Hush is behind it, but the how is rather interesting. He’s deployed a new henchman, a hulking man named Silence, who uses sonic power to incapacitate Joker and bring him to Tommy Elliott’s laid. There, the bad surgeon proceeds to torture Joker and start bleeding him out, eventually leaving him on display for Batman to find in a twisted circus demonstration that reminds Batman of all the worst things the killer clown ever did. The goal is to force Batman to decide whether he wants to actively save the Joker’s life or simply let nature take its course. This is a plot we’ve seen before, but with Hush it’s never clear. Is he trying to torture Batman and get him to betray his ethics, or is he trying to remove his old friend’s worst enemy? Or is it both at the same time? This is a strong start, although I don’t know if it has the same immediate hook that many of the best Bat-runs in recent years have had.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
