REVIEW: ‘Batman,’ Issue #137

Batman #137 is published by DC Comics, written by Chip Zdarsky, art by Jorge Jiménez, colors by Tomeu Morey, and letters by Clayton Cowles. This is Part 2 of The Gotham War. After one of Catwoman’s new recruits dies in a robbery, Batman begins to take down the entire operation.

This is a comic that starts at a fast pace and doesn’t seek to slow down one bit. Batman is moving at speed, taking out Catwoman’s crew one by one. The intensity of the issue is instantly gravitating. Around him, everyone else is making moves. Not just Catwoman and the rest of the Bat Family, but other figures within Gotham as the power balance shifts. Whilst Catwoman’s regime had crime in line, Batman is now starting to release it and cause tremors around the city. 

The moral question that provides the tension was initially an interesting comic book concept. Former henchmen of Gotham’s worst are now only allowed to burgle the homes and possessions of rich people, whilst never killing and also diverting some of those proceeds to charity. It works within the mindset of Selina Kyle. However, it is not that grey of a line to warrant what happens in the next part of the issue.

Batman’s brutal, no-nonsense crusade draws attention and puts him into the crosshairs of those close to him. And whilst the destination the comic reaches seemed inevitable, the reasons for it are not justified or part of a natural progression. What can be said about Batman #137 is that it features a fight that could be considered on a list of all-time greats. It takes the concept of master and students and takes it to an extreme, suggesting that the action in this comic will be exceptional. 

Something that is made clear in this issue is how out of sorts Batman is. He has always been a man of control and discipline, and that seems to be dwindling. He’s extraordinarily angry and barely able to control his rage. Both his dialogue and the captions are phenomenal, depicting a Bruce Wayne who is struggling. He’s got voices in his head and trust issues with the only people he can trust. The narration is heartbreaking at stages and demonstrates just how much Bruce is falling apart. And yet in the fight scene, he is as strategic and analytical as he’s ever been. The rest of the Bat Family are in this book but again fall into a trap of losing their own voices. At least three of them seem to meld into one, with the arguments being interchangeable between them. 

There are still some outliers within this crossover that seem to be the most outspoken and notable members of the family. One is Jason, who has always been an outsider anyway, and the other is Tim Drake. That is the most surprising decision that Zdarsky has made, but it’s giving Tim more of a voice in big moments, something he’s very rarely had before. It also seems to link up with the connection Jason and Tim had developed in a recent tie-in. 

The art is exceptional. Jiménez gets a chance to draw a huge cast of Gotham’s best heroes and villains in this issue, and all of them are stupendously done. The designs are terrific and distinct from his typical art style. Batman’s instability is frightening. Those legendary poses look different as he seethes with rage. At points, he’s baring his teeth like a rabid animal. The artist makes it clear that he isn’t right from the start.

What the comic does excel at is demonstrating how Batman’s protegees and trainees are now able to stand up on their own, and against him. How they stand around him is a brilliant display of that. They look grown up, even the youngest Stephanie and Damian. The battle is absolutely flawless. It’s ferocious, with combatants at all angles and a mixture of costumes and fighting styles. The fluidity and speed are rounded off with brutal finishes. 

The colors are sleek. What sets Batman apart from the rest of his family is the colors. All of them have a bright and vibrant shade within their costume, whilst Bruce remains black and grey. Nightwing is blue, Duke is yellow, and Stephanie is purple, and it sets up a contrast between the group and their much darker master. The lettering is slightly too small but is still comfortable to read.

Batman #137 is where Gotham War starts to take sides. The comic doesn’t take long to carve the Bat Family open as none of them seem to be acting like themselves. It’s leading to some devastating moments and some of the most striking set-pieces that have been in Batman comics for a while. What is tearing the group apart is not quite as sturdy a plot as it was when it was first established, but what it is generating is some fantastic character moments. The Bat Family is being forced into this situation, but it really hurts seeing it happen anyway.

Batman #137 is available where comics are sold.