REVIEW: ‘Batman’ Issue 6

Batman Issue 6 is published by DC Comics and written by Matt Fraction, art by Jorge Jiménez, colors by Tomeu Morey, and letters by Clayton Cowles.

As Batman tries to manage an exposed secret, one of the Robins makes a difficult choice.

This issue is all about ramifications and how emotions hit in the aftermath of chaos. There is a superb structure to Batman Issue 6, following Batman and other major figures in Gotham. The story occurs just after the adrenaline-pumping car chase in Batman Issue 5, and Damian calls Batman “father” in front of a civilian.

It leaves Bruce furious, with an incredibly tense confrontation. The rest of the issue is busy, featuring a comic that blends gang war, conspiracy, and family drama. But that earlier confrontation hangs over the story. It’s like everyone is shellshocked by what they’ve been through.

There is an action sequence between Batman and two huge figures that reinvigorates the second half of Batman Issue 6. But there is still a haunted, exhausted tone. The decisions made are surprising on a familial level, but Fraction makes it feel enormous. And there’s an even bigger reveal, one that changes how one of the focal figures in this new run is perceived.

Batman Issue 6 reveals so many sides to Bruce Wayne. Fraction highlights how he has to act with different people, especially his own sons. He tries to talk to Doctor Zeller, but it is fractious and fruitless. So when he sees Damian, he’s seething. It’s an angry father dealing with a petulant son, but also a commanding officer reprimanding his insubordinate private. It’s a frightening, vicious glimpse at the scary side of Batman.

But then, with Tim Drake, a much more faithful and responsible son, Bruce is kinder and understanding. Fraction not only writes about tremendous father-son relationships but also about brotherly ones. What Tim says hurts Damian more than it does Bruce, because it feels like he’s losing his big brother. Bruce’s complex personality also influences his adventures as Batman. Even when facing two figures that have become far beyond human, he feels a duty of care towards them, desperate to preserve their lives.

The art is stunning yet again. Jiménez is a master of tiny details, which is crucial in Batman Issue 6, a comic with such precise emotions. The first two pages are all the same shot. Bruce and Zeller are sitting next to each other in the back of an ambulance. And it’s the little movements that sell the story. Zeller snatched her hand away when Bruce reached for it. The way their heads turn back and forward. The little pointy ears gesture Zeller makes. It’s phenomenal storytelling that is gorgeously poignant.

There’s also an enormous contrast in body language when Bruce talks to his sons. With Damian, he leans in close, intimidating and belittling him. It’s not a shouting match; it’s an intimate telling-off where Damian needs reminding how small he is. But he approaches Tim like a young man, his equal. It’s a handshake filled with love and respect. That’s not to say there isn’t action, either.

The fight scene is spectacular too, filled with breathtaking movement and grotesque opponents that tower over the Dark Knight. The designs of the foes in Batman Issue 6 are reminiscent of the enemies in Batman: Arkham Asylum, and are both disturbing and repulsive.

The colors are stunning in Batman Issue 6. It’s a colorful comic, absolutely beautiful to look at. The way the red lights from the ambulance reflect on Bruce and Zeller’s tin-foil blankets is a terrific sign of the attention to detail Morey shows. Each scene has its own selection of shades that just fit the moment superbly. It’s vibrant and eye-catching. There can be bright colors for the most intense superhero moments, but also sickly tones and thick shakes for ominous panels. The lettering matches the art’s quality, being impeccably precise.

Batman Issue 6 is a beautiful exploration of emotions. Fraction and Jiménez both provide amazing, in-depth conversations and moments that highlight how people respond to outbursts and stress through quiet reflection and sudden drops in energy. The dialogue and silence both work wonders at showing pain, anger, regret, and other emotions that are so intricate that they’re hard to describe. There’s a power struggle going on in multiple aspects of Gotham City, playing underneath everything else, and it shows the meticulous layering of this terrific story.

Batman Issue 6 is available where comics are sold.