REVIEW: ‘Batman: Bad Seeds – Sunrise’ Issue 1

Batman: Bad Seeds – Sunrise Issue 1 is published by DC Comics. Written by Matt Fraction and G. Willow Wilson, art by Giuseppe Camuncoli and Cliff Rathburn, colors by Tomeu Morey, and letters by Clayton Cowles.

This is the final part of the event. Poison Ivy may have started the Bloom, but now Batman has to keep her alive.

Batman: Bad Seeds – Sunrise Issue bleeds straight out of both the last issues of Detective Comics and Poison Ivy. And although the whole city has been immersed in this dystopian night, the focus is on three people. Savage is determined to kill Poison Ivy, Ivy is determined to die, and Batman is trying to keep everyone alive. These are the last gasps of both Savage and Ivy in their respective positions, and the madness is clear to see. It’s intense, brutal, and fast-paced. It’s a three-way fight for survival that is dripping with fury and personality.

There are times when Batman: Bad Seeds – Sunrise Issue 1 scans the city to showcase the damage it’s done and those who have fought back against the plants. The Green have been warded off, leaving Gotham to regain control. Each move is surprising, as the desperation reaches dizzying levels.

There are a few features within this event that could have been better addressed in these last moments, such as the giant creatures the Bloom unleashed that never really posed much threat. But this final fight against Savage is the end of more than just this event; it is the end of a large era of Batman and Gotham. The sun has risen on a rough night.

The tie-ins to this crossover have dealt with the fringes and the streets, whilst Batman: Bad Seeds – Sunrise Issue 1 hones in on the key figures. Ivy is broken, having lost her connection to the Green. But what’s actually impressive in this chapter is how she responds to the Green. These are eternal beings, and they’re furious. Ivy has been rejected and shunned. And, to be fair, she starts to retaliate with fury. This quickly shifts to begging for mercy and redemption, showing how lost she is.

Savage also struggles to maintain control and respect. He cannibalizes his own force, turning his men into weapons. He is ruthless and selfish, focused only on his t. Even the journalists outside are shredding him and his title.

Then there is Batman, the representative of Gotham itself. There isn’t much dialogue or narration from him in Batman: Bad Seeds – Sunrise Issue 1, but he represents himself in his actions. He is selfless, and protecting life is sacred to him. Even with Ivy fighting him and so defeatist after everything she has done, Bruce is determined to keep her alive.

The narration at the start of the comic is also terrific, encapsulating the city before zooming into the final battle. It shows the consequences of what Batman did, as unleashing the freeze harmed humans caught in its path. But it was the only option he had available.

The art is superb. Camuncoli is a fantastic artist at communicating mania within characters. In their wild, deep eyes, you can see rage and intensity. Savage radiates fury from his clenched fist to his enraged eyes. He’s lost all sense of decorum, and the caveman has resurfaced. The montage that moves through the city is also terrific.

These aren’t just flashes; they are relevant snapshots of real moments that have occurred. Catwoman and the young boy she saved. Gordon and the police digging through rubble. Nightwing and Robin. Batwoman and Huntress. It recognizes their contribution and is beautifully illustrated.

Then the freeze hits, and the city’s transformation is fascinating. It is not a gentle transition into a frozen city; it is fast and violent. And, importantly, it stops everything and changes the landscape.

The fight that follows is vicious and unrelenting, evident in Savage’s brutal attack on Poison Ivy.  Ivy shouldn’t be able to hang with Savage in a physical fight, but the change in conditions buys her a chance. Then Batman gets involved, and Savage just resorts to throwing things and people.

The escalation is ridiculous and the spectacle is alarming. The ending is pretty surprising, because Gotham fights back through an unexpected figure, and the artistic display of this moment is very brazen.

The colors are phenomenal. Two major tones shape Batman: Bad Seeds – Sunrise Issue 1. First, there is the very light blue of the ice, warding away the Green and putting the city into a place of stasis. It makes it difficult to walk, creating a texture around the characters. Then there is the herbicide the Savage’s soldiers prevent. It is a brown cloud that hangs in the air, specifically there to kill Ivy and menacing in its appearance. The lettering is very clear and easy to read.

Batman: Bad Seeds – Sunrise Issue 1 stamps out the status quo. In a three-way fight, it captures much of the recent goings-on in Gotham. And it boils down to the victor of the frozen violence. It’s an intense, physical power that signals a shift in power dynamics. As a crossover, the creators have done an excellent job of submerging the streets in danger while highlighting both brilliance and some brilliant community stories. All of these plots have left scars on the very fabric of Gotham itself.

Batman: Bad Seeds – Sunrise Issue 1 is available where comics are sold.