REVIEW: ‘Batman: Bad Seeds – Gotham General’ Issue 1

Batman: Bad Seeds – Gotham General Issue 1 is published by DC Comics, written by Greg Rucka, art by Rosa Ekdal and Steve Lieber, colors by Patricio Delpeche, and letters by Tom Napolitano.

This is Part Two of Week Ten of the Batman: Bad Seeds event—the staff at Gotham’s largest hospital struggle to cope with the influx of patients who have been attacked by plants.

Slightly delayed and out of sync with the rest of the crossover, Batman: Bad Seeds – Gotham General Issue 1 is well worth the wait. This first issue is a brilliant setup, cutting the hospital away from the chaos and violence outside. There are no caped heroes coming to save the day; it’s the heroes inside that are put under pressure.

The comic opens with a slow lead-in to establish the world and introduce the characters. But then the lights go out, and the patients start wheeling in. This opening chapter has a timeless quality within the event, as it progresses throughout the night.

The story checks in over several hours, highlighting the various ways the doctors, nurses, and staff are getting inundated. Poison, allergic reactions, falls- all are being brought in as the vines and spores fill the streets. It’s not trying to be an intense shift at a rapid pace. Instead, it is an arduous slog, and a seemingly endless night of blood, venom, and medical emergencies.

And in Batman: Bad Seeds – Gotham General Issue 1, there aren’t any invasions by other characters from the vigilante community, which keeps it grounded and relatable. That is, until the final pages, where there is a direct connection to another part of the crossover.

Batman: Bad Seeds – Gotham General Issue 1 attempts to bring some medical realism to such a lively comic crossover. Rucka adds fantastic detail to the dialogue, making it feel real in the medical setting.

There aren’t any outsiders in this hospital yet, so the discussions among the medical staff are full of jargon and technical terms. And it feels consistently accurate and engaging, from the stats to the conditions and treatments. It really feels like a hospital in the middle of a crisis.

There are also some very personal stories. One of the doctors clearly has a connection to Batman, with a hidden phone that suddenly is unusable. Then there is another doctor, Natalie, who is about to leave, and her daughter enters the hospital just before the incident erupts.

Rucka finds time for these personal moments. All of these characters are new, and yet we get a sense of the relationships, dynamics, and personalities of those who work in the Emergency Department. It’s engrossing, intriguing, and so fresh to read.

The art is magnificent in Batman: Bad Seeds – Gotham General Issue 1. The characters look real, with authentic uniforms that present them as doctors within a working hospital. There are terrific details to each characters that helps them stand out, like sleeve tattoos. It makes them look like regular people.

The department itself has a superb layout. It shows the entire room, which is fantastic when the department becomes a frenzy of bodies and gurneys.

The injuries and treatments also have a grounded feeling, converting the pandemonium outside into something manageable. But in the glimpses outside, we are reminded of just how much the city has transformed into a deadly forest.

The colors are excellent at setting the scene and providing a sense of space. The hospital has those bright, sanitary lights that illuminate everything, with blue and very light violet tones providing a clean view. The lights stay on for almost the entire time, turning the hospital into a beacon of safety and refuge.

But when the lights cut out for a second, or we exit the hospital or peek out of the windows, Delpeche brilliantly captures complete darkness. These moments are ominous because there’s no telling what could be hidden in the darkness. The lettering is very clear and easy to read. There isn’t much in the way of sound effects, which helps maintain a grounded feel.

Batman: Bad Seeds – Gotham General Issue 1 sees The Pitt transferred into the streets of Gotham. Rucka and the art team create a convincing and engrossing medical drama that feels self-enclosed, all while the exterior is descending into madness. It’s the only way this concept has the grit to work in this world.

There are no superpowers or healing factors; everything feels normal. It’s just medical personnel doing their best in a crisis. For this first chapter, it could be any hospital on its worst day, let alone Gotham. But the ending changes that entirely, and it’s a reward for the normality.

Batman: Bad Seeds – Gotham General Issue 1 is available now wherever comics are sold.