When Batman: The Animated Series Confronted ... the 1990s

This week on CBR, I'm going back to the debut of the most '90s of the Animated villains. Plus, his official canon appearance, not long after. Watch as I attempt to avoid calling him "Lockdown," as I am wont to do for some reason.

X-MEN FOREVER #20 - May 2010

--Can Also Set Us Free!

Credits:  Chris Claremont (writer), Graham Nolan (pencils), Scott Koblish (inks), Guillem Mari (colors), Tom Orzechowski (letters)

Summary:  Fabian Cortez is shot by Consortium agents during their shootout with Fury’s team.  Sabretooth leads the team to an exit, but the Consortium soon catches up to them in the subway tunnels.  While rescuing Daisy, Sabretooth’s right hand is severed by a train.  The rest of the X-Men arrive in the Blackbird and save Fury’s team.  While on his deathbed, Fabian Cortez tells the X-Men the identity of the Consortium’s secret leader.  Simultaneously, Tony Stark is debriefed at the Consortium’s headquarters.

Continuity Notes:  Cyclops is now wearing that merged ‘70s and ‘90s costume he wore on the cover of issue #18.  Rogue and Nightcrawler have also swapped color schemes on their uniforms.

Review:  The pacing picks up a bit this issue, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that the reader has been saddled with two consecutive issues of the team fighting armed goons.  They’re visually dull and not a real threat to the team; at least, readers have been trained not to think of armed goons as being genuine threats.  Claremont tries to add some gravity to the fight by severing Sabretooth’s hand, a move that brings us yet another physical alteration of an established character.  This is something of a Sabretooth spotlight issue, as Claremont makes a point of establishing that the “real” Sabretooth is more honorable, in his own way, than the clone that’s faced the X-Men over the years.  (This is Claremont’s premise for the book, as made clear in later issues.)  Regrettably, Sabretooth’s been burdened with that awful yellow and blue costume during the arc, and Graham Nolan doesn’t have much of a handle on the character either.  Nolan’s actually unrecognizable this issue, penciling in a more angular, sparse style.  I’m assuming deadline problems are the reason, since it’s unlikely he would’ve radically changed his drawing technique in-between issues on a whim.  I really wish Sal Buscema could’ve inked this issue, because he excels at taking this style and adding real depth to it.

I can understand what Claremont’s going for -- seeing the normally invulnerable Sabretooth continually lose body parts is a dramatic representation of Burnout, but it’s not as if all of those other physical changes to the cast have been truly explored by now.  Events like this contribute to the What If…? feeling that surrounds the title.  Speaking of which, teasing that Tony Stark is now the leader of a rabid anti-mutant conspiracy is another exploitation of the alternate reality concept that’s just going too far.  I don’t know if anyone really thought Claremont was sincerely making Stark the villain, everything about the reveal has the scent of a fakeout, but this is a book known for outrageous plot twists.  Unfortunately, the plot twists are leaning more towards “delirious” than “daring.”

X-MEN FOREVER #19 - May 2010

The Ties That Bind - Part 1

Credits:  Chris Claremont (writer), Graham Nolan (pencils), Scott Koblish (inks), Guillem Mari (colors), Tom Orzechowski (letters)

Summary:  Cyclops returns to the mansion, but avoids any personal conversations with Beast and Jean.  Rogue and Nightcrawler are examined, and Xavier learns that Nightcrawler can now absorb other mutants’ powers.  Rogue, however, is immune to his touch.  Shadowcat and ‘Ro have discovered that Fury, Daisy, Sabretooth, and Gambit have snuck out of the mansion and invaded a secret Consortium installation underneath the UN.  Fury’s team locates an emaciated Fabian Cortez, shortly before they’re caught by Consortium’s armed guards.  

Continuity Notes:  

• Beast’s examination of Rogue hints that she might still retain her ability to fly.
• Shadowcat has been teaching ‘Ro how to use computers and says she’s a natural.
• ‘Ro’s thoughts indicate she has no memory of Shadowcat and has only read files on her.

Miscellaneous Note:  This title is largely free of “Claremontisms,” but if you’re keeping score at home, three separate characters all use the word “caper” at some point in the story.

Review:  And I really thought the last issue was padded!  We’re treated to FOUR splash pages this issue, and a story that mainly consists of a small cast of characters fighting generic goons while making only one discovery about the villains in the final pages.  Worse, Tom Grummett and Cory Hamscher are gone, so it’s another thin issue that’s not nearly as pretty.  Graham Nolan’s art is fine, but just not on the level of his previous work.  Nolan doesn’t seem to mesh with Scott Koblish that well, or perhaps he ran into deadline troubles.  The colors are also off, since the breakneck schedule of the book has also left it with a fill-in colorist.  Normally this comic has bold, elaborate coloring on every page, but most of these colors seem washed out.  Also, Sabretooth’s new costume is back to that awful yellow/blue color scheme, which is annoying.  

As admittedly thin as the plot is, it isn’t necessarily bad.  I still think having Rogue and Nightcrawler switch powers is a mistake, but Claremont gets a nice characterization moment out of it this issue, when Nightcrawler realizes that appearing normal means he’s lost the unique qualities he’s always used to define himself.  Stoic Cyclops has his own moment, passively-aggressively dismissing Jean and Beast and just getting down to X-Men business because that’s the only thing he can handle.  Fabian Cortez is used in a clever way, when he explains that since his powers prematurely inflict Burnout in mutants, he might also provide a cure for the disease.  Honestly, who ever put this much thought into Fabian Cortez after Claremont left?  Cortez quickly earned a reputation as (literally) the dumbest mutant the X-Men ever faced and achieved little more than that in the ‘90s.  Claremont’s actually extrapolated something interesting from his power set and connected it to the title’s larger plotline.  Little bits like this help to keep the book entertaining, even when the pacing is off and some of the plotlines seem capricious.  The main problem is that we’re talking about material that could easily be covered in eight or nine pages, stretched out over an entire issue.  At $3.99 an issue, that’s indefensible.

BATMAN/SPIDER-MAN - October 1997

New Age Dawning

Credits:  J. M. DeMatteis (writer), Graham Nolan (penciler), Karl Kesel (inks), Gloria Vasquez & Heroic Age (colors), John Costanza (letters)

The Plot:  Batman follows Talia to New York, where she meets with the Kingpin.  Talia offers Kingpin a chance to join her father’s organization in exchange for a cure for his sick wife, Vanessa.  Spider-Man discovers Batman as he spies on Talia.  The heroes agree to join forces.  Kingpin accompanies Talia to Tibet to meet her father, Ra’s al Ghul.  Spider-Man and Batman follow.  As the heroes fight al Ghul’s men, Kingpin presses the button that should cause New York to be flooded.  Instead, it destroys al Ghul’s satellite.  Kingpin reveals that he’s been plotting against Ra’s al Ghul for months and that he invited Spider-Man and Batman along.  Ra’s al Ghul congratulates Kingpin and allows the heroes a safe journey home.  Later, Talia sends Batman a cure for Vanessa, stolen from her father’s scientists.  

The Subplots:  After being reunited with the Kingpin in Paris, Vanessa Fisk is now dying of what appears to be cancer.  Later, Ra’s al Ghul reveals that she was infected with a virus he designed to mimic cancer.  Before leaving for Tibet, Peter nervously tells MJ at his “favorite diner” Mickey’s that he’ll be gone for a while.

Web of Continuity:  This story is set after the Clone Saga, and after the Batman crossover “Contagion.”  

I Love the ‘90s:  Ra’s al Ghul is exploiting fears about the new millennium by triggering natural disasters across the globe.

Production Note:  This is a forty-eight page, bookshelf format one-shot on glossy paper.  The cover price is $4.95.

Review:  This is DC’s contribution to the Batman/Spider-Man crossover series; the first chapter was published by Marvel in 1995 and set shortly before the Clone Saga.  While J. M. DeMatteis wrote both chapters, he seems less interested in a psychological examination of the heroes this time, instead focusing on Kingpin and Ra’s al Ghul.  DeMatteis plays up the idea that both men are utterly ruthless but also surprisingly human, a concept dramatized very well in a conversation between Talia and Vanessa Fisk.  Both women have a hopeless belief that their partner can change, but both are blinded by love, be it paternal or romantic.  Kingpin is unexpectedly allowed to play the hero in the story, which is a great fake-out after DeMatteis goes out of his way to give him a plausible justification for working with Ra’s al Ghul.  I don’t remember where exactly it was established that Kingpin refuses to work with terrorists, ones targeting New York at least, but it’s a great character bit, one that J. M. DeMatteis puts to excellent use here.  There’s an interesting dynamic between Ra’s al Ghul and Kingpin, as Ra’s al Ghul is viewed as a more “honorable” villain than Kingpin, yet Kingpin is the one who’s pragmatic enough to realize just how revolting Ra’s al Ghul’s actions really are.

Because the villains receive so much of the focus, Batman and Spider-Man are often left in the background.  DeMatteis plays the heroes’ personalities against one another very well, but it’s clear that this story isn’t meant as a deep exploration of these characters.  DeMatteis covered that territory in the first chapter, which is explicitly in-continuity (with this specific crossover), so he isn’t going to repeat himself.  Spider-Man even tells Batman that they’re going to skip the obligatory hero vs. hero fight, because they did that the last time they met.  The first chapter had fantastic artwork from Mark Bagley, who draws a Batman that’s just as iconic as his Spider-Man, which sets the bar very high for Graham Nolan.  Nolan does perfectly competent work throughout the comic, but it’s hard to deny that his Batman far exceeds his Spidey.  Nolan’s Batman is an angular, black creature of the night when needed, and the brawny Neal Adams action hero whenever the story requires him to step out of the shadows.  Nolan’s Spider-Man is…straight out of Marvel Team-Up.  There’s nothing particularly wrong with it, there’s just a sense that we’ve seen this version of Spider-Man numerous times before.  Nolan’s art serves the story very well, but the pages featuring Spider-Man just don’t have the same impact as the Batman pages.  Perhaps that’s fitting for the DC chapter, but I'd love to see a Spider-Man that looks just as good as Batman.

X-MEN FOREVER #17 - April 2010

Change -- Is More Than Skin Deep!

Credits:  Chris Claremont (writer), Graham Nolan (pencils), Vincent Cifuentes (inks), Tom Orzechowski & Dave Sharpe (letters), Sotocolor’s C. Garcia (colors)

Summary:  With Nightcrawler’s guidance, Rogue uses her new powers to rescue people trapped inside a burning building.  Mystique escapes in the confusion.  When Rogue’s preoccupied, Nightcrawler is forced to rescue a girl without using any powers.  Meanwhile, Jean tells Moira that she only views Beast as a friend, Xavier and Beast make amends, and Sabretooth suggests directly attacking the Consortium.

Review:  The previous issues of this series have been a blend of Claremont’s standard text-heavy, multiple panel style and the more “cinematic” approach of modern Marvel.  Splash pages often popped up out of nowhere and the scripting was occasionally sparse, but in the end, each issue was rather densely plotted with multiple plot threads being advanced incrementally.  This is the first issue to veer so firmly into the modern style, and as a result, it’s as about as fulfilling as an early Ultimate comic.  (As in, not very.)  The main story is needlessly padded, and the subplot scenes have slowed down to an absolute crawl.  Did anyone really want to see more subplot pages of Xavier and Beast talking, yet doing nothing, about Burnout?

I can understand why Claremont’s using the fire as an excuse for Rogue to learn about her new powers, and for Nightcrawler to be a true hero and face danger without any; to Claremont's credit there are some nice characterization bits in these scenes.  Nevertheless, why is virtually the entire issue dedicated to this?  Why are there are so many splash pages and giant panels?  Why not devote some of this space to actually answering a few of the questions raised in the previous issue?  This issue has Nightcrawler and Rogue take it as a given that Mystique’s responsible for their power-swap, but they have no real basis for thinking this.  I don’t recall Mystique ever having the ability to cancel Rogue’s powers, nor have she ever been able to grant Rogue someone’s else powers permanently.  Her dialogue hints that perhaps she was behind Rogue’s permanent acquisition of Ms. Marvel’s powers, but the idea is just tossed out there with no rationalization of how.  Also, if this were all a part of her grand scheme, how could she have predicted Rogue’s abrupt attack last issue, the one that’s set all of these events into motion?  Plotting like this can be incredibly frustrating, especially when so much of the book is also being played as an intentional mystery.

By the end of the issue, it’s clear that Claremont’s serious about having Nightcrawler and Rogue swap powers permanently.  I’ve read the entire run of this series before, but have absolutely no memory of a true point ever emerging from this storyline.  Earlier, Claremont seemed to take a shine to Nocturne, Nightcrawler’s daughter from an alternate reality, while writing Exiles and New Excalibur.  Is he simply stuck on the idea of a female Nightcrawler and just throwing any idea out there in order to introduce one into this book?  Honestly, I have no clue why Rogue-as-Nightcrawler is supposed to be a good idea.  Taken on its own, I would be willing to give it a chance, but when you consider that Claremont’s already doing physical transformation plots with other cast members, the concept becomes annoyingly repetitive.  Ultimately, we’re just left with more characters that don’t look the way they’re supposed to.

X-MEN FOREVER #16 - March 2010

Southern Comfort

Credits:  Chris Claremont (writer), Graham Nolan (pencils), Vincent Cifuentes (inks), Sotocolor (colors), Tom Orzechowski (letters)

Summary:  While Daisy and Sabretooth interrogate potential double agents within SHIELD, and Xavier and Beast debate Burnout, Rogue and Nightcrawler arrive in Jackson, Mississippi.  They discover Mystique instead of Amanda Sefton.  Mystique reveals that she mimicked Amanda’s voice in order to draw her children to her.  Nightcrawler is stunned by the revelation that he’s Mystique’s son.  When Mystique tells Rogue that she intends to save her from Burnout, Rogue impulsively knocks her out of a window.  The ensuing scuffle inadvertently causes a gas tank to explode.  Nightcrawler performs mouth-to-mouth to save Rogue.  In a few seconds, he discovers that his mutation is seemingly gone, while Rogue resembles a female Nightcrawler.

Continuity Notes:  

• Rogue and Nightcrawler believe Mystique dead until they meet her in person, contradicting the non-Claremont chapters of “The Muir Island Saga.”  According to Mystique, she allowed the world to think Val Cooper (possessed by the Shadow King) killed her in order to cover her investigations into the Consortium and Burnout.
• Mystique claims that Destiny had also investigated Burnout for most of her life, and was puzzled that Wolverine and Mystique were seemingly immune.  Somehow, Mystique reasons that Nightcrawler is also immune.
• Nightcrawler questions why the normally invulnerable Rogue is knocked unconscious by the gas tank explosion, and why touching her skin doesn’t knock him out.

Miscellaneous Note:  This is one of the very few issues that doesn’t have an exclamation mark in the title.

Creative Differences:  Chris Claremont’s comments in a podcast interview after this issue was released lead me to believe his editor was never thrilled with the Nightcrawler/Rogue power swap idea.

Review:  It’s widely known that Claremont intended to reveal Mystique as Nightcrawler’s mother, although it’s safe to assume that the execution wouldn’t have been anything like X-Men Unlimited #4.  (Although there is a rumor that Claremont wanted to reveal Mystique as Nightcrawler’s father and Destiny as the mother, so it’s possible we were spared even more insanity.)  This issue is the only published version of Claremont’s confirmation, and it’s not the dramatic reveal I’m sure he was hoping for.  Any impact from the revelation is already gone thanks to the mainstream continuity, and the cartoon, already having a Nightcrawler/Mystique “shocking secret!” story.  Mystique’s “death” in the build-up to the “Muir Island Saga” has also been largely forgotten, so it’s no great shock to see her reappear.  The intrigue comes from Claremont flatly ignoring the second half of “Muir Island Saga” yet again, leading the reader to question when (or if) we’ll ever read Claremont’s intended conclusion to the story.

If you’re willing to play along, the retconning of Mystique’s role in “Muir Island Saga” is another mystery that keeps the book interesting.  For most readers, I suspect, it’s another annoying continuity game that takes you out of the story.  Initially, I was in the latter camp.  Rereading the series now, it’s easier to just accept the fact that Claremont’s continuity has stopped months before X-Men #1 and move on.  After revealing that Nathan Summers is not only still in the present day but also now a fifth grader, everything else is pretty minor.  I do think these questions should’ve been addressed at some point, however, and it’s faintly ridiculous that a bi-weekly title that ran for two years never got around to them.  

The “Muir Island Saga” material isn’t the only source of continuity, or just common sense, frustration.  We’re to believe that Destiny has been investigating Burnout for decades, which strikes me as a ludicrous overselling of the concept.  Destiny does have to be addressed in order for the Burnout plot to work, but this is missing the most glaring question -- why is she so old?  She was already an adult in the 1930s, yet made it well into old age as a mutant.  And she didn’t even die of Burnout or natural causes, she was killed by Legion.  How could she view Mystique and Wolverine as “immune” when she was clearly not dying of Burnout?  Also, why is Nightcrawler immune to Burnout?  And why does Rogue suddenly lose her invulnerability?  Why is she so irrationally angry at Mystique?  How could Nightcrawler be immune from Rogue’s powers, especially when he’s been affected by them in the past?  Speaking of which, why didn’t Rogue and Nightcrawler’s powers swap the previous times they touched?  Admittedly, some of these questions are treated as intentional mysteries in the story, but the abundance of so many unanswered questions over the course of a few pages, added to some of the other outrageous plots running simultaneously, makes the book feel too chaotic.

In other news… A Graham Nolan fill-in!  Given Marvel’s penchant for hiring new, unknown artists as guest artists for this title, I wasn’t expecting a name like Nolan to show up.  Nolan’s not as stylized as most of the artists associated with the X-titles, but he delivers a solid issue.  While not entirely comfortable with every cast member, he seems to have a lot of fun with Mystique, which is obviously a big help for this issue.  I wonder now why more ‘90s DC guys weren’t hired to work on this book.  I’d love to see more people associated with ‘90s Batman or Superman fill in for Tom Grummett.  They’re all competent artists, and it helps to feed the illusion that this is an alternate reality where Bob Harras was raiding DC’s stable of artists for Jim Lee replacements.

DETECTIVE COMICS #681 - January 1995

 

Knight without Armor

Credits:  Chuck Dixon (writer), Graham Nolan (penciler), Klaus Janson (inker), John Costanza (letterer), Adrienne Roy (colorist)

Summary:  A masked, armored figure is terrorizing the Gotham underworld.  Batman is certain Jean-Paul Valley is the culprit, while Robin is skeptical.  They agree to split up the investigation.  Batman finds Jean-Paul living in a shelter, too emotionally fragile to hurt anyone.  Robin, meanwhile, investigates the mobster most likely to be hit next.  After Robin takes out his guards, he’s confronted by the real killer, Steeljacket.  Meanwhile, Batman returns to the Batcave and finds Bruce Wayne waiting for him.

Irrelevant Continuity:  Detective Mackenzie Bock is introduced as Lieutenant Essen’s new assistant.  This is treated as a significant introduction, but I don’t know if he ever amounted to more than just a minor supporting cast member.

Review:  I like the basic premise of the story, but I don’t think the “falsely accused” angle really goes anywhere.  Jean-Paul’s return to the book probably should feel like a significant event, but instead he’s cleared with one dumbfounded look and the story moves on.  Plus, it’s Dick Grayson who meets him face-to-face, and the two of them have barely interacted in the past, so there’s not much going on in the scene.  Regardless, there are some decent action sequences in the issue, and Klaus Janson inking over Graham Nolan just looks amazing.  There are a lot of big, dramatic images this issue, and while they contribute to the unusually short read-time, there’s a sense that the creative team is utilizing Janson to the best of his ability.  I’m relatively certain that Steeljacket never went on to become an A-list villain, and there’s not much to the mystery, but this issue has to stand out as one of the best-looking Bat-comics from the era.

DETECTIVE COMICS #680 - December 1994

 

A Twice Told Tale

Credits:  Chuck Dixon (writer), Lee Weeks & Graham Nolan (pencilers), Joe Rubinstein (inker), John Costanza (letterer), Adrienne Roy (colorist)

Summary:  Batman deals with the crime wave that’s been fueled by Two-Face’s mass release of prisoners.  Gordon’s refusal to rely on Batman’s help continues to create a rift in his marriage.  Meanwhile, Robin consults Oracle and deduces that Two-Face is hiding out in the Hall of Records.  He leaves Batman a message and investigates.  When Batman arrives, Robin is already held captive with Harvey Kent, with both strapped underneath two thousand pounds of paper.  Batman commandeers a forklift and rescues both of them.  Confident in his abilities, he easily defeats Two-Face.

Irrelevant Continuity:  The opening narration of the issue claims once again (erroneously) that a computer glitch, a typo, is responsible for Two-Face’s release.

Total N00B:  Robin #0 is once again used as the crux of Batman’s insecurities regarding Two-Face, and I’ll point out again that there’s no footnote referencing it in the actual issue, nor is that story reprinted in this collection.

Review:  Six issues of build-up to a Two-Face fight probably wasn’t the best move, given that Two-Face isn’t that intimidating physically and the scheme he’s hatched this time never really comes together.  Two-Face using computers to cause chaos in the city is a decent idea, but the execution has been all over the place.  In this very issue, we’re told that computer glitches have caused dozens of cons to be released early from prison, while at the same time the prisons are being overcrowded.  Which is it, then?  If there are enough freed criminals to cause a crime wave, how could Two-Face also arrange for Blackgate to be overcrowded?  And how long would it really take the authorities to just forget the computers and manually figure out how many prisoners each facility can hold, especially if a large portion of them have already been released early?

Overlooking the villainous scheme, there’s also a problem with Batman’s big catharsis this issue.  Batman’s allegedly overcome his adolescent anxieties regarding Two-Face by deciding not to play by his rules, which apparently means stealing a forklift and just picking his hostages up out of harm’s way.  I understand the idea is that Dick’s learned from his mistakes in Robin #0, but as I recall the events of Robin #0, it’s not as if “grab a forklift and just ignore Two-Face” was really an option for young Dick in that story.  It’s taken Dick all of these years to finally realize that Two-Face is running a crooked game and that he shouldn’t fall for it?  This just doesn’t work.  As I’ve said earlier, the basic ideas behind this storyline aren’t bad at all, but the execution just feels mangled.

DETECTIVE COMICS #677 - August 1994

Flesh and Steel

Credits:  Chuck Dixon (writer), Graham Nolan (penciler), Scott Hanna (inker), John Costanza (letterer), Adrienne Roy (colorist)

Summary:  Believing Batman to be dead, a furious Nightwing leaps on Jean-Paul.  Their fight takes them into the river, and eventually a casino boat.  Meanwhile, Robin discovers Batman jumped out of the Batmobile just in time to avoid the explosion.  The police storm the casino boat, forcing Jean-Paul to abandon the fight and escape.  He returns to Wayne Manor, where he’s shocked to find Batman.

Irrelevant Continuity:  While listing all of his accomplishments as Batman, Jean-Paul claims, “my father’s killer barks in Hell.”  To begin with, why is he convinced that this random blonde guy was actually his father’s killer?  He only has Selkirk’s word for it.  (Selkirk pointed to literally the person standing closest to him and just named him the killer.)  Also, when did this guy die?  Batman stopped Jean-Paul before he could kill him.

Total N00B:  Nightwing calls Jean-Paul “hammerhead” twice.  I have no idea if this is slang I’ve never heard of before, or a reference to another story that wasn’t reprinted.  (A reference to Jean-Paul's helmet, maybe?)

Review:  There’s a slight variation this chapter, because now it’s Nightwing’s turn for an extended fight scene with Fake Batman.  It’s not a bad fight scene at all, jumping from a flaming bridge, to underwater, to finally a casino boat, and I guess there is some catharsis in seeing Nightwing face the guy who usurped his inheritance in a way.  (In retrospect, Nightwing's reaction to this insanity should've played a larger part in the storyline.)  Plus, the art is great, especially on the final splash page that has Batman triumphantly emerging to confront Jean-Paul in the mansion.  Still, it’s another all-action chapter that’s just a prelude to The Big Fight, which got old several issues ago.  There’s also some odd continuity going on, as the lengthy subplot regarding the killer of Jean-Paul’s father is suddenly over, even though nothing in the previous chapters provided any closure.

DETECTIVE COMICS #676 - July 1994

Too Many Ninjas

Credits:  Chuck Dixon (writer), Graham Nolan (penciler), Scott Hanna (inker), John Costanza (letterer), Adrienne Roy (colorist)

Summary:  Bruce is herded by a group of ninjas into the highway, where he’s confronted by another master.  After defeating the master in battle, another appears.  The fight ends prematurely when her chain whip is caught up in a passing semi-truck.  Bruce is disappointed that he didn’t defeat her personally.  In the Batcave, Nightwing meets Harold.  Meanwhile, Jean-Paul continues his search for LeHah.  He finds the body of a gunrunner he believes was killed by LeHah.  A vision from St. Dumas tells Jean-Paul that LeHah didn’t personally kill his father, but instead sent a surrogate.

I Love the ‘90s:  One of the hoods Jean-Paul is chasing is annoyed that his friend now has a “portable phone.”

Total N00B:  I believe this is the first story in all three of the Knightfall trades to actually explain who Harold is.

Review:  It’s hard not read any meta-commentary into that title.  This is the third chapter in a row of Bruce fighting nameless, personality-less, martial arts masters while the ongoing storylines advance at a snail’s pace.  To Dixon and Nolan’s credit, the action in this issue is pretty entertaining, if only because a martial arts duel on a rainy multi-lane highway is kind of unusual for a superhero comic.  And there is a nice moment where Nightwing voices the audience’s frustrations with Bruce for selecting Jean-Paul as the replacement Batman instead of Dick.  “He’s his own man now” was always a copout explanation, and at least there’s one scene in the event where Dick reaffirms that he would’ve taken on the role even if he didn’t want it, simply out of loyalty to Bruce.  The rest of the issue is kind of a disappointment, as a lot of space is spent reiterating established plot points (which I guess was necessary for anyone not following every single Bat-title at the time), and Jean-Paul chews up a few pages beating up generic goons.  The Jean-Paul/LeHah subplot is even more tedious than Bruce fighting martial arts masters every issue, since Jean-Paul remains an unsympathetic character, and LeHah himself is a mystery to anyone who hasn’t read Sword of Azrael.

WOLVERINE #149 - April 2000

Resurrection

Credits:  Erik Larsen (writer), Graham Nolan (penciler), Jimmy Palmiotti (inker), Marie Javins (colors), Richard Starkings & Comicraft (letters)

Summary:  Wolverine, now dealing with the loss of his powers, escapes the rain at Marvel Burger, the fast food restaurant that employs Nova’s alter ego.  Wolverine then searches the area to find the Magneto robot that appeared earlier.  He’s soon abducted by the Reanimator, who has assembled an army of discarded robots.  Nova notices the disturbance nearby and soon recruits the help of the New Warriors.  They learn that the Reanimator is a mutant who can no longer control his robotic creations after losing his powers.  The last of the robots is destroyed and Reanimator is sent to prison.

Continuity Notes:  

• All mutants have lost their powers following the events of Uncanny X-Men #379.
• The Reanimator is revealed as the shadowy villain from Wolverine #140.
• The robots brought to life by the Reanimator are all from existing Marvel continuity, even though there are no footnotes to point you to their first appearances.  One of the robots appears to be the Living Brain from Amazing Spider-Man #8, a “forgotten” robot that actually shows up fairly often if you think about it.

“Huh?” Moment:  The robots are somehow still sentient, even though Reanimator lost his powers weeks ago (and is only now discovering it.)

Review:  Erik Larsen closes out his run, resolving one of his dangling plotlines (one that apparently made its way into Nova as well).  I’m not sure if anyone was too engrossed in the “shadowy figure controlling robots” mystery, as it was the obviously the most pedestrian of the ideas introduced by Larsen during his run.  What we really needed was the true identity of Khyber, because I know that’s been keeping me up nights.  

I recognize that Larsen wanted to tell different Wolverine stories during his stint; to pull him away from the “ninja and super-assassins” (a term Wolverine actually uses this issue on the final page) and towards more traditional Marvel villains.  Theoretically, that’s fine, but I think it led to stories that often felt like generic Bronze Age comics with Wolverine shoehorned in as the protagonist.  This issue is probably the most egregious example.  Wolverine stumbles on to villain, Nova helps, Wolverine beats villain.  The Reanimator is only notable for having a bizarre speech pattern, and I can’t tell what the point is supposed to be.  I think the idea is that he’s just not good at making villainous threats, but I’m not sure.  If the joke doesn’t come across, it’s not a great one.  

The art for the issue is handled by Graham Nolan, who had a brief stint doing random jobs for the X-office during the end of the Bob Harras days.  Nolan’s not flashy, but he serves the story well and I like his interpretation of Wolverine.  Unfortunately, the look of the issue is ruined by the odd coloring choices.  Everything’s too bright, and virtually all of the colors just look flat.  I can only assume that this is the work of the dirt-cheap color separators Marvel used to hire out of Ireland.  Apparently, everyone within Marvel hated their work, but they were the only company that most mainstream Marvel titles were allowed to use.