TITLE: Batman Eternal Issue #3
YEAR: June 2014
COMPANY: DC Comics
Writer: Scott Snyder & James Tynion IV
Consulting Writers: Ray Fawkes, John Layman and Tim Seeley
Art by Jason Fabok
Colors: Brad Anderson
Letterer: Taylor Esposito
Editor: Katie Kubert
Batman was created by Bob Kane
Back in 2014, during the years of “The New 52”, DC Comics released “Batman Eternal”, a weekly limited series written by Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Ray Fawkes, John Layman (later replaced by Kyle Higgins) and Tim Seeley.
“Batman Eternal”, which began on January 2014, lasted for 52 issues before going on hiatus on April 2015. The series would return in October 2015 as another 26-issue weekly sequel but now titled as “Batman and Robin Eternal”.
And this series would celebrate the 75th year anniversary of “Batman” and the series was a challenge as each writer would write arcs to the series and each writer taking turns being the lead writer.
While I haven’t really read any “New 52” Batman stories, part of the reason for me wanting to read “Batman Eternal” is that I heard it is like watching a weekly drama with many characters. Personally, I couldn’t imagine how this would all work out, so I decided to pick up a few issues and read it for myself.
The first thing that came to mind was how awesome the artwork was for this weekly series. I suppose I didn’t give weekly series much of a thought in the past because I thought it would be rushed. While, I’m not sure how much work was created before “Batman Eternal” began, for issue 3 alone, I was impressed by Jason Fabok’s artwork.
The story for issue #3 begins with a teenage girl named Stephanie Brown walking late in Metropolis to her father’s home. The door is locked, so she sneaks in and sees her father Arthur (in his Cluemaster uniform) with other members of the Injustice League.
Shocked that Stephanie discovered her, someone knocks her out cold.
Meanwhile, at Gotham City PD, a new leader, Major Forbes is given new leadership. Meanwhile, Commissioner Jim Gordon is kept inside a jail cell for shooting someone (yes, part of the problem of not reading issues #1 and #2 yet) and the Penguin is having dinner with a woman and revealing that he fed her brother to an elephant seal for letting her brother win every night at the casino.
Not long after, Batman shows up to confront him about the whereabouts of Carmine Falcone, Penguin thinks he’s still dead but Batman tells him that Falcone is back and warns him that if they are working together, he’ll go after him.
Meanwhile, Carmine Falcone is with the Mayor and Major Jack Forbes in a secret meeting, while Batman and Alfred try to find any leads on where Carmine Falcone may be.
Back at the home of Arthur Brown, his fellow members of the Injustice League tell him to finish off his daughter and as he is about to kill her, she knocks one of his capsules and she manages to run out and escape the home.
Meanwhile, at Gotham City PD, Mayor Hady names Major Forbes as the Interim Police Commissioner at Gotham City PD and instead of looking for Pyg, Gotham City PD must go after the true kingpin…Batman.
What an interesting set of developments as Batman will be the target of Gotham City PD and what about Stephanie Brown? What will happen to her?
I think I may like this series, I may need to find more back issues!