Review: BATMAN AND RA’S AL GHUL #32

STK641316

BATMAN AND RA’S AL GHUL #32
Written by Peter Tomasi
Art by Patrick Gleason
Published by DC Comics
Release Date: June 18th, 2014

Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason’s The Hunt For Robin story arc wraps up in style, as Batman comes face to face with Ra’s al Ghul with the fate of both Damian’s body and soul at stake. When it is all said and done Batman and Ra’s al Ghul #32 might just end up being the single best issue to come out of the Batman line of books in 2014.

Over the past four months, Tomasi and Gleason have had Batman chasing Ra’s al Ghul around the globe trying to stop one of his greatest foes from resurrecting the deceased Damian Wayne. Batman has stepped out of Gotham City on this globe trotting adventure, and along the way has had some help from various allies such as Aquaman, Wonder Woman and Frankenstein. While the current story arc is only four months old, it has been part of the larger journey for Bruce Wayne that began with the death of his son in Batman Incorporated #8, and picked up by Tomasi in the the instant classic Batman and Robin #18 (Comicosity’s own Alison Baker and Aaron Long’s choice for Best Single Issue of 2013).

For the past fourteen issues Tomasi and Gleason have taken Bruce Wayne through the long process of dealing with the stages of grief, and accepting what had happened to his son, only for Ra’s al Ghul to rip open the freshly stitched wounds. When looking at the entire breadth of this larger story it can be argued that this creative team has given readers one of the greatest in-depth looks at the effects that death has on those left behind ever seen in a mainstream superhero comic. This journey that has been building for a year and a half comes to a head this month, and is overwhelmingly satisfying from both the perspective of the larger story, and that of a single issue. This is the confrontation we have all been waiting for, it was well earned, and both Tomasi and Gleason turn out the some of the best work of their careers.

Batman, with Frankenstein by his side, has finally caught up with Ra’s al Ghul in the hidden city of Nanda Parbat high up in the Himalayan Mountains of Tibet. From the first page, right up until the big final page, this issue reads almost perfectly. There is the feeling that this is the culmination of over a years worth of issues. It is full of great action, twists, turns, and when you think it’s over it picks right back up again with the issue’s best moments. You will be hard pressed to find a Batman comic with as great of a confrontation as the one with Ra’s al Ghul in this issue. As mentioned in the issue, the struggle between Bruce and Ra’s is personal, and that feeling is no greater than when the two finally come to blows. The pages leading up to it are brilliantly composed in both dialogue, and page layouts.

The first half of the issue sets up the stakes so well that when the first punch is thrown you feel the hatred that these two men have for each other. It is a brutal hand to hand fight between a father and a grandfather with the soul of the kid at stake. Then just as the fight is reaching fever pitch you have that awesome last page. We are introduced to a character new to the New 52 who causes the entire story to escalate, ties back into the bigger picture of the DC Universe, and sets up next month’s Robin Rises: Omega one shot. It is just an exhilarating comic book.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Frankenstein. He is quickly becoming one of DC’s best supporting characters, and is used wonderfully here, as he was in the previous issues he was used in. There is something poetic about using Frankenstein’s Monster in an issue that is about bringing the dead back to life. This is one aspect outside of the Batman/Ra’s al Ghul showdown that helps elevate the issue from really good to special.

Another major part of what makes this issue so great is the work of penciler Patrick Gleason, inker Mick Gray, and colorist John Kalisz. I feel perfectly comfortable saying that this is the best looking issue to ever have Patrick Gleason’s name on it, and considering Gleason’s past work that is really saying something. Everything about the art is wonderful. The use of shadows and color in the first half of the issue is some of the best you will see in any comic. The darkness, and the shadows give off this sense of foreboding, and when the other shoe drops the issue literally brightens up. You actually don’t see a clear shot of Batman’s face until this happens. It’s something that a reader might not really notice, but it is there contributing to the amazing pace and flow of the issue.

A few panels in particular stands out when discussing the shadows. One is a classic shot of Batman covering his face as he informs Ra’s that he is making a mistake. This panel looks to borrow heavily from the animated series, and is just simple, classic Batman. The other is a shot of Frankenstein jumping into battle with his sword and his shadow projecting onto a wall. Both are just beautiful shots that show off just how talented this artistic team is.

The second half of the issue moves outside into the snowy the white of the snow allows for the focus to fall squarely on Batman and Ra’s al Ghul. This use of color, or the absence of color, to draw focus onto the characters adds even more tension to this fist fight. Then the fight itself isn’t some crazy superhero fight where guys are being thrown through the air as buildings collapse. Instead it is a brutal hand to hand fist fight in the middle of nowhere. Just two men, face to face, and Gleason just nails it. The tight shots of the close quarter combat combined with the raw emotion of the characters results in a beautifully executed fight scene that lives up to the fact that is the culmination of so much that has preceded it.

It’s hard to say whether it was Tomasi’s script, Patrick Gleason, or a mix of the two, but the page layouts are absolutely phenomenal throughout the issue. From the symmetry on page one to the build up to the fight, right on through to the one on one fight itself, the way the pages are structured are a master class in comic book storytelling. There is a page with six horizontal panels with Ra’s walking towards Batman. Ra’s gets closer each panel until they are face to face, with the tension building panel by panel. Then you turn the page to a splash page, and the emotion just pours out. This is a highlight of the issue, but the entire issue is full of pages that make you really appreciate the craft of making a comic book beyond basic words and pictures.

There are a lot of Batman books on the shelves, and with Zero Year raging on in Snyder and Capullo’s Batman, or Gotham City being rocked to the core in the weekly Batman: Eternal it may be easy to overlook the title previously known as Batman and Robin. This issue is testament to the fact that while easy to overlook it is foolish to do so, as Tomasi and Gleason’s work has proven to be the heart and soul of the Batman line. This comic has everything a fan of superhero comics could want. It is a meticulously crafted comic with action, high stakes, and emotion. Throw in a final page that is shocking and takes the progression of the story to the next level and you have a flat out brilliant comic book.

It may only be June, but it is safe to say that Batman and Ra’s al Ghul #32 will be one of the best comic books to feature the Dark Knight and/or his allies in all of 2014.

The Verdict: 10/10

Related posts

Top