Holy crap, this issue is amazing.
Taylor really takes full advantage of the ability to re-create Bruce Wayne's history here. In so doing, he does a marvelous job capturing the tragedy of Thomas Wayne, taking us on a step-by-step tour of his downward spiral. He saves the life of a Mafia scion and becomes part of his inner circle because he enjoys the parties that come with membership. To keep those parties going, he uses his access to pharmaceuticals to supply the drugs. When Martha tries to get him to leave behind that lifestyle, Frankie (the scion) won't let him stop supplying the drugs. When Thomas tries to do so anyway, Frankie has him killed. He survives, but he can't live a life with Bruce, not only because of the threat that Frankie poses to them but because he's an addict. He leaves Gotham and eventually kicks opium, but then becomes addicted to revenge, bringing Bruce into his life once again. But, Bruce rejects him so he's forced to observe his life from the shadows. In the end, he tries to right his wrongs by taking up his son's legacy. It's not a happy story, but it's a compelling one. Taylor presents it in a way that flows organically, with each revelation peeling away layers until the core is revealed.
That said, I'm not totally sure why Thomas abandons Bruce. Taylor uses Bruce to cast doubt on his story that he did it for Bruce's safety, with Bruce saying that it was because he was an addict (first to opium, then to revenge). But, Thomas was an addict before they were attacked and probably thought that he was a fit father. Was he just relieved to no longer be responsible, as a doctor and as a father? To simply embrace the addiction? I'd buy that, but Taylor actually doesn't make that argument here. It's probably the only reason that I didn't give this issue five stars.
Finally, I loved that Bruce was actually wrong about Frankie's assailant, since he couldn't even see the possibility of his father surviving the attack, assuming it to be Alfred's father (his former bodyguard/chauffeur) instead. Taylor uses that lack of imagination, if you will, to show just how stunned (and devastated) Bruce was by Thomas' return.
**** (four of five stars)
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