OK, we're finally starting to get somewhere.
First, Bard's plan is a pretty damn solid one. He busts up a meeting of Falcone's henchmen on the pretense that they're supplying Batman with munitions. He takes them into custody given all the illegal drugs and firearms that they have on hand, even though it just so happens that they were working with Falcone and not Batman. He then ties the Commissioner's hands by bringing along Vicky Vale, since he can't exactly force Bard to release them in front of the press. I'm a little less clear on the story that Vicky's going to write about the Commissioner's phone call with Falcone, since she gets that information from wiretapping, something that I assume is illegal even in Gotham. But, we'll see. Bard's pretty crafty, so he's probably got something up his sleeve.
But, Synder and Tynion really up the tension by making it appear that Gordon may accept his son's offer to free him. James, Jr. delights in his father's fall from grace, telling Gordon that he's broken just like James, Jr. is. Layman's scripting of the conversation is excellent, making you really believe that Gordon might accept the narrative about himself that James is telling him, particularly given Gotham's apparently easy rejection of him. I still don't buy that rejection, as I've detailed in other reviews, but it makes sense that it would lead Gordon to question why he's willing to sacrifice himself for people who would so easily abandon him. As such, we've got the possibility that Bard's plan could exonerate Gordon too late, since he'll have already escaped and accepted life as a fugitive. I'm doubtful that we'll get there, but Layman crafts the conversation with James, Jr. so well that you're forced to entertain it.
Moreover, we learn that Professor Pyg had nothing to do with the nanobots, and Stephanie's father toying with her by bringing her into the open. I'm not a fan of the latter development, since it's a little too super-villain-y for me, taking risks that I don't necessarily understand. Why not just kill her? But, it's not enough to torpedo the issue for me. Finally, I finally like an issue! Hurrah!
*** (three of five stars)
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