Batman: White Knight #8: Murphy really nails the landing here, making this limited series one of the best "Batman" stories I've read since Snyder's "Black Mirror" run on "Detective Comics." Batman and the GTO successfully take down Neo-Joker, liberating Clayface (and, as a result, the mind-controlled villains) and getting Mr. Freeze to the cannon in time to reverse its effects. In the aftermath, Jack carries out his end of the bargain, releasing a video explaining how he controlled the villains and destroyed his own library to turn the city against Batman. Bruce then confronts Harley, telling her Jack fingered her as the person who manufactured the pills that controlled the Joker as well as maneuvered Batman into administering them. In fact, Murphy hints Harley had a much larger role in the events of this mini-series than we thought. Right before he's imprisoned in a new cell (a reward for his cooperation), Jack comments how he "found" the Joker in his old cell. When Bruce asks Harley what Jack meant by that, Harley (not convincingly) says she doesn't know. (Did Harley create the Joker?) Moreover, Bruce doesn't answer her question about why Jack never told her that he knew she was the one responsible for creating the pills. Given these questions, I could see Murphy returning to this setting soon, like how "Batman: The Long Halloween" followed "Batman: Year One." After all, Jack isn't the only character who evolves here: Bruce also fulfills his promises. He turns over the keys to all the Batmobiles to Jim, admitting not only that he was wrong not to allow the GCPD to use them in the first place but also that he enjoys hurting criminals. He then reveals his identity to Gordon, with the intent to reveal it to the world, saying it's the only thing that'll make them -- but particularly Jim -- trust him again. Finally, Bruce reads Alfred's note with Barbara and Dick, and Alfred expresses his joy that Bruce has finally embraced them as his family (as Alfred knew he'd have them with him to read the note). Stories like this one can really reinvigorate a character, and I highly recommend this mini-series to any Batman fan out there.
Darth Vader #16: This issue is devastating. As the Inquisitors take out Barr's disciples one by one, Soule and Camuncoli show us the reasons why they were driven to join Barr in the first place. Soule and Camuncoli do so without editorial restraint, making clear their disdain for Barr's deception in promising them they could defeat the Empire. Camuncoli and the colorists are masterful in showing the hope the disciples feel as Barr offers them a future, making their deaths all the more poignant as they're eliminated. Barr has his back against the wall as the issue concludes, left with only one disciple. But, realizing the troopers accompanying the Inquisitors are clones, he orders them to execute Order 66, turning them against the Inquisitors as well. It's a brilliant tactic, as Barr increases the odds that he'll take down as many Inquisitors before his death that he can. But, it still doesn't answer what Barr thought he was doing on Mon Calamari. He tells one of his disciples his plan now is simply to flee to another planet to sew more rebellion. Knowing the high cost the Mon Calamari will pay for this rebellion, it's hard to see him as a hero. Instead, he feels like an angry old man willing to resort to any means necessary to have a measure of revenge, even if it ultimately accomplishes nothing. In a way, it reminds us why Leia is such a different (and inspirational) character, as she's driven by hope, not hate.
The New Mutants: Dead Souls #3: We get right into it here: the New Mutants are fighting the Mindless Ones in the Morlock tunnels when Prodigy calls for help from on board a crashing airplane. Illyana manages to teleport them onto the plane, and Prodigy reveals the pilot is trying to kill him because of what they're doing (i.e., whatever Xi'an's plan is). Guido asks what he means by that, showing that Prodigy is more in-the-know on said plans than the other team members (except, obviously, for Illyana). The team begins bickering among themselves, likely due to the pilot's telepathic influence (as he's also turning the passengers against them). In a way, though, their disputes actually make sense; Rosenberg reminds us that Guido murdered Rahne's son, so it raises the question why they're on the same team anyway. (Illyana apparently helped Guido get back his soul at some point? I re-read some of my "X-Factor" reviews to refresh my memory of that entire crazy storyline, and it really doesn't make any sense that Rahne is working with Guido without some explanation). Illyana eventually uses her Darkchilde powers to get into the cockpit (as the pilot was telepathically blocking her mutant powers) and, not surprisingly, we learn Tran is possessing the pilot. Illyana informs him he's dead, but he exposits he's really just trapped in Xi'an's body. He also implies Xi'an and the New Mutants aren't necessarily the good guys here. (Per the above point, Tran is the one who points out how weird it is they're all working together.) Illyana is surprised to learn from Tran that Xi'an sent someone else after him, and she tells Tran that Xi'an hired her to imprison him in Limbo while Xi'an figured out what she wanted to do with him. However, Tran claims he's going to save the world from Xi'an. Tran doesn't seem to be the most reliable narrator here, but it all just got more interesting.
Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #304: This issue is fascinating for a number of reasons. First, "our" Peter discovers that Doom's warning about the Time Variance Authority didn't meant they couldn't alter the past; it just meant he couldn't return to his present. In the new present, "past" Peter is the head of Parker Industries, but he's in a constant state of war with his wife, Gwen, given her support for the Resistance. The Resistance, you ask? Right. Norman eventually leaves prison and builds a second career, turning the Goblin Serum into a vitamin supplement after he convinced influencers "green is beautiful." (Brilliant.) He uses his funds to get Harry elected President and install Dr. Octopus as police commissioner. (We don't see Harry here, so it's unclear at this point why he'd take Norman's bait, other than possibly the Goblin mania affecting him.) Gwen sends "our" Peter to meet with the Resistance, i.e., Cap, Dr. Strange, and Riri, but it's grim. Their only hope is freeing Dr. Doom from prison (after Norman had Harry invade Latveria years earlier). But, the most fascinating part is JJJ, Jr. confessing to Teresa that this future scares him because it shows he was wrong all these years: the world is worse without Spider-Man. When you throw in a Venomized Ben Grimm as the prison's head guard, it's just a great time from start to finish. I really dislike time-travel stories, but Zdarsky isn't just putting an innovative spin on the trope, but also successfully using it to tease out everyone's personalities. Beyond JJJ, Jr.'s realization, you've also got the steady heroism of Gwen Stacy and the broken wreck of both Peter Parkers. "Past" Peter is so afraid of losing someone that he can't live his own life, and "our" Peter realizes his inability to trust anyone puts him in the situations that cost him dearly. Um, yeah, Peter. Good job realizing it now.
The Wild Storm: Michael Cray #7: Well, I certainly didn't see that coming. After getting a vision of the future from the gods he worships, Constantine sends for Michael Cray. Surprised to be invited to meet the man he's supposed to kill, Cray arrives in Constantine's town house with the intent to kill him. But, Constantine comments on Cray's increased loss of control, something Constantine's agent, Dion, also mentioned when she delivered the invitation. It results in Michael delaying in killing Constantine long enough for Wonder Woman (Dion is her avatar, I think?) to lasso him. The entity in Michael's brain was hot for him to kill Constantine, so I wonder if Constantine's going to reveal something about Michael's powers that's inconvenient for the entity. On a side note, Constantine is also creating free energy for, I believe, Wonder Woman, though I'm not sure why. Curiouser and curiouser.
Also Read: Detective Comics #980; Oblivion Song #3; X-Men: Blue #27; Youngblood #11
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