During the last installment of Batman Beyond 2.0, Terry McGinnis was left for dead, Dick Grayson saved the police, and Barbara Gordon found out the identity of the villain Rewire. As the finale of Kyle Higgins and Thony Silas’ opening arc draws closer, the creative team uses this issue to drop more hints about the missing year between Clown Night and their story.
Positives
This is an issue full of character development. The main players (Terry, Dick, and Barbara) are each given a moment to shine, though Barbara is a little short-changed. The aforementioned hints that Higgins drops throughout this issue are tantalizing. Why does everyone hate Bruce? The way Beechen’s run ended made it seem as though everything was rosy in the Bat-Family. Dick later mentions Terry’s hatred of Bruce, which will have readers spinning their wheels trying to figure out what has happened.
Speaking of Dick, this issue is outstanding in establishing this incarnation of the character. While his previous appearances in the Beyond universe have been excellent fan service, there was never a clear indication as to who he was as a person. Here, Higgins scripts a wonderful scene that gives us a Dick that is world-weary, yet maintains the youthful optimism that fans would expect from the character.
Negatives
The character-centric narrative causes the overall story to lose the forward momentum that Higgins has been building since issue one. In spite of this, the issue still felt very short. And though the ending promises a bombastic conclusion in the next issue, one can’t help but be concerned that the result will be rushed. Higgins has proved to be an adept storyteller, and hopefully that trend continues in two weeks.
Verdict
Batman Beyond 2.0 continues to be one of the strongest offerings by DC Comics. The latest issue proves that it can provide rich material aside from cool, sci-fi visuals. And between the mystery of the fallouts in Terry’s personal life and the showdown with Rewire, Batman Beyond 2.0 will continue to be a strong title with Higgins at the helm.
