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Creative Team:
Writers-  Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly
Artist- Robert Carey
Colors- Valentina Taddeo
Letters- Tom Napolitano
Cover- Roger Cruz and Adriano Lucas
Variant Cover- Guillem March
PUBLISHER: DC COMICS
Plot Rundown:
Issue launches into the dark, mysterious world of Wayne Manor as Kate and Luke are trapped inside a fun house of sorts. If that funhouse were made up of the deranged mind of Batman, that is. Both Kate and Luke face nightmares of the opposite spectrum as Luke encounters Batman himself and Kate in a room full of haunting copies of herself. They explain to her that they are trapped in a so-called Batman dimension and that, much like Bats, they weaponize their pain and tragedies, and all roads lead to the Bat except for Luke who they claim is not Batman. As a Jokeresque Batman calls out that Luke does not belong a mysterious murdeous Batman crashes the party to bring about his and the others end. After Kate leaps in to the rescue the duo return where Kate has begun to dream of bats…
The Art:
A big standout for me in this issue was the clever way Robert and Valentina made every version of Batman and Kate feel different. While most looked similar, subtle differences stood out, which is a testament to the talent these two have. Versions of the Joker and regular versions had drawn personalities amongst a haunting portrait of Bruce’s mind. This was a fun standout issue art wise for me which enhanced the reading experience.
The Writing:
The Hivemind continues to showcase why they get to play with some of the best characters in any superhero world. They write intriguing and different arcs for Luke and Kate despite being in the same haunted mansion. The crisis of consciousness both of them are left with leave us perked up at what is to come, as it’s fun seeing the lesser-known Bat-Family get the spotlight for a change.
Overall:
This issue leads us down a mysterious and ominous path as we face the inside of Bruce’s mind, which is often more terrifying than anything Gotham could throw at us. The varying characteristics of both Kate and Batman that are showcased throughout the issue show that everyone working on this book has a true and loving understanding of the characters they get to play with in this world. This is a run that should not be slept on lest you, too, are visited by the ghosts of Bruce Wayne’s past.
