This book did not start off the way I imagined and that had me a bit worried, but it all turned out fine in the end. In issue #5 we saw that the Tyger team was about to storm the rooftop Batman and Gordon were on. The rooftop as it turns out is not the GCPD, but Gordon’s own apartment building. This is something that could’ve been made a bit clearer from the start, but it doesn’t hurt the story in any way. A welcome surprise though, is that Batman casually mentions Gordon’s wife in the dialogue. We heard Sarah’s name in the Arkham City video game, but as many of you know, Sarah Essen is dead in the true DC comics canon. She was shot in the head by the Joker during the No Man’s Land story arc. The Sarah Essen from the Arkhamverse on the other hand, is alive and well and Gordon still has someone to come home to. I like that.
Now back to the Tyger guards raiding the area. I’m sure I’m not alone when I thought that this issue would be action packed and all about Batman bringing down another small army, but that’s just not the case. This is the Gordon-centric issue where we learn in full the sort of hardships Gordon has faced as a result of Hugo Strange’s manipulations. We see how hard Gordon campaigned to stop Arkham City from coming into existence and how bad things are for him now that Strange and Tyger are in full control of Gotham’s police.
It’s not going to have you on the edge of your seat, but issue #6 does answer quite a few questions and give Gordon the much deserved screen-time he didn’t get in Batman: Arkham City. As for the art, it’s good, but again feels like Ching had to rush to reach the short deadline that these once a week installments require. Too many panels have no background whatsoever or show the characters as complete silhouette. Silhouettes make a cool, moody effect when done sparingly, but it’s clearly cutting corners when used to this extent.
I loved this shot though. It’s got a Mike Mignola look to it.
Worth a Buck or Not?
The arc “Observations” issues 4-6 batted a thousand with all 3 stories getting a positive review from me. A lot happens on that rooftop. Drop another dollar and see how this story ends.
Batman: Arkham Unhinged can be purchased at comiXology.
