Four weeks in and pieces are still falling into place, with more connections between the titular crimefighters being revealed while their true for remains hidden. Up to this point I’ve been enjoying this crossover, and while it’s still quite enjoyable, this installment feels like filler.
The reason for that may very well be that it’s a shorter part of a longer issue, and I’m definitely taking that into account; had I been reviewing this and part 3 from two weeks ago as one entry in the series, I would have given it a fairly high score as they certainly flow together and fit well. As it stands, this is the first real disappointment in Batman ’66 Meets Steed and Mrs. Peel.
By no means is this bad storytelling, though. Edginton’s scripting is still remarkably spot-on and the artwork from Smith and Broome is, for the most part, still interesting and engaging. The main problem is it’s so heavy with exposition that nothing really goes anywhere. After the two page opener with Lord Ffogg, we join our heroes in Commissioner Gordon’s office as they attempt to piece together the resurgence of the presumably-incarcerated villain with the arrival of the Cybernauts.
The most likely suspect? Catwoman.
She denies any knowledge or involvement, of course, insisting she never met the person who hired her. It’s soon revealed that Michaela Gough has been kidnapped, which leads to Steed and Peel recounting the origins of the mechanical henchmen and what led them to personally come to Gotham.
My favorite part of this issue is the idea of diamonds being used as a way of storing information. It’s one of those theoretical concepts that these shows handled so well, toeing the line between real and pseudoscience by taking an idea that may actually work and going completely overboard with it.
It’s all told well, with the same charm and buoyancy of previous installments, but very little actually happens. Even the cliffhanger ending is a bit underwhelming, though that may be due to the drab color scheme at work.
That sky is lovely, but other than that there are too many dark blues and greys to give the image any real definition. I’ve liked Smith’s interesting visual style combined with Wendy Broome’s color palette, but with most of the action taking place indoors they haven’t been given many chances to illustrate anything truly striking.
Everything that’s worked is still there and it still works, I just wish there was more substance to the issue.
Recommended if:
- You love Batman ’66.
- You love Steed and Peel.
- You’ve been reading thus far.
- Truly, the strength of the preceding installments holds this up.
Overall: A disappointment, but still enjoyable. I love the voice Edginton has when writing Batman, Robin, and especially Steed and Peel, and I’m looking forward to the illustrative team getting a chance to shine in the future. Taken as a whole with part 3 it works much better, but as an individual installment this was a bit of a drag.
SCORE: 6/10
