Review: Batman #149
The issue focuses on Bruce & Zur's clone-Bruce trying to come up with a way to stop the clone's advanced aging process. Along the way, our real Bruce learns what it means to be family and that he's now got access to a brand new Oversized bank account. And he’s intent on using it for good…this time.
The issue seemingly brings Batman back to a time before Chip Zdarsky took over, which begs the question of how his previous stories are meant to be remembered in the long-run. I know comic book characters get reset to the status quo all the time, but this felt more like an end to one writer's run rather than the epilogue of an arc. By the end of the issue, we're in what feels like a brand new normal for Batman and Gotham at large before Absolute Power kicks off and shakes things up.
Zdarsky perfectly conveys the emotional weight of clone-Bruce's aging journey, from teenage crime fighter to old man to six feet under, and his sobering realization that he'll never have a life of his own. The interaction between the two Bruces is particularly disturbing, yet touching, as clone-Bruce chops off his hand as a symbol of love and sacrifice. It's a bit rushed to have happened in just one issue yet Zdarsky nails the fear of growing old before you've had a chance to live your life and make the memories you had hoped for. It's felt in both in clone-Bruce coming to terms that he'll never have a life of his own and Bruce observing his clone-self rapidly aging and dying. I thought clone-Bruce was a really interesting concept to play around with in a way that was different from how Bruce interacted with Damian. I wish we got to see more of these two together.
Michele Bandini and Steve Lieber's art does a great job aligning with the tone of the book. It's definitely a different style compared to what we're used to with Jorge Jimenez with their characters looking more cartoonish. I didn't love how Bruce looked, who looked more like a TV lead with a five-o'clock shadow (I couldn't stop thinking of Jack from Lost), rather than the beaten-down man we've seen in recent issues. Nick Filardi’s colors are impeccable, it’s great seeing him back on Batman comics.
Rating: 7/10
