Batman tries to move forward.
There's plenty of hubbub regarding the big twist in Batman #24, but that twist is hardly the most impressive aspect of this issue. Batman #24 follows in the footsteps of the recent Batman/Catwoman-focused story arc "Rooftops," proving once again that no one handles that dynamic better than Tom King.
Batman #24 serves as a coda to King's first year on the series even as it paves the way for "The War of Jokes and Riddles" and everything to come in Year Two. King divides his script in two, focusing on Gotham Girl's state of mind after being healed by Psycho Pirate and the general state of the Batman/Catwoman relationship post-"Rooftops." The two halves intertwine very naturally, with Gotham Girl's musings about fear, loneliness and desire perfectly capturing Batman's tormented psychological state. One of my big complaints with this series early on was the lack of character development for Gotham Girl, so it's nice to see the series making such progress on that front now.
More than anything, this issue works as an excellent (if slightly belated epilogue to "The Button." Readers can feel the weight of Bruce's reunion with his father weighing down on him, even if that moment is never directly acknowledged. Bruce is lost and adrift, and he's haunted by his father's last words even as he acknowledges the fact that he may never be able to stop being Batman. All of this paints a very fascinating psychological portrait of the Dark Knight, one that adds critical context to the headline-worthy cliffhanger.
King is joined by both David Finch and Clay Mann in this issue. The two artists are just similar enough that their styles don't clash, but each brings a unique flavor to their respective pages. It helps that the split narrative makes the frequent transitions between artists natural and seamless. The real star of the show here, however, is colorist Jordie Bellaire. Bellaire creates a wonderful sense of contrast between these two sequences. The Gotham Girl segments are bathed in a warm glow, reflecting Claire's newfound optimistic outlook on life. The Catwoman scenes are moody and dominated by blue hues. Bellaire deftly manages to evoke the wistful, longing feel of Mitch Gerads' art in those two "Rooftops" issues.
The Verdict
Batman #24 is a terrific way to cap off Tom King's first year's worth of Batman stories. This moody, introspective issue manages to both flesh out Gotham Girl and illuminate Batman's complicated psychological state in the wake of storylines like "Rooftops" and "The Button." This issue also makes the most of both artists, with the visuals anchored by the haunting colors of Jordie Bellaire.
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