Batman #60 Review

F*** the Penguin

Writer: Tom King
Artist: Mikel Janin
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: December 5, 2018
Cover Price: $3.99

I don't know if you are aware of this, but I haven't been the biggest fan of Tom King's run on Batman.  Sure, I liked it enough until around the Jokes and Riddles story, but after that, not so much.  Because of that, I have been yelled at and called names, but to be fair and honest, I probably gave back as much as I got.  Things seemed to change around issue #50, however...it's amazing what lying about a wedding will do to a fanbase!  The funny thing is, I've actually liked the last few issues more than a lot of this run and while I haven't been giving 10/10s like some other reviewers, that's just because I'm not a hack that thinks every book they read is an instant classic!  So, does this issue continue the uphill climb of making Batman a somewhat decent read?  Let's find out...


The issue opens with Jim Gordon heading to work and wanting to talk to Harvey about the Freeze case.  Now, are they investigating the actual murders or is the GCPD mounting a case against Batman for beating the crap out of Victor?  If it's the later, they are really shuffling their feet here.  Oh well, they may have some more things to add to it since, for most of this issue, Batman is just beating the living shit out of a chunk of his Rogue's Gallery to get information.  So much for the World's Greatest Detective or even the more human Batman I hear mentioned so much.  This Batman is all anger and has not learned from his mistakes at all!

We head off to the Batcave then and Alfred is talking with the caged Penguin and I just wonder why, instead of asking Alfred who he is, he doesn't just lift his blindfold and have a look since his hands are free.  Is this a bit of detail I am supposed to fill in for myself?

Back with Harvey and Gordon, it seems as if what Batman did to Freeze is new??? It's a mystery that was spelled out in the courtroom a couple of issues ago with Gordon there.  The nonsense continues when they start talking about the Beast.  It seems Tom King didn't take too long to fold and say that Batman didn't leave him for dead.  That's fine, but the way it's done is complete horseshit and is a continuation of one of my biggest gripes with Tom King's approach to storytelling!

You see, when King wanted to create a moment where Batman was a badass that would stop at nothing to get Dick Grayson's killer, he had Batman walk 200 miles through the worst weather ever and stressed that no vehicle could make it there and that communication was shut down.  Now, however, we find out that the Feds were watching all along and when Batman left, they swooped in and grabbed the Beast before he froze to death outside the cabin.  Plus, Batman knew he was being watched????  Are the Feds going to bring Batman in for attempted murder or are they going to keep quiet since they just sat and watched KGBeast murder his father?  It's a lucky thing they set that all up without the Beast's father noticing and then get really lucky that the Beast decided to visit his father...after not seeing him for over 25 years!!!  

We continue with Batman punching villains and Kite Man shows up to say his catchphrase like a 38-year-old Gary Coleman saying "What You Talkin bout Willis?" at a supermarket opening.  I know Tom King tries to get the feels for his characters...mission accomplished!  I feel so sorry for Kite Man!

The issue continues with Penguin possibly admitting that he does the nasty with penguins (or just one since he loved her), Gordon smashing the Bat Signal (the WOW moment) and a cliffhanger that is shocking, but I need to know more about the character because it never has been explained and really, makes no sense at all just yet.  

This issue is bad.  Tom King is writing a Batman that isn't just bad, but is plain unlikeable.  Yea, he will probably turn it around before the end, but for me, the damage is done.  He plays loose with the details of his story so I am left guessing and then tries to make things fit after the fact and I keep running into a bunch of round holes while he's giving me square pegs.  Things don't fit and I am tired of being told that I'm just not trying hard enough...a sledgehammer isn't going to help me anymore!  If I sound frustrated, I am!  If you think I should stop reviewing this book because I don't like it, that's not going to happen.  I will stay until I start getting a Batman book I enjoy and as it stands right now, that may have to wait until issue #106!

I do like the art by Mikel Janin.  It's a bit rougher around the edges and that gives the book a darker feel that fits the story.  I mean, shouldn't a book where a guy might be admitting that he married a penguin be a little frayed around the edges.  I think so.

Bits and Pieces:

Tom King continues giving readers a very unlikeable Batman and tops that off by ruining the Penguin...for me at least.  There is also a bit of revisionist history, a joke that needs to be retired and all the other nonsense that readers of this book either love or hate.  It's beyond me why and how this keeps going on, but maybe it's just because I don't fill in the blanks the same way as others are filling them in.  I will just blame myself from now on since I seem to be the only one missing out.

3.5/10

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