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Dave Scrimgeour and Kevin McCluskey   Writer- Sam Hamm Artist- Joe Quinones Colourist- Leonardo Ito Letterer- Clayton Cowles Editor- Andrew Marino Published by DC Comics 7/12/2021 SynopsisThings get tense when there is a clash between the police and the residents of Burnside at a march on behalf of the fallen Harvey Dent. Barbara Gordon realises the Gotham City District Attorney has fallen further into madness than she had initially suspected, before the newly minted Two-Face unofficially checks himself out of hospital in order to set his plans in motion. Meanwhile Drake Winston pays a visit to Wayne Manor, with the sole intention of forcing Bruce's hand, and compel them both to put their cards on the table. Dave Any initial thoughts on the cover for part 4? I like how Robin is the focus in this issue, his outfit looks pretty cool, and I love the Tim Burtonesque Gotham City with the lights and the choice of colours. It very much reminds me of the look that was created for the movies, especially ‘Returns.’ Robin is still adopting the ‘American Ninja’ look with the mask. Kev Yeh, it's a nice cover. Robin is front and centre, with the smashed and tagged Bat Signal, whereas Bats is in the background. I kind-of like the idea of Robin using a staff as a primary weapon, which is also kind-of ninja-esque. Like Donatello from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Dave True. This issue is very much about Robin. He’s in the central role, and the cover is a direct reflection of this. Kev Definitely. Drake is much more of a focal point in this issue. Dave And we finally get his surname here as well. Kev Right enough. Dave He is very much coming into his own as a character now, as he bluffs his way through that police interaction. Kev Harvey Bullock is going to Harvey Bullock though, I suppose. He can’t help himself but be an arsehole cop. Dave Bullock is very much like Eckhardt in ‘89 Batman movie Kev Definitely. I guess we needed a Eckhardt substitute for this story, considering Eckhardt was gunned down by Jack Napier in the first movie. And Eckhardt was kind-of a movie substitute for Bullock in the first place anyway, so we've come full circle. Dave Nice move by Robin though, literally covering Bullock in paint. Gordon's response to him disobeying orders is good too. "You just engineered the biggest cock-up in the history of the Gotham PD. Give me the bullhorn before I ram it up your ass." Kev Yeh, Gordon's not messing around, is he? Surely Bullock’s screw-up can’t be the biggest in the history of Gotham P.D. though. I’m sure I’ve read bigger ones in Batman comics this month. Ha, ha! Drake's use of the paint is proper lo-fi protester tactics. I like it. Dave I like that panel from the aerial view, of Jim Gordon finally trying to restore some authority to Bullock, it leads well into the Robin on the rooftop panel.  "People are in confusion. The world is full of fear. I see conflict all around us. Can anybody out there hear?" Kev Yeh, that is a lovely transition. Bullock’s techniques are very ICE, and therefore very current. Dave And those two panels with Robin saying, "That’s what happens when you come to my house," there’s a very serious, and angry, side to him emerging here. Kev Definitely. With the shaking fist, and the enunciation of each word, there's a righteous anger here that maybe could be doing with a little bit of focusing. Dave He's very much pent-up with anger. Kev Yeh, but understandably so. Dave He's just protecting his own neighbourhood. The transition from an emotional, angry Robin, to Bruce affectionately holding the cat is interesting. It’s a much more relaxed Bruce here. I guess his meeting with Catwoman went well. It clearly lifted his mood, amongst other things. Kev Ha, ha! That's a good point though. I hadn't clocked that juxtaposition between he who shall become the teacher and he who shall become the student. Actually, Robin is pulling some classic poses here at the foot of page 5. First from the cover of Robin #1 from 1991, and then one which mirrors Batman’s pose in issue 1 of this series. This Batman and this Robin are certainly cut from the same cloth.
Dave This is less of the typical student/teacher relationship, as Bruce is not having to teach Drake how to fight and defend himself, as this Robin has already got that down pretty well. It's going to be interesting to see what Bruce has to teach him, as Bruce is a bit more detached here. Keaton's version certainly was, so it might be more of an adjustment for him, getting used to working with a partner. The way Bruce has been talking to Alfred, with quips like "catnap," I’m pretty sure he got laid by Selina. Kev Ha, ha! That could be it. Maybe he got lucky. Those are both interesting points. You're right, Bruce is certainly not going to have to build this Robin from the ground up, certainly in terms of his combat skills, and yeh, this Batman is certainly a bit more detached. Hell, he's taking a break from being "The Bat" anyway. I've like that he is taking a break though. It makes for a more intriguing character. Dave And as usual, Bruce is not aware that his foundation built the library. Kev Yeh, Bruce needs to keep better tabs on his money. He’s leaving himself wide open to be the victim of all kinds of fraud. The messy, convoluted, and often hidden nature of generational wealth is definitely something that Sam Hamm is leaning into with this story. And I like Bruce as a devoted cat dad, although, I feel he may just be pining for that cat’s original owner. I also like the use of the under armour bodysuit which, if I’m not mistaken, is a straight lift from one of the Kenner action figures in their ‘Batman Returns’ line. Dave Yeah, interesting that he is wearing the under armour bodysuit here. That’s quite a deliberate choice to show him in this. Then we transition to Harvey, back at the hospital. Things are building up again, as he is spiralling into his madness now. He is very much like a lovesick teenager at this point. Kev Yep, we get to see Harvey further unravelling here, and to give Hamm his props, there’s definitely a logic to it. It all makes sense. Certainly enough for Harvey to justify his actions in his own fractured mind. It’s interesting that he’s now claiming that he’s died in any one of these alternative universes that he’s using the coin as his true north for. Dave Barbara has finally grasped the gravity of how badly things have gotten for Harvey now. The last panel of her, at the phone booth with a white background, is good. Kev She looks so isolated and lonely in that panel. Dave As per usual, the artwork and colours are on form in this series, so it's really a case of picking the stand-out panels in an already high bar of quality artwork. Kev Speaking of stand-out panels; that bottom panel of page 8 is expertly done by Quinones and Ito. The shadows obscuring the undamaged side of Dent’s face is a fantastic piece of storytelling with regards to his identity at this point.  Pretty boy?!?! Oh, shush, Mr. Face, you old charmer, you! Dave Oh yeah, that panel is great. It feels almost Joker-like as well. It's like some images I have seen of The Joker and his descent into madness. Kev There are definite comparisons, that's for sure. Dave I love that page. I always love when they go back to a page of visuals with minimal dialogue. Kev Yeh, good, old-fashioned visual storytelling. Dave This issue is a lot more paced so far. They are slowing things down to allow the story to evolve, and allow us to spend some time on those characters and their relationships. Kev I agree. It certainly feels like we are setting the table here for what will be the third act. Dave Plus, the use of colours is excellent. It's going for the 'T2' mental institute escape scene look. That whole page is superb. Kev True. We are back to that James Cameron blue lighting. Ah, some of the birds Drake keeps are robins. I like how Drake is using Otis as a witness to what he thinks might be a kidnapping by Bruce. Ha, ha! That’s funny. Dave That is a nice little touch. They are purposely avoiding the usual cliches here, and keeping it fresh, in terms of ideas. Drake does have a bit of a devil-may-care attitude. He's his own boss, no-one is in charge of him. Kev Yeh, he's a cool cat, alright. The tune on the mixtape that he’s listening to is none other than ‘The Hunted Child’ by Ice-T. Which has a lot of fitting lyrics, not just that “mask” one. Dave Nice spot, I didn't recognise those lyrics, and Ice T was a big name at the time. Kev He certainly was. It was from his 1989 album, ‘The Iceberg’ as well. Yet another nice touch by Hamm. All these little things really help to draw you back into the world of 1989. Hamm is really making a point of exploring exactly where Bruce’s inherited, generational, wealth has come from, and unsurprisingly it is built off the backs of, or even “stolen” from others, in this case, the Winstons, Drake’s ancestors. A white American profiting from the labour of black people? Surely not! This is also an interesting twist on the Batman and Robin dynamic, for sure. That’s an excellent panel of the entrance way to Wayne Manor at the top of page 10, and a nice bit of banter between Drake and Alfred as well, with Alfred not even really considering himself to be a resident of Wayne Manor. Drake is a smart kid. He’s way ahead of Bruce and Alfred and their families’ shared history. This is a delicious little game of cat ‘n’ mouse between Bruce and Drake, and it’s operating on several levels. Nice “Motor City” reference there too.  "Nice place. Lots of.....space." Dave I like that panel on the top of page 10, which shows just how vast and empty Wayne Manor is, and the little "Mr Alfred" touch by Drake. The kid has some manners. Kev Yeh, Drake is nothing if not respectful. Winston, not the rapper. Dave Haha! Yeah, we don't want that Drake in the story. Also this Batman/Bruce is essentially Keaton's version translated to a comic book, so he is not a big, 6 foot 2 guy, built like a brick shithouse, he's a 5ft 9, or whatever, man, who wears an armoured costume. Already the Batman/Robin dynamic here is way different to the other versions, and therefore the relationship will ultimately be different as well. Especially if Drake/Robin kicks his ass good and proper. Kev Definitely. And we already have this built-in tension, due to their families' histories. There’s a fair amount of baggage here already. Dave I have to admit, when I was first reading this issue, I wasn't fully embracing a different Batman/Bruce here, or Robin/Drake. We are so used to the typical Batman/Robin dynamic. Kev It takes a minute to adjust to it, doesn't it? Dave It's a far more mature relationship really, because Drake certainly isn’t a young, naive kid. He's probably more street smart than Bruce, and needs less mentoring than Bruce does in some ways. He also has a short fuse, for sure. Even in that little scuffle they had, it shows that Bruce isn't 100% immune to getting hit, and this version of Bruce doesn't have the muscles, he needs the suit more, as Drake got him again, even if it was only water.  Drake Win(g)s Chun. Fucking hell that was laboured! Kev Yeh, this Bruce is a little more vulnerable. Still, nice waistlock into a belly-to-belly suplex by Bruce. And follow-up with the chairshot. He’s been watching pro wrestling. Plus, we have it here in black and white that Drake has figured out that Bruce is Batman. Dave Sam Hamm is ramping up the odds here, and taking away a bit of the old cliche that Batman is the one in charge all the time. He's still wearing the polo neck that he wore when Alfred made a massive presumption and let Vicki in the Batcave. For a millionaire he's a bit of a stickler for that polo neck Kev Ha, ha! Bruce has got that old money fashion sense. I’m sure he has multiples of the same shirt. Dave I remember you used to hate that polo neck fashion choice. Kev Ha, ha, yeh! I tried it myself for a bit, but just couldn't get into it. Or pull it off. Dave But I still like that after their little scuffle, Bruce is quickly composed, and wants Drake to stay for dinner. Kev He knows they have much in common, and much to discuss. Dave You can see the tension between Bruce and Drake. This relationship will not be as straight forward as, “Let's become instant crime fighting partners.” It’s going to take a bit of time. Kev Definitely. I suspect there will be at least a little resentment from Drake's side, considering Bruce's ancestors seem to have built their wealth at the expense of Drake's. Dave This issue is really doing well with the transition jumps. I like on page 14 how we get the near full page of Selina Kyle, and it still blends in well with the other panels. Kev Selina Kyle: I.T. Support. Dave With a Jack the Ripper doctor's bag. Kev Ha, ha! Right enough. I hadn't noticed that. Dave I do like the last panel before the transition to Harvey, of Selina with the disk in her hand. Again, the transitions are great in this issue. Everyone has their own agenda. Kev I love the Sheck logo on the disc as well. That’s a lovely little touch. The 5th panel on page 16 is fantastic. It’s so noir, I love it. Harvey is like The Dice Man. And it’s interesting that he and "Two Face" are conversing with each other now.  Cracking battery life on those 90's laptops. Dave Those couple of pages are very Orson Welles, with their film noir look. Harvey suits the film noir look, I’ve got to say. Kev Absolutely. It's also interesting that part of Harvey sees himself as a “professional ass kisser.” More of the duality, and more of his guilt about abandoning his roots at play here. “...and then we’ll both be happy.” So Harvey Dent and Two Face are two very distinct characters in his mind at this point. Dave Yeah, he's deeply conflicted, and the more dominant personality is taking over now. He really is being led by him. Kev Yep, "Big Harv" is definitely taking over. Dave The artwork, the colours and the transition to Harvey are truly great. I love the colours in contrast to his bleached hair and skin, they are so well done here. Also, when he finds the subway, that is a great panel on the bottom of that page. It’s so visceral. Or before that, where he's talking to himself, "Where are you taking me?" with the red background, that is also a standout panel. Kev Makes you wonder just how good it would have been to see Billy Dee Williams get a proper shot at this character, eh? Dave I think that’s why Billy Dee Williams took the role, because he was probably pitched on this idea. Kev Yeh, it's such a pity. I would've much rather have seen this on the big screen than Tommy Lee Jones's take on the character, and I love me some Tommy Lee Jones, he's been in some of my favourite films, but THIS is what we all really wanted for Harvey Dent after 'Batman.' Dave I like those two panels where Harvey is underground and you see both the active and the disused tunnel. It really ties into his split persona so well, and the attention to detail on the panel is excellent. We see the back of Harvey's head here, but then the panel underneath, with a close up of him with the lantern in the shadows, is equally good. The artwork and colours are really setting the bar high yet again.  "Tongue tied, or short of breath.....Try a little harder. Something's wrong. You're not naive, you must be strong."  "We're here!" Harvey Dent doing his best Bray Wyatt impression. Kev Ha, ha! I like that Drake sees Bruce as his sidekick. This is a reverse of the usual Batman and Robin dynamic, which is even referenced in the title of the next issue (see below). More of these interesting differences that you were talking about earlier. Dave Also, how he gets straight to the point, "We can talk philosophy all night. I really just want to see the car." There is a bit of humour though, as Bruce jokes, "I’m gonna chain you to the wall for twenty years," as they go down the Batcave. Kev Yeh, I was wondering if that was a sly reference to 'All-Star Batman,' where Bruce basically held Dick Grayson prisoner in the Batcave and made him survive by eating the rats in there. Dave "Mr Wayne you ever want to be normal?" "Yeah sometimes. It passes." That's another good bit of humour, showing that Bruce knows he is not exactly on the path to normality. Kev I liked that line too. I can totally hear Keaton's delivery of that line in my mind. Dave It’s definitely written for a Keaton dry delivery. Kev I forgot to say; the head cock being the tell that gave Bruce’s identity away is an interesting touch as, if I remember correctly, doesn’t Keaton cock his head to one side at times when he’s playing Bruce Wayne? I know Clooney did, but he cocks his head all the time in every role he plays. It’s a total Clooney tick. Dave Yeah, Clooney always does the head cock. I never noticed Keaton doing it, but it could bear further investigation. Maybe he has done it, and we haven't picked up on it. Drake is also delving into the world of being a "mentalist," by analyzing other people’s body language. When Drake says, "Tell me I'm not seeing this," is he questioning why this large penny is hanging there? Kev I think the whole Batcave was maybe a bit too much for him to take in all at once. Dave Also, the nice little touch of Robin’s bike being added in and, like you said, the final line is a good one, "I’m gonna need a helper." The relationship is definitely much different. Plus, this Batman doesn't get annoyed by Drake’s smart arse comments either. Kev I agree, the Batcycle already being there, almost just ready and waiting for a rider, is yet another nice touch by Hamm. Dave It does end on a good note, as this issue has kind-of taken a breather and allowed the story to set up the next chapter, the final act, but it has also given us the beginning of the Batman /Robin partnership and also Two Face’s new look, which is a throwback to the timeless feel Burton created in ‘89, with a contemporary take on the Two Face look, facially. Kev Yeh, this is another good issue. I agree, it’s a bit slower than the previous two, and there's not as much action as there had been in certain other issues, but the character development elements between Bruce and Drake are excellent, and as I said earlier, it certainly sets the table for what will be the third act. Dave The artwork has been superb, especially some of the stuff we discussed earlier. So while this issue wasn't as good as the previous two we’ve reviewed, it’s certainly still a good issue, and it is a bridge to the next segment of the story. (D) & (K) 
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