As we barrel toward
BATMAN #700, we get this (presumably) two-issue arc dealing with The Riddler, a possible copycat killer, and Dick Grayson's self-doubt about being Batman.
Mr. Daniel seems to be paying more attention to the differences between Bruce and Dick, which is a welcome change from the first three issues of the last arc. Letting Daniel have a bit of a break on the art duties, Guillem March (who Batman comic book readers will remember from the first arc of GOTHAM CITY SIRENS) steps in to pencil #698 and #699. When I read the first issues of SIRENS, I wasn't convinced that the tone of that book worked in his favor, but I was surprisingly very pleased with the atmosphere he gives here to Gotham City, the creepy emptiness he gives to a crime scene, and the annoyingly gleeful attitude of The Riddler.
March also gave a cool homage to THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS in the climax of the issue, and nicely rendered the nightmare that Dick has in the opening pages. While not as finely detailed as Tony Daniel's art, March uses shadows and pastel-like finishes to great effect here. As far as the story is concerned, Daniel helped increase the amount of "Grayson-ness" in the new Batman's speech and internal monologues. In this issue, Dick is a little more abrasive with how he talks to people, sounds a little younger with some of his word choices, and while he's still not as tonally matched as he is in BATMAN AND ROBIN, this issue is definitely a step in the right direction.
There are moments in this issue fall flat, however. Some of the magic shtick used is a little campy, and some of The Riddler's reasoning is a little convenient, but overall the pacing of this issue is an improvement over the majority of the issues of "Life After Death." While in some respects this still feels like the "C" book behind BATMAN AND ROBIN and STREETS OF GOTHAM, BATMAN is slowly finding it's footing again just in time to celebrate a landmark issue.
While it's a little sad that Daniel won't have a chance to tell more Grayson stories at least until #703 (since Morrison and Daniel are re-teaming for the post-R.I.P., pre-FINAL CRISIS Bruce Wayne story in #701-702), I'm at least for the moment satisfied that Daniel has found a bit more footing writing “Dick Grayson.”
It's too bad that this comes right near the end to Grayson’s tenure as Batman.
