The Creators – Matt Fraction – Writer, Jorge Jiménez – Artist, Tomeu Morey – Colours, Clayton Cowles – Letters

The Players – Batman, Jim Gordon, Killer Croc, Vandal Savage, Alfred Pennyworth, Robin

The Story – Killer Croc escapes from his doctors, and Batman brings him in, albeit in a different manner than usual.

The Take – Batman gets a fresh start with a brand-new number one courtesy of Matt Fraction and Jorge Jiménez. What better way to begin than by introducing the new status quo—a continuation of the previous run, most obviously, but one that serves as a beginning for both new and old readers alike. Readers see Jim Gordon—now a beat cop, having been replaced by Vandal Savage in one of the most shocking events in Batman’s recent history—which has become the new continuity. Batman now works out of Pennyworth Manor, Wayne Manor now a thing of the past and yet, no matter how many things change, some remain the same. One of those is the bad guy of the week making an escape from Arkham or jail, or whatever confinement they may be in. This time it is Killer Croc, but not all is as it seems. Croc has been undergoing treatment, and according to his doctor, it has been progressing well. A transformation has also been taking place within him, as if he is shedding the Killer Croc persona and getting back to the man beneath. So it is that Batman, who is ready to duke it out with Croc when he catches up to him, realizes that a different tactic might be required, more specifically, a conversation. Fraction creates one of the most memorable scenes in the issue when this occurs, and it sticks with the reader for that very reason. Batman has a fight every day of the week. It is not often that he talks down an opponent, and here, it is like a breath of fresh air to see something just a little different from the norm. Fraction gets Batman and those who surround him. The characterization is on point, and though there may not have been as much action as there usually is in a Batman comic, it still managed to excite and, even more importantly, entertain. This book feels fresh and new, yet still offers a sense of familiarity that makes it accessible. Situations have changed, and new establishments may be in place, but it never hampers the ability to sit and enjoy this book in any way. Jiménez also aids in giving it that air of freshness, his pencils clean and sharp and it all looks incredible. The best thing about this book is that it tells its story with a beginning, middle and end. There is an overarching tale that Fraction is surely telling—likely involving Vandal Savage—but he has said he will continue his done-in-ones for the foreseeable future, which makes this book even more attractive. It has been quite some time since a person could pick up a comic and get a complete story without committing to more, and this book makes one want to do the complete opposite and stick around for the long haul. Overall, a great start to one of comicdom’s stalwarts.

Worth It? – Yes.