BATMAN #635

Under The Hood Part 1:  New Business

February 2005

Written by Judd Winick

Pencils by Doug Mahnke

Inks by Tom Nguyen

Cover by Matt Wagner

Synopsis

High above the city streets of Gotham City, Batman is fighting the Red Hood.  The battle spills onto the streets and into an alleyway, where the Red Hood is able to rip the mask off of Batman to reveal Bruce Wayne underneath.  Red Hood suggests he makes it even, so he removes his mask.  Bruce takes one look and says, “Oh God.”  Five weeks earlier, Batman learns that Kord, the R&D branch of Wayne Enterprises, was the target of a hostile takeover.  Thus, Batman loses all of his access to his gadgets and weapons, although he is more worried about the materials reaching the streets and the common criminal.  Elsewhere, some gang leaders have been invited to a “sit down” but they don’t know who sent them.  With a shower of bullets to the table, the Red Hood announces that he sent the invite.  He makes them an offer to work for him, which will include protection from both Black Mask and Batman.  Meanwhile, Black Mask has heard about someone moving in on his territory, but Black Mask is not worried about some small-time hustler.  He has decided to add someone else to his team…Victor Fries (aka Mr. Freeze).  

Review

“I really prefer burning a whole house down rather than trying to root out a few rats.  It’s extreme, but y’know, I’m not a very nice person.”

This was an excellent start to the “new” Batman.  I am not sure we needed the exposition to explain the current state of the Batman family since I suspect most people reading Batman would have read War Games and its multitude of tie-in comics and would know that Robin, Batgirl, and Oracle have fled Gotham City.  However, it was nice to see from Alfred’s point of view and helped set the stage for whatever is coming down the line in terms of the identity of Red Hood.  The situation with Wayne Enterprises losing its R&D section is interesting.  The really nifty dagger held by the Red Hood (you know, the one that cuts through brick pretty good) suggests that perhaps Red Hood is behind the takeover, or at least is being funded by someone with enough money.  It could even be Black Mask; the bit about Red Hood protecting against Batman and Black Mask may be nothing more than a red herring.  Regardless, I like Black Mask and am glad he is one of the few criminals they have kept on the Batman titles.  He has always been an interesting character and for some reason I think Winick’s writing suits the Black Mask pretty good.  I am not that much of a fan of Mr. Freeze; hopefully his role will be kept to a minimum.--MRB