Today, Michael and Mark are discussing Batman 41, originally released June 10th, 2015.

Michael: Batman as an idea has taken many different meanings in the character’s 75 year history: the ultimate mortal, Bat-god and arguably comics’ gritty landscape architect, to name a few. Above all else we have come to learn that being Batman is a sacrifice; you have to commit yourself to the cape and cowl, body and soul. We’ve seen how this sacrifice has affected many facets of Bruce Wayne’s life as well as the other heroes who have taken up the mantle of the bat. Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo place Jim Gordon in that honored position and explore what exactly that sacrifice means for the former police commissioner.

Batman 41 introduces us to the new status quo of Gotham City with Gordon’s first day on the job as the “Robobat-bunny.” We see Gordon’s “origin story” as well as the introduction of the new regular cast of characters for the series. Alfred’s daughter Julia is one of the “Bat techies” in Gordon’s ear that helps him take down an energy monster that is running amuck in Gotham’s “Little Cuba.” With his average joe gumshoe knowledge, Gordon deduces that it’s all a distraction from the robbery that is taking place in a baseball veteran’s home.

Gordon’s bat-mech suit makes for a bigger Batman and a bigger Batman calls for bigger foes. Snyder writes a script that is all about subverting expectations and exaggeration. Gordon mentions how the Bat signal is inverted to shine down on the ground because Gotham has been turned upside down in Batman’s absence. The Bat signal is no longer calling for help; it’s calling out criminals by literally shining a light on them. This technique of embellishment is extended to the conflict of Batman 41 itself. The villain of the issue, “Precious Precious,” is executing the very simple crime of robbery by exaggerating it into a monster destroying a Gotham neighborhood. Precious is putting on some big talk to accomplish his goal but so is Gordon.

Gordon is just a man — an older man — who puffs out his chest by donning this new Batsuit to fully embody the larger-than-life Batman ideal. The legend of Batman has taken on such weight and respect for everyone — citizens of Gotham and readers alike. Gordon and co. realize that that legend took a very long time to grow into what it is so they have to make a physical representation of that weight in the form of the Robobat-bunny. Batman 41 also revealed that Gordon has a second Batsuit that allows him to exit the armor and still do the Batman-ing. To state the obvious, Jim Gordon is not Bruce Wayne. But with this second Batsuit Gordon has the option of “shedding the skin” of Batman. He physically unburdens himself of the weight that comes with this identity in a way that Bruce couldn’t or wouldn’t.

None of this is to say that the new Batman is the same old Jim Gordon that we have known and loved however. Being Batman comes with the price of sacrifice: the sacrifice of identity, the sacrifice of career or the sacrifice of personal joy (Jim’s cigarettes.) Gordon knows this price and ultimately his decision to take on the mantle of the Bat comes down to doing the job so new father Willliams doesn’t have to.

Gordon doesn’t want to put that weight on someone with so much to lose. I think as humans a lot of advice we give to “the next generation” is equal parts selfish and selfless. We wish that we could warn our younger selves of the road ahead and prevent certain pains and hardships. So I believe that Gordon wants this young cop to be able to father his newborn without the burden of being Batman, but I also think Gordon is trying to save himself at that age. This actually ties into one of the essential sacrifices of Batman — Bruce Wayne becomes Batman so no one else has to. He sacrifices his own childhood and happiness so others won’t. Batman’s mission is to create a better Gotham and a better world where Batman doesn’t need to exist. Gordon throws himself in the line of fire so Williams can dodge that Batman-bullet.

Between the scenes of Gordon’s deliberation, Greg Capullo makes Batman 41 an action-packed anime-styled brawl. There are energy monsters, mech suits, big explosions and trucks being tossed around like bean bags. FCO Plascencia revels in the wild and electrifying palette of colors that he has been regularly using since “Zero Year.” Capullo throws in some easter eggs every now and then — including a poster for a Black Canary concert from the pages of Batgirl and the upcoming Black Canary series. I found this panel fascinatingly distracting however: as Gordon uses his “x-ray specs” to find Precious, we see some strange sort of feast going on in the back of a van.

It looks like one man is passing a bottle to another, while a third man is doing something on the floor of the van – perhaps serving himself some food? It’s completely off track and weird but I like that Capullo takes advantage of the bat tech in an interesting way.

Mark, how did you feel about Robobat-bunny’s first outing? Do you have any thoughts on the tactful way Snyder and Capullo took on the absurd Twix ad in the middle of the comic page? And was it just me, or did Commissioner Maggie Sawyer look super old and not very well fed?

Oh yeah, I guess we should address that whole “…Bruce Wayne?” scene at the end of the book too…

Mark: Oh, crazy. I read the digital version of Batman 41, which doesn’t include ads, so I was oblivious to the Twix ad’s placement. Here’s what the page looks like on Comixology:

It makes a lot of sense, though, knowing that the ad was placed where it was. All I can say is that it reads seamlessly without the ad, which seems like the highest praise one can give to that sort of thing.

For the issue as a whole, is it fair to say that I thought Snyder and Capullo crafted another strong book, without actually finding it compelling? On a technical level, everything is as top notch as we’ve come to expect from a Batman book, but it fails to make the case as to why Gordon is the best choice to be Gotham’s new RoboBat. A couple of reasons are offered: he was a Marine, he knows the city best. But in the end the reason Gordon chooses to become Batman is to prevent someone else from having to suffer the same fate. He’s willing to sacrifice himself so others don’t have to.

That’s a strong idea, but it’s not one that’s supported by the other half of the issue, the anime-infused action of RoboBat. Here’s an opportunity for Snyder and Capullo to show us why Gordon is the only man for the job, or what makes him unique inside the suit, but we don’t get any of that. The Bat Action is well executed, but there’s nothing special about it. When Dick Grayson took up the cowl, it felt like Dick Grayson-as-Batman. He was unique. RoboBat is generic. There’s nothing in his actions or dialogue that are distinctly James Gordon. Anyone could be wearing that suit. That’s where I think Batman 41 comes up short.

It sounds like I’m really down on the issue, but I’m not. It’s fine. I’m not even down on the idea of Gordon-as-Batman. Snyder’s been excited about this idea for a while, and I trust him enough to see this through. But everyone involved knew this was a radical arc for the title, and they missed the opportunity to show us why this story needed to be told. Oh well, maybe next issue.

As for Bruce… we all knew he wasn’t dead. I’m personally hoping he’s a complete lunatic after the events of Endgame.

For a complete list of what we’re reading, head on over to our Pull List page. Whenever possible, buy your comics from your local mom and pop comic bookstore. If you want to rock digital copies, head on over to Comixology and download issues there. There’s no need to pirate, right?