Batman and the Outsiders #3: Pages 6-7

Batman isn't really going to blow his cover, is he?Short answer: Yes. If Bruce Wayne isn't Batman, he at least pays for Batman. That puts his loved ones as risk as much as if he were. But the Outsiders won't tell, will they?
Batman: World's most costly squatter. And Katana - the killer YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT - is already asking too many questions. Still, no chance they'll ever stumble on Bruce Wayne or his loved ones, right?
Wrong. They'll be staying up there. Just another chance for Batman to perpetuate the myth about his sleeping upside down.
Loved one #1: Alfred Pennyworth. If this made any sense at all, he would be dead by Joker gas within the month.
Note Alfred's memory reinforcement here. He's just been called Alfred and feels the need to say his name again. Obviously, he's already been briefed on the Outsiders' chronic amnesia.
Well, Halo got distracted by the dinosaur, so I guess he'll want to mention it yet again. Speaking of forgetting things, Batman's totally forgotten the reason he went to Markovia in the first place! Stayed behind... a likely story!

Meanwhile, at Gotham's equivalent of Madison Square Gardens (scheduled for demolition - no wonder the streets are rampant with crime, there's nothing for the kids to do in this town)...
The villain of our piece is giving a good talking-to to his henchmen who don't seem to have the stomach for this kind of thing.
Students of the comic book form will note here the traditional trick of not showing the villain right away (hoping the reader's eyes won't glance at the bottom of the page). Who is this mystery figure? Do we find out in the next panel?
No, not yet! We do know two things: He killed babies in the 'Nam, and he's into black gloves. So now can we see him?
No! He's disfigured, don't you understand? You have to prepare yourself for his hideous face!
Agent Orange?!? Wow, I really didn't expect him... EVEN AFTER HIS APPEARANCE WAS SPOILED ON THE COVER AND ON THE SPLASH PAGE! I have no choice but to nominate this page for "Worst Reveal" of 1982.

Next up: More Halo! And when my wrists are sore from playing, I'll come back and write about the Outsiders.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Man, we really need a panel with a multicolored grease smear on a stalagtite moaning, "what's a ceiling?"

Also, Agent Orange should always be spread over two panels for no reason, Alfred.
Siskoid said…
Only in Grant Morrison comics is that considered a power.

In a Barr/Aparo comic, it is merely being "clever".