So interesting is that while Dick contemplates the Ecclesiastical time to side-quip and time to put a lid on it, he continues to say such rudimentary things, all of which can be summed up by this generic line: “Is that all you got?” Meanwhile, Bruce is continually avoiding a beatdown, while simultaneously handing one out to Amazo. It is excellent, as always, to see the difference between the two aligned characters. But this issue goes beyond. It points out the fundamental break between the behavior of the two men. Batman is a man of action, not words; while the hubris of youth still lingers in the soon to be aged Nightwing, spurring him to badger his foe while both delivering a beating, and receiving one, himself.

I must now go back to the character development of the Black Mask. Here we see a character which is different from before. Previously he seemed like nothing more than an odd looking version of one of the Falcone family. Now we see that his true neuroticism and matter-of-fact insanity are becoming apparent. He is now a sort of mirror image of the business side of the Joker. I man without feeling who is willing to deal with those he should fear, while being completely lacking in terror of any of them. His encounter with Mr. Freeze is both comical and alarming. Freeze, a true blue sociopath, seems to be in no way intimidating to Black Mask, either because he is without fear, or because he is without care. Either way, as the reader, you will love it.

My only complaint is the covers. They are too crayonish, in both style and apparent age-gauging of the artist. Every time I see these recent books, I wonder why? Is it a favor to the artist because it is simply too simple, childish, basic. Cut it out DC. Get the covers fixed. If you think sales diminished following the Loeb stint, the cover art is doing no favors for the interior, and the excellent art if Doug Mahnke. Note: if Mahnke is doing the covers, then tell him to put down the paints. This isn’t a PBS broadcast, this is one of the most popular media items in the world. Tell Mahnke to draw the cover like the rest of the book., by which I mean well.