COMIC REVIEW: FTN reviews Batman & Two-Face #25

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi

Artist: Patrick Gleason

Published by DC Comics

Even behind bars, Erin McKillen is causing all sorts of weird problems for Gotham, and it turns out this doesn’t seem to be the first time.

While we learned a little bit more about her in this issue, Erin is still a largely mysterious character and I think that’s what makes her pretty cool. She’s fierce, can hold her own, and is clearly intelligent. I can’t wait to get a little more background on how she and Bruce know each other. Also, I love how snarky Batman can be with so few words. I said it in another review, but I’ll say it again. His name should really officially be Bruce ‘Sassypants’ Wayne. I’m sure it’ll catch on.

It’s one of my only gripes about comics and kind of works against Tomasi’s style: you have to wait a month to get the more of the story. Not to say this issue was bad – it carried the story and kept my interest throughout, but Tomasi is an awesomely detailed writer in all the best ways, and everything is important, always. When just reading the single issues you might not get that at the time it’s being read and some things just seem…odd. Of course, all of it will make sense when this storyline is over, for sure.

That being said, the back-and-forth between flashbacks and today was perfectly done. And the hints of a history between Bruce and Erin were just tasty enough that they were deemed important, but didn’t distract from the story being told in this issue.

Patrick Gleason is totally my homeboy and I love his work. This issue is no exception, but let’s be honest, the whole prison scene with Matches Malone really took the cake. I am such a sucker for the Matches Malone persona, it’s not even funny. May or may not have squealed/cackled like a fan-girl when he showed up to help Erin. And then that teensy-weensy panel with Alfred and Bruce’s disguise all messed up may have been the best and most hilarious thing I’ve seen all month.

So, solid issue all around, but I expect nothing less of this creative team. Now, the only question I have is, apparently, both last month’s and this month’s covers were to feature a Miss Carrie Kelley but seemed to have been inexplicably changed between the books’ solicitations and their releases. (In fact, if I’m not mistaken, this issue was actually supposed to be titled ‘Batman & Carrie Kelley #25, as opposed to Batman & Two-Face.) Was it a last minute editorial change, or has her part in the story been altered to be a more secretive, twist-like ending? She has yet to appear in this arc as far as I can tell, but I have my theories on where she might show up later…that is, if she does at all.

4 out of 5 nerds