It's time to sink or swim fanboys. Return of Bruce Wayne #3 will be the turning point for undecided readers. We've reached the halfway point of Grant Morrison's latest romp in the batverse, and from here on out, you're either on board or ready to jump ship. (Alright, no more pirate puns.) The Return of Bruce Wayne has been one of the most polarizing series from comics' most polarizing writer. People either love or hate The Mad Scotsman, and this mini seems to have widened the chasm between fanboys even more. Whether you've been eye-popping or eye-rolling thus far, it's hard for anyone to deny that this series has been like a roller-coaster, with just as many ups and downs.

Readers privy to Morrison's writing will have no doubt noticed by now that he's chosen his every-other-issue formula for this particular experiment, and as usual it's had its pros and cons. Issue #1 was a steady-paced, somewhat humorous prehistoric tale with very little clues as to the direction Bruce's journey would be taking him. Issue #2 was almost the opposite, with a dark and somber magic mystery full of Morrison's signature cerebral wiring. With issue #3, it's back to the fun stuff with Bruce Wayne and DC's Black Pirate vs. the legendary Blackbeard. Though the story's pirate flavor is somewhat limited by the absence of the high seas locale. As often is the case with G-Mo, one almost gets the sense that he had different plans for Pirate Batman when doing the usual promotional interviews, before realizing that for his tale to work, he had to centralize the story around Gotham throughout the ages. Which is fine, stories evolve organically with every writer. It's part of the process. Rather than cut Pirate Batsy out of the outline (like he did with Ninja and Gladiator Bruce), he most likely tweaked the story to take place in the now-familiar pre-20th century caves beneath Wayne Manor. And even if it does feel like a stretch, we're glad he did. Who could pass up Pirate batman?

Despite the characters being land-logged, Morrison delivers heartily on all the traditional swashbuckling fun. The journey through the caves feels like a certain Disneyland ride, full of terrific ghost stories, booby-traps, and climaxing in a classic sword fight atop a bridge of bones. At the same time, Morrison does a commendable job of reminding us that this is ultimately a Batman story. Like he did with the cavemen and the Puritans, he draws subtle similarities between the Batman legend and various genres, staying true to the central themes of fear and intellect. It's fun to watch Bruce begin to recognize his surroundings, and slowly work out a way to turn the tables on Blackbeard despite his memory being shot. Morrison also make great use of both John Valor and Blackbeard, making Valor a cunning captain who can't help but be impressed by Bruce's heroics, and Blackbeard a somewhat clueless villain while managing to keep him fearsome.

Where this issue delivers on adventure, it falls short on intrigue. In line with the every-other-issue format, this installment reveals few clues as to how Bruce will get back home, similar to issue #1. There's very little offered in the way of the grand scheme, and one almost gets the sense that Morrison's treading water (Last one). The inclusion of the Batpeople is a nice surprise, but does very little for the plot other than to help Bruce remember his identity, which he's been doing slowly for two issues already. The transition from the burning pirates to Dick and Damian approaching Command D is so jarring that the reader is forced to check his pages. And while Morrison does a nice job of telling what needs telling without giving us too much of Time Masters' plot, the result leaves us feeling like we missed something. One still can't be sure how crucial Time Masters will prove to be. Is it a shoehorned mini attempting to capitalize on Morrison's Batverse success? Or will it be absolutely essential? If it's the latter, perhaps the overarching plot would be better served if it were told as one big story. But it's business right? Either way, it's neither here nor there. We'll have to wait and see.

The real star of issue #3 is undeniably Yanick Paquette. He delivers the most consistent interiors to date, if not the most dynamic. The opening page recalling the Death of Batman flashback rivals J.G. Jones' original, and is among the most stunning pages in a handsome issue. Other images that won't soon be forgotten are Bruce sporting the Black Pirate's cowl on the Bridge of Bones, and the guest appearance of Jonah Hex tossing a Joker card. Paquette's knack for grim and burly men is put to great use in an issue showcasing pirates, and his Kevin Nowlan-inspired stoic expressions are right at home on the face Bruce Wayne. The only minor criticism is Paquette's apparent lack of practice drawing young people, as he avoids showing Damian's face, and his Red Robin is drastically transformed into a stocky 30-year-old. Also worthy of praise is Nathan Fairbairn's brilliant colors. Everything from Darkseid's Omega Beams to the blue flames in the Batcave leap of the page. He draws beautiful contrast between the washed-out palette of the pirates and the bright primaries of the Justice League, and the sunset behind Bruce and John Valor as they part ways is almost too realistic. The art on Return of Bruce Wayne so far has been one of its high points.

Overall, #3 was more fun than progress. Readers who opened it up looking for a shred of pirate's life won't be disappointed, especially after the plot-heavy #2. Those who were looking for the substance and thought-provoking rhetoric that made Morrison famous may be underwhelmed, but if the pattern thus far is any indication, #4 should contain a bit more brain-numbing confusion. Either way, if you've stuck with it this far, we're quickly approaching what will no doubt be a historical ending. Land ho! (Last one. Promise.)