The last issue made a real impression on me. You can tell a religious story in a mainstream comic book and make it interesting. It wasnt too preachy, but we got enough information last issue on why Michael Lane thinks it’s God work to make him the next Azrael. You thrown in some of the best art in a DC book for the year, so far, and you got yourself the best issue of the week (in my opinion) last issue.

For some reason though, Fabian Nicieza decides to make this issue really awkward for me. I loved it that Lane wasnt much of a talker, that’s what made the character more interesting. He had deep, personal and religious problems, so he decided not to speak that much. It doesnt sound for a good character study; but that’s why I loved the last issue. Here….we get him saying stuff like ‘After I kick your ass!’ and some other bad action one-liners….I was ready to consider this a disappointment after reading the first 5-6 pages of this. Then the story kicks in again with Lane trying to figure out the right thing to do. Does he continue to wear the Suit of Sorrows, even though it will kill him? Or will he give it to Talia Al Ghul and let Damien take on the suit? This story went from bad action film back into a religious character study again and I was all for it. The story, and character, is much better when he’s taking about his faith.

Irving’s art….well what can I say that I didnt already say last issue? Some great pencils mixed in with some very good inking/coloring. Just look at that two page spread in the beginning, where the talent credits are. I want that to be a poster in such a worse way. In fact a lot of these panels look ‘poster ready’, or that they look so good that they are perfect in their own way. Hopefully in the future Irving gets at least an Eisner nom for this mini.

So while the very beginning of this issue had me worried; it picked up enough steam to make me like the issue. It feels like Nicieza wanted to turn this into some big action film, and make Lane more of a street talking gangster….But he decided to go back to the religious parts of this story and it’s all for the better. Again, this might be the best use of religion in a comic I have seen probably in forver. Cant wait to see where this character ends up at the end of this mini.