After a very Hostel-ish story concerning the "replacement Batmen", we're now treated to the now-infamous "RIP" story next month.  I have to be really frank in that I really don't have a clue how to rate this book.  I typically love Morrison (All-Star Superman, New X-Men, We3, JLA, Arkham, etc) but I'm really not sure what to think here.  Maybe Grant's sheer genius is going over my head this time, but I'm really feeling like Grant's retro trip is becoming more dated than it feels when he's driving Superman.

It's not bad by any means, but it feels I've been here before and I feel like I know the score.  The story is basically that Bruce's new gal pal Jezebel Jet (yeah, I know) is the latest in the long line of women who are pissed because Bruce Wayne "won't open up" to them only to find out, bam, he's the Batman.  I've seen it with Julie Madison.  I've seen it with Selina Kyle.  I've seen with Silver St. Cloud.  I've seen it with Sasha Bordeux.  I get that Batman is astronomically incapable of a healthy romance, but by this point, I'm really working hard to care.  I suppose it's not Morrison's fault that this is pretty much become the logical progression of any Batman/whoever coupling that's isn't a ninja queen or a cat burgular, but I can tell Jezebel isn't likely to be more than a footnote in three years from now and that's a little sad.  Granted, it's altogether possible we're in store for some 11th hour twist, but, so far, I'm feeling we've mined this well enough.  That being said, it's clear Morrison has been trying to hearken back to earlier days of Batman's existence, this being the Englehart/O'Neil/Adams era and does a fairly good job of invoking the period even if it comes off as a little derivative .

Speaking of ninja queens, we also get to see where Talia and Damian have gone to where Damian is being taught by the master archer (and Green Arrow foe) Merlyn. Here happens to be one of my biggest gripes with this issue: Talia (who still cares for Batman and respects him on some level at the least) is openly referencing how Batman is hers and how Jez can't have him... RIGHT IN FRONT OF MERLYN.  The guy even asks Talia if she wants Jezebel killed for taking her man.  So, now Merlyn, a mercenary who'd sell his own mother if the price was right, now knows Batman's real name.  Perhaps THAT is what RIP is about, but, jeez, you'd think a smart gal like Talia would know better.

Back in Gotham, the villain of the piece, a guy who sees through painted eyeballs on his nine fingers, attempts to kidnap Bruce and Jezebel only to get blinded via veggie oil and beaten by a still Bruce Wayne-clad Batman.  Jez catches him interrogating the man and, despite Bruce's insane rantings to "walk away," the girl figures it all out: Bruce Wayne is Batman.

The writing, while good in many respects, was severely hampered by the art.  I'm not entirely sure who this "Ryan Benjamin" guy is, but word of advice: there's comes a point where the face is done and you can stop drawing lines on it.  Bruce just looks like he's 50 with all the lines the man stuck on his face and Damian ended up looking 21.  I'm sure if he learned when to just stop sketching lines, it'll look much better, but it just looks amateurish and unpolished in many regards.

Beyond that, it was a decent issue that seemed to set up what may be going down for Batman RIP and had some good progression, but still seemed to be weighed down by sketchy art and overused plot devices.  It does get me ready for RIP, which I would guess was probably the point of the issue even if it felt short as a standalone issue.  I'd imagine this is the calm before the storm that's sure to thrill as well as horrify many a Batman fan when "Batman: RIP" comes out of the gate next month.