The last issue was a real pain to read. With artwork by Frazier that was bad to look at (rare for him) and a ‘yawn’ of a story, I was worried this series was going to get old and fast. Thankfully this issue brings more entertainment like the first and the art definitely is a step up from last issue.

Pirates and Batman should go together like PB&J and it actually does here. What helps is that we don’t see Bruce trying to regain his memories here. He has a good gist of who he is and what is going on and the end definitely has Bruce back in the driver seat (Kind of). Morrison writing Pirates is spot on and although I didn’t understand all of the speech by Blackbeard it was still entertaining to read. The point of where we go back to the present was a bit jarring though as there was no real good transition for it. Also, it definitely seems like whatever is happening in ‘Batman and Robin’ is integral for this mini as Damien references something that had to have happened in the next issue. (Which was annoying delayed for a few weeks) Other then those slight hitches, this was an enjoyable read and I cared for the time period Bruce was stuck in.

I’ve never read anything with Yanick Paquette art in it but now I want to search his bibilography. Amazing pencils in this with all of the Pirates and Bruce. If there were a Pirate comic to be made, Paquette is the guy to draw it. The rain effects, how he draws the caves, and even the moments references Final Crisis is spot on. His superhero pencils are a bit iffy (is that Red Robin or Dr. Midnite?) but overall it’s a good looking issue. What helps is the inking by Michel Lacombe (a fantastic artist in his own right) and the fantastic coloring by Nathan Fairbairn. If it wasn’t for them helping with this issue then maybe the effects and panels inside the caves wouldn’t be as gorgeous.

Overall this is a 100% better then the last issue and then some. This was a fun and entertaining comic with some fantastic art to go with it. I didn’t even get to the best part of it! Without spoiling it, let’s just say that the last two pages made me giggle like a schoolgirl. Because if that character is going to play a big part in the next issue, then I cannot wait to see how Grant Morrison writes him. Just hope that Jeanty can get the issue on time…