The Return of the Beast! The dramatic debut of Lark! Will Bat-Knuckles become a thing?

All-Star Batman #3
Written by Scott Snyder
Art by John Romita Jr, Declan Shalvey, Danny Miki, Dean White, and Jordie Bellaire

It really is hard not to keep gushing, but All-Star Batman is a fantastic comic. While it can’t be stressed enough, but “Mad Max Batman” is the gift that keeps on giving. While the meta-plot hasn’t shifted too much from issue to issue, the players that enter the game both old and new bring plenty of flavor to a comic already brimming with characters.

While the previous issues have already been a rising escalation of gonzo action, this one raises the bar with the introduction of The Beast (formerly with a KG) into the story. And while Duke has been in the sidelines previously, he enters with aplomb to an already beleaguered Batman and ascendant Two-Face.

That said: Snyder raises the bar with the exploration of the previous retcon of Harvey Dent being an old friend of Bruce’s who knows he is Batman, as well as giving some much needed pathos to their relationship. While this comic could probably coast on the action set pieces and the little bits that happen here and there, Snyder goes to a great deal of effort to give Duke and Two-Face character development along the way.

The art as usual is stellar as well. John Romita Jr does a fantastic job with the fight against The Beast, as well as a truly brutal sewer fight. I’ve also said this in the past: but Dean White is one of the best colorists in comics, and his work enhances the pencils into one of the most bafflingly combative books on the stand. The backup story with Declan Shalvey on pencils and Jordie Bellaire on colors similarly brings everyone’s a-game to the fore. That all being said, the comic is most definitely worth its price tag, and frankly that can be a tough sell in this market with so many Batman books. Give it a shot.

5 out of 5 KGs