[Editor’s note: This review may contain spoilers!]
Writer: Tom King
Pencils: Tony S. Daniel
Summary
The mishaps of Booster Gold continues! As a wedding gift to Batman, Booster altered the timeline so the Wayne’s live so Batman can enjoy the time with his parents. However this change has serious consequences! Doing so ensured that Bruce never becomes Batman, and now a gun toting Dick Grayson wears the cape and cowl. Can Booster set things right, or will this horrible alternate reality be the new normal?
Positives
If anyone ever doubted how important Batman is to the DC universe then they definitely want to pick up this issue. Here King shows us a world where Bruce Wayne never became Batman–and the world was worse because of it. Booster narrates what exactly has happened–most of the League is dead thanks to a Starro invasion years ago. It was Batman’s strategic mind that saved the world and without it the Justice League is no more. Catwoman is a psychopath at Arkham who literally just meows now throughout the entire book. And perhaps the worst part is that Batman is Dick Grayson, who without Bruce’s guidance became a gun toting Batman that shoots first before anything else.
Negatives
I have no negatives about this book. It’s the emotions that King plays with so well here. With Gotham City literally on fire, and its psychopaths roaming the streets, all that Bruce Wayne cares about is his parents. It truly shows how important they were in his life and how much he values them. Thanks to the efforts of Booster however that joy is short lived as Alfred, Thomas and Martha are all murdered by Catwoman, who was in turn murdered seemingly by Batman! With a bloody Bruce Wayne standing the middle of a circle of lifeless bodies one can only assume what he’ll do next.
Verdict
Batman #46 was a great read and I can’t wait to read the next issue! It’s pretty clear that with a friend like Booster Gold you really don’t need any enemies! I almost found myself frustrated with Booster in this issue because of his failure to take anything seriously. However it seems to be more optimism than a failure. My next question is now that Bruce’s parents are gone–what exactly happens to him now?
