Batman Beyond 2.0 #5 Review: Villains, Party of Four

by Daniel Gehen
1 comment

The adventures of Terry McGinnis continue in the form of a biweekly digital comic! Check out the DCN review!

BB 5bThe last time we visited the world of Batman Beyond, Terry was getting knocked around by what appeared to be the legendary vigilantes of Gotham’s past. We find out relatively quickly that that was not the case, but rather a cover for a gathering of Terry’s greatest rogues. Leading the pack is the new foe that has been responsible for the terror featured in the initial four issues. This issue is once again brought to us by the creative talents of Kyle Higgins and Thony Silas, with Andrew Elder on colors.

Positives

This issue grabs the reader right away with a stunning cover by Rafael Albuquerque. It is very rare for me to linger and stare at the cover of a digital first title, but the dynamic, yet minimalist, imagery by Albuquerque deserves a mention here. Be sure to check it out yourself at the bottom of the review. The interiors by the aforementioned Silas and Elder continue to be consistently good.

BB 5aKyle Higgins is probably a happy man playing within the Beyond universe. A self-proclaimed fan of the characters, Higgins takes the gloves off an unleashes a version of Terry that acts much more like the Batman we’ve grown accustomed to with Bruce Wayne. This Batman stalks his prey from within the shadows and strikes quickly, but does so with a quip and a smile that may cause some readers to reminisce about Morrison’s Batman & Robin or Snyder’s Black Mirror. The issue’s cliffhanger also serves as a reminder that Terry still has a ways to go before reaching Bruce Wayne’s level of proficiency.

Negatives

BB 5fIn my first read through, I skipped over the parts of the story related to the GCPD’s side investigations, if only because I was engrossed in the main narrative and wanted to get back to the action as soon as possible. I did end up reading them during my second read-through, and I found their inclusion to be inconsequential. While these plot threads may be picked up down the road and prove to be vital, their inclusion here only disrupted the flow of the story in this particular issue.

Verdict Rating4 (4/5)

Batman Beyond has become a great way to start off my Saturday mornings. Waking up, grabbing a cup of coffee, and enjoying another installment of this series is a biweekly ritual that I’ll be looking forward to if the series continues to be as strong as it has. While not the best offering of the rebooted Beyond title, this issue offers plenty to enjoy and will have readers eagerly looking forward to the next installment.

BB 5e

As always, you can comment down below and don’t forget to like us on Facebook and follow our Twitter @DCComicsNews!

You may also like