Review: Batman ’89 #5
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Sam Hamm
Artist:Â Joe Quinones
Colors:Â Â Leonardo Ito
Letters: Clayton Cowles
Reviewed by: Carl Bryan
Summary
Batman ’89 #5-  Step back into the Gotham of Tim Burton’s seminal classic Batman movies! Batman ’89 brings in screenwriter Sam Hamm (Batman, Batman Returns) and artist Joe Quinones (Dial H for Hero) to pull on a number of threads left dangling by the prolific director.
Harvey Dent enacts his plans for Gotham! He’ll overthrow the Batman and assume his rightful place as its guardian. As Batman works to stop his friend Harvey, he finds himself vastly outnumbered by the forces at Harvey’s disposal. He’ll need to turn to some unlikely allies if he’s going to turn the tide in his favor to protect his city and save his friend!
Positives
Issue #5 of this six-issue series provides Sam Hamm continuing to weave a great story and Joe Quinones’ artistic endeavors to even better levels. Did we want more Michelle Pfeiffer renderings? Yes… and the story provides that. Has Billy Dee Williams’ Two-Face gone way overboard? Yes… Hamm is arguably darker than Tim Burton’s cinematic renderings.
This is the grittier issue to have in your collection. Will we lose a character in this one? Maybe as we are on a precipice of this series culminating. Hamm is almost Shakesperean with his Barbara Gordon/Harvey Dent relationship.
Hamm has updated Batman in the right ways given the time span of 1989 where this Batman is set.  We as readers noted that there was a LOT of unfinished business in the Burton world of Batman…and there still is. We still would like the Penguin to appear again…and could we even dream to have a Jack Nicholson Joker make a frame or two? Prince? This comic really needs to come with its own soundtrack.
Positives 2.0
Robin takes a stronger role in this issue and catapults 1989 into the year 2022 and beyond. I like this incarnation of Robin as it feels real and very topical. The origin, the motivation, and the entire package is to be commended.
Negatives
Sigh 5 of 6 issues are out there, and it seems that we have only scratched the surface for those of us that have waited on this book. So many other villains and adventures to take place in the “Keatonverse” for Batman 89. It has come to a closure too fast.
Verdict
Sam Hamm and Joe Quinones have found quite the medium and I really hope they team up again as they could literally “right the wrongs” of some of the other films…notably Val Kilmer and George Clooney’s runs as Batman.  Ahem…. guys…can you rewrite/redraw/reimagine some history?
