I have greatly enjoyed the first issue of Batman: The Widening Gyre. It brings so many characters that are rarely seen together; starting with Batman’s reminiscing past exploits with a twelve year old Robin (Jason) as they take two Nazi super soldiers out and then having Nightwing reintroduce Batman to Baron Blitzkrieg in the present with what can only be described as Nightwing relishing the opportunity to re-establish a connection with his old mentor. Nightwing leaves Batman with a mystery involving Poison Ivy and her twisted boreal lethality.
In Batman’s investigation we are reunited with the many evil characters that Batman has brought to justice from two-face to the Joker, ending with an awesome fight scene with the Etrigan the Demon, one of my favorite Jack Kirby creations.
Kevin Smith and the artists spare no graphic image to illustrate the horrors that take place in Arkham Asylum, especially troubling are the images of Etrigan devouring his victim… just gruesome.
Overall, it’s nice to read Kevin Smith’s work with such a great character as Batman.