Damian: Son Of Batman #1 Review [Second Opinion]

A fantastic first issue. Starting the issue with bringing us right back into a Dynamic Duo caper with Damian and Bruce was a great introduction and a nice call-back to their teaming prior to Damian's offing. The role-reversal of Batman dying and Damian living was at both unexpected and obvious since the title is focused on him. The funeral scene did a good job of establishing Damian's frame of mind after blaming himself for his father's death, which not only parallel his father's own resolve after Damian's passing, but also goes in the opposite direction of Bruce losing his own parents. After losing his mom and dad in Crime Alley, Bruce Wayne seeks out justice to never let it happen again, but when Damian loses Bruce, he goes on a path of violence and rage, taking out his anger with bloody vengeance. Having said that, the panels of Damian's beat-down of Batman's rogues was a great visual, along with the blood-splattered hooded Damian, fists clenched and drenched in rain. The scene in the church left me wondering who the furry-faced stranger claiming to know Damian was. Is that Gordon? Who knows, but a nice little thread to leave dangling for the next issue. The Alfred-Damian banter, always a prized treasure of dialogue in-continuity, never gets off the ground into "witty" or "humor" as the stench of murder hangs on Damian, and Alfred won't go without mentioning it. The infuriated response is the logical reply an older version of the younger Damian we originally met, and his stomping into the Bat Cave was also a nice throwback with mutterings under his breath. The big cliff-hanger shocker of Bruce seemingly being alive was a great final reveal and no doubt makes me want to grab the next issue immediately. I enjoyed this being out-of-continuity, it allows for a greater play with character and interaction, but the fact it takes place "some years from now" renders it as a possible future if the pieces end up fitting. The art was crisp and detailed without over doing it. Backgrounds are well done and accentuates the character foreground. The splash pages bring you up close into the action of this bleak Gotham City. Highly recommend grabbing Son of Damian up, five stars.