The Black Bat #12 Review

Do we get a proper conclusion for this series? Or will fanboys and fangirls be disappointed? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

FINAL ISSUE! In the final chapter to this story, the Black Bat is confronted by the unforeseen consequences of his vigilante quest for redemption. He comes face to face with the shadowy villain that has been pulling all of the strings, and must decide how far he is willing to go to save the city.

I’m not going to lie, when it came to writing this review I had a lot of trouble getting into the right mindset. I’ve covered plenty of titles that have come and gone but the truth is it never gets any easier to bid farewell to these stories and characters you’ve come to enjoy. And as much as I really want to say that this sturdy and capable creative team completely ends things on the right note I can’t.

Brian Buccellato pens a script that rushes toward resolution while yielding an ending that fits the narrative but will almost certainly leave its audience split. With all the cogs in this machine spinning fast it was hard to see how one normal sized outing could wrap up Cameron Tell, Oliver Snate and a citywide riot. But for the most part the author succeeds in closing these elements as The Black Bat chooses to go out via his own terms. The entirety of the piece read well but it was the final inner dialogue that left me with mixed feelings to say the least.

Now we arrive at the single best feature of this climactic entry. The illustrations handed in by Ronan Cliquet are moody and powerful in ways that instantly evoke familiar vigilantes while cementing a visual cadence that suits this particular franchise. I was impressed with the final moments, especially as the last few pages called for something a bit different than I think anyone could have expected. Add in the colors by Viviane Souza and the entire package feels like it does plenty right in order to earn some recognition and praise.

The Black Bat #12 brings its dynamic volume to a close. It carries a few memorable moments here and there but it tripped along the way. Through the strength of this creative team there’s enough good going for it to let it finish up with a recommendation.