BATMAN: FUTURES END #1 Review

Gotham must always have Batman! But to what lengths will Bruce go to ensure this? Read on to find out.

The official description from DC Comics:

It’s five years later and Bruce Wayne is using dangerous science to help him continue his war on crime. What is it, and what forced Bruce to resort to such extremes?

Last week saw DC’s latest September event kick-off, with the majority of their New 52 series’ entering into the world of Futures End. Having had mixed feelings on the concept so far, I was eager to see what Batman had to offer five years from now. The result is the best Futures End issue I’ve read yet, with Batman trying to find an answer to his impending death at Lexcorp.

Much like the Riddler issue from last years Villains Month, Ray Fawkes joins Scott Snyder to tell this one-off tale, with Fawkes also handling the script. What I loved most about this tale was that it fit the one-shot nature perfectly, being brief and intense. The way that Fawkes manages to keep the suspense throughout this issue, having Luthor’s recording goad Batman along really appealed to me, with the addition of Bizarro being an added bonus. In addition to this the classic back and forth dialogue between Batman and Alfred also added tension to this tale, with the outcome of Batman’s mission being very interesting.

The artwork on this issue is from Aco, with the Constantine artist being perfectly suited for this tale. Not only does Aco give the impression that Bruce is past his best, but he also captures the dynamic flow of the issue perfectly, with the detailed scenery helping add a sense of atmosphere. I did however find FCO Plascencia for the better part of this issue to be too jarring, as though there were moments where it suited the tone of the story, for the most part the mixture of powerful colours just clashed.

Batman: Futures End #1 is what a one-shot should be, being an isolated tale, that doesn’t feel overly rushed, and is packed with intensity. Highly recommended.