Not what I was expecting
This issue focus on a teenager named Harper Row, and her connection to the Caped Crusader. We first saw her back in Batman #1 and, more recently, in #7 where she saved the Dark Knight’s life. But we still knew nothing about her, really. Until now.
We find out that she lives in a relatively “bad” part of Gotham and lives with her younger brother, Cullen. The two get along very well and take care of each other without being too overprotective. Harper is a naturally curious, very intelligent, and a skilled tinkerer and we get to see a good range of her personality in this issue. Her lighthearted and witty exchange with Alfred brings a smile to your face. Both she and her brother come off as being believable, yet not remarkable and this feels like it’s the way it should be. Given how mature and responsible Harper is there’s no real part of the book when it feels like she “comes into her own,” but rather it feels more like she “levels up,” in a sense, and becomes an even better person during the course of the story. I mean if one of your first appearances in comics has you saving Batman’s life (and you’re not Thomas Elliot) it’s kinda hard to pass that up.
This issue’s is a little weird in terms of art as it has a number of people who worked on it. In some places on a page the lines are clear and sharp but in nearby panels on the same page things will look downright hazy and this contrast can be a little jarring to the reader. There’s even one moment when a punk kid who Batman’s intimidating sweats, but it looks like his skin is melting. On the other hand, facial expressions and body language are done really well and I was particularly taken by how the characters’ eyes are drawn. So, when taken altogether, the art is pretty good. The preview pages below illustrate both points. I especially love how the bottom three panels of the second page show Harper and Cullen’s facial expressions change. It’s a very nice touch.
The page where Batman leaves immediately reminded me of a similar scene in Batwoman: Elegy where Katherine Kane beats the snot out of a would-be mugger while screaming, “I’m a g****** soldier!” Immediately after, she’s surprised by Batman’s sudden, but unnecessary appearance, she falls down. With a simple gesture, he helps her up and zips off into the night air. Yeah, that moment. XD
The fact that the story follows the day to day activities of Harper, and her brother to a lesser degree, may come off as boring to some readers but the focus on their lives and how they are impacted and changed by coming into contact with the Bat is a nice thing to see. It also provides a much appreciated change of perspective as we get to see both Batman and Gotham from a regular person’s point of view.
This issue is a welcome breath of fresh air and I was really glad to get to know Harper Row. It read really smoothly, is full of loving, well-written dialogue, and there’s great characterization too. Alfred is his charming self and Batman is, well, Batman. You can really feel the love between Harper and Cullen and the overall feel of the issue leaves you feeling a little better about the world. It’s the perfect combination of feel-good and character study set in Gotham. There’s also just the riiight amount of action to spice things up for a bit. Definitely do not let this one get away! Final rating: 4/5
