"Welcome to America's Third World"
Man-Of-Bats and his son Red Raven (Formally Little Raven, but don't tell that to his face) haven't received the spotlight very often. Never, in fact. They've appeared in perhaps five issues prior, and a guest appearance in the Brave and the Bold cartoon comic. Two of those comics were published in the 1950s. It should come as a surprise, then, that the two make for one of the best issues of Batman Inc. yet, if not THE best.
Well, until you hear that Grant Morrison wrote it.
The issue doesn't deal with the overall story in Inc. till perhaps the last quarter. Until then, the issue focuses on the life of a budget-abiding Batman of the Indian Reservation. It's not a pleasent life out there. Drugs are rampant, as the reader find out in a heartbreakingly powerful page just three pages in. Gangs are a probem. Alcoholism is depressingly common, especially given the setting. Nevertheless, Chief Man-Of-Bats tries his best to clean the place up. Outside of his extracurricular activities, he's a doctor. It's a small detail, but its perfect for showing Man-Of-Bats' concern for his community. I mean, the guy charges admission to see his Bat's Cave hideout, and all proceeds go to a school. The guy is selfless. The whole issue is a great portrayal of life in a part of America that just doesn't get enough attention for its plight, and a surprisingly heartfelt one considering Grant lives in Scotland. That's a pretty fair bit away from any Reservation.
the last half kicks into high gear, dealing with Leviathan. Grant can effortlessly take a character that was a joke at best in his first appearance, and makes him fearsome. Even injured, Man-Of-Bats can put you in a cast! We get some more information on Leviathan, whilst stealing leaving us grasping for any real information on them. I shan't spoil anything here, but the issue will leave you wanting more Inc.
The art, as with anything by Christ Burnham, is a treat. He mixes the detail of Frank Quietly with a working back. In other words, he can meet a deadline- poor Frank's back has seen better days. The art's attention to detail is awe inspiring- you can see the finest details on items in the Bat's Cave. He also gets points for me on keeping the Toth inspired design for Man-Of-Bats from JH Williams III's arc about the Club of Heroes.
all in all, I'm a huge fan of Grant's, and his Batman in particular. This issue in particular, though, is proof that done-in-ones aren't dead yet, and that Grant can write the crap out of any character, no matter how obscure.