Dini is back again
This Batman book has risen and fallen with the issues that Paul Dini writes or if we are stuck with a fill-in writer. I can't say I really liked the fill in issues that have interrupted Dini's Zsasz story but I stuck around for reasons noted below.
Well as my title states Dini is back to move the Zsasz story forward at last.
So how was the story, well it is good. Dini draws on his Detective run to explain the origin of ABUSE which is wholly satisfying. Once that is done we see a team up of ABUSE and Damian Wayne. I may be in the minority but I like Damian. He's over confident, cocky, and just plain arrogant but he's a fun character that adds some new angles to telling Batman stories. Dini makes good use here of Damian's narration blaming Dick for why we had a break in between the last Zsasz issue and this one. As the story moves we see Damian and ABUSE taken into the World of Zsasz's fight club. Damian's abilities are notice and we are treated to a confrontation between Damian and Zsasz which doesn't go well for Damian. We end the issue with an ok, if not predictable cliff hanger.
One thing to take note of is that with the 2 fill in writers the artist hadn't changed. Dustin Nguyen has been here for every issue showing us what makes him a fantastic Batman artist and reason enought to tough it through the fill in stories. Nguyen is in top form in this issue. The coloring of this main story seems to have gotten better and really enhances Dustin's art and story telling.
Streets, as with most of DC's 3.99 price point books, has a "co-feature" which contains the Manhunter. This story has been the other consistent thing that has kept this book on my pull list. I wasn't looking forward to this co-feature when it was announced but that quickly changed. Hine makes the most of his 10 pages telling a well paced story with strong visuals Jeremy Haun.
A good book that is back on track with the main story and the co-feature is running to its conclusion in fine fashion.