BATMAN/CATWOMAN: THE GOTHAM WAR: SCORCHED EARTH (2023) #1

Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War: Scorched Earth #1 is written by Tini Howard and Chip Zdarsky. The book is published by DC Comics. Pencils are by Mike Hawthorne and Nikola Čižmešija, inks by Mark Morales, Wade Von Grawbadger and Čižmešija. Colours are by Arif Prianto and letters by Clayton Cowles. Main cover art (left) is by Jorge Jimenez.

Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War: Scorched Earth #1 is available now, in print and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold.

Synopsis

THE GOTHAM WAR ENDS HERE! The final chapter of this epic crossover is here, and Batman and his family must find a way to overcome the endgame of an ancient enemy! Can the Bat and the Cat set their differences aside? Is this the end of the Bat-Family? Lives change forever in this action-packed conclusion!

Review

Here it is. The final chapter of The Gotham War. On one hand it feels like we only just started down this road. Whilst on the other I feel read to embrace the inevitable consequences this story will have on those involved. But with so many reviewers (looking at you BatmanNews.com) heaping criticism at the event can it bring about a satisfying conclusion.

For the most part, yes. I walked away from The Gotham War excited for the direction of both the Batman and Catwoman series. It seems both will be able to use the events of The Scorched Earth to carry momentum in to their next arcs with wildly different outcomes. But I do leave The Gotham War with the sense it ended up a very different even to how it began. Perhaps with a little more time in its second act, the event could have reached this point without such rapid expansion.

Back in its first issue Selina Kyle proposed a deeply troubling question to the Bat-Family. What if Bruce’s mission was wrong and could be better served by training the criminals of Gotham. Taking them off the streets and preparing them for a life of high brow crime rather than resorting to murder on the streets. To me this idea never seemed far-fetched and its impact was clear. But that inciting incident feels long forgotten as both Batman and Catwoman are forced together again in the face of a Lazarus meteor headed towards Gotham and path of total destruction.

With that the events of Scorched Earth do feel rushed. But as a single, standalone issue all the elements held within work well. Howard and Zdarsky have a fantastic grasp on pacing. If Scorched Earth were a movie there would be no doubt that I would spend much of it on the edge of my seat. Holding my breath for the eventual relief as events wrap up and lives are reset ready for what comes next. In that respect this issue is near perfect. None of it feels cobbled together and the desperation of everyone involved to bring the story to an end is well executed.

There are even a couple of huge twists. For a moment I thought DC had been brave enough to kill off a fan favourite character whose name I will not be mentioning here. In fact they had had me hook, line and sinker until the next twist in the tale. So well done Howard and Zdarsky for pulling the wool over my eyes.

Pencillers Mike Hawthorne and Nikola Čižmešija do a great job of syncing up their styles to make Scorched Earth feel cohesive on the page. Whilst inkers Mark Morales, Wade Von Grawbadger and Čižmešija and Arif Prianto’s colours all help bring life to the page.

Verdict

The Gotham War finale brings this chapter of the Batman/Catwoman to a close with some apocalyptic level action. Whilst the conclusion feels somewhat rushed it’s certainly satisfying and has far reaching consequences for the future of both its lead characters.

⭐⭐⭐⭐