Batman #158 is written by Jeph Loeb and published by DC. Artwork is by Jim Lee, inks by Scott Williams, colours by Alex Sinclair and letters by Richard Starkings. Main cover art (left) is by Lee and Sinclair.
Batman #158 is available from today, in print and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your copy from Amazon Comixology UK right here.
Synopsis
Jeph Loeb! Jim Lee! An all-new epic saga begins here. Hush returns!
Review
Before we enter a brand new era for Batman we’re stepping over two decades in to the past. After much anticipation writer Jeph Loeb and DC Chief Content Officer Jim Lee are stepping back behind the page for H2SH, or Hush 2. Today, the first of the six-part story debuts in comic book stores and we finally get a first glimpse at what has brought this iconic creative team back together.
There’s an almost immeasurable level of excitement hanging on Batman #158. Some will come to this book as fans of the original storyline. But both Loeb and Lee have built-in fanbases eager to see where their latest creative endeavour will take them. By default this issue will be picked apart panel-by-panel to justify or discredit its mere existence. Undoubtedly the creative team are all aware of the impact this book will have. So I was infinitely pleased to see that there’s no compromises here in order to provide style over substance.
Batman #158 is actually a tantalising slow burn as opening chapters go. Hush is much less of a presence than expected. Instead the issue puts more of a focus on Joker. Albeit in an unexpected way. In doing so it allows Loeb, Lee and the rest of the team to settle back in to the rhythm of the story. Something they all seemingly do without missing a beat. This issue acts much more like a prelude, putting all the pieces on the board in their relative starting positions.
Something which H2SH will need to do moving forwards it justify both the 20+ year wait and its overall existence. What does Loeb have to say which requires putting the band back together? If this first issue is anything to go by then H2SH is going to use the prism of Hush to explain why Batman does what he does. With Joker kidnapped and Batman compromised there’s a chance to step back and look at the bigger picture. Why put Joker and the other criminals of Gotham behind bars, only for them to escape hours later? With someone, presumably Hush, out to cross the line Batman refuses to we have an opportunity to explore his moral code rather than simply allowing it to exist.
The approach to storytelling makes a refreshing change of pace from the recently completed Chip Zdarsky run. Zdarsky consistently challenged Batman and his methods. Deconstructing and then reconstructing him based on each life-altering experience. What Loeb, Lee and co. are doing here feels a little more traditional with more of an eye to legacy.
Batman #158 does find itself in the unenviable position of needing to bring new readers in to the world of Hush. Whilst plenty of us will remember 2002 and the genre-defining first chapter. There will be plenty in the younger generation who may not have reached back that far. Yes I’m making myself feel old as I write this. But it’s a fact of life that not everyone picking up Batman #158 will have read Hush. So Loeb has to find a way to pick up where things left off without alienating a potential new audience. For the most part the issue handles it well, establishing itself through Joker and with Lee’s returning design work. But Hush’s lack of presence may leave some a little confused.
As for Lee’s artwork, it’s great to see him working on a full book again. It takes something special to bring the head of the company out for 20+ pages every month for six months and Batman #158 is certainly it. His trademark style remains almost fully intact. Age and wisdom have naturally moved him on as would be the case for any other creator. His Batman defined the character for an entire generation. My generation. So to see that Batman back in action and now sporting the yellow oval was exciting enough to begin with.
Having Joker also take a starring role in this issue is a bonus. Lee’s classic Bat-family and Bat-villain artworks adorned many a dorm room wall in my college days. But as much as I hope to see many of those designs again across H2SH, part of me hopes each of those feels authentic to Loeb’s story. That being said, the sheer fact we got to see both his Nightwing and his Batgirl this issue was thrilling.
Verdict
It’s difficult not to get caught up in the excitement of Loeb and Lee putting the band back together. But Batman #158 is undoubtedly a solid first chapter which goes a long way to justifying the two-decade long wait for more Hush storytelling.
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