I’m back in!
Batman Eternal is an ambitious epic story giving fans of every era a chance to see every ally, enemy and supporting cast member of the Dark Knight’s world.
The weekly series has veered, ebbed and flowed but Batman Eternal #11 this week is a like a jolt of adrenaline with major revelations, story curve balls and jaw-dropping surprises.
Batman confronts Carmine Falcone.
Alfred Pennyworth shows why he’s the most badass butler in history.
One cast member’s true allegiance is exposed.
But the biggest shocker…the criminal mastermind behind the whole story may have been revealed!
Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV are the architects of the story but a team of writers (Ray Fawkes, John Layman, Tim Seeley) help write the saga.
Batman Eternal #1 started with the end of the story: Batman is beaten, shirtless without his cape and cowl and tied up while Gotham City is an inferno behind him with a mocking enemy taunting the Dark Knight.
This week’s issue (scripted by Tynion) may have revealed the big bad of the weekly epic!
Before I continue here’s a
SPOILER ALERT!
If you have not read Batman Eternal #11 stop reading now.
Seriously
Here it comes:
The Carmine Falcone/Penguin Gang War was just an opening salvo. Batman confront Falcone and learns “The Roman” was cordially invited to take part in the “devastation of Gotham City” and the mystery villain planned the framing of Jim Gordon.
Meanwhile at stately Wayne Manor there’s an intense scene between Alfred and a mystery intruder who turns out to be…
HUSH!
After seeing Killer Croc, Professor Pyg, Mad Hatter and nearly every villain it was only a matter of time before this modern classic rogue turned up.
Hush is armed with fear toxin and takes Bruce’s devoted butler out.
This is the first appearance of Hush in The New 52. In the previous continuity, Hush was Dr. Thomas Elliot, who grew up with Bruce, became a surgeon. Elliot’s lifelong grudge against Wayne. Hush was created by Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee, the epic that made me love Batman again.
Hush’s final appearance before The New 52 was The Gates of Gotham by Scott Snyder and Kyle Higgins. In that story Hush was set free from Arkham Asylum by a mystery man known as the Architect.
In the final page of Batman Eternal #11 we may have seen the Architect of this epic.
One other big reveal: Jason Bard…now Gotham City Police Commissioner Bard is really a bad guy working with Hush.
This is definitely the Hush modus operandi: multiple villains, elaborate plans and plots within plots.
It feels a little early in the story to reveal the ultimate mastermind but fans should learn to expect the unexpected from Team Eternal.
With The New 52 continuity changes could someone else be Hush? How much of the Bruce Wayne/Thomas Elliot history will stay intact? Alfred recognized his attacker and was stunned.
Who is Jason Bard really working for? He told “mother” that “Gotham belongs to us, now” but the teaser for next issue: “Find out who Gotham REALLY belongs to…”
Is Hush just a pawn? Stay tuned.
By Editor