Review: Batman #133

Overview: In Batman #133, Bruce Wayne becomes Batman once more to save a different Gotham City in another part of the multiverse.

Editor’s Note: Due to the anthology nature of this collection, we will feature a synopsis and analysis for each story, rather than breaking up the synopsis and analysis. Spoilers are sure to be revealed.

Story #1: “The Bat-Man of Gotham” Part 3 by writer Chip Zdarsky and artist Mike Hawthorne

Synopsis: Batman #133 begins in a warehouse in the Gotham City of another universe, as the Riddler (Edward Nygma) judges the cognitive abilities of children through riddles. If they can’t answer, he sentences them to Arkham. The venomized police officers escorting Riddler notice something moving around up above and investigate. One of their own plummets to the ground in front of them, unconscious.

When another officer is strung up, Riddler takes a boy hostage. Something is thrown through his hand, disarming him of his handgun. Batman then leaps at Riddler, taking down the terrified rogue.

At Arkham, Selina Kyle confronts Red Mask. She tells him that this fighter is very good but lies by claiming that it’s not Bruce Wayne. She presumes that he’s also the same guy who dressed up as Batman and put Riddler in the hospital. After showing a picture of a hospitalized Nygma, she confronts Mask on Riddler’s abduction of children. Selina tells Mask that she wants no part of a plan that involves children, but before she can finish, Mask knocks her to the ground, demanding that she do what he asks and bring in this “Bat-Man.” 

At the Gotham City cemetery, Batman exhumes the corpse of this world’s Bruce Wayne. As he digs, he tries to put the pieces together, wondering if Darwin Halliday (this world’s Joker) is the real threat behind everything or if Halliday tried to save Bruce. As Batman opens Bruce’s coffin, Alfred Pennyworth aims a gun at the Caped Crusader. 

Batman unmasks himself and tells Alfred that he’s from another world. In his world, the Alfred he knew was “a kind man who stood up to evil.” Batman tells Alfred that he will do just that, but he needs to examine Bruce’s corpse to find out how this world’s hero died. Batman leaves with the body, and Alfred remains behind. Alone. Alfred drops to his knees and weeps.

At the Wayne Mission, Jewel plays lookout while Batman uses medical equipment to examine Bruce’s body. Batman learns that Bruce was poisoned by gas, but there are also traces of multiversal energy.

Outside, Judge Dent arrives with the police in force. Batman tells Jewel to alert the staff of the Wayne Mission and help get residents out. He suspects that Dent will raze the building to the ground.

Batman engages Dent, and the two fight it out in the rain. Batman uses his wits to take Dent down quickly in front of a couple of officers. The officers run, and while Batman questions Dent, Catwoman arrives. 

Catwoman offers to lead Batman to Red Mask, and though he doesn’t fully trust her, it’s the one lead he has. Batman follows her, and she leads him not to Arkham Asylum. Rather, Catwoman reveals that there’s a whole city beneath Gotham, and it’s known as Arkham Caves. 

Analysis: Readers of Batman #131 and Batman #132 will know that Bruce Wayne has submerged himself in the crime-ridden, dystopian police state of another Gotham City in the multiverse. Though this world’s Bruce Wayne is dead, by the end of the previous issue, Bruce from the main DC universe realizes that he must become the Dark Knight once more to save this Elseworlds Gotham. Batman #133 leaps straight into the action with Bruce sporting a homemade Batsuit. 

There are some big villain moments in this issue. In the first few pages, Batman takes down Riddler decked out in red. Though the police officers are clearly Venom-enhanced, the jury is out for Riddler. In some panels, he looks normal size, but in others, Riddler is massive and imposing, taking on the weird, top-heavy body of that unsettling Legends of the Dark Knight Laughing Gas Joker action figure that Kenner released in 1997. It’s a little jarring, but the setup does make for a cool intro to this bare-bones Batman.

The other big villain moment comes near the end of the issue, wherein Batman uses his wits to take down Judge Dent swiftly. Though the visuals by artist Mike Hawthorne and colorist Tomeu Morey are stunning, complete with a rainy, street-level backdrop, this battle is more interested in propelling Batman to his next encounter than it is in drawing any excitement from the readers. 

In fact, that’s a problem with this issue as a whole. Writer Chip Zdarsky and the creative team introduce new information on almost every page, either filling in background information about this Gotham or moving the plot forward, but the grit and noir vibe that inhabited the previous two issues has given way to nothing here. There’s no tension. There’s no real excitement. Batman dispatches two villains easily, as well as finds some clues about the death of this world’s Bruce. The only real moment of emotion in this entire issue is when Alfred confronts Bruce at the cemetery, and though the paneling is wonderful in the cemetery scene, the moment passes as quickly as it arrives, as other moments need to be stuffed into this issue. This results in an action-packed, eventful issue where we aren’t given moments to meditate or process what just happened, let alone get excited or learn of any real stakes in each encounter.

To be fair, Batman #133 isn’t bad. Visually, Hawthorne and Morey do a fantastic job of creating a grimy, disgusting, yet fantastical Elseworlds Gotham. There isn’t much tension or reason to care in this chapter. More than anything else, Batman #133 feels like a bridge between two more important moments, rushing us to the next issue’s big moment in Arkham Caves. 

Story #2: “The Toy Box” Part 3 by writer Chip Zdarsky and artist Miguel Mendonca

Synopsis: Leaping into action from the last issue’s backup, Robin (Tim Drake) finds himself surrounded by Toyman and his toy soldiers. Robin shuts himself back into a barn where he’s rounded up the Gothamites trapped here and begins distributing the teleportation discs Mr. Terrific gifted him in a previous backup. One of the survivors tells Robin that there’s another person out there, and Robin blows a hole in the barn and uses a tracker to find this last survivor. 

Robin winds up in a lab where another Toyman is operating on a living person. This Toyman isn’t fully alive, but Robin reminds himself of the rules Batman and himself play by — no killing. Robin takes down this “Bioman,” just as the first Toyman enters with his army. Grabbing Toyman and the last survivor, Robin activates his suit. This sends himself, Toyman, the last survivor, and all of the other survivors holding discs back to Mr. Terrific. Once back, Robin tells Mr. Terrific that Toyman will help them get Batman back.

Analysis: It’s not evident whether this backup will serve any greater purpose or not. The obvious answer is that Toyman is somehow involved in Bruce Wayne’s teleportation to (and from) this other Gotham. Beyond that, this Robin-centric backup feels more like filler, serving readers with a low-stakes action romp that doesn’t have enough time to do much other than hop through the beats of nabbing Toyman and bringing him back to the main universe. 

There’s an attempt to pen some heart into this backup with Robin reminding himself not to kill the toy soldiers or the “fake” Toyman, despite them looking like animatronics, but it’s not enough to really make this backup interesting.

Editor’s Note: DC Comics provided TBU with a copy of this comic for review purposes. You can find this comic and help support TBU in the process by purchasing this issue digitally on Comixology through Amazon or a physical copy of the title through Things From Another World.