Batman Incorporated continues to crumble, and Ghost-Maker may not be able to hold it all together. Your Major Spoilers review of Batman Incorporated #11 from DC Comics awaits!

BATMAN INCORPORATED #11

Writer: Ed Brisson
Artist: John Timms/Sergio Acuna/Nikola Cizmesija
Colorist: Rex Lokus
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Editor: Ben Abernathy
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: August 8, 2023

Previously in Batman Incorporated: Ghost-Maker and Batman Incorporated continue to battle among themselves while trying to take down the global threat of Joker Incorporated. Raven Red faces off against Dusty Bronco, the man who shot his father. How far is he willing to go for revenge? Bat-Man of China makes a surprising about-face in order to protect his sister, Alpaca, from the wrath of Ghost-Maker. Gray Wolf and Knight may hold the key to stopping Joker Incorporated…or have they just played right into Joker’s sinister plans?

AGAINST JOKER INCORPORATED

On the rooftops of the Kangbashi District, a standoff has developed. Not between Alpaca, the newest member of Joker Incorporated, and her brother/hero Bat-Man, but between Bat-Man and Ghost-Maker. The erstwhile leader of Batman Inc. is prepared to kill Alpaca to save the 100-plus people she is holding hostage, but Bat-Man is certain he can talk her down. Their conflict leads to combat, and the two wanna-Bats fight it out while Alpaca and the Gaucho watch. In South Dakota, Raven Red has come face-to-face with the man who shot his father, and is willing to pick up a gun to gain his own measure of revenge. The Knight and Grey Wolf fail to find a way to disable the explosive that Joker has put in each of his team members, leaving Joker to call El Gaucho and gloat… Oh, and set the explosives to kill each of the villains (and their various hostages) in massive gouts of flame in exactly 30 minutes.

GHOST-MAKER CONTINUES TO BE USELESS

The issue ends with one hero ready to kill his enemy, one willing to fight his leader to NOT kill his, and everyone in a state of complete disarray, which is becoming the status quo for Batman, Inc. Much of the conflict in China could have been avoided if Ghost-Maker were willing to do anything more than just order the others around, which makes Alpaca feel like little more than set dressing. The fight in South Dakota does work for me, although the art is very angular and more than a little unclear. There are actually THREE art teams in the pages of this single issue, which means that, even when you like the visuals, you’ll be cutting to a completely different art style in a few pages. I’m not 100% sure why the creatives try to unite the “multiple creative teams” issue by making all of the figures angular and a little misshapen, but it’s a problem that occurs in all three parts of the book (and that’s especially jarring in reference to The Joker’s appearance).

BOTTOM LINE: JUMBLED AND OFF-PUTTING

The biggest problem with Batman Incorporated #11 isn’t the parts of the script that don’t quite gel, nor the problems with transitions between discordant art styles, it’s the fact that the story doesn’t seem to realize that it’s showing us how ill-suited Ghost-Maker is to working with a team, much less leading one, leaving us with a disappointed 1 out of 5 stars overall. Given that there are a number of characters that I love in these pages, and several creators whom I’ve previously enjoyed, it’s really a shame that this book ends up being such a confusing cipher.

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