- February 9, 2022
I Am Batman #6 Review
Written by: John Ridley
Art by: Len Lashly
Coloring by: Rex Lokus
Lettering by: Tady Peteri
I Am Batman #6 may be the most important issue of the series since the first one, even more so than Future State. Rather than have several Batmen in one city where they compete for attention, Jace is getting his own city. The Big Apple.
Now, I don’t particularly like New York City as a place or a story setting. I think it’s overrated on both accounts, especially when other cities would be more interesting. At the same time, it shows a tremendous amount of faith and success in Jace as Batman. Giving him his own city shows that DC thinks he can hold his own. Also making his home arguably the most famous city in the United States sets him up to make a connection with real people in the same way Miles Morales does as Spider-Man.
I Am Batman #6 makes a good showing to prove that Jace fits with New York City. The creative team shows that he has people who want to interact with him in a way Gothamites won’t. It shows how Jace will interact with people in a way DC doesn’t always allow Bruce too. It captures what we love about classic Batman while bringing back what we used to love about an even more classic view of Batman.
The only thing I’m not a huge fan of is the constant focus on the cops. I understand the point the book is trying to make and to make a nuanced point. I also think, for the most part, the take on the Batman/police relationship this creative team is taking is well done. But I also think having our first canonical black Batman work directly with a special-crimes unit does paint a target on his back with the audience this character is made to appeal to.
Jace has an uphill battle to earn people’s faith as Batman, in-universe and in the real world already. I do wonder how necessary it is to make that fight harder.