The story
as a flash forward in Batman (2011) #28 when both Batman and Harper Row. Harper
is now known as Bluebird and she teams up with Batman to deal with the new Gotham underworld boss Selina Kyle who is currently
holding Stephanie Brown. The Eternal
series is meant to be a year-long event to celebrate the 75th anniversary
of Batman. The first
issue begins as someone knows the identity of Batman and has Bruce Wayne watch
as Gotham burns and Commissioner James Gordon
is arrested for allowing two subway cars collide by pursuing a suspect.
Lieutenant
Jason Bard arrives to Gotham and takes up
Gordon’s old beat. Jim Corrigan investigates the crime scene as
unknown forces move into Gotham including Deacon
Blackfire and Carmine Falcone. Batman
pays the Penguin who first drove Falcone out of Gotham
5 years ago that he is back a visit. Jack Forbes becomes the new Commissioner
of Gotham and he is using the Gotham PD to hunt Batman to drive the attention
away from Falcone who is making his play in the criminal underworld. Meanwhile
Stephanie Brown stumbles on her father, the Cluemaster, who is holding a secret
meeting of villains.
Gordon is taken to Blackgate Prison where Wrath and Emperor Penguin resides. Someone has infected children with nanobots. The Penguin’s Iceberg Casino is destroyed and the GCPD is hunting Batman who heads to Hong Kong to find out what Carmine Falcone has been up to there before returning toGotham . Batman discovers Falcone
has a Hong Kong operation. While in Hong Kong
Batman finds Julia Pennyworth.
Professor Pyg holds Carmine Falcone hostage along with Catwoman however Batman interrupts his plans. Catwoman explains that Falcone is taking advantage of an upcoming situation and he is not THE enemy Batman needs to deal with. The origin of the Cluemaster is revealed. James Gordon discovers his son is alive.
Lieutenant
Bard convinces the Mayor that he, Bullock, and Maggie Sawyer are going after
Batman’s tech. But instead they go after Falcone’s men and operation with
reporter Vicki Vale of the Gotham Gazette tagging along to print the news. Bard
and Vale discover both the Mayor and Falcone are working together. Meanwhile
Robin heads to Japan to find
ex-KGB Sergei Alexandrov who maybe behind the nanobots affecting Gotham . Later Bard
finally ends the gang war between the Penguin and Falcone by arresting them.
Gordon is taken to Blackgate Prison where Wrath and Emperor Penguin resides. Someone has infected children with nanobots. The Penguin’s Iceberg Casino is destroyed and the GCPD is hunting Batman who heads to Hong Kong to find out what Carmine Falcone has been up to there before returning to
Professor Pyg holds Carmine Falcone hostage along with Catwoman however Batman interrupts his plans. Catwoman explains that Falcone is taking advantage of an upcoming situation and he is not THE enemy Batman needs to deal with. The origin of the Cluemaster is revealed. James Gordon discovers his son is alive.
The Joker’s
Daughter has the Scarecrow hostage at Arkham Asylum.
The
problem with a weekly series is that it loses momentum as the series progresses
forward. This is why Batman: Endgame
which takes place following Batman
Eternal is released the 6 months before it ends. It makes the reader want
to read the weekly series and discover how things turned up the way they did.
Batman:
Eternal #1-20
NEEDS IMPROVEMENT – 3 OUT OF 5
