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Crossover tie-in issues are rarely worth reading in comparison to the main comic event. So it is always a pleasant surprise when tie-in issues are at least of the same calibre as the primary story. However, when a tie-in is essential reading like Blackest Night – Batman, it is somewhat of a conundrum for comic readers. On one hand, it is nice to feel like reading a crossover issue is worth your time and money, and more importantly, has actual relevance to the overall plot of Blackest Night. On the other hand, if Blackest Night – Batman is so essential to the plot, it’s hard not to ask yourself why this material didn’t make it into the main book in the first place.

Blackest Night – Batman centers around the new Batman and Robin, Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne, and their awkward new working relationship while investigating the robbery of Bruce Wayne’s grave. Yet, the primary focus of the issue is on Deadman, a hero spirit, and his attempt to stop the resurrection of his alter ego Boston Brand’s dead body into becoming a Black Lantern. Deadman, who can possess any sentient being, goes straight to Batman for help. The plot soon unravels to the three heroes that the dead are rising. This is a pretty simple story for a first issue. So why is it so important to Blackest Night?

In the current issue of Blackest Night, writer Geoff Johns dedicates one page of the comic to the Deadman’s struggle with Boston Brand’s Black Lantern transition. The story never returns to this plot thread and it gives the second issue a disjointed narrative, much like the one I’ve often complained about with Grant Morrison’s Final Crisis. Though overall Blackest Night #2 is a good issue, the deadman element seems almost inconsequential without Blackest Night – Batman.

The strength of Blackest Night – Batman makes up for the awkward allusions to the Deadman plot in Blackest Night. The artwork in the Batman tie-in carries over well from the main title. Pencilled by Ardian Syaf, the issue has the same dark and ominous look that illustrator Ivan Reis has created in Blackest Night. Writer Peter J. Tomasi has done an excellent job of playing on classic Batman lore as well, threatening the rise of the two previous Robin’s dead parents Jack and Janet Drake and John and Mary Grayson . These types of mind games are essential to any classic Batman tale and is fitting for a creepy Blackest Night sub-story.

Should more of this have been in the main Blackest Night event? Probably, but DC was smart and realized this Batman yarn held enough weight to carry its own mini-series. Plus, I would bet Bruce Wayne will have a greater presence somewhere in the upcoming issues and it will be exciting to see how that will play out.

-Jon

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