BATMAN #626

7/10

"As the crow flies" part 1. This is the start of the Judd Winick era. He leads off with a much more accessible story for new Bat-readers (in contrast to Azz's gritty arc). Batman is working on a case that pits him against two of his old foes: Penguin & Scarecrow. Winick uses the "thought boxes" for Bats very effectively. We get a nice taste of what our hero thinks in situations that he must encounter almost nightly. How far will a cable shoot? Can it hold the weight? Should he jump? etc. Nothing really phenomenal about the issue, but it's good, old fashioned Batman storytelling.

The art isn't quite my flavor. I find it a bit distracting at times. You can't tell who's on drugs or who's sober just by looking at them - you have to be told by Winick

(see page 5 for an example of a guy who really is messed up in the head...)