Batman: The Adventures Continue Season Two #7 - DC Comics

BATMAN: THE ADVENTURES CONTINUE SEASON TWO No. 7, February 2022

Disappointingly derailing Emerson Mayfield’s grand scheme to become Gotham City’s mayor again within the space of just this comic’s final few pages, Alan Burnett and Paul Dini’s concluding narrative for Issue Seven of “Batman: The Adventures Continue Season Two” probably came as something of an anti-climax to its readers in December 2021. Indeed, for those within this publication’s audience who were unaware that the mini-series was fast approaching its end, the pacing of this book’s central political-based plot probably caused them to anticipate at least another instalment or two to subsequently hit the spinner racks.

Sadly however, the Dark Knight, Robin and Nightwing suddenly seem able to resolve the unscrupulous former councilman’s Machiavellian plan with breath-taking ease, debatably spoiling a strong build-up which had seen the Caped Crusader unnervingly wrong-footed at almost every turn. Admittedly, the discover of the Mad Hatter supplying the mind-controlling technology needed for Mayfield to tighten his grip over the swaying opinion of the metropolis’ vast population inevitably gives the World’s Greatest Detective some leads to finally investigate. But ultimately, the notion that everything would simply come down to an uninspiring punch-up inside Arkham Asylum with some of Batman’s most notable rogues is arguably a little too ‘low-brow’ for such a well-crafted, thought-provoking three-parter.

To make matters worse though, this cataclysmic confrontation with the likes of the Riddler, Scarecrow, Two-Face and the Joker, as well as a plethora of unnamed minions, lasts for less than a dozen small-sized panels. In fact, the adolescent Boy Wonder himself is supposedly so formidable a close-combat competitor that he can almost effortlessly ‘take out’ both Edward Nygma and Harvey Dent within seconds of one another; “Once again Jervis, you’ve built a fantasy from a house of cards. Intricately designed but doomed to collapse.”

Equally as discouraging as this finale’s fisticuffs is probably Rick Burchett’s artwork, which whilst proficient enough to help tell most of the story, does at times leave a few question marks as to what is actually occurring within certain set-pieces. This problem is most noticeable towards the end of the book when the criminals start dropping like ninepins, and certain ‘super-powers’ are being employed, such as March Harriet’s bunny ears which are shockingly able to electrocute her assailants.

The regular cover of "BATMAN: THE ADVENTURES CONTINUE SEASON TWO" #7 by Jorge Fornes