Chris Cooper reviews All-Star Batman #7…
Step aside, gentlemen—Poison Ivy is about to steal the spotlight in Batman’s continuing rogues gallery road trip. Scott Snyder teams up with mega-talent Tula Lotay to reimagine the Dark Knight’s most seductive villain.
SEE ALSO: Read a preview of All-Star Batman #7 here
Scott Snyder and Batman continue their journey around the world in the second part of the second All-Star Batman arc, and it couldn’t be more different from last month.
Mr Freeze was the main antagonist of a very different kind of story, one mainly on prose. It was an interesting read. This month we’ve got Pamela Isley, AKA Poison Ivy, in a much more traditional style. I can’t say I’m that impressed.
That feels like a big thing to say, especially after my proclaimed adoration for Snyder’s work in last month’s review. But the more I think about it the more #7 does nothing for me. It plods along with a lot of chatter about things that just sound as though they’re clever; very try hard. Usually Snyder’s style doesn’t rub me the wrong way but this time the whole thing doesn’t come together at all. That feeling extends into the art which I found to be quite dull and stiff. Perhaps the worst thing I can say about the art is that it didn’t really bring out any feelings.
I figured we’d begin to see how the arc will tie together and there are hints of it, but overall this issue falters. It’s not overly interesting bar getting a ‘Rebirth’ look at Ivy, and doesn’t do much that can be considered new. It would be unfair to expect every issue in this series to be a masterpiece so I don’t. But Snyder and co have set a very high bar and this month they can’t match it.
Rating: 4/10
Chris Cooper
Originally published February 15, 2017. Updated November 14, 2019.
