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Playing with Matches / Two Minute Warning
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Main Story
Written by Dan Slott
Layout by Rick Burchett
Finishes by Terry Beatty
Colors by Lee Loughridge
Lettering by Rob Leigh
Cover by Kelsey Shannon
Asst. Editor Harvey Richards
Editor Joan Hilty
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Back-Up
Written by Ty Templeton
Penciled by Rick Burchett
Inked by Terry Beatty
Colored by Lee Loughridge
Lettered by Rob Leigh
Asst. Editor Harvey Richards
Editor Joan Hilty |
Issue #06 - Playing with Matches / Two Minute Warning
Cover Date - November 2003. Released September 17th.
Batman’s out to bust the various rackets of the gangster named Black Mask…but he’s playing with fire when he goes after the Mask’s pet arsonist: Firefly! |
Review
Bruce Wayne is all about masks,
as anybody will tell you. But there’s more to him than
just the simple duality between man and bat, and it’s
this theme that Dan Slott plays with in this issue’s
main story, “Playing with Matches”.
Batman has gone undercover as Matches Malone in an
attempt to bring down the rackets of gang leader Black
Mask. But the encounters a challenge much more involved
than he initially expected, and he must deal with
shifting loyalties in the wake of the re-appearance of
his former lover, Andrea Beaumont, a.k.a. the Phantasm.
The story is at its strongest when playing with issues
of identity. Matches Malone is an intriguing figure
indeed: a sort of bizarre fusion between Bruce Wayne and
Batman, coming across as a more restrained version of
the latter, a more adventurous version of the former. We
are left to decide how much of him is an act and how
much is genuine, but his act of compassion at the
beginning of the issue, and later on in the arc, is
striking. Also notable is his seemingly genuine affinity
for (to a point) Eel O’Brian, his criminal partner whose
role in this story is a pleasant reference for DC Comics
fans (Eel O’Brian is perhaps better known as Plastic
Man). Leslie Thompkins shows up for a brief cameo, and
her presence is most welcome. She brings the same level
of humanity and insight into the Batman mythos as she
typically does.
The villain of the piece, Black Mask, is largely
forgettable, and his mask shtick, though not
intolerable, is rather goofy and non-intimidating. What
we are left with is an intriguing gangster yarn with
some interesting identity issues at its core, not to
mention the foreboding threat of Phantasm among Black
Mask’s gang. Fortunately, Firefly comes off as a bit
more menacing than his boss in this story, and the fire
scenes are exciting and well-staged, thanks to
Burchett’s strong pencils.
A word or two about the Phantasm’s appearance in this
arc: though her presence is indeed most intriguing, and
certainly fulfills the “holy crap, it’s Phantasm!” quota
Dan Slott no doubt wanted the reader to feel, it comes
with a price. Readers only familiar with her appearance
in Mask of the Phantasm will likely be confused
with her methodology and temperament in these issues.
One needs to read The Batman and Robin Adventures
Annual #1 to truly understand her in these issues,
and even that doesn’t answer all the mysteries
surrounding her in this arc. Regrettably, these
mysteries would never be solved, thanks to the series’
premature cancellation.
Despite some of the concerns over her reappearance,
Andrea’s role in the story hits all the right notes that
one would expect. Dan Slott does not take the easy way
out, making her completely sympathetic, and instead
makes it clear that her relationship with Bruce has
changed, growing cold and sterile. She, too, has
changed, developing during her years away from Gotham in
ways we do not fully understand. This story does not
stand as well on its own as past issues, but it’s an
intriguing setup and a pleasure to read. The backup, in
which Batman receives some help foiling the Black Mask’s
plans from his sidekicks, is cute but nothing special.
This issue is a worthy installment in the arc, but the
real fun starts next month… |
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