Batman Incorportated #2

Review: We get started with Batman rescuing Catwoman and Mr. Unknown's assistant's girlfriend from a giant squid. Upon being rescued the woman breaks up with Jiro(Unknown's assistant), because she wasn't fond of nearly being eaten by a giant squid... And who can really blame her?! Bats begins to investigate the area and tells Catwoman all about Lord Death Man(the villain who set up last issue's deathtrap), explaining that basically LDM couldn't be killed and that he was crazy. Jiro walks over and tries to offer Bats assistance, but Bats doesn't seem receptive. Jiro then explains that he had been playing the role of Mr. Unknown, since the original had become too old, and that he was hoping to join up with the Batman Incorporated organization. Bats bluntly says no, since Jiro used a gun to shoot LDM, and that guns were a big no-no. With that, Bats and CW leave, and Jiro promises Bats that he hasn't seen the last of him. Meanwhile, LDM returns to life while he was being autopsied and kills the doctors around him. He then struts outside, and is given clothing, weapons and a car by his men, so that he could move on to the next part of his wacky plans. Bats and CW move to intercept LDM as he heads towards a museum(to kill some c-list Japanese super-hero), while Jiro dresses up like Mr. Unknown and also moves towards the museum. Bats lands on top of LDM's car and the two crash at the museum, just as Jiro arrives to protect the c-list hero. LDM emerges from the car and shoots Jiro a few times before Bats manages to beat him to a pulp, and toss him of the top of the museum, since Bats knew LDM couldn't be killed. From there, CW drives over in an armored car and Bats and CW lock LDM in a safe and eventually shoot him into space. This issue ends with Bats revealing that Jiro had faked his death, and that he'd be joining Batman Inc. as the Japanese Batman.

Thoughts: Eh. I liked Lord Death Man, but I didn't really like all that much else here... Strangely enough, it kind of bothered me that Bats tossed LDM off the museum roof to incapacitate the villain... That seemed like such a non-Batman thing to do. I can remember a certain second Robin tossing criminals off of rooftops and Bats having a hissy-fit over it... Anyway, it seems that the Japanese portion of this story has ended, and Bats will now be moving to Argentina to meet up with former Batmen of All Nations member El Gaucho. Since I hated the Batmen of All Nations storyline, I am NOT looking forward to it! But who knows, maybe Grant Morrison will surprise me...

Score: 6 1/2 out of 10.How can't you like a villain who staples his own neck closed?!