The Next Batman: Second Son #1
- WRITER
- John Ridley
- Artist
- Tony Akins, Ryan Benjamin, Mark Morales
- Letterer
- Deron Bennett
- Cover Artist
- Doug Braithwaite
- Publisher
- DC Comics
- Price
- .99
- Release Date
- 2021-02-23
- Colorist
- Rex Lokus
One of the biggest developments in Future State was a new Batman taking up the mantle from the presumed dead Bruce Wayne and defending Gotham City from the villainous Magistrate while serving on the Justice League. Revealed to be the second son of longtime Batman confidante Lucius Fox, Tim "Jace" Fox's activities throughout the DC Universe are explored in a new digital-first series The Next Batman: Second Son. And in this opening issue, it's clear the creative team is playing the long game as they unfold their story at a deliberate pace, while still delivering plenty of frenetic action from cover-to-cover.
Lucius' estranged son Tim, first introduced by Len Wein, Irv Novick and Frank McLaughlin in 1979's Batman #313, came back to his family and Gotham this past year in the immediate aftermath of the crossover event "Joker War," with his dynamic with his family still raw. The new series is set before Tim's fateful return to Gotham and his dance with superhero destiny, and the first issue chronicles the young man's perilous past deep in the jungles of Vietnam before a familiar face bids him to return to his family.
John Ridley, who has steadily chronicled the adventures of Tim since his resurgence and eventual ascension as Future State's Caped Crusader, continues to chart a path for him. Even out of the cowl, Tim is no less capable as he finds himself on a high-octane infiltration mission gone wrong. It's important to note that this particular story isn't a side-story with Tim as a superhero, but one that confidently and deliberately sheds light on Tim's backstory.
With Tim's story in Future State hitting the ground running, this tale really is an origin story first and foremost. The expected action sequences are absolutely there, but this issue does feel a bit like an extended prologue.
Joining Ridley are penciller Tony Akins, with penciller Ryan Benjamin drawing the breakdowns. The art team is joined by inker Mark Morales and colorist Rex Lokus, bringing Tim's Vietnam odyssey to life. Matching Ridley's script, this is more of a covert ops adventure in the Southeast Asian jungles rather than the gritty, grounded streets of Gotham's slums, and the artwork delivers on those aesthetics. There is definitely a kinetic sensibility to the story, with Tim quickly finding himself in far over his head, and the art team manages to keep the good times rolling. The action itself comes off as a little pat at times -- there is no big, standout set piece in the issue -- but it all gets the job done adequately enough. And it will be interesting to see how the team tackles the coming emotional drama and familiar settings as Tim heads back to Gotham and hopefully get more of a chance to stretch out artistically.
The Next Batman: Second Son offers fans a peek at what exactly Tim Fox has been up to while setting the stage for the character playing a bigger role during the upcoming Infinite Frontier era. While this opening issue is light on Batman, it still has plenty of action and Ridley's continuing strong grasp on Tim's voice. With a self-assured, brisk pace, Second Son #1 is a prologue that offers further insight into who this new Caped Crusader is in the DC Universe's brave, new world.