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Batman & Son Part 4: 'Absent Fathers'
The title of Absent Fathers has multiple references in this issue, and indeed is a theme throughout the run. The main reading of it is, of course, Bruce’s absence from Damian’s life up to this point and, the implication made at the end of the issue, that it is an absence that will continue. There is also Bruce’s absence as a father from Tim Drake (who at this point had been adopted by Bruce). Not only is he dealt a severe beating in his absence (by his ‘brother’), Batman then concludes the adventure without him. Finally, there is the (literal) absence of Talia’s father, Ra’s al Ghul, who casts a shadow over the whole arc. This portends his return in the forthcoming crossover The Return of Ra’s al Ghul.
A fairly simple issue here, as we wrap up the Batman & Son story. Batman arrives back at the Batcave after last issues events to find Tim Drake bludgeoned on the floor. He rescues Alfred and has him patch up Tim, while admonishing Damian. His newfound son tells Bruce that his mother, Talia al Ghul, will be at Gibraltar where she attempts to ransom off the Prime Minister’s wife in exchange for the military garrison there. Batman, with Damian in tow, arrives in the nick of time and defeats her ninja Man-Bats. Batman and Talia confront each other until the British navy destroys the submarine they are all on - leaving Batman as the apparent sole survivor.
Page 1
A great page that acts as a recap of where we are - the Prime Minister’s wife has been kidnapped by Talia, who is using Man-Bat serum to create an army of ninja Man-Bats. Her final line “As a wife and mother, I’m sure you’ll understand” lay out the personal reasons for her whole diabolical plot - issues she will discuss with Batman in a few pages time
Page 4
Panel 3 - Damian is wearing Jason Todd’s Robin costume he took from display in the Batcave, but along with his Assassin’s League cloak. He still has a foot in both camps. He has yet to shed his Assassin’s clothing and embrace his role as Batman’s son.
Page 7
Panel 4 - Damian is no longer in the Robin costume, but back in his League of Assassins white top. This would make sense, as Batman would not allow him to don his sidekick’s costume as this stage. However, there appears to be no break in the scene from the previous page where Damian is seen in the Robin outfit. My assumption is that the last panel on page 6 was coloured incorrectly. Here he tries to dispel Batman’s suspicions of him as a weapon of Talia sent to disrupt his operations by telling him where she is. It’s later revealed that was exactly Talia’s plan - so he was being used by her all along, even though he didn’t realise it.
Page 9
Panel 5 - Batman stops the destruction of Kirk Langstrom’s serum by his long-suffering wife, as he will use it as an anti-dote for Talia’s ninja Man-Bats at the end of the issue. He will also return to Langstrom’s serums for assistance in his final showdown with Talia a few years down the road at the climax of Morrison’s Batman.
Page 11
Panel 1 - Bat-Rocket! Here is a sign from Morrison that he re-orienting Batman away from the street level vigilante to globe-trotting super-hero.
Page 13
Panels 2-3 - Talia is wanting to trade the wife of the Prime Minister’s wife for control of Gibraltar, which is indeed the ‘perfect tactical outpost’. Positioned at the southern tip of Spain, it is a tiny (2.6 square miles) British colony. Based around the Rock of Gibraltar, a large hill and fort, it overlooks the Strait of Gibraltar, the narrow waterway that separates the Atlantic Ocean from the Mediterranean Sea, and Europe from Africa.
Page 15
Panel 2 - One of the ninjas is injecting himself with some kind of serum. We could assume he’s just another one of Talia’s faceless, nameless henchmen. Yet here he is given a name - Bulu - suggesting there is something different about him. There are a coupe of meanings to the name that might be of relevance here. It is a surname in the central and southern African Bantu-speaking people meaning strong or brave, and he is about to develop significant strength, just off the coast of Africa. More tenuously it is the name of the underworld in Fijian mythology - and Morrison regularly uses underworld allusions for Batman.
Page 16
Panel 1 - Bulu has been transferred into a Man-Bat. However, just like the oddity of being the only one named, we see that he is physically different from his brethren; larger, stronger, and more monstrous. This seems to suggest Talia has been able to ‘improve’ the Man-Bat concoction and demonstrates her knowledge of genetic engineering. This hints at the creation of the hulking nemesis, the Heretic, who wreaks havoc in Morrison’s closing storyline.
Page 20
We get Talia’s explanation for her motives. She wants her and Bruce to raise Damian to rule the world. Obviously Batman cannot agree to this. His rejection of her is the catalyst for the final third of Morrison’s run, as she seeks revenge in the worst possible way. Poor Damian revealing he doesn’t want to choose between them, is placed in the position of every child who’s parents can’t work it out - despite being trained a world conquering assassin, he’s just a little boy who wants his family to be together. Interestingly when Talia says ‘ours is a love story’, Bruce doesn’t deny this but states ‘it was a long time ago’ - adding more confusion as to whether Damian was conceived consensually, as earlier Bruce had claimed he was drugged.
Page 21
Panel 4 - Moments before the submarine explodes Talia activates something on her wrist. Some kind of teleportation device? Whatever it is, her and Damian survive.
Page 23
Obviously Batman doesn’t need teleportation devices to survive - he’s Batman! Batman stands here holding Damian's cowl and foreshadows his own ‘death’ in Batman #681, where Dick Grayson stands holding Batman’s cowl overlooking the water and fire.
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