WWBD? War Games Act One: Outbreak

I've always loved comics, but never had enough cash to really do anything about it. However, I have come to the conclusion that the reason the Edmonton Transit Service is the worst major-city transit I've seen in Canada is because the city funnels all its municipal works money to its public library system.

This makes me happy on two distinct levels, those being a) free movies, and b) free comics.

After a recent announcement that Batman will be concluding as a story sometime in the next year, I was delighted to learn that I can now kind of catch up. War Games Act One: Outbreak is a collection of seven issues of a storyline set at what I think is the prelude to the end of the canon. Batman has burned through four Robins - Dick Grayson has been working as a cop in eastern Europe and acting as Nightwing for some time now, and is trying to figure out how to tell Bruce he needs help leaving the League of Assassins ("you joined what???"); the second Robin (who I know nothing about) was killed in action, #3, Tim Drake, has willingly resigned at the request of his parents, and #4, Stephanie, has been newly fired and is actingly independently under the name Spoiler. His rogues gallery isn't a pressing concern, replaced by the ever-escalating gang activity. Batgirl #1 has been paralyzed, shot in the face by the Joker, and now operates Batman's tech and intel as Oracle; the current Batgirl is on good terms and working with Batman. Catwoman is still Catwoman, doing her part to keep the gang wars from blowing up. And Batman is still Batman, becoming ever more entwined with the underworld as he makes deals to bring as many gangs as possible under his control for stability's sake, while doing a great job of alienating as many allies as possible under the belief that he doesn't need any help.

War Games: Outbreak is a solid Batman take on a very old story. All the big-time gang leaders and crime bosses in Gotham are invited to a meeting. Gunfire breaks out, and of the thirty-odd bosses and bodyguards present, only eight walk away. No one knows who called the meeting, but the result amongst the frantic and furious survivors is a war or proportions unprecedented even by Gotham standards. Innocents are dying, the time-honoured code of keeping your rival's family off-limits is violated, and the fragile unity and calm Batman and co. have been working so hard on is shattered in an epic way.

This is a great story. Well-executed - we learn by the end of the act who called the meeting and why, and it's not what you'd expect - well-written, gorgeously drawn and coloured, War Games is a fantastic character piece, great addition to the Batman canon, and an all-around very good book. In many ways, its a story about secondary characters, focusing mainly on Stephanie, Tim, Nightwing, and Batman's allies in the gang wars, but their stories tell us everything we need to know about Bats. I'd love to get my mitts on the stories in which Tim is acting as Robin, because he's a great character. And Nightwing's fear and shame as he tries to summon the courage to tell his former mentor/father figure that he needs help correcting the biggest mistake of his life is near-heartbreaking. The interplay between Batman and Oracle is strong...it's just a good book, okay? And, I shouldn't have to say this but even the library classifies is as children's lit, Batman hasn't been especially kid-friendly since Adam West hung up his tights, and War Games is no exception to that rule.

My knowledge of Batman canon is far from encyclopedic, but I was able to get through War Games and enjoy it every step of the way. So don't be intimidated if you're not too up on the story; if you can find this episode, give it a whirl. Acts two and three are currently on hold for me at the library; I'm really looking forward to them.