Review Shooter: Batman Arkham City 4
As I’ve said before, until Batman Arkham City the game hits stores, we won’t know how well the bridge series has worked. But I can tell you, the ride has been nothing short of amazing in the first four issues. 
Each issue has served almost as a standalone story with Batman learning about the ins and outs of Arkham City. This issue is no different as it serves to inform the readers and Batman, that the stakes are much higher this go around. Thanks to Hugo Strange (Arkham City’s mysterious backer), the troops are better trained, better prepared and better equipped to handle someone like Batman. It isn’t often that we see Batman in trouble, and even rarer that we see him needing to be rescued, but we get both in this issue.
When Catwoman enters the story, we are given a bit more information on the background of Arkham City including updates on the impending Joker/Penguin wars and the whereabouts of Poison Ivy.
These segments make for great reads, but even more importantly to me, it serves as a great tease for the up coming game. Will Batman cross paths with Poison Ivy again or will Poison Ivy and Catwoman team up for some segments of the game? The possibilities for both have been established in the story.
Finally, we get an awesome rooftop scene with Batman where he is finally able to learn about the man who has been pulling his strings for the last four issues. We already know that Hugo Strange plays a part in the game, but I’m also curious to see how this knowledge plays out in the final 2 issues of the series.
I rave about it every month, and I get to do it again. I just love the work Carlos D’Anda has done with the series. The art is bright, bold and amazing. I just love seeing each page, and as always some truly stand-out panels. Especially near the end with the Joker and one in particular with a close-up of Batman.
New Reader Accessibility: 4- Like I mentioned in the review, each issue of the series has served as a standalone story in many ways. It is simple enough to pick up this issue and know everything you need to know about what’s going on. There are a few references to the overarching plot, but aside from that its an easy read for newcomers and gamers alike.
Recommendation: Buy It- The series has been fantastic, but that’s really not surprising as Dini has worked with the Bat-verse for nearly 20 years and he gets it. Its a fun read with fantastic art.
