DC's been using the Secret Files and Origins format for a few years now, and it must sell well for them. Personally, I can't imagine why. The quality of the stories is uneven at best, and the same characters get spotlighted in the profile pages over and over and over again. This Batman Allies book is particularly disappointing, as the stories offer little insight into the characters and their new circumstances, and little plot at that. The art throughout the comic is capable, but it rarely grabs the eye either. There's only one revelation here that has any real impact on upcoming Batman titles, and I expect it will be repeated for those wise enough to steer clear of the hefty price tag for some inconsequential stories.
A Friend in Need: Russell Lissau sets Det. Renee Montoya up as the new Jim Gordon in the Batman's life. The new status quo for the Batman is that he has no allies anymore in his war on crime, but it hasn't taken long for that to come undone. Alfred is back, and now he's got a friend again on the police force. There really doesn't seem to be much of a plot beyond that. Batman's effort to uncover who set him up for an ambush is abandoned for no apparent reason. The plotting makes no sense, really. Brad Walker's art tells what little story there is fairly clearly, but it's just pretty standard genre art, to be honest.
By the way, Montoya doesn't get a profile page despite being a significant player in one of the stories.
Street Crime: This story focuses on police Commissioner Akins and his frustrations with being a cop (or in charge of cops) in Gotham City. In the middle of his angry reverie lies a fascinating Joker story about a cop who infiltrates his gang while undercover and what becomes of him when he's exposed. That would have made a good story, but it's relegated to just a few panels in an otherwise pointless story that lacks any real plot or conflict. Ron Randall's art, again, is capable, but that's about it. His style also doesn't suit the darker tone of Gotham City.
Again, Akins doesn't get a profile page, despite being the main character in this story.
Taking Sides: The most interesting segment in the book is this examination of how the death of one member of the Batman family (the Spoiler) has impacted two others (Robin and Batgirl). I like how the same event has had such divergent effects on these two characters, and Gabrych explores their differences nicely here and how each is like the Batman in different ways. The problem is that the script doesn't tell the reader how the Spoiler died or why Robin blames Batman. Derenick's art seems a lot more polished than usual. His work here reminded me a little of the styles of such artists as Darick (Toxin) Robertson and Amanda (The Pro) Conner.
Oh, and the late Spoiler doesn't get the profile page treatment, despite being the central plot element in this story. 3/10
