Earlier this year, DC decided to make the 50th issue of this series something of a special event by launching the second Hush storyline in its pages. The effort failed to make the same sort of splash that Jim Lee and Jeph Loeb's run on Batman did in 2003, and it really wasn't all that surprising. What is surprising is this renewed effort to do the same thing all over again. Though the art is much stronger this time around, this self-contained story fails to tell the audience anything new about the Hush character, nor does it get me the least bit interested in the relatively new villain. Of course, Loeb and Lee weren't all that successful in hooking me either.
As Alfred Pennyworth makes his way home after a trip into Gotham City, he happens upon a damsel in distress along the side of the road. It's in his nature to stop and help, and that's just what someone was counting on. It was a setup, a ruse to kidnap him and to draw the Batman into the latest scheme hatched by the sadistic but brilliant villain known as Hush. As the Dark Knight searches for clues that will lead him to his friend and father figure, Alfred learns a shocking secret about Hush's true nature... and he comes face to face with Hush's dangerous ally.
Al Barrionuevo was the first artist to tackle Hush after Jim Lee, and his work paled in comparison. At best, his work was generic super-hero fare, and it never managed to grab my attention. Pina's work here boasts a much more realistic look. When he bothers with the backgrounds, they're richly detailed. He fails to capture a strong sense of menace in Hush, though, and Prometheus doesn't look all that intimidating either. Pina's depiction of Alfred is his best contribution here. There's a kindness and genuine quality in his face.
Lieberman fails to consider the possibility that not everyone who will read this comic book will have read Loeb and Lee's Batman: Hush. The significant of the Tommy Elliot name is never mentioned. Prometheus isn't even identified by name here, so failing to spell out his abilities and backstory isn't even the biggest oversight when it comes to the script and this character. The Poison Ivy appearance contributes nothing to the plot; her inclusion in this story seems aimed only at injecting some sex appeal into the story.
The core plot here is a compelling one. Seeing a villain use his knowledge of the Batman's secret identity to strike at him through a loved one is the title character's worst nightmare, and Lieberman taps into that fear pretty well here. The script also offers a lot of information about who Alfred Pennyworth is. It's a shame it doesn't do the same for other characters. 5/10
