If there's one thing that embarrasses me more than admitting that I once enjoyed Liefeld's artwork, it's admitting that I once thought Azrael was a great character with a lot of potential. Nowadays, I'm mostly puzzled as to how this book has survived as long as it has (although O'Neil's long tenure as Bat-editor isn't discounted), and it's one of those few books that I don't like that I can't just write off as "not my cup of tea." I actively dislike the book, and was not happy to find out that it was going to tie into the "Bruce Wayne: Fugitive" story. I'm even less happy after reading this and discovering poor continuity and a story that is not only inconsequential to the overall "Fugitive" storyline, but doesn't even match up with what we've seen in the rest of the story so far.
Having not read this book in some time, I do have to give O'Neil credit for making it accessible to the new reader. I gather that this is the culmination of yet another mental breakdown for Jean Paul, and that he is at war again with the organization that created him. If you get the sense that I find this repetitive and dull as well as accessible, then you're right. But at least it makes for an entry-level read for those who are no doubt checking out the book solely because of the "Fugitive" tie-in.
Unfortunately, what they will find in these pages is a story that doesn't coexist comfortably with what we've seen in "Fugitive." A rather big turning point was reached recently where Batman reclaimed his "Bruce" identity and decided to ask his allies for help again, and so the watered down revelation he makes to Azrael this issue doesn't ring true. In fact, all of the interaction this issue, with Batman specifically eschewing the Bruce name, seems to come before that point in the "Fugitive" story, even though it is actually several issues later.
In addition, this story doesn't seem to fit into the larger framework of "Fugitive." Nightwing and Batman haven't even seen one another since they had a violent and important confrontation in Batman #600, yet they fight side by side this issue basically as if nothing happens. This issue serves mostly to weaken the overall "Fugitive" story and its already waning strengths, which I might forgive if the main plot itself were interesting or new, but as I said, it looks remarkably like what Azrael has been doing since its inception.
Honestly, there was little chance that I was going to read this issue and find it enjoyable. However, it was DC's decision to turn it into a "Fugitive" tie-in, and I expected to at least find something that aligned with that story, and possibly even gave some important clue or plot point. Instead I got what I get every time I flip through an issue of Azrael, which is the nagging question of how on Earth this continues publication when so many better DC comics have come and gone in the same timeframe.
