The second issue of the Loeb/Lee Batman goes in an unexpected direction, telling a story that is less about super-heroics and more about the past of Bruce Wayne. I have to give credit to the creators for giving me something other than what I expected, but so far, it's not really what I had hoped for, and I'm afraid I'm finding the pacing of "Hush" to be a little slow. The introduction of a new character to Wayne's past is certainly interesting, and Loeb is showing a strong understanding of the "family" that has sprung up around Batman and how they interact, but the plot of the story is awfully slow in revealing itself, and the part of the story in this issue didn't really interest me all that strongly.
While I've been disappointed with the first couple of stories from Lee and Loeb, I have to give them credit for turning each new Batman issue into an event. It's unusual to see these two collaborating on a monthly book, and even though I haven't clicked with their run so far, I can't deny looking forward to the next issue nevertheless. There's an excitement surrounding the book right now. I just wish that the excitement was coming more from wanting to see where the story was going next, because so far what "Hush" is about isn't even remotely clear, and the promise of a return to a more super-heroic approach to Batman wasn't realized in this issue.
What's odd is that there's almost a disconnect between the story and art in this respect. It's not that Jim Lee and Jeph Loeb don't work well together, they do, but Lee's artwork speaks to a more super-hero flashy style, while Loeb's script is about medical procedures and childhood friends. Lee's work is impressive, but I'm not always taken with his design choices. The Huntress looks slightly goofy and unfortunately slutty with her bared midriff and exaggerated mask, and it doesn't really fit the characterization of the character. That same sexy approach works fantastically with Poison Ivy, though, and I continue to be impressed with Lee's bulkier and more powerful take on Batman, even when he's lying broken and battered.
There's an interesting shift in the story toward the end here, both story and artwise, as Loeb and Lee flash back to reveal the existence of a boyhood friend of Bruce Wayne. Lee's work with painted color on the flashback sequence looks great and stands out as an impressive example of how he can modify his style when necessary. Meanwhile, Loeb goes back to that rarely explored time in Bruce Wayne's life, the few years he lived before he became Batman, and it's interesting to see a friend come back into his life who never really knew him as the driven young man he became.
In broad strokes, I like this book and I like this creative team, but little details are impeding my enjoyment. Whether it's nitpicky things like a reference to Shondra Kinsolving (bringing back ugly memories of the "Knightfall" stories) or a style that is more talky and less action-oriented than I was hoping for, the Lee/Loeb Batman hasn't quite clicked with me yet. But that hasn't stopped me from wanting to like it more.
