Batman: Fortress #1 is an interesting debut. It feels like a story that’s a bit different and will be entertaining. But, it also doesn’t quite feel like a story that needs to be a miniseries. Batman: Fortress #1 kicks off what seems like an entertaining story arc for either a Batman or Justice League comic.

Written by Gary Whitta, the comic focuses on a what we believe is a worldwide attack from the perspective of Batman. With a creepy ominous build, the first issue feels a bit like a cross between Independence Day and Batman: One Dark Knight. Something is disrupting the power system which plunges Gotham into darkness. The GCPD and Batman must decide what to do as villains escape prison and crime begins to escalate.

But, this phenomenon isn’t limited to Gotham, it’s worldwide! Is it an attack? What’s the cause? Batman needs the help of the Justice League to stop whatever is going on. But, where’s Superman in all of this?

Batman: Fortress #1 has a nice setup and focus on what would happen in Gotham in a power outage. There’s a solid look at Batman and what drives him and how he looks at his priorities. There’s also really solid moments featuring Gordon as he discusses the difficult situation the GCPD is in. Overall, there’s a level of detail that makes it a really great Batman story.

But, the issue doesn’t quite rise to the need of a miniseries. So far, it feels like a really entertaining arc in an ongoing series as it transitions from one major story arc to the next. It has yet made the case for its need to be a separate miniseries beyond where it’d be able to run in either Batman or Justice League, each with their own events currently.

The art by Darick Robertson is decent. It’s an art style that I like but not blown away with. Everything looks good but it’s not a comic whose visuals are ones that stick with you. The color by Diego Rodriguez and lettering by Simon Bowland is also solid. Rodriguez’s color does a really great job of keeping the visuals easy to see. The comic is supposed to be in a blackout, so could easily have gone a bit too dark.

Batman: Fortress #1 is a fun and entertaining start but it’s not necessarily a comic I left super excited about. It’s good but overall fills like a filler arc in-between two major arcs in an ongoing series. Its direction should be interesting and I have my whole predictions about Superman but as far as a start, it’s good. This is one for those that want the start of a summer blockbuster story featuring Batman or those that are a big fan of a character but overall, it might be one you want to wait for the collection.

Story: Gary Whitta Art: Darick Robertson
Color: Diego Rodriguez Letterer: Simon Bowland
Story: 7.0 Art: 7.0 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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Purchase: comiXology/Kindle – Zeus Comics – TFAW