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05/20/2003: comic rec: Batman #588 - #590
I just read Batman #588 - #590, the three part story Close Before Striking (written by Brian K. Vaughan, pencils by Scott McDaniel, inks by Karl Story), and wow, Bruce / Batman's identity problems were already way out of control even before the events in the Murder / Fugitive story line. Eventually I'll reread that whole period in chronological order to fully appreciate the development.
But knowing the later events this story is even more creepy, and it makes the suspicions and doubt the others have about Batman more believable. I mean, when Batman identified with Matches, he was really close to killing people, so for me it's now more understandable why his friends and family weren't completely sure that he couldn't have killed Vesper Fairchild. Also this story shows Nightwing and Barbara both worried about Batman, and especially #590 highlights both the relationship between Dick / Nightwing and Bruce / Batman (who significantly slid into his Matches persona), as well as the one between Dick and Barbara.
As usual I'm not too enthusiastic about McDaniel's style, but at least his page layout is less chaotic for Batman than for Nightwing, and I really liked the story.
