Batman #10 Review

 

Batman #10 Review

Writer: Matt Fraction

Artist & Cover Artist: Jorge Jimenéz

Colorist: Tomeu Morey

Letterer: Clayton Cowles & Jorge Jimenéz

Variant Cover Artists: Dustin Nguyen, Jorge Molina, Ryan Sook, Jorge Jimenéz & David Aja

Editors: Jessica Berbey & Rob Levin

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99 US/$5.99 US (Card Stock)

Release Date: June 3, 2026

 

After Mayor Isley gave Vandal Savage a free hand, Bruce Wayne and Barbara Gordon knew the police were coming after them. So as Duke Thomas and Stephanie Brown grabbed what they needed from the Batcaves and destroyed the rest, Bruce played backup while Barbara coordinated their efforts. And when Stephanie stepped into the trap Savage's Tactical Urban Combat Officers laid for her, Barbara sacrificed herself to help Stephanie escape. Now, Barbara is behind bars, and Wayne Manor is as unrecoverable as Barbara's hard drives.

 

As he watched his childhood home burn, Bruce told his son that none of his plans mattered before Damian came along. So, what are Batman's plans? And how will Bruce ensure they make a difference for Damian, Barbara, the rest of the Bat-family, and Gotham?

 

Story

As visions of Barbara Gordon in handcuffs fill TV screens, Commissioner Vandal Savage unveils a new initiative. Citizens can call in and report sightings of costumed vigilantes. The more consequential their intel, the more the informants earn.

 

The next time Bruce Wayne meets with his board, he discovers that they will monitor his movements more closely in Batman #10. After ninjas on motorcycles attacked him and Dr Annika Zeller, the board insists the new bodyguards are for Bruce’s own protection. But as Bruce studies the people around the table, he knows they do not share Miss Marjorie's concerns for Gotham and its inhabitants.

 

While Bruce Wayne’s dream of reforming Gotham via Wayne Enterprises is taking a hit, his Bat-family is scattered and fractured. Yet, as Barbara Gordon recently told Dick Grayson in Blüdhaven, it’s nothing Batman hasn’t suffered before. And although the hologram of his late friend counseled him to help his son Damian cope with failure, Bruce insists he’s not beaten. As Bruce Wayne confronts the problems brewing in his financial empire, Matt Fraction ponders the importance of family in our lives in Batman #10.

 

Art

As Vandal Savage watches Wayne Manor burn, he dominates the center of the page, pushing the Bat sidekicks to the edges. While Savage laughs, the cellphone-shaped panels framing him evoke Huston Gray filming the Police Commissioner planting a Batarang on a corpse. After Vandal Savage smiles for the cameras, Jorge Jimenéz uses silhouettes to show the Commissioner barking orders without facing his subordinates. And although Vandal Savage initiates a staring contest, he looks away first.

 

As Tomeu Morey lavishes a loaded palette on Batman #10, white, blue, black, and tan compare the lives of two men who seemingly have the world by the tail. After a night stained by red, men in black suits sit in red upholstered chairs, while Vandal Savage sits in the Gotham Gang’s red studio. And as Bruce contemplates how to resolve the problems afflicting Gotham amid gray and blue, Jim Gordon defends his city with a blue shirt and gray hair.

 

Clayton Cowles and Jorge Jimenéz enliven dialogue balloons and narrative boxes with a variety of background colors, colored letters, and symbols. Uppercase text grows bold with intonation and swells with raised voices, while shouts transform balloons into stars. Amid difficult times, Stephanie Brown seeks comfort, Duke Thomas offers support, and Damian Wayne embodies peace while sending colorful lowercase texts. While he rejoices, Vandal Savage's bold laughter hits speed bumps. Sound effects accompany Bruce Wayne’s war on misery, alarms and gunfire pierce the air. Yet Batman silently regards another assessing pair of eyes. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Batman has faced the worst that costumed criminals can throw at him. Yet the dangers facing his city are more centered around commerce and helping the rich get richer. Batman is less interested in interfering with the crime families than in protecting people. Still, he's happy to spread a little anarchy for the right reasons in Batman #10.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my preview of Batman #10.

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of Batman #9.

To follow Barbara Gordon's journey, see my preview of Barbara Gordon: Breakout #1.

For Miss Marjorie and Huston Gray, see my review of Batman #3.

For Barbara's conversation with Dick Grayson, see my review of Nightwing #134.