‘Immortal Legend Batman’ #3 Review

Riddle me this, what makes for a good Batman comic? In my humble opinion, I would say a good blend of detective work, action, interesting villains, and perhaps above all, heart. The Immortal Legend miniseries continues to be just that, except it adds so many more interesting layers throughout its Toku-inspired lens. However, this issue does something few (if any) Batman comics have ever done before.

It’s not a spoiler (unless you somehow avoid looking at the cover of Issue 3) to reveal that Batman’s adversary in this story is none other than The Riddler, or in this case, a Shadow called “The Man of Riddles.” This version is a far cry from the “Se7en” inspired take in 2022’s The Batman, taking more from the classic interpretation. I am most reminded of “If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich?”, an episode from the seminal Batman: The Animated Series. What makes this issue so unique, though? It’s interactive (to a degree).

At the start of the issue, a prompt is given that anytime you see a Riddler-esque question mark on the page, that there is a riddle for YOU to solve. You, yes YOU, the reader. Sure, the story will progress regardless of if you solve these puzzles or not. But the story itself does not tell you about the solution until an answer page toward the end of the issue. This is an unheard bit of meta storytelling. Forgive my ignorance, I’ve read a fair bit of Riddler stories, and I have NEVER seen this done. I’m not going to lie to you dear reader, this is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen in a comic book.

Now, this book would be legendary just on that merit alone. But thankfully and remarkably, it is not a one trick pony relying on a fourth wall shattering gimmick. Narratively, this is probably the best issue thus far. Higgins and Groom finally shed light on Batman’s past and how it ties into his present. We’re blessed with some impactful flashbacks from Bruce’s childhood (including a reference to a deep cut DC character that made me giddy) and the path that led him to being an Immortal Legend. These tender moments are essential, but they’re given even further importance by being tied to the Riddler’s riddles.

Batman is one of those characters where each of his villains represents a dark reflection of his own psyche. This series takes that idea and runs with it by making each member of the rogues’ gallery, each Shadow, a doppelganger of Bruce Wayne. While this was a plot point in the previous issues, it really stands out here. Batman must essentially defeat evil versions of himself and this issue glows with that theme by portraying The Riddler as the part of Bruce’s mind that craves knowledge; the part that portends him to being a great detective. Brilliant stuff here.

As always, I can’t gush enough about the art. We have another new location, brighter than most of the previous areas. It really pops. The action, while somewhat limited in this detective-centric issue, is phenomenal. Immortal Legend Batman gains yet another special move that would make any Ultraman or Kamen Rider proud. This is the first issue without a Henshin, as Batman is in full Immortal Legend mode the whole issue, but I never felt cheated.

In closing, I have gushed about this series ad nauseum from the beginning. The writing and the art are consistently excellent, but this issue adds one of the coolest gimmicks I’ve seen in a comic. And what makes it work so beautifully is that it’s not just a gimmick for gimmicks sake, no, it ties wonderfully into the story being told. I think this comic will go down as an all-time legendary experience.