{"id":21245,"date":"2021-02-16T23:59:58","date_gmt":"2021-02-17T05:59:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/?p=21245"},"modified":"2021-02-16T23:59:58","modified_gmt":"2021-02-17T05:59:58","slug":"future-state-the-next-batman-3-2021-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/2021\/02\/16\/future-state-the-next-batman-3-2021-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Future State: The Next Batman #3 (2021) Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Issue #3 once again shows how quickly the overall quality can shift in DC\u2019s new publishing format that combines a 22-page feature story with two 20-page back-up stories. While the feature that should be drawing me in has left me underwhelmed, again, the two back-ups have proven that there are much better stories to tell in the DC Universe, even if the execution isn\u2019t perfect.<\/p>\n

John Ridley\u2019s Next Batman is still not the Batman we want or need. Besides the fact that we still have nothing to connect our protagonist to the real Batman, a problem that should\u2019ve been fixed in the very first issue, the story progresses at a snail\u2019s pace of expanded storytelling that plagues the modern comic book industry. The entire story, which should be the reason we want to pay the majority of the $7.99 cover price, feels like it would cover about 10 minutes of a tv episode. Beyond that, the story ends with yet another cliffhanger leaving us to wonder if this new Caped Crusader will perish in his first published story arc (which obviously, he won\u2019t, and it\u2019s sad that this is the only kind of hook Ridley could think to use to try to draw us back for the next issue).<\/p>\n

I\u2019m also still trying to figure out what\u2019s going on with The Magistrate and the armored military police force patrolling Gotham City. Their job is to enforce a \u201ckill all masks\u201d law that is aimed at removing vigilantes who hide their identities behind masks, all while wearing body armor and masked helmets that hide their identity. So far, only one \u201cpeacekeeper\u201d has been shown without his helmet on in public and it seems to be only so that we can pick him out of the crowd. Otherwise, we essentially have a story of guys in masks enforcing a \u201ckill all masks\u201d law against other guys in masks. Luckily this isn\u2019t a film or Cinema Sins would be tallying up the points.<\/p>\n

The art team of Laura Braga, Nick Derington, and Arif Prianto have returned from last issue and I still think that they are a good fit for the story. I just wish that the story gave us more motivation for our protagonist or did a better job of explaining how he\u2019s able to pull off the signature Batman moves that Bruce spent decades training for. I wasn\u2019t 100% sold on this new version of Batman before this issue, and this new chapter does nothing more to change my opinion.<\/p>\n

The first back-up story returns to The Outsiders from issue #1. Knowing that Duke Thomas, aka The Signal, has a group of Gotham City refugees in hiding that has been infiltrated by a spy loyal to The Magistrate, Black Lightning once again makes contact with Katana in an attempt to warn Duke before it\u2019s too late. Even though this story has two less pages than our feature story per issue, and two less issues to tell the story in, it does a much better job of explaining Katana, her sword and its powers, Black Lightning, his powers and how they\u2019ve changed since we last saw him, and The Signal, his powers and his role to the people of Gotham City. I know more about these three characters by this story alone than I know about the Next Batman from the twenty-six extra pages of story afforded to that character.<\/p>\n

Sumit Kumar, Raul Fernandez, and Jordie Bellaire handle the art duties, and I still think they are my favorite team on any of the five stories contained in the Future State: The Next Batman comics. Some of the best art in any of the stories revolves around Black Lightning and his electricity effects, especially when interacting with Katana\u2019s haunted sword. The frantic artwork, glowing energy effects, and use of shadow and light make these pages fun to look at. If this team were to spin off an Outsiders comic book in the coming months, I would definitely pick it up.<\/p>\n

Paul Jenkin\u2019s Arkham Knights finishes out the issue, and I think this chapter was certainly stronger than the last. The basic idea of using the inmates of Arkham Asylum to form a makeshift superhero team still seems like a terrible idea, but at least the mission this time around had enough twists and turns to not only keep it interesting, but also make the outcome less obvious until the end. While I\u2019m not sure I\u2019d buy this as a stand-alone series, it\u2019s still head and shoulders above either back-up story in the last issue.<\/p>\n

The artwork from Jack Herbert and Gabe Eltaeb is stunning and I think after they spent the last chapter getting used to the characters and concepts of this Future State gang, they found their rhythm in this chapter and were able to concentrate on the action. There\u2019s a fair amount of story packed in these twenty pages and both the linework and the colors work to make it feel bold and alive.<\/p>\n

Now that the Outsiders and Arkham Knights stories have concluded, I don\u2019t see any reason to continue the series. Yes, it\u2019s just one more issue, but that issue costs $7.99 and will contain two back-up stories that I consider to be pure garbage. While I might look elsewhere for some spoilers just for the sake of knowing how Tim Fox\u2019s story wraps up, I still have some issues of Future State: The Dark Detective to read, and I\u2019m not looking forward to it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Issue #3 once again shows how quickly the overall quality can shift in DC\u2019s new publishing format that combines a 22-page feature story…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":21247,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[18,16],"tags":[54,885,1574],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/future-state-the-next-batman-3-1-e1613541582979.jpg?fit=899%2C650","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":21234,"url":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/2021\/02\/13\/future-state-the-next-batman-1-2021-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":21245,"position":0},"title":"Future State: The Next Batman #1 (2021) Review","author":"DiRT","date":"February 13, 2021","format":"image","excerpt":"One of the many problems with Future State is the \u201cElseworlds\u201d dilemma. We are given a story set in a \u201cpossible future\u201d of the DC Universe and are asked to care about it, when we know that it will most likely be gone in 2 months and little, if anything,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Comic Book Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Comic Book Reviews","link":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/category\/i-need-comics\/comic-book-reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/0-1-e1613257237521.jpg?fit=899%2C636&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/0-1-e1613257237521.jpg?fit=899%2C636&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/0-1-e1613257237521.jpg?fit=899%2C636&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/0-1-e1613257237521.jpg?fit=899%2C636&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":21249,"url":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/2021\/02\/17\/future-state-batman-superman-1-2021-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":21245,"position":1},"title":"Future State: Batman\/Superman #1 (2021) Review","author":"DiRT","date":"February 17, 2021","format":"image","excerpt":"Unlike other Future State comics that have been set in the far future where things are radically different, Batman\/Superman is set at the beginning of the massive upheaval that changes the DC Universe. On the one hand, it\u2019s a sad moment of the last gasps of a DC Universe that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Comic Book Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Comic Book Reviews","link":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/category\/i-need-comics\/comic-book-reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/7779855-01-1-e1613583889513.jpg?fit=832%2C521&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/7779855-01-1-e1613583889513.jpg?fit=832%2C521&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/7779855-01-1-e1613583889513.jpg?fit=832%2C521&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/7779855-01-1-e1613583889513.jpg?fit=832%2C521&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":21290,"url":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/2021\/03\/03\/future-state-dark-detective-3-2021-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":21245,"position":2},"title":"Future State: Dark Detective #3 (2021) Review","author":"DiRT","date":"March 3, 2021","format":"image","excerpt":"Well, that was... nothing. This issue of Dark Detective advertised the meeting of the original Batman and the Next Batman, and their face-to-face meeting turned out to be a whole lot of nothing much at all. In all, they stared at each other, exchanged a few words, then turned away\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Comic Book Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Comic Book Reviews","link":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/category\/i-need-comics\/comic-book-reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/fs_ddet_cv3-1-1-scaled-e1614786277764.jpg?fit=899%2C602&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/fs_ddet_cv3-1-1-scaled-e1614786277764.jpg?fit=899%2C602&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/fs_ddet_cv3-1-1-scaled-e1614786277764.jpg?fit=899%2C602&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/fs_ddet_cv3-1-1-scaled-e1614786277764.jpg?fit=899%2C602&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":21280,"url":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/2021\/02\/24\/future-state-batman-superman-2-2021-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":21245,"position":3},"title":"Future State: Batman\/Superman #2 (2021) Review","author":"DiRT","date":"February 24, 2021","format":"image","excerpt":"Gene Luen Yang\u2019s final chapter of this Batman and Superman team-up reads like the final chapter of Batman and Superman\u2019s friendship, strained and exhausted, before the events that lead to Superman\u2019s exit from Earth and Batman\u2019s descent into the worst version of Gotham City ever imagined. It\u2019s sad because even\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Comic Book Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Comic Book Reviews","link":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/category\/i-need-comics\/comic-book-reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/batman-superman_21-1-e1614183826947.jpg?fit=900%2C605&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/batman-superman_21-1-e1614183826947.jpg?fit=900%2C605&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/batman-superman_21-1-e1614183826947.jpg?fit=900%2C605&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/batman-superman_21-1-e1614183826947.jpg?fit=900%2C605&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":21296,"url":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/2021\/03\/03\/future-state-dark-detective-4-2021-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":21245,"position":4},"title":"Future State: Dark Detective #4 (2021) Review","author":"DiRT","date":"March 3, 2021","format":"image","excerpt":"This is the best the issue of Dark Detective, but that\u2019s been a very low hurdle to clear. The strongest factor that helps this issue to soar above the others is that Mariko Tamaki doesn\u2019t have much story to tell or inane inner monologues to annoy us with. Instead, we\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Comic Book Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Comic Book Reviews","link":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/category\/i-need-comics\/comic-book-reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/dark-detective_41-1-e1614798447681.jpg?fit=900%2C595&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/dark-detective_41-1-e1614798447681.jpg?fit=900%2C595&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/dark-detective_41-1-e1614798447681.jpg?fit=900%2C595&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/dark-detective_41-1-e1614798447681.jpg?fit=900%2C595&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12919,"url":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/2019\/02\/16\/read-bendis-story-from-detective-comics-1000-right-now\/","url_meta":{"origin":21245,"position":5},"title":"Read Bendis’ Story From Detective Comics #1000 Right Now!","author":"DiRT","date":"February 16, 2019","format":"image","excerpt":"DC unveiled full story details on the landmark 1,000th issue of DETECTIVE COMICS, debuting on March 27, 2019. The 96-page DETECTIVE COMICS #1000 celebrates the Dark Knight through a series of seven-to-nine-page standalone short stories from an all-star collection of the top writers and artists in Batman\u2019s recent history including\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Comic Book News"","block_context":{"text":"Comic Book News","link":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/category\/i-need-comics\/comic-book-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/226370_1297687_1.jpg?fit=1068%2C820&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/226370_1297687_1.jpg?fit=1068%2C820&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/226370_1297687_1.jpg?fit=1068%2C820&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/226370_1297687_1.jpg?fit=1068%2C820&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/226370_1297687_1.jpg?fit=1068%2C820&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21245"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21245"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21245\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21248,"href":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21245\/revisions\/21248"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21247"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21245"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21245"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/popculturenetwork.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21245"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}