BRUCE WAYNE – THE ROAD HOME: ORACLE #1 (DC – Adreyko / Padilla / David)

Barbara Gordon and Bruce Wayne have long been allies and friends, acting as Gotham City’s primary defenders. Their reunion is sure to have lasting effects on Barbara’s role as Oracle and the other Birds of Prey.

It was bound to happen eventually: Batman has returned to Gotham City. Oracle #1 is a standalone issue in the over-arching Bruce Wayne: The Road Home series, which attempts to chronicle the collective “OMG, Bats is alive!” from friend and foe alike. The problem with this standalone issue, though, is that it doesn’t feel self contained. From the first page, you’re thrust immediately into the midst of some action-oriented drama, with no explanation as to what’s going on. There’s two flashbacks, a bit of brooding, and a few cheesy one-liners which all culminate into a thoroughly unsurprised Oracle discovering that indeed, her friend and mentor is alive and well. He’s also sporting a wicked new suit.

The artwork looks bland and mediocre. I did like the character designs for The Insider, and their take on Oracle here, but the pages just didn’t “pop” for me. The writing is much the same: it was sluggish, and the action scene one-liners were a little over cheesed. The flashbacks were pretty cool, though they didn’t do much to redeem the issue.

Grade: C-

Bottom Line: Well, that happened. If you’re a die-hard Batman or Oracle fan with some extra cash, it’s worth a passing glance. Otherwise, move along.