Talon 7
James Tynion IV, Scott Snyder, Guillem March
Spoiler alert! You have been warned!
This is the first issue that I am reviewing of this title for one reason and one alone: I always wanted it to be my favorite. I mean, can you blame me? I buy and read (and usually enjoy quite immensely) each and every single Batman and Batman-related title that DC puts on their stands. And I’ve done this since 2001. So when a new character spinning out of the pages of the main Batman title was popped into existence, co-written by my current favorite writer and my current favorite “why isn’t this guy famous yet?” usually backup story writer, I was pumped. This was going to be awesome, and new, and within my comfort zone of Gotham City. But as much as I loved the idea and the Guillem March’s art has always impressed me greatly, it never really seemed to have much sense of importance. After all, it didn’t cross over with the other Bat titles when the Joker was going all creepy-crazy-cool in Death of the Family. And though I enjoy Calvin and the Court of the Owls, it simply seemed like it was an after-thought of a title. Then last issue’s cliffhanger happened, which peaked my interest beyond the normal, “eh, this is a pretty decent title.”
And this issue’s guest star (revealed on the inside cover) just sealed the deal. We not only get a cool set of revelations, which is actually the title of this issue, but we also get some sense of longevity in terms of the whole “this book is neat, but why do I care?” gripe listed above. Sebastian Clark is not who he seems. Calvin gets his ass kicked. Casey shows that she’s not a completely worthless character. Calvin shows that he really is the best escape artist in the DCU. And even Batman shows up to be grumpy and broody and, well… Batman. I think that wasn’t just the defining moment of the issue, but perhaps one of the turning points in the series. Talon escaping from the grasps of the dark and scary Batman showed that Tynion’s dialogue was that of a writer who truly does deserve to write a big book like this. And it showed that Calvin really does have a place in Gotham. Even if it’s just to be snarky and sneaky and irritate the Bat. But I’m getting ahead of myself, because my absolute favorite part of the issue was the guest star. Bane. And even though one of my absolute favorite villains only makes a brief appearance at the end of the issue, it’s everything I didn’t even know I wanted. It’s quick. It’s brutal. And, if that cracking noise was Calvin’s neck, it’s final.
So unless Calvin Rose seriously just died, (which, come on… it’s a comic book!) we have a purpose. Or, rather, a more clear one. I am excited to go back and give the first six issues (and the issue zero origin comic) a second read. And I am really excited to see what happens next. That being said, it’s not quite my favorite Batman book yet, but man is Talon getting there. Keep up the good work, guys! You’ve finally won me over!
My Rating: 4.5/5
