WARNING! Spoilers for Batman #155Gotham City is still reeling from the murder of Mayor Nakano, andBatmanis going to have his hands full as “The Drowning City” storyline continues to play out. TheCourt of Owlshas seemingly gotten an overhaul in the new story, as the cover presents GCPD officers wearing Owl masks over their cop uniforms, hinting that the Court may have skipped using their Talons and are using mind-controlled assassins instead.
Coming from the creative team of Chip Zdarsky, Jorge Fornés, Tomeu Morey, and Clayton Cowles,Batman#155 is part three of “The Drowning City” storyline, the final arc that will close out writer Zdarsky’s run on the title before Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee return forthe sequel toBatman: Hush. The cover for issue #155 by Jorge Jiménez features a major overhaul of the Court of Owls in the midst of multiple other mysteries.
Meanwhile, the preview pages for the issue flash back in time to findJim Gordon – now working as a private eye– meeting with the wife of Gotham City’s Mayor Nakano, Koyuki, who is worried that her husband is having an affair.
Batman Faces Threats from Multiple Fronts, Inclyding from the Court of Owls
Batman#144 Cover by Jorge Jiménez
Even though Gordon convinces her that Nakano is merely spending all his time working, Koyuki still expresses how she is being ignored by her husband. The preview shows Gordon and Koyuki staying in touch even after the P.I. finished the job he was hired for, perhaps even hinting that there is more going on between the two of them than just professional courtesy. It seems to confirm the shocking reveal at the end of the last issue, whereBullock hinted to Batman that Gordon was having an affair with Koyuki, before the formerGCPD commissioner pulled a gun on Batman.
Listen Up, Batman! DC Is Teasing the Death of a Big Bat-Villain
The latest issue of the Long Halloween sequel, Batman: The Last Halloween, teases the death of a major villain, but will their death actually stick?
Before anything is revealed on that front, Gordon and Koyuki are accosted by a group of thugs intent on capturing the mayor’s wife. Gordon apparently manages to fight them off, but there could be more at play here than is readily apparent. Given the events ofBatman#154, it’s not out of the question that bothKoyuki and Gordon could be dealing with some form of mind controlcoming fromthe Court of Owls– perhaps begun with the kidnapping seen in the preview to #155. The cover lends further credence to the theory of the Court utilizing mind-controlled operatives to muck up Batman’s life.
Could the Court of Owls Be Designing Another Major Gotham Conspiracy?
“The Drowning City” Closes Out Zdarsky’sBatmanRun
With all of these ongoing storylines playing out around the murder of Mayor Nakano, Zdarsky and the various artists contributing to the story have created a blockbuster of an arc to end on. With the Riddler andnew hero Commander Staralso vying for power in Gotham City, fans can expect more twists and turns in the story before all is said and done. And if theCourt of Owlsis using mind control in their quest to utterly destroyBatman, the Dark Knight could be in for the fight of his life.
Batman#155is available December 4th, 2024 from DC Comics.
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
