If you missed my review of Issue #1, you can check it out here:  Batman: Universe #1

The second issue of this mini-series greatly improves upon the first issue, delivering a fast paced and humorous story. Batman:  Universe #2 contains parts three and four of a story originally printed in the WalMart exclusive Batman Giant. In the first two parts of the story reprinted in last month’s Issue #1, The Riddler steals a Fabergé egg from the Gotham Art Museum. Batman pursues Riddler, eventually tracking him to Amsterdam, where Riddler plans to meet the buyer he has lined up for the egg. Batman follows Riddler to a night club and is confronted by Deathstroke, who has been hired to protect Riddler. During the fight, Green Arrow shows up and assists Batman in defeating Deathstroke and detaining the Riddler.

Issue #2 picks up where the first issue leaves off, with Green Arrow and Batman
questioning Riddler. This issue was hilarious to the point that I laughed out loud several times. Although much of it was humorous, the first issue was bogged down by dialogue. This issue adjusts to this problem and finds a great balance between witty dialogue, plot advancement, and action. The banter between Batman, Alfred, and the Bat-Computer is especially well done. It is simultaneously humorous while also slipping plot details to the reader.

For the most part, the art in this comic remains basic with two exceptions. Artist Nick Derington gets to draw a really sweet version of the BatCave. Bendis puts his own cool twist on Batman’s headquarters as well. The BatCave we see in the comic is actually a virtual reality program built into the Bat-Plane. This concept is a really cool play on Batman’s already technically advanced equipment. There is also a beautiful two page splash that follows Batman’s progress across a city as he continues to trace the whereabouts of the Fabergé egg.

Issue number two of Batman:  Universe left me really excited to see where the story goes from here. I mean that quite literally, as Bendis is taking Batman out of Gotham and stringing him across the galaxy and beyond. If the quality stays at the level of this second issue or continues to improve, this story might just turn out to be one of the best Batman mini-series DC has published in a long time.