BATMAN: HUSH 2
Getting the bandage back together
★★★☆☆
RELEASED
OUT NOW! Publisher DC Comics Writer Jeph Loeb Artist Jim Lee
ISSUES 1-3Of all the classic Batman stories likely to get a follow-up, an obvious immediate contender was the 2002–2003 saga Hush. A twisty thriller that introduced Tommy Elliot, aka Hush, childhood friend of Bruce Wayne turned corrupt, bandage-clad enemy, the original story ran for 12 issues and was a massive success, but it’s taken the creative team of Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee 22 years to reunite for Hush 2.
What we’ve got here isn’t exactly a direct sequel, however: the villainous Hush has appeared multiple times in Batman comics over the last two decades, via different writers and artists. Added to this, Hush 2 is set in current Batman continuity, so anyone going straight from the original Hush to this is going to be a little perplexed.
In this first of two planned six-issue arcs (with the first appearing in the main ongoing Batman title, from issue 158 onwards), the Joker is mortally wounded by Hush and Batman is forced to save his greatest adversary’s life. This puts him in direct conflict with resurrected ex-Robin Jason Todd (who was originally killed by the Joker), and it soon becomes clear that Hush has plans for vengeance against the entire “Bat-family” of heroes.