Review by Frank Plowright
Over the previous three volumes No Man’s Land has been a series of individual stories set against the backdrop of Gotham reduced to rubble and cut off from state aid. Volume Four remains individual stories, but with a greater prominence for Batman’s enemies, as advertised on the cover by Bane’s arrival, and perhaps foreshadowed in Volume Three when Batman gathered allies again. There’s also a greater continuity, with Bane featuring a lot.
As seen on the sample art, Mike Deodato draws a musclebound, steroid Bane, and there’s no greater subtlety about Larry Hama’s story returning Bane to Gotham. Hama runs through his background, sets up an extended, largely pointless battle with Batman, then has Bane escape for later use.
Devin Grayson’s look at Doctor Tompkins attempting to run a neutral medical clinic is more engaging, exploring the ethics of treating the malign alongside the innocent, asking where the line is drawn regarding a doctor’s integrity. It’s fine emotional drama with a good surprise at the halfway point, and a shame that Dale Eaglesham’s art can’t bring out the subtleties better.
Mat Broome’s Bane is slightly less exaggerated than Deodato’s version as Chuck Dixon gives him a purpose for being back in Gotham, but it seems not a greatly credible one. Dixon, though, has always been able to deliver an A to B action plot, with pithy tough dialogue and he’s a step ahead with Bane’s motivation.
With Bane out of the picture, this collection picks up. Grayson and Eaglesham have Superman making a second touching visit to Gotham, after which Greg Rucka writes the remainder. He first picks up with Rene Montoya, and how she’s doing confined by Two Face. Damion Scott (sample art right) is developing almost volume by volume, and here seems to having been watching Tim Burton animation before designing the stylised cast and distinctive backgrounds. It leads to a memorably twisted trial.
Any reader will have predicted that at some stage during No Man’s Land James Gordon was going to make his peace with Batman, so knowing that, Rucka delivers a classic. It begins with silent stalking, moves to inconsequentialities and only then elevates to the full airing of grievances incorporating a great disclosure moment. It’s a masterclass in storytelling, and also from Rick Burchett, who delivers every emotional nuance.
Rucka’s finale is drawn by Paul Ryan, whose often bland art is polished no end by the inks of Bill Sienkiewicz. It features the investigation into why supplies are suddenly arriving in Gotham and why federal aid may now be forthcoming. Just who would benefit? The answer is both surprising and obvious in hindsight, and certainly whets the appetite for Volume Five’s finale.
When the series was reprinted with additional content, this material was spread over Volume 3 and Volume 4, and is also found in the second No Man’s Land Omnibus.
