This week from DC Comics we begin the event that the Gotham titles have been building towards ever since Future State. In fact Fear State Alpha not only launches the Fear State saga, but it fills in the back gaps preceding Future State itself. At long last some of my biggest criticisms of the Gotham Fear State have answers. For the next several months, the era of the Scarecrow begins, and it promises to be epic.
Welcome To the A List Scarecrow
Fear State Alpha is only 33 pages, but creators could not have packed more information into it if they wanted too. It covers and sets up the scenario for every single Gotham player for the events ahead. This issue kicks off with the pivotal first meeting between Simon Saint and Jonathan Crane. For most of Batman’s existence, Scarecrow has been a C-list hero – at best! This meeting with Simon Saint in many ways launches Dr. Crane into the A-list tier of Gotham criminals. With Saint’s help he will accomplish what no one else has. He stands ready to bring Gotham to its knees. He may not care much about the political fallout from his toxins, but with Simon’s influence, his experiments rise to new levels.
The thing I love about this opening arc is that it not only does it show how Saint uses Scarecrow to help further his Future State goals, but as Simon and Crane talk, it really begs the question – who’s in charge? Simon tries to flatter Crane but Crane is mental leaps ahead of empty words. He turns the table on Saint, and uses the fear he knows is there. Saint admits his fear, but he refuses to cower to the doctor of fear and continues to push his agenda. Once Crane sees the potential and possibilities, he buys into the pitch, and the game is on.
Fear State Alpha – You Can’t Cage a Bat
This title then jumps to the present where Scarecrow holds Batman captive, injected with his latest fear toxin. The toxin traps him in his own mind as Scarecrow taunts him about the future. Crane sees his latest fear toxin as a way to grow beyond their present existence and come out stronger on the other side. Just one problem. You can’t cage The Bat! Batman breaks free, but instead of taking out Scarecrow, he flees. He still suffers from the toxins and know he needs to get back to the Bat-family to save Gotham.
Crane’s plans may have failed where Batman is concerned, but it did accomplish one thing. His detainment of Batman lasts long enough that it effectively takes him off the grid during a crucial transition in the fight for Gotham. With Batman out of the way the Future State media takes hold and announces to Gotham that Batman is dead. Of course Oracle and the Bat-family doubt this report, Gothamites take it as truth. Their protector, liked or not at this moment, is no longer there to fight crime. This partially explains why half of the Future State titles assume Bruce Wayne is no more.
In fact the ending of Fear State Alpha moves the Future State pawns onto the board. The Bat-family plans to move ahead without Bruce at the center of the family. Not only that, but a quick panel also shows Tim Fox preparing to pick up the mantle of The Bat.
Fear State Alpha – Oasis To Oblivion
Speaking of the Bat family, they realize things are about to head south fast, Oracle above all. She quickly sets out to use her computer network and backdoor hacking skills to broadcast a signal to Gotham and the Bat Family that everything will be okay. She believes Gotham will trust her voice above all. She is probably right, but the problem is, Simon Saint already thought of that. He hacks Oracle’s transmission, broadcasts his own dire agenda and then blows up Oracle’s console. Gotham now not only believes the propaganda Saint transmits, but Saint then blacks out the communication network for all of Gotham. Barbara has Steph and Cassie close at hand, but the rest of the family is now cut off.
The one thing I really hated about the Gotham Future State stories is that they made no sense from one title to the next. In one book Bruce Wayne is dead. In another he’s alive. It felt like the writers were all on different pages. Turns out they were on different pages but they designed it that way. The chaos and confusion amongst the different titles showed us how cut off and separated Gotham and the Bat family truly were. Our confusion mimicked their confusion. With every issue of every Gotham title, I am loving the writing more and more. They continue to do an amazing job writing and interconnection all of the Gotham titles. Fear State Alpha even takes time to set up the crisis going on in Alleytown. The Magistrate blitz of Alleytown is at hand.
Fear State Alpha – Ivy
One of the most consistent, yet puzzling, threads running through all the Gotham titles for some time now centered strangely on Poison Ivy. Even going back to Heroes in Crisis, Ivy keeps popping up in titles, but then she disappears again. She died in Crisis only to reborn, and she continues to die and ‘regrow’ herself in both physical and mental ways. Catwoman even found in some mentally fried state awhile back. Her story always remains in the background, tantalizing us with something, some set of events, we have yet to understand.
Now, the strange mosaic of appearances starts to form a picture. I really think Ivy will control the fate of Gotham before all is said and done. In this issue, we see that Catwoman protects a mentally fragile form of Ivy in Alleytown, but for the first time we learn there are in fact TWO Ivys now! While the one with Catwoman may be a mental vegetable, the second one is raw hatred and anger.
To escape the Magistrate forces, Harley knows of a secret lair, deep below Gotham. This underground paradise is run by a woman named the Gardener. Harley takes Ghostmaker, Miracle Molly and her crew to the Gardener to seek sanctuary, but she warns the wayward refugees that Ivy is not who she used to be. Where the other Ivy looks small and frail, this Ivy exudes power! I have never seen Ivy in such a powerful form ever. Only Harley’s appeals penetrate Ivy’s hate. Beneath the hate, this Ivy remembers her feelings for Harley. She will not join the war, but she grants refuge to the group. Somehow the two Ivy’s need to merge to restore the true Ivy, and I’ll bet that is the key to saving Gotham.
Fear State Alpha – Past, Present and Future
I love this issue and it is a must read for anyone that reads any of the Gotham titles. It sets up the past and the formation of the deadly union of Saint and Crane. It shows the first steps and the emergence of the Future State events, and hints at where every Gotham title will head in the months ahead. This should be a major hook to get people to follow the Fear State event.
Just one problem…kinda. The thing I love about the current DC writing patterns is that each book remains self contained, yet lends bits and pieces to the larger, overall story (ala MCU). You may be able to read one or two Gotham titles and maintain a cohesive story, unlike crossover events of the past, but in many ways it forces readers to read every single Gotham title out there to make sure you do not miss any puzzle pieces. You may follow a tight story in Batman, but if you did not read Catwoman, you miss things that lead into the Batman events. Hope everyone has deep pockets for the saga ahead!
Or just stay with us at Thathashtagshow.com, and we’ll get you through ALL the Gotham titles as they come out.
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