Batman: Odyssey (2011-2012) #3 by Neal Adams
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

AS bad as this series is. In this installment, there is evidence of something being wrong with Neal Adams.

How can such an arrogant presentation of wrong science be littered with such bad dialogue and poor storytelling. The writing of these views comes across to me as very condescending to the reader. Instead of an effort to create wonder and solid scientific theory. This is an effort to indoctrinate the readers with Adams science views. He doesn’t want to write a serious science book. He can’t and demonstrates his lack of real scientific knowledge in this issue alone. The worse of all of this is that those of us who know much about geology and science studies of the earth, see the glaring errors in Adams’ thinking.

Adams has the entire story underground this time. That would be fine if he kept it all with silly science fiction, like the Batman tales of the ’50 and ’60s. Instead, Adams cakes the story with overt science explanations of the underground appearance of dinosaurs and mutant people. Also above ground humans and some effort of one group taking over another and then above ground.

Adams then writes more of his science ideas as Batman runs around in his typical costume, which makes no sense. Who is he keeping his identity from underground??? He doesn’t shed his cape until there is a ridiculous one-on-one fight with an Asian character Adams pulled from his early Batman work more than 45 years ago. There’s an explanation for that, too. All woven into Adams’ science views. Then the Asian does some magic to stop some attacks right after the Batman fight. Why didn’t the Asian use the magic to defeat Batman in the fight. Better question: Why doesn’t the Asian use his powers to simply accomplish take over and end the story.
What? And stop Adams’ from seriously pouring out more ridiculous geological and scientific views?
I suspect the worse is yet to come.

The artwork is very good. I do wonder what co-inker Bill Sienkiewicz thought of participating in this mess. I’m guessing it was just a gig to him, which is fine. The art in this issue appears more rushed.

Bottom line: Do not buy this! 1 or 0 out of 10 points.

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