In case you missed them, make sure to read my previous reviews of this mini-series thus far, elsewhere on the website.

Issue 3 of Batman: Universe started with a bang, and ended with a whimper. The issue starts out with a lot of promise. Picking up where the last issue left off, Batman finds himself on the planet Thanagar. The issue kicks off with a scene in which the Caped Crusader is being interrogated by a group of Thanagarian police officers. This scene features a great back-and-forth conversation and really showcases the witty dialogue for which Bendis is known. A well drawn action sequence then follows, but it is cut off midway, robbing the reader of a satisfying conclusion or definitive resolution.

Next the reader is left to suffer through a recap of the story so far. This review is unnecessary, especially considering that it occurs in between connecting parts of this issue’s storyline. Bendis’s style of dialogue cannot save this middle section from dragging down this issue’s overall pacing. In this issue’s final scene, artist Nick Derington really gets to shine. There are a couple beautiful renderings of Dinosaur Island. Plus I’ll never say no to a Green Lantern/Batman team up.

I only rated this issue as highly as I did because there are several cool moments. However, this issue is basically just filler which fails to adequately advance the narrative’s mystery or the storyline as a whole. This is a disappointing turn of events because this mini‐series is only six issues long. There shouldn’t be a need for recaps or filler. Plus Bendis is a prolific writer who shouldn’t have to resort to filler to tell a complete and fulfilling story. This mini‐series continues to be hit‐or‐miss between one issue and the next. If you’re like me, you may stick it out single issue to single issue, but casual readers are probably better off waiting for the entire mini‐series to be published in a trade paperback.