A review by unladylike
Batman: Death & the Maidens: Deluxe Edition by Greg Rucka

4.0

Ra's al Ghul has long been one of Batman's most fascinating enemies, and he occupies a unique position in that world, sometimes serving as a temporary ally, as well as a Father-in-law figure. The setup for this self-contained Batman story (which I recommend as a graphic novel over the more recent [b:Batman: Damned|44526680|Batman Damned|Brian Azzarello|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1566280431l/44526680._SX50_.jpg|69105025]) is this: Since Ra's has lived for centuries by using Lazarus pits around the world, is Batman breaking his biggest rule by preventing him from continuing to do so? This is the argument Ra's uses to appeal the revered Detective. Previously, Batman/Bruce Wayne dated Ra's al Ghul's daughter Talia. But here we get to know a different member of their small family that resists mortality and sees human genocide as a means to a virtuous end.

I won't spoil the plot, but Greg Rucka makes Nyssa al Ghul a compelling and fearsome character.

For some reason, the art really suffers at the tail end of this book. Klaus Janson turns in satisfactorily quality pages (especially for early '00s comics) and then starts using panels that look like sloppy sketches and ruinous feminine anatomy in the final chapter of this saga.