Batwing #20

I get Batwing in tpb so I was concerned about the change from David to Luke. But I wanted to give it a try.

SPOILERS AHEAD

To be honest I don't know what to think about this one. The writing it a big departure from Winick and I'm not sure if I get the vibe.

Not Sure How to Feel:

• The Batman Beyond feel to the Batwing/Batman scenes. I LOVE Batman Beyond but I want this title to stand on it's own. Not only does the suit look like Terrys' but the whole exchange with Bruce while he's fighting is way too much. Bruce claims Luke is different from the rest. How? Because he's smart? Tim and Barbara are smart. Because he sought Batmans' attention to become a crime fighter? A lot of people have done that. Every character should have their own defining traits. Batwoman is a soldier, Red Hood is the black sheep/anti-hero, etc. What does Luke bring to the table?
• Batman not wanting to bring Luke in because of his connections to his father. Considering he took Barbara in this feels a little moot. If his concern was losing another life after Damian died I could understand but that's not the reason mentioned.
• Luke saying how his father wouldn't understand. Isn't still canon that Bruce Wayne funds Batman Inc.? If so then Luke should know about the connection. For all his take about the need to make a name for himself (which I realize was part of the show for his parents but still) Luke is still working for Wayne by working for Batman.

Things I didn't Like:

• The idea of a bad guy that's part lion and has three wives helping him fight. Winicks' villains and heroes of Africa were interesting but this doesn't feel as interesting or complex. It just rubbed me the wrong way.
• Luke being Batmans' first choice for Batwing. It's extremely insulting to David and seems like a obvious ploy for readers to show them Luke is the better. Think how that sounds. The rich American is a better choice than the former child soldier turned police officer trying turn lives around. It's not the first time the Bat Family has done this and likely won't be the last. But wasn't the point of Batwing to be a member of Batman Inc. and make a difference around the world? Luke looks like he has a lot of potential but what makes him more worthy?
• Is Bruce grieving Damian because I could never tell he lost another son in this. The art has him smiling twice despite Luke commenting on how much Batman dislikes humor. His smiles are actually creepy.

Things I loved:

• My favorite scene was Lukes' talk with his parents. I love the Fox family and this was a lot of fun. Tiff and Tam still exist which is a huge plus. But his parents felt like a real couple that supported each other to the point his mom got annoyed when he tried to use her agreement against his fathers' disapproval. That one scene put me in a good mood for most of the read.
• I like Luke Fox, I could see him working although he still feels like he needs some fine tuning.