If it's the 3rd Wednesday of the month then it means it's time for Batman Beyond. Last month's issue was a 1000% improvement on the previous issue, but did the 4th issue slide back or go forward? Truth be told? I'm not sure.

This month's issue was, well, weird...

Follow up:

The cover was solid, but not perfect, and some of the interior art still has some real problems, but things felt far more consistent in terms of faces and things. AND THEY FINALLY BROUGHT IN MAX. Hallelujah! She only got a short couple of frames and sort of an easy excuse for her lack of being the in the previous 3 issues, but they made her look awesome, they kept her character accurate and they didn't kill her five seconds later. They also brought in Stan, and didn't kill him off either (though it is implied that Stalker and Shriek are toast, Shriek was kind of a pansy, but Stalker was badass, so I hope this is just a misdirect)

As for the story, well, I can't really tell you what I make of it, because it ended on a real WTF...? cliffhanger. Continuing from the last issue Terry goes to see Dick Grayson while the new Catwoman is about be killed by 'Hush'. Catwoman is saved by the bat-robot that Terry was worried was meant to replace him last issue. Catwoman isn't killed, but before the fight with Hush can really get anywhere, the robot breaks down, and Hush comments that Bruce's quality standard has really fallen. Bruce Wayne self-destructs the thing and Catwoman runs away. And for the record we still have no idea who she really is, because even though we see her face, she is not one of the old characters, so, yeah.

Back with Dick Grayson, Terry learns why the two no longer speak, the reason that was constantly danced around on the tv series: while chasing the Joker, Dick-as-Nightwing gets filled with bullets, but rather than saving him, Batman just stabilizes his wounds, takes his costume and continues going after the Joker. Bruce never calls to see if Dick is okay, and the two never speak again. Dick warns Terry that Bruce can't love anyone outside of his dead parents, and if he continues listening to Bruce, he'll get killed.

Terry isn't convinced Dick is right, and tries to contact Bruce again after shutting him out earlier in the night. Instead he gets in contact with Max (yay!) who asks him what's going on and why Terry hasn't stopped it yet. The next night Terry tries to lay a trap for Hush, and gets caught himself, being severely injured. Thinking Terry is dead Hush rips off his bandages and says he is Dick Grayson and the issue ends.

...huh?

The Dick Grayson Terry talks to is an old guy with an eyepatch, think Nick Fury from the Avengers. But the 'Hush' Dick Grayson is waaaay younger, and has both his eyes and a scar on his face. Well, here are some possibilities based off of Comic book logic. Old guy Dick or Hush Dick is an impostor, hell, they might both be. Or, being this is dealing with Cadmus, Hush Dick is a clone of real Dick. Or I'm still right and this is really Jason or Damien. Only time will tell.