By d. emerson eddy — “Love I get so lost, sometimes. Days pass and this emptiness fills my heart.” So begins what's to me one of the best love songs ever written, Peter Gabriel's “In Your Eyes”. Like many, I've been trying to take comfort in the things around me, things that gave me warmth in the past, things that have a special place. Gabriel's song is one of them, exposing us to the inklings of the secret world that lovers create between them that would go on to become one of the key themes on his next album after this song, Us. It hinted at the myriad different forms that love can take and the effect that it has on us. Part of it is nostalgia, part of it is a reminder of the good that we still have around us that will pull us through and push us forward.

Batman #520 came out towards the beginning of one of the best runs on Batman, and probably my favorite, from Doug Moench and Kelley Jones, but it features guest artwork from the legendary Eduardo Barreto. He's probably best known in the United States for his work on The Shadow Strikes and The New Teen Titans, and is definitely an artist who probably flies under the radar for many readers. There's a beauty and economy of line to Barreto's work that's somewhat reminiscent of a pared down Joe Kubert or Jordi Bernet. Just perfect to portray the pulp sensibilities of Batman and to convey the more intricate emotions throughout what is largely a “quiet” issue.

This issue lands amidst a number of ongoing storylines, one as Batman struggles with Black Mask, another as the former Commissioner Gordon comes to grips with his wife taking over his position and seemingly aiding a corrupt mayor, and as Harvey Bullock recovers from injuries. It takes time to explore various different aspects of love and duty and how they have a greater impact on the characters and the people around them.

Batman's form of love within this naturally takes the form of duty. He's conflicted over letter Black Mask go in earlier issues, protecting a murderer from being murdered, knowing full well that he's going to murder again. Further complicating the matter is his oath he swore to his parents and the knowledge that Black Mask is Roman Sionis, the son of one of his parents' friends. Love here takes the form of obsession and devotion, driving Batman onward in order to continue his unending battle against crime. In a way, you can consider it sublimation of pain and anguish through work. It's not necessarily health, but we realize that sometimes it's the only thing to get you through.

James Gordon shows two different aspects of familial love as he confronts the idea that his wife, Sarah Essen, has betrayed him. It's far more complicated than that, but you'd best read it to get the additional context. It's a shaking that he feels to his core as he questions his identity as commissioner and what he feels as his duty to his city. It's both a selfless and selfish love, losing himself to the job in a way similar to Batman, but selfish in that his replacement as commissioner came from stepping beyond the bounds of the law. Yet, as he questions his identity, tries to come to terms with the loss and sudden change in his life, he's helped by his daughter, Barbara, showing us the light of love in our darkest times. Reminded that he's not alone in his struggle.

Harvey Bullock's arc in this issue takes us through romantic love and is the gut punch of the issue. He's been recovering in hospital from injuries suffered earlier and fallen a bit for his nurse. He takes a chance to ask her out and to his surprise she says yes. Like my reminiscence of Gabriel's song, during the Bullock sequences, he waxes nostalgic on his musical tastes, trying to impress his date. Only here pitting REM against the Beatles. It's a little silly, but it gives a familiar bit of awkward dialogue during a first date, while tackling a bit of that love of nostalgia. And all things considered, the date goes well, until it doesn't. It's wholly unfair, wholly unexpected, and reminds us to cherish what we have while we have it.

And it ends with a lyric, not from REM or the Beatles, but by the Rolling Stones. “Love is love...not fade away.”

Batman #520
Writer: Doug Moench
Artist: Eduardo Barreto
Colourist: Greg Wright
Letterer: Todd Klein
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Date: July 1995
Release Date: May 9 1995
Price: $1.99 on Comixology

d. emerson eddy is a student and writer of things. He fell in love with comics during Moore, Bissette, & Totleben's run on Swamp Thing and it has been a torrid affair ever since. His madness typically manifests itself on Twitter @93418.