Archive for the ‘Batman: The Dark Knight’ Category

Batman: The Dark Knight #12 Review

Posted: August 26, 2012 in Batman: The Dark Knight, Comic Book Review, DC Comics
0
Written by: Gregg Hurwitz
Pencilled by: David Finch
Inked by: Richard Friend
Variant Cover by: David Finch, Richard Friend
Colored by: Jeromy N. Cox

The New 52, for the most part, has done it’s job – delivering cool new twists on the classic DC heroes with some added surprises.  Superman’s had some interesting developments, and Wonder Woman is knocking it out of the park with fresh material.  Batman, however, has been up and down.  The New 52 didn’t offer a lot of change for the Dark Knight, just some exceptionally well written stories.  The Dark Knight isn’t one of DC’s stronger bat-books.  The art has been great, and the stories aren’t necessarily written poorly, it just feels rehashed.

If you’ve read a Scarecrow focused story before, issue #12 isn’t that all that different.  We get a different perspective on Scarecrow’s upbringing, but it still follows the same format that Scarecrow’s led before.  With Bruce Wayne, the torment of reliving his parents death is an all-too-familiar plot device that’s more snooze inducing than anything else.  The book’s end promises for a potentially exciting development in the Wayne family history, but I won’t go too in depth with it.  But while the ending is exciting, it’s abrupt – as if Hurwitz and Finch needed one more page to get through the story completely.

The Scarecrow was creepy as hell though!  The New 52 is definitely giving a much scarier edge to the king of fear – bloodshot eyes, laced lips, yellowed jagedy finger nails, he is gross and terrifying.  Before he was much more of a comedic part in Batman’s list of foes.  But with this reboot, he’s achieved a superior level of fear and terror.

David Finch is an interesting artist, always producing quality art, but making each page seem too busy in comparison with other artists.  But his ideas are clever – walking up to Bruce, tied up and bloodied, already heavily induced with the fear toxin, and his parents shadows branching off of the Scarecrow’s body. It’s an intense moment that’s consistent throughout all 22 pages.

For the most part, this books shines because of its visuals and not so much the story.  But, you know, for us seasoned readers, this is a boring book. But for the newbies DC wanted to draw in, this might just be their cup O’ tea.  I’ll let you decide…

6 out of 10 stars

Batman: The Dark Knight #8 Review

Posted: April 30, 2012 in Batman: The Dark Knight, Comic Book Review, DC Comics, Ed Benes, Paul Jenkins
2
Written by: Paul Jenkins
Pencilled by: Ed Benes
Inked by: Rob Hunter
Cover Color by: Jeromy N. Cox
Lettered by: DC Lettering

the Alice in Wonderland theme is broadening without connecting very well; now enters the mad hatter and his dim witted tweedle deedum henchmen, yet the lingerie bearing white rabbit is no where to be seen.

Gotham is playing a part in the Hatter’s mad scheme, becoming a character in the story itself, and Commissioner Gordon’s sanity is under construction.  It’s an examination of Gotham City and how it affects its citizens – a somewhat thought provoking issue from a title that doesn’t require a lot of brain power.

Don’t worry, the story opens up with the aftermath of a major blood bath in a Gotham City subway car.  They needed the mindless violence to seep in there somehow right?  But this massively violent event washed in red has a much more psychologically terrifying component.  These people, laying in their own blood and innards, weren’t murdered…they committed suicide.

I’m reminded of the M. Night Shyamalan film, the Happening, while reading this issue.  There’s a different motive behind the self mutilation, sure, but the compelled reasoning for killing oneself is still there.  It’s a terrifying idea and plot device, and something this title needed badly!

There’s probably a subliminal message Joe Harris is trying to send out.  The Mad Hatter is obviously the culprit behind the random acts of self mutilation, but I suspect there is also some sort of sociological commentary about Gotham City itself.  Batman’s always been one to talk highly of the city, as if he were honored to be it’s protector, but no one’s ever taken the chance to examine the city as a destructive force in and of itself.

The only two consistently strong forces protecting this city, succumbing to its evil and manipulative ways seldomly, are Commissioner Gordon and Batman. The Commish undergoes a challenge presented by Lieutenant  Forbes and is forced to undergo psychiatric reevaluation.  But Gordon isn’t fazed by this move on the Lieutenant’s part and shoves it all back in his face with an eloquent bit of public oratory that showed the confidence of a dozen men.

Ed Benes makes a return to the comic book world, giving nothing but his best.  Colorist, Jeromy Cox, doesn’t do Benes justice, but it’s still a sight to see.  The Mad Hatter looked a bit too mutated and other-wordly, but he was definitely demented looking as can be.

It’s a good issue with only a few minor faults.  It’s still the “muscle” book as opposed to the “brain” book, but it’s as purposeful as should be.

7 out of 10 stars

Batman: The Dark Knight #5 Review

Posted: January 31, 2012 in Batman: The Dark Knight, Comic Book Review, David Finch, DC Comics, Paul Jenkins
0

Written by PAUL JENKINS
Art and cover by DAVID FINCH and RICHARD FRIEND
Inked by RICHARD FRIEND
Lettered by SAL CIPRIANO
Colored by JEROMY COX
Variant cover by DAVID FINCH and RICHARD FRIEND
Edited by RICKEY PURDIN, MIKE MARTS

Batman Created By Bob Kane

Out of all the Bat titles, I think the Dark Knight is the only one to have showcased all of Batsy’s marque villains within five issues. (With exception of the Joker of course.)  The Scarecrow has been given the center stage for issue #5 with his fear inducing toxin!  There’s a twist however.  Instead of making Batman face his worst fears, he takes the fear out of him with a special formula that causes him to get all big and beefy just like the inmates who tried to escape Arkham.

To make matters worse, juiced up Batman does the muscle-bound tango to the Man of Steel, and all Hell breaks loose.  But the question is, has Batman truly lost control of himself, and will Superman be able to hold back enough without killing Batman?  If Batman’s ability to come back from the dead is telling enough for you, then I don’t know how to help you figure this question out.

One thing that’s true about the Batman legacy, he has the most interesting arsenal of villains in superhero history.  The Scarecrow has a fierceness and terrifying stature that makes him absolutely perfect for this title. (Face it, the Dark Knight is the darkest of all the Bat books thus far.) I’ve never had an issue with the Scarecrow making an appearance in any of the DC books.  I did wonder how well he was integrated into this particular storyline however.  Maybe I’m being to picky about the purpose behind the Dark Knight, but I felt that the Scarecrow’s part in this story was faulty and could have been handled better.

I’m trying very hard to not jump ahead with what’s going on with DC and their books, attempting to keep the joy of not knowing what’s going to happen alive and kicking inside my creative aura.  However, the predictability of this title (so far) has been almost unbearable.  I’m still enjoying it, but holy crap can I see the twists coming from a mile away!

Obviously Bane is going to reveal himself as the mastermind behind the prison riots and carnage.  The man who broke the Bat HAS to come back, otherwise nothing that’s happened will make much sense with the Scarecrow leading the charge.

Now was it just me or was Superman’s involvement in the story a bit over done?  I understand the purpose behind it…show Batman’s new mutated strength against Supe’s natural strength and all other arguments have been laid to rest right?  On the other hand, who doesn’t enjoy seeing Supes and Bats go at it tooth and nail?  If only someone would actually write a legitimate fight sequence against the two, then finally we could know once and for all who is the strongest!

Where literary substance is lacking, it’s made up for it in gorgeous artwork by David Finch.  Of course, I’d recommend picking up the Finch cover on #5 with color and not the black and white rendition.   It’s hard as can be to make out what’s going on in the artistic world of David Finch when only in white and shades of grey.

The Dark Knight is a fun title despite its total lack of literary substance.  If you’re a fan of Batman, The Dark Knight is definitely one to have in your collection.

7 Out Of 10 Stars

Batman: The Dark Knight #2 Review

Posted: October 28, 2011 in Alex Sinclair, Batman: The Dark Knight, Comic Book Review, David Finch, DC Comics, Paul Jenkins
0

Written By: Paul Jenkins
Art By: David Finch
Inked By: Richard Friend
Colors By: Alex Sinclair
Letters By: Sal Cipriano
Cover By: Finch, Friend, Sinclair

Clue, Clues, Clues, Clues!!!!
So remember last month when there was an exceptionally sexy and erotic female running around, illusively in a Playboy Bunny outfit?  Do you also remember how, for years, people have been saying that Batman is the greatest detective known to man?  Well, this issue definitely made me question Batman’s ability to make simple deductions from verbal clues.  But that was a minor “irk” I had.  You’d think Bats could pick up on Gordan’s White Rabbit clue, but I’ll give Finch a break…I just hope the fans don’t cringe and die due to that minor characteristic defect.

As far as leaving clues, we honestly learn nothing new in issue #2 except that some unknown perpetrator snuck into Arkham and “juiced-up” all of its inmates.  My money’s on Bane…or at least someone who is associated with Bane.  We’ll see.

It’s All About The Chaos…
This book is geared mostly for the testosterone, violence loving comic fans.  Each Bat title has its own hitch; Detective Comics is terrifying, Batman is mysterious and bringing back the detective aspect of Bats, Batman and Robin is focusing on the Bat family and developing it, etc etc.  I think I’ve found The Dark Knight’s grabbing point…it’s all about the chaos!

There’s not a lot of substance in this issue, it’s mostly one big free-for-all, with Batman and the rest of the Batman team taking the hits; two-Face, the Clock King, even the Ventriloquist are pumped up to the point of insanity.  If it wasn’t for Finch bringing some semblance of a plot, this issue would be completely meaningless. But I must say, the Ventriloquist blasting his hand through the back of the dead police officer’s head, turning him into a blood spitting puppet corps was a stroke a horrific genius!

Confusion At It’s Best…
Here’s my biggest beef with the issue…if DC is trying to make their comics MORE accessible to new and old readers, why would you have Batman involved with different events in multiple titles?  In Batman, the Joker is missing…but in the Dark Knight, not only is the Joker NOT missing, but he’s also juiced up with a sexy little bunny hovering over his lap.  Maybe it was the intent of DC to keep each Bat book separate from each other, but to me, it’s no different from how things WERE done when I was younger.

But enough with the negativity!  With all of this said…I still enjoyed #2.  It doesn’t have much of a deep storyline going throughout it, but It’s still a fun read…you just don’t really need your brain turned on to enjoy it.  If Finch wants this title to be more of a testosterone-filled title, more power to him!  I’ll keep picking it up!  But don’t expect anyone to think more of it than an action filled comic with very little substance.  (prove us wrong next month?)

I would certainly like to know more about this little White Rabbit.  Sure, she’s mostly eye candy, but there’s certainly more to her than simply being something to gawk at.  It would certainly make sense if the Mad Hatter had a hand in what’s going on…we’ll see.  I was also very happy to see Alfred acting as a normal human being who sleeps, eats, gets upset with Bruce Wayne when asking him to work on his off hours, and still has a desire for the erotic.

David Finch is a great artist, but I found myself wondering what was going on a lot of the time.  If a train is moving forward at a high speed, and you have people on it about to get creamed by on oncoming pillar…it should look like you’re moving with the train right?…

Is the train moving?

It’s ok, really, I simply found myself having to go back and re-look at certain pages to make sure I understood the visual rhetoric.

This IS a fun issue, no doubts there; great art, good writing, and a gothic motif permeating all throughout the book, but its substance is very minimal.  It’s a lot like James Cameron’s hit movie, Avatar; it has a lot of great stuff to look at, and overall is well executed, but the story is lacking…well… everything! The difference with the Dark Knight is…I’m looking forward to the continuation of the story.

6.5 out of 10 stars

Batman: The Dark Knight #1 Review

Posted: October 4, 2011 in Batman, Batman: The Dark Knight, Comic Book News, David Finch, DC Comics, Paul Jenkins
0

Written By: Paul Jenkins
Art By: David Finch
Colors By: Alex Sinclair
Letters By: Sal Cipriano
Cover By: Finch, Sinclair, & Richard Friend

So Many Bat Books And A Feeling Of Déjà Vu…
Sometimes I fear that comic books rely on their more popular heroes a bit too much.  Batman is awesome, no question about it, and is one of the most interesting and emotionally captivating heroes in comic’s history.  However, there is a point where it becomes overwhelming and almost ridiculous as too how many Batman titles are being published and how often Batman makes an appearance in the other titles.  So how do I know that my mediocre feeling towards The Dark Knight #1 isn’t based on the unnecessary frequency of Bat’s presence in the DC Universe?  While I still enjoyed this first issue very much, there’s a sense lingering around in my head that I’ve read this before.

But maybe that’s the point.  Unlike the other Batman titles, maybe Paul Jenkins and David Finch are trying to keep this title different from all the rest by making it feel so repetitive.  After all, how much can one hero do when he’s busy with a different mystery every week out of each month?  Bruce Wayne gives a moving speech about change, the villains of Gotham run amuck, and Bruce keeps meeting women that he’ll most definitely break the heart of later on…or vice versa.  In addition, there seems to be this need amongst DC’s writers and the higher-ups to let the fans know the same exact thing about the Bat family each week.  In this month alone we’ve seen at least one of these aspects appear in each Bat title.  For me, it gets a little cumbersome.

David Finch is a remarkable artist!  If I had even a quarter of his artistic talents I

Is this dress fashionable, or simply showing off her better assets? Click to enlarge.

would be set for life.  But much like Ed Benes, there isn’t much variation in his character’s physical appearances.  Everyone has beautifully sculpted bodies, all are about the same height, and all of the women seem to have long seductive legs.  I’m not even sure what purpose Jaina Hudson’s dress serves other than to show how awesome Finch is at drawing lots and lots of skin.  But I shouldn’t knock everything as his art appeals to my OWN dark and gothic style.  The cover alone shows how depressingly dark this comic is going to be, and that’s enough to sell me on it… for the first three issues at least.  We’ll see where this title goes in the next few months

I’m more concerned about the status of Batman and Catwoman’s relationship.  Is Selina going to rip Jaina’s head off after she finds out the long legged vixen is moving in on her “friend with benefits?”  I honestly don’t know where the DC timeline has this specific title set at in comparison to Catwoman’s, but I’ll bet it’s safe to assume that both are fairly close to each other.

The most interesting aspect to this title is its Alice in Wonderland motif at the end.  I thought the random appearance of a gorgeous blond in a white rabbit outfit was out of place, (which it is) but then I began to think about a few of the smaller aspects to this issue and began to see the amazing potential of future issues down the road. I’m still a little iffy about this title as of right now, but if Paul Jenkins and David Finch pull through and deliver something truly refreshing, I might just stick with it.

7 out of 10 Stars.