Batman #86 Review

Tags

Alfred, Batman, Batman #86, Batman #86 review, Brice Wayne, Catwoman, City of Bane, Danny Miki, DC Comics, Deathstroke, Gotham, James Tynion IV, Lucius Fox, Nightclimber, Slade Wilson, Tony S. Daniel

Batman #86

Review by Paul Bowler.

A new era begins in Batman #86, but the Dark Knight’s world has changed forever. Bane is defeated and one of Batman’s oldest allies is dead. Now as Batman begins to rebuild his life and embarks on his bold new vision for Gotham, Deathstroke arrives in town, hired under a deadly new contract that threatens everything Batman is striving to achieve…

New series writer James Tynion IV takes the helm of DC Comics flagship Batman title for this next chapter in the life of the Dark Knight, together with the epic new art team of Tony S. Daniel and Danny Miki, for a story that instantly sets the tone for an entirely new directions as Batman starts to pick up the pieces after Alfred’s death. Their Dark Designs Part 1 gives us poignant insight into Batman’s radical new approach towards Gotham, indeed Alfred Pennyworth’s untimely demise in City of Bane inevitably hangs heavily over this issue, and consequently because of these opening scenes it also resonates just as powerfully in the wake of Batman’s confrontation with Deathstroke as well.

Batman has other allies though who will seem to be just as crucial to the Dark Knight’s designs during Tynion’s run. So, with Catwoman undercover and working a room full of Gotham’s high-fliers at the New Wayne Campus and Lucius Fox crafting Batman new and ever more wonderful toys in an immense subbasement workshop, Batman is free to deal with the lethal contract killers he’s been monitoring. Tynion is clearly going all-out with some new, and inventive technological innovations for the Dark Knight’s arsenal, and this issue sees the debut of the perhaps Batman’s most fearsome vehicle to date – the Nightclimber!

Needless to say the artwork that graces the pages of Batman #86 is little short of phenomenal. The pencils by Tony S. Daniel combined with Danny Miki’s inks are like a match made in heaven, and together with the vibrant colors by Tomeu Morey this issue is a veritable feast for the senses. From the opening rain-swept scenes over Gotham with a contemplative Batman, to witnessing the hired killers gathering in secret, and the deft inter-cutting between Batman’s conversations, first with Catwoman and then Lucius, there is a rich fluidity and consistency to the art that is staggeringly beautiful. Of course, Deathstroke is the one who has been brought in to lead this band of hired killers and the showdown with Slade Wilson – though brief – is still impressively depicted.

Closing things out with an intriguing mystery, a night sky full of memories, and a dark epilogue Batman #86 gets the new creative teams run off to a pretty good start. However, Batman #86 follows what has arguably been one of the most divisive runs in recent times for Batman comics. So is Batman #86 a bold new era or damage control? I honestly cannot decide as this issue felt like a little of both to me. I still feel that Tom King’s run has done immeasurable harm to the legacy of the Dark Knight, but, if anyone can fix things I’m sure James Tynion IV is the man to do it. Fingers crossed, eh?

Publisher: DC Comics Writer: James Tynion IV

Pencils: Tony S. Daniel Inks: Danny Miki Colors: Tomeu Morey

Letterer: Clayton Cowles Cover Tony S Daniel & Tomeu Morey

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About The Author

Hi, I’m Paul Bowler, blogger and reviewer of films, TV shows, and comic books. I’m a Sci-Fi geek, a big fan of Doctor Who, Star Trek, movies, Sci-Fi, Horror, Comic Books, and all things PS4.You can follow me on Twitter @paul_bowler,or at my website, Sci-Fi Jubilee, and on YouTube and Facebook

Detective Comics #1018 Review

Tags

Alfred, Batman, Batmobile, City of Bane, DC Comics, Detective Comics, Detective Comics #1018 review, Gotham, Peter J. Tomasi, Scott Godlewski

Batman Detective Comics #1018

Review by Paul Bowler

A chill wind blows over Gotham in the aftermath of City of Bane. Detective Comics #1018 finds the Dark Knight in a dark, lonely place, as both Bruce Wayne and Batman. But there is little time to mourn his greatest loss as a series of gruesome ritualistic killings have been happening across the city. It would seem that supernatural forces have unleashed a monstrous pagan spirit. Batman must quell his personal demons for now and stop the killings, or Gotham’s festive season will be irrevocably tainted with blood and death…

For me Peter J. Tomasi’s run, after such a strong start, felt like it had been curtailed somewhat because of the Year of the Villain tie-in (something which I feel also spoiled a lot of my favourite comics, including Hawkman, Supergirl, and The Flash), although it has to be said that Tomasi’s story with Mr Freeze didn’t feel shoehorned into the umbrella style narrative of that ‘event’ like so many others did, if anything he was one of the few writers that really seemed to embrace the concept to really run with it and make anything even remotely cohesive from it as a result.

Now with Detective Comics #1018 Tomasi begins getting things back on track with Dead of Winter Part 1, however, there is no escaping the grim cloud of Tom King’s run (no, I wasn’t as fan of King either) and that hangs heavily over this issue. From the blood-soaked opening scenes we find the Dark Knight dealing with a minor crime by comparison to the one we‘ve just witnessed. From here Tomasi quickly immerse us in Batman’s ongoing investigation into the series of deaths that have recently struck the city, but now that Alfred Pennyworth is dead and Jim Gordon is unavailable, Batman only has Bullock to assist him, and not even making it home in time for a game of catch with pooches Ace and Titus affords Bruce little solace from his grief and isolation.

Employing a series of bold, sometimes overlapping page layouts, artist Scott Godlewski brings this sombre and powerful issue to life in the most stylish of ways. Sweeping snow swept vistas of Gotham blend seamlessly with the street level action with Batman. The Batmbile is a fan boy delight to behold with its gorgeous mix of crisp animated series lines, Burtonesque undertones, and classic retro flourishes. Colorist David Baron further heightens the atmosphere with vivid tones and hues alongside swarthy deep shadows, Bruce’s attempt to cast of the winter blues with a game of catch with the dogs poignantly conveys the Dark Knight’s melancholy, while Bullock’s office seems darker than the Batcave itself. The scene of the latest killing at the botanical gardens is another visual highlight of this issue, as it looks so bizarre, a twisted nightmare decked out in tinsel and baubles more akin to something like you’d have seen in the Hannibal TV series back in its heyday.

The issue ends with a dramatic cliffhanger and the stage is now set to bring the Dark Knight face to face with the stories monstrous protagonist… So, Detective Comics #1018 is a good return to form for this series, with a strong story, and reasonable enough artwork. The ramifications of City of Bane dose mean that there’s still very much a sense of picking up the pieces to this issue of Detective Comics. I can only hope that now the recent storylines and events involving Batman elsewhere are over Peter J. Tomasi’s run on Detective Comics can now really begin to stretch its wings and finally get its time to shine in the spotlight.

Publisher: DC Comics Writer: Peter J. Tomasi / Artist: Scott Godlewski

Colorist: David Baron / Letterer: Rob Leigh

Cover: Rafael Samdoval, Jordi Tarrago , & John Kalise

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About The Author

Hi, I’m Paul Bowler, blogger and reviewer of films, TV shows, and comic books. I’m a Sci-Fi geek, a big fan of Doctor Who, Star Trek, movies, Sci-Fi, Horror, Comic Books, and all things PS4.You can follow me on Twitter @paul_bowler,or at my website, Sci-Fi Jubilee, and on YouTube and Facebook

Detective Comics #968 Review

Tags

A Lonley Place of Living, Alfred, Alvaro Martinez, Azeral, Batcave, Batman, Batwing, Batwoman, Cassandra, Clayface, Damian, DC Comics, DC Comics Rebirth, Detective Comics, Detective Comics #968, Detective Comics #968 review, James Tynion IV, Nightwing, Raul Fernandez, Red Hood, Red Robin, Tim Drake, Tomeu Morey

Detective Comics #968

Review by Paul Bowler

A Lonely Place of Living reaches its astounding conclusion in Detective Comics #968, with Tim Drake now back on Earth, but he’s also brought a fearsome menace back with him – a future version of himself that has been tragically moulded by fate to become the Batman! This misguided Batman is determined to complete his mission to kill Batwoman and change the future, not even the Dark Knight and his allies can stand against him, and now Red Robin must fight to save everything that he’s ever fought and died for…

Suffice to say, Detective Comics #968 is not only one hell of an action packed issue, its also probably writer James Tynion’s finest story arc so far during his run on Detective Comics. With its throwbacks to A Lonely Place of Dying and nebulous links to the Mr Oz storyline going on over in Action Comics, this storyline with its timey wimey narrative has made for compelling reading, and effectively brought Tim Drake‘s story full circle as he returns to the fold in a battle royal with his future self who now wears the mantel of the Bat!

Tynion skilfully balances the cast of Bat-characters in this issue, with Batman, Red Robin, Nightwing, Damian, Red Hood, and Alfred squaring off against the future Tim / Batman in the Batcave, while Batwoman, Azeral, Cassandra, Batwing, and Clayface bravely confront a lethal attack from hacked Colony drones at the Belfrey. Everyone in the Bat-Family gets a moment to shine in the spotlight, the dialogue and banter positively crackles from the page, and the team dynamic that makes this book so strong will no doubt be made all the richer by the dramatic far-reaching implication of the events that unfold over the course of this issue.

Detective Comics #968 also dazzles with some especially striking artwork, with pencils by Alvaro Martinez, inks by Raul Fernandez, and colors Tomeu Morey, the bold, free flowing page layouts and panoramic double page spreads exquisitely relay the frenetic action and emotional beats in vivid detail; while the concise letting by Sal Cipriano ensures the dialogue seamlessly blends the narrative across each and every panel. From the face-off in the Batcave to the showdown in the Belfrey, the extensive cast of characters are all impressively rendered, dynamic perspectives give each location a distinct tone, and the temporal effect that intermittently manifests around the future Tim / Batman also provides an interesting visual flourish.

This story-arc has been nothing short of brilliant, and James Tynion IV has excelled once himself again with this issue. Detective Comics 968 delivers an extremely satisfying, powerful, and moving conclusion to A Lonely Place of Living. It’s great to finally have Tim Drake back after his apparent demise in the battle with the Colony and his subsequent incarceration outside of time by Mr Oz. A Lonely Place of Living has offered us an intriguing glimpse into the future (or at last one possible future), it will be fascinating to what happens now that Tim has returned to the Bat-family, and I can’t wait to see what Tynion and Co have in store for this team next!

Publisher DC Comics.

Writer James Tynion IV / Pencils Alvaro Martinez / Inks Raul Fernandez

Colors Tomeu Morey / Letters Sal Cipriano

Cover Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, & Adriano Lucas

Varian Cover Rafael Albuquerque

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Batman Eternal #34 Review

Tags

Alfred, Alvaro Martinez, Batman, Batman Eternal, Batman Eternal #34, Batman Eternal #34 Review, Brad Anderson, comics, DC Comics, Gotham, Hush, James Tynion IV, Julia Pennyworth, Kyle Higgins, Raul Fernandez, Ray Fawkes, Scott Snyder, The New 52, Tim Seeley, Wayne Enterprises

Batman Eternal #34

Review by Paul Bowler

With marshal law declared in Gotham City and the destruction of Arkham Asylum, Batman and his allies have discovered that Commissioner Bard was in league with Hush all along. Now Hush is targeting Batman’s secret weapons caches all over the city. In order to prevent Hush detonating more sites Batman and Alfred’s daughter, Julia, must split up and disable the explosives at each location. After Julia is confronted by Hush at the Cicero weapons cache, the Dark Knight races to the rescue, and events soon draw Batman towards a fateful showdown with Hush that could very well spell the end of Wayne Enterprises itself…

Julia Pennyworth battles valiantly against Hush in Batman Eternal #34, which sets in motion a chain of events that result in the Dark Knight’s world being shaken to the core like never before. State of Truth is another action packed issue of this weekly DC Comics series, with its densely plotted storyline from writers Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV, script by Kyle Higgins, and consulting writers Ray Fawkes, and Tim Seeley, providing us with a nail biting fight between Penny Two and Hush that really galvanises Julia’s role in Batman Eternal and elevates her standing as one of Batman’s newest, and perhaps most trusted of allies.

The aforementioned fight is blisteringly violent, with no quarter given and none taken, and the ensuing aftermath – with the heightened tension caused by Julia’s plight – sees Batman facing a race against time to save her from an explosive end. The outcome is ingeniously devised, and there are a couple of heart stopping moments that will keep you guessing too.

With Lucius Fox dealing with the backlash against Wayne Enterprises because of its involvement with Batman’s hidden weapon caches, the Mayor and Commissioner Bard continue to put pressure on Fox to deal with the situation. Meanwhile in the cave, Batman notices that Hush has accessed another cache in a location that holds a great significance for both of them, one that inexorably leads them towards a decisive confrontation.

Alvaro Martinez does a great job with the art for Batman Eternal #34, together with Raul Fernandez’s Inks, and colors by Brad Anderson, they maintain this weekly series high standard of art to deliver a stylishly crafted issue that seamlessly brings a distinct tone and style to each of the key locations featured throughout the story. The intensity of the fight between Hush and Julia is superb, its edge of the seat stuff, and you feel like you are right there with Batman as he frantically claws through the rubble to find her. The scenes at Wayne Enterprises and the Batcave set everything up for the brutal showdown between Batman and Hush; which unfolds over the final pages utilising impressive and dynamic panel layouts that really draw you into the heart of the action.

Batman Eternal #34 continues to impress with its diverse cast of characters, great story and art, and this issue in particular propels the main story-arc towards a startling turning point that few could have predicted. Everything the Dark Knight stands for is about to come crashing down around him. This is one of the best issues so far in this weekly series, tautly scripted and visually striking, Batman Eternal #34 holds dark portents for Gotham, Gordon, and even Bruce Wayne as the full scale of Hush’s grand design finally becomes clear!

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Batman #17 Review

Tags

Alfred, Arkham Asylum, Batgirl, Batman, Damien, DC Comics, Death of the Family, FCO Plascencia, Greg Capullo, Jason Todd, Jonathan Glampion, Nightwing, Red Robin, Robin, Scott Snyder, The Joker, The New 52

Batman #17

Review by Paul Bowler

[Contains Spoilers]

 

It swoops from the shadows as the Dark Knight begins to regain consciousness, the dark emissary of his own soul, stripped to the bone and ready to steel his resolve in this, quite possibly, his darkest hour against the Joker. The final chapter of Scott Snyder’s phenomenal Death of The Family drags you kicking and screaming into the light, ripping away the blindfolds, and fixing our unblinking eyes on every panel of Greg Capullo’s art as the macabre delights of Batman #17 electrify our synapses.

The banquet that the Joker has prepared for Batman is one of his most abhorrent schemes yet. Still strapped to his makeshift throne, Batman wakes in a dark cavern at the head of a long table. The rest of the Bat-Family are also bound to their chairs and seated with him. Dinner is ready to be served, with the table drenched in gasoline and rigged to explode to prevent Batman’s escape; he can do nothing but watch in horror as Alfred shambles into the cave. Driven out of his mind, and dosed with Joker toxin, Batman’s loyal friend obeys the Joker’s commands and prepares to serve the “family” meal…

With his friends overwhelmed by the horror of the banquet before them, Joker teases them all with a lit match. But the Joker hasn’t taken into account the Batman’s knowledge of the cave system, as the table becomes a raging inferno Batman breaks free and fires a charge at the ceiling that breaches an underground stream – flooding the room and dousing the flames. While the Joker tries to escape through the cave system, Batman frees his friends before giving chase. He catches up with the Joker, who tries to behead him with an axe, but as they fight the Bat-Family become exposed to a deadly new form of the Joker Toxin and violently turn against each other.

Batman and Joker face off on the edge of huge drop, where masks finally have no meaning, and the Dark Knight manages to turn the Clown Prince of Crime’s nefarious joke against him. Twisting everything the Joker professed to hold against him, using it to chip away at the last great divide between them, the one line in their nightmarish game of wits that only the Batman could ever be willing cross…

Even in defeat the Joker slips from his grasp, plunging into the waters below, leaving Batman’s family to recover from the horrific trauma the Joker inflicted upon them. Bruce oversees Alfred’s recovery at Wayne Manor, making a startling confession that only Alfred could truly understand. Alone in the cave Bruce studies the analysis of the new toxin Joker used to make the Bat-Family fight each other, and it is here, as  he gazes at the cold glow of the computer screen that the Joker’s greatest punch line is finally revealed.

With Batman #17 Scott Snyder beings the story of the Joker’s return full circle. Ever since the Joker broke into GCPD to retrieve his face from the evidence locker, leaving Gordon cowering in the darkness as he hears his officer’s necks being snapped one by one, we have been at the mercy of the Joker’s maniacal plan. Right from the outset, even Batman was left reeling when Joker abducted Alfred Pennyworth. After poisoning Gordon he systematically sets his sights on Batman’s allies, Joker’s revelation at the reservoir, that he knows their secret identities, leaves them all badly shaken. Later, when they learn that Joker may have actually found a way into the cave to leave his calling card, they are shocked that Bruce never deemed it necessary to tell them.

Now the final act of Scott Snyder’s masterpiece comes to fruition in Batman #17 after the Dark Knight raced to Arkham Asylum to save his friends from the Joker. As he wakes in the cavern the Joker taunts his captives mercilessly. He attempts to goad Batman into admitting why he has never exposed him or just killed him outright, in spite of all the heinous crimes he’s committed. Joker knows just what a slippery slope that would be for Batman, berating him for not having the courage of his convictions, mocking his allies with a love letter of hatred and lies.

Just when you thought you understood where Joker was coming from he summons Alfred, now a shambling wreck of his former self, who deliriously reveals the gastronomic delights the Joker has prepared for them. It is here that Batman #17 transcends all that has gone before, lurching into the realms of pure horror as Batman and his allies are confronted with a nightmare beyond anything they could have possibly imagined – and it is a scene that instantly conjures up images of a similar feast at the end of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

As the cavern explodes in flames Batman breaks free, blasting a hole in the roof to douse the chamber in water. Bruce goes immediately to Damien to make sure he is alright, then releasing Nightwing who tells him to leave them and get after the Joker. Placing his trust in them, Batman races after the Joker, but just after he leaves Batgirl notices something strange about the Joker’s two headed lion cub. A mass between its heads suddenly explodes, spewing out a new form a Joker toxin, one that sends them all into a violent rage, forcing them to attack each another whilst laughing maniacally. The return of the two headed lion cub is an inspired move by Snyder, this creepy little creature superbly illustrates the uncanny symbiosis the Joker shares with Batman, and it effectively places Batman’s allies at each other throats with its deadly cargo, peeling way their psyche as effectively as any scalpel.

Whether Batman knew he was leaving them in grave danger is uncertain, but even when he catches up with the Joker and learns what has happened, his resolve is unshaken. Batman knows they will fight back against the Joker’s toxin, his faith in their spirit is unbreakable, and he believes they are stronger than anything this monster could spawn from his diseased mind. The fact that it is Alfred who brings them to their senses before they kill each other, clearly shows just how much he means to all of them.

The Joker uses his corsage to spray acid into Batman’s face, searing his cowl, but his escape route leads directly to deep chasm. Joker stumbles over the edge but Batman catches him by the arm, holding him suspended over the very drop where the Bat Boat would dive into the Bat-Cave. Here on the edge of this yawning abyss Batman reveals how he has seen through the Joker’s plans, effectively playing him at his own joke, but before he can pull him up Joker lashes out, leaving Batman to watch as he plummets into the dark waters below.

Every page of Greg Capullo’s work on Batman has been astounding. His dark and foreboding take on Gotham City enthralled us in The Court of Owls, the Night of Owls kept us on the edge of our seats, and now with Death of The Family we have been privileged to have Capullo to illustrate one of the most sensational Joker stories of all time. Together with Jonathan Glampion’s distinctive inks and FCO Plascencia’s remarkable colours, Greg Capullo has helped create one of the most distinctive looks the Joker has ever had.

Joker’s rotting face is now even more grotesque than ever in Batman #17, with flies now constantly buzzing around him, the cadaverous grin ends up even more lopsided after a few well placed punches in their climatic showdown. With the masks of flesh and cowl both discarded by the end of this epic encounter, Scott Snyder once again defies our expectations as the closing moments unfold back at Wayne Manor when Bruce tells Alfred  of the time he visited Arkham under the pretence of investing in a new wing for the asylum. After causing a distraction, Bruce visited the Joker’s cell alone and presented him with the calling card, and thereby instantly deducing the truth in the lunatic’s eyes.

In this instant we begin to understand why the Joker allowed his face to be removed by the Dollmaker, that his entire ploy to mess with Batman’s mind was ultimately doomed to fail from that moment on, even though the cost would be high for the Bat-Family. Indeed, the actual Death of the Family here is a metaphorical one, as we begin to realise Batman’s allies could never understand the Joker like he does. The physical wounds will heal easily enough, but the psychological scars of this experience will take a long time to fade.

The deeply moving scenes where each member of the Bat-Family makes their excuses not to meet Bruce and give him the chance to explain are brilliantly staged by Snyder and Capullo. We can feel the pain of those tense silences and blunt text messages, even Dick cannot bring himself to go into detail about what the Joker said to him. As Bruce returns to the cave to study the Joker’s new toxin the results bring Death of the Family to a close with chilling finality.

Batman #17 is everything fans of this series could have hoped for. Death of the Family has shown us the deep understanding that the Batman and Joker share, and proves that it is one that goes far beyond masks and secret identities. Snyder and Capullo are one of the few writers and artists that have ever come as close to exposing the actual mechanics of this dark relationship, they have taken Batman and the Joker’s eternal dance of obsession and violence and twisted it into an all encompassing legend that will be long remembered as one of the greatest Batman stories ever told.

Batman #15 Review

Tags

Alfred, Batman, DC Comics, Death of the Family, Greg Capullo, Scott Snyder, The Joker, The New 52

Batman #15
Review by Paul Bowler
[Contains Spoilers]

Snared in a web of chattering joker teeth at Gotham’s reservoir, Batman struggles furiously against his bonds as The Joker gleefully celebrates his victory by announcing how he knows who Batman and his friends really are. When the Police arrive Joker’s goons fire RPG’s at Bullock and his men, destroying the roadblock and taking out the Police helicopter which then crashes into the reservoir. Batman breaks free, launching himself through the flames to attack the Joker, beating him and demanding to know what he has done with Alfred Pennyworth.

But in his haste to get free, Batman lost his gauntlets, inadvertently allowing his exposed fists to be contaminated with a paralysing Joker toxin when he punched The Joker. Overwhelmed by the toxin, Joker sends Batman tumbling into the water, promising that nothing will stand in the way of the ominous celebration he has planned for The Dark Knight and his allies.

After succumbing to a delirious nightmare about Alfred, Batman wakes to find himself back in the Batcave only to be faced with answering some difficult questions about the Joker from Damien, Nightwing, Red Robin, Batgirl, and Jason Tood. Realizing that The Joker’s plans must involve a significant number of accomplices, Batman traces the cellular signal Joker used at the reservoir back to an employee from Arkham Asylum. The guard tells Batman how the Joker has secretly taken over Arkham, threatening to kill their families in order to ensure their obedience, conducting horrifying experiments deep within the shadowy halls of the Asylum as he prepares as special surprise for Batman. Sensing that time is running out for Alfred, Batman races to Arkham Asylum, pausing for a moment on the steps of the building as he contemplates what horrors await him inside…

Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo take Batman #15 to new heights as Death of the Family moves into even darker territory than we thought possible. The opening and closing monologue from Batman himself bookends this frightening tale as The Dark Knight begins to peel away the nightmarish layers of The Joker’s plan, knowing that he must soon peer into Joker’s unblinking eyes and realize his own inner demons if he is to have any chance of saving Alfred from this madman.

One of the standout moments this issue comes when Snyder and Capullo masterfully delve into the enigma of the Joker’s twisted mindset. In a bid to convince them that the Joker was lying about knowing their secret identities, and his reasons for not telling them about Alfred’s kidnapping, Bruce recounts a story where he found The Joker’s “calling card” on the hull of the Batboat after Joker attempted to gas Gotham City and mysteriously vanished when he fell into the bay. A replica of that card has hung in the Batcave for years now, and as they stand before it, Batman’s friends are shocked to think that The Joker might actually have managed to cling to the Batboat after it submerged to make into the Cave. Although Batman is adamant this would be an impossible feat, even for him, it illustrates just how deeply engrained The Joker’s twisted games have become on Batman’s mind – and how much the rest of the Bat-Family still have to learn about Gotham Cities greatest menace.

Batman #15 brings last issues heart-stopping cliff hanger to an explosive end before slowly tapping the rich vein of horror that Snyder has continued to build on since The Joker’s return. Even the brief description of what Joker has been up to at Arkham is enough to make your blood run cold, as is the assumption that Batman has actually seen something in The Joker’s eyes before – something so horrible and unnerving that even Batman has to take a moment of contemplation before entering Arkham Asylum..

The art by Greg Capullo in Batman #15 is as enthralling as ever, it was great to see the entire Bat-Family reunited in the Batcave, and I really enjoyed how Jason Todd got to deliver some of the best lines as he openly voiced his doubts about the caves security. As the issue draws to a close we get our first glimpse of Capullo’s version of Arkham Asylum. The building looks more like some ancient fortress, almost resembling something out of a Universal Horror Film as Batman stands on the threshold, and we can only begin to imagine what nerve jangling horrors await within this terrifying institution for the criminally insane…

Red Light Green Light is another superb back up story by Snyder, Tynion IV, and Jock that gives us a further insight into Joker’s plans for Arkham Asylum when he enlists the help of The Riddler to complete his mad scheme. Joker needs Riddler to help him create a very special surprise for Batman, having drawn inspiration from Jeremiha Arkham’s Doctoral Diploma, something which even The Riddler cannot fully begin to comprehend as The Joker leads him away.

Batman #15 is another fantastic issue by Snyder and Capullo. Death of the Family continues to deliver on all fronts, and I’ve enjoyed every macabre and twisted moment.

Batman #14 Review

Tags

Alfred, Batman, Commissioner Gordon, DC Comics, Death of the Family, Gotham City, Greg Capullo, Harley Quinn, Jonathan Glapion, Nightwing, Scott Snyder, The Court of Owls, The Joker, The New 52

Batman #14

[Contains Spoilers]

Review by Paul Bowler

Realizing that the Joker is re-enacting his old crimes Batman tracked the Joker to A.C.E Chemicals, but instead of confronting The Clown Prince of Crime he encounters The Red Hood, who Batman quickly realizes is just Harley Quinn in disguise, After being trapped inside a bubbling vat of chemicals and left for dead by a distraught Harley Quinn, Batman struggles to free himself as his makeshift prison begins to fill up with the same deadly toxins that created the Joker. Using an explosive device from his utility belt, Batman manages to blow the lid off the vat, even though his proximity to the explosion critically damages his Bat-Suit.

Unable to raise Alfred on the communicator, Batman drives the Batmobile back to the Cave and issues a message to the other members of the Bat-Family, warning them that the Joker is now targeting all of them. Once at the Cave it becomes clear that Alfred is missing. Sensing something is seriously wrong Batman searches the Manor for his old friend, but all he finds is a small package on the doorstep containing an audio cassette. The tape holds a special message for Bruce Wayne. Joker gleefully explains that Alfred Pennyworth is now his hostage and how he will need Bruce Wayne’s employee to provide service for a special event he has planned. The message ends with Alfred screaming in agony as the Joker sprays Ammonia in his eyes.

Batman’s proximity to the explosion critically damages his Bat-Suit

Realizing that Gordon is the Joker’s next target, Batman goes to his home where Jim sits alone in the dark on his bed. With his nerves in shreds, Jim almost shoots the Dark Knight as he enters through the window, but he refuses Batman’s plan to take him to a secure bunker. Gordon knows he must confront the Joker if he is to face up to his fear, he even looks at some old photographs from the night Joker crippled Barbara, but as he does so his fingers begin to bleed.

Batman is shocked as Gordon collapses into his arms, his body bleeding profusely. He quickly rushes Jim to hospital where it becomes clear that the Joker had laced the pictures with a blood thinning derivative of Heparin. With Gordon stabilized Batman meets Nightwing on the roof of the hospital and brings him up to speed on the Joker’s plan. Nightwing is horrified to learn that Alfred has been kidnapped and asks Bruce if he thinks it’s possible that the Joker might have discovered their secret identities, but Batman doesn’t believe he has. Together they set out to face the Joker at the reservoir, where he once attempted to poison Gotham’s water supply, Nightwing heads for the aqueduct while Batman finally confronts the Joker on the reservoir itself.

It is here, at the scene of their very first face-to-face encounter so long ago, that history begins to repeat itself: the waters below are heaving with the bodies of innocent victims, Batman stands poised to knock the detonator from the Joker’s hand with a Batarang hidden behind his back, and Joker’s grotesque new countenance yields an even deadlier secret as he presses the detonator – unleashing a swarm of chatting Joker Teeth from the depths of the reservoir  that quickly ensnare Batman in a web of cables just as Nightwing is caught in an explosion at the aqueduct. With Batman trapped, and knowing that the rest of the Bat-Family will be able to hear him over the Police Wire, the Joker announces that he knows who they really are and that he is going to kill them all over the next seventy two hours to make them pay for making Batman so weak!

Joker’s reign of terror strikes right at the heart of the Dark Knights world

If last issue left you checking under your bed before you went to sleep, then Batman #14 will leave you reeling in shock as Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo continue to ramp up the tension as the Joker’s reign of terror strikes right at the very heart of  the Dark Knights world. The shock of seeing Alfred about to be bludgeoned with a hammer by the Joker at the end of Batman #13 is now supplanted by the discovery of an audio cassette left on the doorstep of Wayne Manor. As Batman listens to the tape Snyder leaves our rapt imagination to fill in the gruesome details, but just like Batman we are helplessly bound to our rage, unable to contemplate quite how this has happened. Before the tape ends Alfred starts screaming when the Joker sprays ammonia in his eyes, his tortured cries are cut short as Batman smashes the cassette deck, shattering our preconceptions to reveal that even Batman is not immune to such horror.

It is rare to see Batman react in this way. Of all the members of the Dark Knights rogues gallery there are few who can get under Batman’s skin quite like the Joker can, even during his darkest hour against The Court of Owls he was able to formulate some kind of strategy, but faced with the anarchic chaos of the Joker he is almost consumed by the grotesque schism of their unholy conflict. He does his best to reign in his emotions, even when later Gordon is almost killed by a blood thinning toxin – applied to the photographs in his bedside table by the Joker – the Dark Knight is once again powerless to prevent one of his closest friends being harmed by the Joker’s madness. It takes some stern talking from Nightwing on the roof of the hospital before Bruce actually acknowledges how Alfred’s kidnapping has affected him, but even here we can sense that Jim Gordon’s warning about never letting the Joker see your fear is still gnawing away beneath the Batman’s cowl.

Few can get under Batman’s skin quite like the Joker

As Batman races on the Bat-Bike to confront the Joker at the reservoir his thoughts are still very much with Alfred: recalling the way he always used to talk over the details of a case with him first, calling him on the way to any given confrontation; almost as if he were seeking reassurance before venturing into the jaws of battle. The masterstroke here is that Snyder not only allows us to see how deeply Bruce has been affected by Alfred’s kidnapping, but he also plays on our own fears, drawing us deeper and deeper into the churning mire of doubt and panic that still surrounds Alfred’s fate.

Snyder also highlights the distinct psychological aspects of how deeply rooted the Joker has become in Batman’s psyche, illustrating how they share an uncanny duality that seems to have become an all consuming obsession beyond anything we could have conceivably imagined. The vat Batman is trapped in fills with the same toxic chemicals that created the Joker: after years of study over many sleepless afternoons Batman has learned the exact composition of this nefarious mix of sodium hydroxide, sulphuric acid, chromium solution, and zinc sulphide – even down to the small hint of copper that infuses this deadly toxin with its ominous green glow. You can just imagine Bruce alone in the cave, studying slide after slide of this toxic brew, looking for some key to the ghoulish monster it created; some small glimmer of understanding amidst all the horror and collateral damage the Joker has caused, only to see his own eyes reflected in the lens of the microscope…

Every panel of Greg Capullo’s stunning art and Jonathan Glapion’s exemplary inks ensures Batman #14 one of the most memorable yet – transfixing us with the horrors inflicted on Alfred and Commissioner Gordon – each page seeming to infuse us with the encroaching dread of Batman’s inevitable confrontation with the Joker. When they finally face each other at the reservoir we get our first close up glimpse of Capullo’s new version of the Joker. The grubby overalls have replaced the garish purple suit of old, the ragged remains of Joker’s face is now strapped to the raw meat of his skull, a monstrous parody of his former life – his workman-like approach to clawing away at the Batman’s resolve through his friends has refined the razors edge of Joker’s obsession into a weapon that is lethal enough to slice through to the Dark Knights greatest secret of all.

Batman issues a warning that the Joker is now targeting all of them

After ensnaring Batman in the cables spewed from the chattering teeth that fly from the waters of the reservoir, Joker reveals that he knows who they are, presenting Batman with a book he claims to have made from the skin of bats from the Bat-Cave itself – one filled with the secrets he has gathered as he watched and waited while Batman struggled against The Court of Owls. Batman still believes Joker is lying, yet as Joker screams his punch line up at the storm filled sky, you can’t help but sit back and wonder if the Joker might actually get to have the last laugh this time around.

Whether he actually knows the Batman’s secret identity or not, and those of his allies, the Joker has just opened the ultimate jack-in-the-box that will no doubt have serious ramifications over the coming months as Death of the Family spills into the rest of the Bat-Titles. Batman seems unperturbed by the Joker’s revelation and is convinced he is bluffing. They both know each other so well; it’s almost as if the masks have become the greatest joke of all, their lives now intrinsically bound together in ever decreasing circles of secrets and lies that neither would really seem complete without the other. In playing this ultimate “Joker” card Scott Snyder has given us one of the most delicious juxtapositions ever, one that alters everything but proves nothing, planting a seed of doubt that is as insidious as any of the Joker’s mind games. The Joker’s relationship with Batman has now evolved into something so dark and heinous that it transcends all that has gone before, and this time the stakes have never been higher. Joker’s warped fixation on what he perceives as the Batman’s weakness has made him more dangerous than ever, he is determined to tear down the support network Batman has built up around himself, and he seems genuinely disappointed when his “King” fails to realize how far he has fallen in his old foes estimations when they square off at the reservoir.

Batman is trapped in a vat of the same toxic chemicals that created the Joker

Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo will take your nerves and shred them into tiny pieces with Batman #14, the closing moments on the reservoir mark one of the greatest standoffs ever seen between the Joker and Batman. This issues backup story (Men of Worship) features a clandestine meeting of almost biblical proportions between the Joker and the Penguin in a church on the outskirts of Gotham that literally oozes with menace. The blood splattered congregation of slaughtered lieutenants from every major crime family in Gotham sit silently amongst the shadows as the Joker makes Cobblepot an offer he cannot refuse. This chilling little tale serves as a perfect footnote to the main storyline and really empathizes just how meticulous the Joker has been about his return to Gotham City.

Death of the Family is only just beginning. We can’t even begin to imagine what Scott Snyder has in store for us next, but with the Joker involved, I think we can rest assured that there are twisted times ahead for anyone who crosses his path…