Batman #95 Review

Tags

Batman, Batman #95, Batman #95 review, DC Comics, Gotham, James Tynion IV, Joege Jimenez, Joker, Joker War, Joker War Part 1, Lucius Fox, Punchline, Tommy Morey

Batman #95

Review by Paul Bowler

Joker War gets underway in earnest in Batman #95 as the Clown Prince of Crime and the Dark Knight prepare to square off for their greatest battle yet! The Joker’s motivations have changed. He’s gone all out to gain the upper hand, and Joker is hell bent on ensuring this will be the final chapter in their eternal conflict. Batman’s life is already in ruins and Joker War has  only just begun!

The much touted final showdown between Batman and the Joker explodes — quite literally — in the pages of Batman #95 with Part One of writer James Tynion IV’s highly anticipated Joker War. Following the shock revelation of the Designer’s true identity and Joker having now seized control of the Wayne fortune, the issue quickly establishes the dramatic shift in the Joker’s goals with an insightful flashback to Batman’s early years as he races in the Batmobiile to a previous showdown with the Joker, and Tynion skilfully uses this opportunity to tug at our heart strings as the conversation between Alfred and Batman highlights some particularly striking parallels between past and present circumstances.

Indeed, the fallout from Alfred’s death seems to permeate virtually every aspect of this issue for Batman. Never has Batman needed his oldest, most trusted friend more, and never has he seemed so desperately alone without him. As we rejoin events in the present day Tynion dramatically relays how Bruce’s fortune, Gotham, and even the law have all been taken by the Joker and turned against the Dark Knight. Even Lucius Fox has succumbed to the Joker’s influence, thus giving the Clown Prince of Crime access to all the wonderful toys, and the GCPD has been rendered powerless because of the Underwriter’s legal machinations. Everything that made Batman what he was has been completely stripped away and the Dark Knight is now effectively on the run.

Joege Jimenez’s art for Batman #95 is sumptuously rendered and vividly detailed. The opening flashback, which dovetails sublimely into a high octane Batmobile chase, together with the gloriously gloomy depiction of Gotham, the tantalising glimpse of a new Bat-Suit that’s highly reminiscent of the ice-tech look of George Clooney’s final costume in Batman & Robin (minus the nipples thankfully), and Batman’s face-off with Punchline are all action-packed moments that are beautifully realised by Jimenez’s impressive artwork and Tommy Morey’s exquisite colors. For me though the biggest highlight of the issue was the Joker splurging the cash as he returned to the very origins of the legacy of the Bat itself in the most macabre way imaginableIt! It’s a brilliant, creepy scene, and genuinely chilling. 

That aforementioned showdown between Batman and Punchline is another great moment in this issue. Although I found Punchline’s debut a few issues previously something of an anti-climax after all the hype surrounding her, she’s beginning to grow on me a little bit now, and her fight with Batman in the compromised Mini-Bat-Cave saw significant improvements in the characterisation and depiction of the Joker’s new partner.

As cliffhangers go, this issues a doozy, and I can’[t wait to see how Dark Knight fights his way out of this one! Batman #95 provides a bombastic opening salvo to Joker War and certainly gets this major DC Comics Bat-Event off to a great start. Tynion’s run on Batman continues to go from strength to strength with every issue, he’s really firing on all cylinders now, and the art team on this book is also doing a fantastic job. So, will Joker War really turn out to be this much hyped final conflict between the Joke and Batman? No, I don’t believe that for a moment either, but it sure looks like we are going to be in for a battle Royale whatever happens after the dust has settled in the wake of this epic Batman event!

Publisher:DC Comics

Writer: James Tynion IV / Artist Joege Jimenez

Colors: Tommy Morey / Letters: Clayton Cowles

Cover: Jimenez & Morey / Joker Variant Cover: Francesco Mattina

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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

 

Batman #94 Review

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Bat Cat, Batman, Batman #94, Batman #94 review, Catwoman, DC Comics, Gotham, Guillem March, James Tynion IV, Joker, Joker War

Batman #94

Review By Paul Bowler.

Joker War looms on the horizon in Batman #94 following the fallout from the Designer’s grand scheme. The Dark Knight’s life is in ruins and the ambitious rebuilding of Gotham City has ground to a halt. New forces have risen to shape Gotham’s destiny — and there’s nothing Batman can do to prevent it. Lost, without Alfred or the Bat-Family by his side, and desperate to save the woman he loves Batman now stands alone as he faces the ascension of his greatest foe — the Joker! 

The finale of Their Dark Designs unfolds with a funeral-like dirge of thunder and storm clouds rumbling over Gotham as writer James Tynion IV brings Batman’s world crashing down around him. As the realisation for the Dark Knight, Catwoman and the entirety of Gotham’s rogues  gallery that they’ve all been played by the Joker begins to reverberate across the city, Tynion continues to excel, weaving an insightful flashback to the young Bruce Wayne’s early years of training before he became the Bat into the narrative and the Designer’s machinations to bring everything full circle with Bruce’s encounter with Cassander Wycliffe Baker – the worlds greatest detective.

From there Batman #94 goes into free-fall as the Dark Knight battles back from the brink. Lucius Fox might be on hand to assist after Deathstroke’s attack, but he can’t be the ally Bruce needs right now, especially if they are to have any chance against the Joker who has just seized control of the Wayne fortune. The emotional fallout is equally devastating for Bruce, something that’s powerfully highlighted by the phone conversation between the Bat and the Cat. It’s a heartrending, pivotal moment; and something that could very well strain their relationship to breaking point.

The artistic duties for this issue are shared between Guillem March and Rafael Albuquerque. Their distinct and individual styles complement each other nicely, seamlessly bookending scenes, whilst balance the grim tone and emotional beats of Tynion’s story perfectly, and the rich colors by David Baron bring vivid clarity and tone to every page. Everything from Bruce’s flashback, to the Dark Knight’s steely determination to reach Selina, with a chilling confrontation at the hospital, and the final scenes as Batman looks to the raging heavens above  Gotham for a sign all converge to make this one of the most visually impressive and compelling issues of Batman we’ve seen so far in this run.

All in all, I think James Tynion’s first story arc for Batman has turned out really well. Their Dark Designs has ushered in a powerful, innovative and thoughtful new era for the Dark Knight. Batman #94 is a resounding finale to this saga, it rounds everything off with an emotional rollercoaster ride that will leave the Bat broken by his own design, and brilliantly paves the way for the start of Joker War!

Publisher: DC Comics

Writer: James Tynion IV / Art: Guillem March & Rafael Albuquerque

Colors: David Baron / Letters: Clayton Cowles

Cover: Tony S Daniel & Tommy 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

 

Batman #93 review

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Batman, Batman #93, Batman #93 Review, Catwoman, DC Comics, Deathstroke, Gotham, Harley Quinn, James Tynion IV, Joker, Joker War, Penguin, Punchline, Riddler, The Underwriter, Their Dark Designs

Batman #93

Review by Paul Bowler.

Batman squares off against the Designer in Batman #93 as Their Dark Designs reaches its thrilling conclusion! In the space of a year the Dark Knight has lost more than he could have ever thought possible, and now he faces a loss so shattering it will change his life beyond all recognition! But an even greater battle awaits. Joker War is on the horizon, and Gotham will never be the same again…

It’s safe to say there’s quite a lot riding on events in Batman #93, as winter Jame’s Tynion IV wraps up his first major story arc on the title, and effectively sets the stage for the imminent Joker War. So, is Batman #93 the culmination of a grand design, or does it completely miss the punchline?

Well, fortunately Tynion succeeds in brining together the numerous tangled plot threads In Their Dark Designs Part 8 to deliver a relatively satisfying finale to the story. There is the usual sparing between villain and Dark Knight as the grand scheme is unpicked and revealed, and their showdown is as deliciously theatrical as it is theatric. We also get to learn a lot more about the mysterious Underbroker and his organisation as he assists Catwoman in completing the greatest heist Gotham has ever seen, while Harley Quinn and the Joker’s new partner, Punchline, face off in spectacular fashion.

I have to say I wasn’t all that impressed with Punchline’s much touted debut last issue. Tynion goes some way to bringing more depth to the character in Batman #93, and her scrap here with Harley Quinn positively crackles with snappy dialogue and razor sharp action. While I still think Punchline comes across like some kind of vamped up version of Gogo from Kill Bill VOL I, her motivations for being with the Joker do at least have some credence to them. I still don’t understand  why there’s been so much hype about Punchline, it all seems a bit gimmicky to me, but hey, who knows, maybe Joker War will see the character continue to evolve and really get a chance to shine?

Batman #93 features some great work  from artists Guillem March and Javier Fernandez, along with colors by Tomeu Morey and David Baron, to ensure that this closing chapter of Their Dark Designs captures the sombre, brooding tone of Tynion’s script perfectly. There’s a wonderful montage of pages that collectively flashback and forwards over events, each one highlighting  a myriad of crucial aspects, narrative threads and potential outcomes. The fight between Batman and the Designer is also equally impressive, as are the highly atmospheric scenes between the Underwriter and Catwoman as Harley Quinn’s and Punchline’s anarchic dance of violence plays out with truly shocking results.

On the whole then, James Tynion IV brings Their Dark Designs to a powerful and surprising end. Batman #93 is an exciting, action-packed issue, it goes for broke, in more ways than one, and I’ve a feeling that by the time Joker War hits the Dark Knight’s world is genuinely going to be turned upside down on all fronts.

Publisher: DC Comics

Writer: James Tynion IV / Artists: Guillem March & Javier Fernandez

Colors: Tomeu Morey & David Baron / Letters: 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

Dark Knights Death Metal #1 Review

Tags

Batman, Batman Who Laughs, Dark Knight Death Metal #1, Dark Knights Death Metal, Dark Knights Death Metal #1 review, DC Comics, Greg Capullo, Joker, Justice League, Metal, NCBD, Scott Snyder, Sjuperman, Wonder Woman

Dark Knights Death Metal #1

Review by Paul Bowler.

DC Comics major, world changing event of the year kicks off in Dark Knights Death Metal #1, reuniting the all-star creative team behind Dark Knights: Metal and Batman Last Knight on Earth, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo, for an epic encore that is sure to rock your world and the DCU to the core!

Following in the wake of Year of the Villain and Scott Snyder’s run on Justice League, Dark Knights Death Metal #1 plunges us straight into the heart of a dark new DC Universe.  The Earth has been enveloped by the Dark Multiverse, Perpetua is cutting a swathe of carnage across the multiverse, and the Justice League are now almost completely at the mercy of the Batman Who Laughs. Humanity clings on, battling to survive in a hellish, twisted world, while Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman have become separated and continue to fight on against the terrifying horrors of this new reality.

Dark Knights Death Metal #1 rocks right from the outset, quite literally in fact. Scott Snyder weaves an engrossing narrative peppered with intricate exposition that effortlessly draws you into this warped new reality. Wonder Woman is now Queen of the Underworld, the realm which had formally been Themyscira is now a fiery gulag, with cages and pits for those unfortunate enough to have been condemned to its depths by the Batman Who Laughs. Its great to see Diana take centre stage, the banter with her loyal ally — a rather emaciated  Swamp Thing –  is also brilliantly written by Snyder, and the build up to Wonder Woman’s eventual face off with the Batman Who Laughs leaves you in no doubt that Snyder’s firing on all cylinders here. Of course the one, true Dark Knight is waiting in the wings for his moment to strike, and believe me when Batman makes his move everyone sits up and takes notice.

Needless to say artist Greg Capullo brings every aspect of Snyder’s head-banging action-packed script to life in the most amazing ways imaginable. Capullo’s depiction of the Earth, along with its heroes and villains, warped almost beyond all recognition by the Dark Multiverse is an awe inspiring sight. You will find yourself flicking backwards and forwards through the pages as you try and process the sheer scope and scale of everything Capullo has achieved here, together with the inks by Jonathan Glapion and colors by FCO Plascencia, as Wonder Woman challenges a furious dinobot Bat-Rex, Robin’s lurk like grinning gargoyles on the rooftops, the charge of Batman’s undead strike team will blow your mind, and the Batman Who Laughs sinister delight in the chaos he has unleashed is so palpable it almost seeps from the page. 

You’d be forgiven for thinking this all sounds a bit overwhelming, because you’d be right. It is a little. Fear not though, for, if like me you don’t tend to read big comic book events all that often these days, Dark Knights Death Metal #1 does feature an in-depth recap of sorts around the mid-way point, so even if you’ve not read anything leading up to this event, you will be able to jump right in and enjoy it without too much trouble as Snyder has done a superb job in ensuring the big reveal of the new prisoner in the pit provides you with all the backstory you’ll need to bring you up to speed.

Events in Dark Knights Death Metal #1 also build to a thrilling, jaw dropping showdown and cliffhanger that’s so ingeniously orchestrated it will rip your synapses to shreds as it sets the stage for the conflict to come.

The hype and expectation surrounding Death Metal has been phenomenal. Some might argue the Perpetua, Dark Multiverse and Batman Who Laughs storylines have now been milked for all their worth. For me though Dark Knights Death Metal #1 delivers the goods on every level, Snyder and Capullo are on great form, it more than lives up to the hype, and looks set to change the landscape of the DC Universe by the time it concludes next year.

As we begin to take our first cautious steps out of the Covid 19 pandemic lockdown here in the UK its has been nice to enjoy some new comics again. I have to say as well that DC Comics are really knocking it out of the park right now and leading the way with some fantastic new issues and events as the comic book industry begins to restart after the shutdown. Dark Knights Death Metal #1 gets this comic book event off to a fantastic start, and it has all the ingredients that will make it a sure-fire-hit!

Publisher: DC Comics

Writer: Scott Snyder / Artist: Greg Capullo

Inks: Jonathan Glapion / Colors: FCO Plascencia / Letters: Tom Napolitano

Cover: Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, and FCO Plascencia

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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

 

Batman #91 Review

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Batman, Batman #91, Batman #91 review, Bruce Wayne, Catwoman, DC Comics, Deathstroke, Harley Quinn, James Tynion IV, Joker, Penguin, Riddler, The Designer, The Nightclimber

Batman #91

Review by Paul Bowler

The Dark Knight squares off against Deathstroke in Batman #91 as the mysterious Designer’s grand plan begins to overwhelm Gotham. In order to help Batman save the city Catwoman will have to undertake the greatest heist in Gotham’s history. However, with Joker, Penguin and Riddler involved, and with a team of assassins on the loose Catwoman must reluctantly team-up with Harley Quinn while Batman confronts Deathstroke alone…

Writer James Tynion IV gathers numerous plot threads together in Their Dark Designs Part 6, as the pieces of the Designer’s scheme woven from the betrayal of the major players of Gotham’s nefarious Rogues Gallery of villains begins to unfold. Batman #91 starts chillingly enough. Joker has a tale to tell, one where he’s naturally the star of the show of course. It’s a glorious retelling of the Joker’s, Riddler’s, Pernguin’s, and Catwoman’s past encounter with the Designer from last issues flashback to events at Tartarus House, and its frighteningly relayed to the Joker’s captive audience. Add an intriguing phone call, together with the fact that the Joker War storyline is rapidly approaching, and this interlude with Joker clearly lays the groundwork for even darker things to come.

After reigning in Harley Quinn following her brief stint on drone duty, the primary focus of the issue is Batman’s high-octane chase and showdown with Deathstroke, Once again Tynion’s brings some superb characterisation to the fore here as Batman confronts Deathstroke with the Nightclimber, highlighting some striking parallels between them as Batman strives to make his case for saving Gotham City. Likewise, Catwoman and Harley Quinn are thrown together again and have to fight their way out of trouble. There’s a great dynamic between them too which leads to some hilarious asides and observations from Harley Quinn on the whole Bat-Cat relationship!

Batman #91’s artwork is shared between Rafael Albuquerque, Jorge Jimenez, and Carlo Pagulayan. Each of their distinctive artistic styles is perfectly suited to the trio of plot lines they’ve been allotted to render. The varying styles overlap nicely and don’t jar as a result, action sequences flow seamlessly alongside the more character driven moments, and the colors by Tomeu Morey accentuates the dark, brooding atmosphere of the issue perfectly.

Following Batman’s unexpected alliance with a deadly foe, everything builds to an exciting cliff-hanger as another player steps into the fray to take their turn in the Designer’s game. Although the story is starting to feel a little conventional with yet another mysterious villain seemingly knowing the Dark Knight’s every move, Tynion’s excellent writing keeps things engaging enough, the art is also very good, and the action-adventure tone ensures this is another exciting issue.

Publisher: DC Comics

Writer James Tynion IV /

Art: Rafael Albuquerque, Jorge Jimenez, Carlo Pagulayan, and Danny Miki

Colors: Tomeu Morey / Letters: Clayton Cowles

Cover: Jimenez and 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

Happy Christmas, On The Mend & Looking Foward to 2020!

Tags

Cybermen, Doctor Who, Doctor Who Series 12, Joker, Lost in Space, Sci-Fi Jubilee, Star Trek Picard, Star Wars, Star Wars The Rise Of Skywalker, Terminator Dark Fate, The Witcher

On The Mend and Looking Forward to 2020!

Well, first I’d just like to say a big thank you to everyone for supporting me and Sci-Fi Jubilee in 2019 while I’ve been off recovering from my recent operation. Its been a long, tough few months, but I’m well on the mend now.

At times its was a bit frustrating not being well enough to focus on my blog or YouTube Channel, but I had to follow Doctor’s orders and rest. Sadly I did miss several of the comic books I was looking forward to reading, and there were films like Joker and Terminator Dark Fate that I never got around to seeing. On the plus side I had plenty of time to relax and enjoy lots of my favourite classic TV shows, especially Doctor Who and Star Trek, and lots of classic movies, Sci-Fi and Horror, that I haven’t watched in ages either.

Now it’s time to look forward to the end of the year and everything that 2020 has to offer! First off there’s Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker, so will be sure to see that over the holidays. Doctor Who returns on New Year’s Day as Series 12 begins. I’m glad  to see the Cybermen return as well as they are my favourite Doctor Who monster. Also excited for The Witcher, Lost In Space Season 2, and Star Trek Picard! There’s lots of movies I’m looking forward to in 2020, including Black Widow, No Time To Die, and Wonder Woman 1984, to name just a few, and I’m sure there’ll be plenty of comic books to enjoy as well.

Most of all though I’d like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you for all the get well messages you’ve sent me here on Sci-Fi Jubilee and on Twitter. I was totally bowled over by your kind words and good wishes while I was recovering, you helped me keep my spirits up through the tough times after my surgery, and for that I truly cannot thank you all enough.

So, here’s to a very merry Christmas and happy holidays to you all as the festive season approaches, and I look forward to an exciting New Year in 2020 with Sci-Fi Jubilee!

Cheers everyone, and see you soon.

Paul.

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Batman Curse of the White Knight #1 Review

Tags

Batman, Batman Curse of the White Knight, Batman Curse of the White Knight #1 Review, Commissioner Gordon, DC Black Label, DC Comics, Gotham, Joker, Matt Hollingsworth, NCBD, Sean Murphy

Batman Curse of the White Knight #1

Review by Paul Bowler

Dark secrets and old scores wait to be settled in Batman Curse of the White Knight #1, the hotly anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed Batman White Knight, when the Joker sets out to recruit Azrael to his cause to ruin the Wayne legacy and bring chaos to Gotham City once more!

Writer and artist Sean Murphy’s new eight-part mini-series continues to build on the foundations set up during Batman White Knight which established his unique spin on the Dark Knight’s world, one where Joker reclaimed his sanity to become the good guy, while Batman’s increasingly brutal methods effectively painted him as the bad guy. Now in the sequel Curse of the White Knight the Joker is back with an axe to grind, and determined to have the last laugh on Gotham as Batman contemplates his future as the Dark Knight.

From the foreboding flashback to Arkham, 1685, to the Clown Prince of Crimes ingenious escape in the present, right up to Batman and Gordon’s grim discovery, Sean Murphy’s script quickly sets up the premise of this new mini-series and runs with it for all its worth. The warped existential fallout of Joker’s and Jack Naper’s psyche in the aftermath of Batman White Knight allows Murphy to skilfully fuel the chilling narrative via the Joker’s character, and fan the flames of Jean Paul’s equally fractured psyche to bring Azrael to the fore.

Gordon knows Bruce is Batman now, but that doesn’t really seem to have changed the dynamic between them. If anything, their relationship now seems more assured and measured in Curse of the White Night. The mystery they uncover offers up some tantalizing clues early on. However, the big highlights this issue are the character driven Bat-Family moments: such as the powerful scenes between Bruce and Dick Grayson in the Bat-Cave, where Murphy’s blisteringly sharp dialogue shows just how much Bruce’s perceived failure has had on him, there’s some wry humour to defuse the darkness as Batman and Batgirl assess the case evidence so far, and the late Alfred Pennyworth’s deeply moving note is sure to melt even the coldest of hearts.

Sean Murphy’s art is on top form and brings everything to the page that you’ve probably come to expect from this series already. The dark, gritty rendition of this alternative slant on the Dark Knight’s world is swathed in deep shadows and a mesmerising gothic grandeur that seems to encompass even the smallest scene. Arkham is more sinister than ever, Murphy’s grizzled Batman seems even more intimidating this time around, fan boy cinematic flourishes such as the Joker’s gun are an added bonus to enjoy, and the Bat-Cave depicted here is a sweeping vista of Bat-paraphernalia the likes of which feels more like a frame in a movie than a panel in a comic book. Matt Hollingsworth’s colors complements Murphy’s artwork perfectly as you’d expect, with the opaque shades of the earlier scenes giving way to subtle greys and earthier tones as the issue progresses to a fiery denouement. The lettering by AndWorldDesign is crisp and clean – essential in a dialogue heavy issue like this – and together with the sumptuous art and colors you will soon find yourself immersed in the multiple twists and turns of the plot.

Batman Curse of the White Knight #1 gets this new series off a fantastic start. Sean Murphy and Matt Hollingsworth make a fantastic team, the Joker’s plot in Curse of the White Knight is sure to test Batman and his allies to the limit, the introduction of Azrael to their Dark Knight’s mythos is also an intriguing one, and I really like how this storyline follows on from the events of the previous mini-series in so many unexpected and surprising ways. One thing’s for sure, this new chapter in the White Knight saga looks set to shake Gotham to the core!

Publisher DC Comics (DC Black Label)

Writer, Art, & Covers by Sean Murphy

Colors & Cover Colors by Matt Hollingsworth

Letters by AndWorldDesign

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Batman #16 Review

Tags

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

Batman #16

Review by Paul Bowler

[Contains Spoilers]

Snyder and Capullo’s genre defining Death of the Family saga has struck right at the heart of the Dark Knights world.  Now Batman must venture into the shadowy halls of Arkham Asylum itself if he is to save Alfred and confront the Joker before his maniacal plan comes to fruition. As he enters Batman discovers the terrified guards who Joker’s imprisoned, forcing them to dance in the waterlogged cells while wearing Batman and Joker costumes, with the Clown Prince of Crimes watching via CCTV – finger poised to electrify the floor at any moment.

After dealing with the threat, Batman explores further: encountering heinous acts of cruelty and depravity, a gang of torch wielding maniacs, a gut wrenching tapestry crafted to commemorate his past encounters with the Joker, chanting lunatics strung up like bats, and a plethora of enemies from his Rogues Gallery who have assembled to foil his attempt to reach the Joker’s inner sanctum in Jeremiah Arkham’s quarters.

But the Joker is not alone; he has brought Two Face, Penguin, and Riddler with him for this final act, along with four captives who he has dressed up as members of the JLA. As Batman struggles to break down the door, Joker gets each prisoner to play a bizarre game of Russian roulette with an electrified chainsaw. Batman breaks into the room, but metal bars slide down to keep him at bay, while the Joker reveals what he has done to Batman’s allies on a bank of television screens. Shocked by what he sees, Batman has no choice but to agree to the Joker’s demands and sit down of the throne that has been specially prepared for him…

Batman #16 is one of Scott Snyder’s finest issues to date. His incarnation of the Joker is so unashamedly evil that it makes your skin crawl, there seems no limit to the Joker’s madness this time, and Snyder uses every opportunity here to make you almost jump out of your seat. There is one particularly horrifying moment where even Batman seems to almost lose his lunch as he searches Arkham, it picks up an almost irrelevant plot thread, douses it in gasoline and sends it charging right out of the page to sear your mind with nasty afterimage you won’t easily forget in a hurry.

If just the just prospect of Greg Capullo drawing Arkham Asylum left you drooling in anticipation at the end of last issue, then Batman #16 will send you teetering over the abyss of gothic glee as you descend into the bowels of Gotham’s most nefarious institution. Not only do we get to see Greg Capullo illustrate every nuance of the Joker’s deranged plan within the inky depths of Arkham‘s corridors, we also have Capullo drawing nearly every one of Batman’s greatest foes in one issue, and I don’t mind admitting to a little fan boy squeal of joy as my personal favourite Bat-Villain, Clayface, lunged at Batman in a spiral staircase.

Most shocking of all though is the Joker’s appearance in Batman #16. Since his return his face has been stretched over the raw flesh of his skull, now it seems to be decaying. Every close up of Joker shows flies buzzing around his head or crawling around his scalp, its revolting in the extreme, yet its impossible to not be fascinated by the deliciously macabre glint in his eyes that almost seems to bulge from their lidless sockets in anticipation of his greatest victory.

The previous back up stories by Snyder, Tynion IV, and Jock, have all served as mini prequels to the principle storyline. Judgment differs significantly in this respect, acting as a direct continuation of Batman #16’s shocking conclusion, which sees the direct aftermath where the Joker venomously turns on Riddler, Penguin, and Two Face. I loved the way the Joker picked away at Two Face’s psyche, almost as if he were teasing Harvey Dents scabbed face away with words – just as the Dollmaker removed his own face and pinned it to the wall. The Joker almost does the same thing here to the trio of captive rogues, but does so without even breaking a sweat or spilling a drop of blood, all the more terrifying in the light of the special delicacies he’s prepared for dinner.

With a cover that shows the Joker waiting for Batman in the kingdom he has built for him, his overalls adorned with the clothing of the vanquished members of the Bat-Family, we can only begin to imagine what the final act of Death of the Family will hold for us.