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

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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.