The fourth title to showcase DC’s Caped Crusader hits this week. As a gothic hero, he also kicks off the comic reviews over the Halloween weekend.
General Information
Title: Batman: The Dark Knight #1
Author: Paul Jenkins (writer and co-plotter) and David Finch (co-plotter)
Illustrator(s): David Finch (pencils), Richard Friend (inks) and Alex Sinclair (colours)
Cover Date: November 2011
Cover Price: $2.99
Buy the digital edition.
Premise
Bruce Wayne is active at a charity event, following the pre-relaunch announcement that Bruce Wayne has been funding the Batman from the start. Before the night is out, he is called to Arkham Asylum to deal with a riot.
High Point
The opening speech about fear.
Low Point
This feels like Detective took the same core of an idea and did it better. At the very least, it did it first and to a greater extreme.
The Scores
This is an original twist on the other classic Bat-villain. Some of the rest seems to be fallout from recent events. I give it 4 out of 6.
The artwork starts with David Finch pencils. ‘Nuff said. I give it 6 out of 6.
The story is told well enough. We get a feel for the status quo as this title defines it, as well as where this title is going and the themes to be explored. I give it 5 out of 6.
The characterization is clear enough. It’s hard to judge how well a comic introduces Batman in some ways, given his iconic status. The character’s cartoon didn’t even need a title card, after all. This is definitely the “Dark Knight” incarnation of Batman that I enjoy more than the other incarnations. I give it 5 out of 6.
The emotional response is dampened mainly because it’s the fourth book in the relaunch and previous weeks handled similar things more impressively. I give it 3 out of 6.
The flow is smooth and easy to follow. I give it 6 out of 6.
Overall, it’s a solid first issue and well worth reading, but of the Batman-centric titles, I’d say it’s the third priority of the four. I give it 4 out of 6.
In total, Batman: The Dark Knight #1 receives 33 out of 42.
The New 52
Here are handy links for the reviews of all 52 new #1 issues:
- Action Comics
- All-Star Western
- Animal Man
- Aquaman
- Batgirl
- Batman
- Batman and Robin
- Batman: The Dark Knight
- Batwing
- Batwoman
- Birds of Prey
- Blackhawks
- Blue Beetle
- Captain Atom
- Catwoman
- DC Universe Presents
- Deathstroke
- Demon Knights
- Detective Comics
- The Flash
- Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E.
- The Fury of Firestorm
- Green Arrow
- Green Lantern
- Green Lantern Corps
- Green Lantern: New Guardians
- Grifter
- Hawk and Dove
- I, Vampire
- Justice League
- Justice League Dark
- Justice League International
- Legion Lost
- Legion of Super-Heroes
- Men of War
- Mister Terrific
- Nightwing
- O.M.A.C.
- Red Hood and the Outlaws
- Red Lanterns
- Resurrection Man
- The Savage Hawkman
- Static Shock
- Stormwatch
- Suicide Squad
- Superboy
- Supergirl
- Superman
- Swamp Thing
- Teen Titans
- Voodoo
- Wonder Woman