Batman: Urban Legends #20 [Part One] - DC Comics

BATMAN: URBAN LEGENDS No. 20, December 2022

Hooking its readers straight from the start with a thrilling trip “to the world of Batman, monster hunter”, this particular anthology comic book must surely have pleased any fans of “DC Comics” alternative reality-based publication imprint “Elseworlds”. In fact, considering Jim Zub’s storyline for “Castle Arkham” arguably contains the perfect mix of medieval horror, dedicated detective work and pulse-pounding pugilism, it’s doubtful any perusing bibliophile would have been able to put Issue Twenty of “Batman: Urban Legends” back down until they’d at least witnessed Bruce Wayne and Julia Pennyworth successfully thwart Kirkland Langstrom’s misguided attempt to rule Gotham as a terrifying demonic bat-creature.

Much of this mesmerising spell is indisputably due to the Canadian author penning an incredibly believable and intriguing feudal world of swashbuckling swordplay and mean-spirited politics. However, enormous credit must also be given to Max Dunbar’s simply sumptuous layouts, with the illustrator pencilling some seriously disconcerting ghouls who increase their grinning numbers through a bloody sacrificial ritual, as well as an awesome-looking finale set high above the dark metropolis’ rooftops; “In the city square, the people celebrate good harvest and good fortune… Until their revelry crumbles into unspeakable fear.”

Equally as enjoyable, though significantly shorter than this periodical’s opening yarn, is Chris Burnham’s “epic Alfred saga” which quite marvellously manages to spotlight the loyal butler’s ability to outthink his opponents even when they are both numerous and dangerously fanatical about their diabolical cause. Absolutely vibrant in its Lovecraftian imagery, courtesy of the narrative’s fixation upon the Assyrian fish deity, Dagon, this ten-pager’s plot probably wrong-footed a fair few in its audience by rather cleverly having the decapitated god’s scales actually turn out to be much more than just ancient rigid skin plates.

Furthermore, the Connecticut-born artist also provides “Out Of The Frying Pan” with plenty of compelling visualisations, not least of which is the imaginative underwater museum display dedicated to Dagon’s long-dead corpse. Coupled with the American’s dynamic drawings of two competing cult factions, including amphibian-headed rubber masks plus obligatory red robes, and most readers will easily get caught up in the frantic post-ritual fight once the first angry punch is thrown.

Writers: Jim Zub and Chris Burnham, and Artists: Max Dunbar and Chris Burnham