Batman #23.4 [The New 52] - DC Comics

BATMAN No. 23.4, November 2013

It is incredible to believe that in September 2013 this so-called “DC Comics” Villains Month one-shot was the eighth best-selling comic according to “Diamond Comic Distributors” and somehow managed to shift an astonishing 95,298 copies. For whilst this twenty-page periodical features the notable artwork of Bane’s co-creator Graham Nolan, Peter J. Tomasi's storyline for “Dark Destiny” is bitterly disappointing, with the ‘Man Who Broke the Bat’ appearing as a sadistic brutal thug who lacks any of the “exceptional intelligence” he was originally imbued with.

In fact the publisher’s Senior Editor appears to go to some quite extraordinary lengths to depict his incarnation of Bane as little more than a savage unthinking cold-blooded killer. Even having the heavily-muscled supervillain strike a young girl and threaten to kill her after he has horrifically snapped the spinal cord of her father right in front of the pony-tailed kid’s eyes.

Admittedly any long-term followers of “Batman” will be aware of just how vicious a character the “hero” of the Caribbean Republic of Santa Prisca can be. But having endured yet another recap of the former Pena Duro prisoner’s rise to power, and subsequent defeat at the hands of Gotham City’s “otherworldly demon”, it is arguably entirely unnecessary to then have to watch as King Snake’s Venom-enhanced son mercilessly beats a bound captive to death with his bare hands simply to demonstrate just how tough he is; “Get the next one ready.”

Even more disappointing however has to be Tomasi’s so-called ending for this single-issue story as it actually insufferably concludes just as Bane has dispatched one of his men to murder the Scarecrow and the ruthless masked maniac reaches Gotham Harbour on board a container ship packed full of armed militants and tanks. Indeed it is very clear why this comic was heavily criticised at the time for being nothing more than “an extended prologue” for the forthcoming turf war series “Forever Evil: Arkham War”, as it simply finishes with Bane optimistically declaring that “Gotham City is mine!”

Possibly equally as disenchanted with the “Brightest Day” co-writer’s script, Graham Nolan’s illustrations lack any consistency whenever the American penciller strays too far from drawing one of the Dark Knight’s most formidable foes, and even then many of the panels lack sufficient detail to be especially pleasing to the eye. Certainly the work of Chuck Dixon’s frequent collaborator pales when compared to the stunningly impressive 3D motion cover by Guillem March.

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi, Artist: Graham Nolan, and Colorist: John Kalisz

Batman #23.3 [The New 52] - DC Comics

BATMAN No. 23.3, November 2013

It’s arguable that the villainous character of Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot was forever changed following actor Danny DeVito’s portrayal of the deformed portly aristocrat in the 1992 “Warner Brothers” motion picture “Batman Returns”. For Bob Kane’s “gentleman of crime”, a simple eccentric-looking thief with a fondness for both fowl and “specialized high-tech umbrellas”, was irrevocably transformed into a sinisterly “dark, more grotesque” mobster who is every bit the sadistic cold-blooded killer as the Joker is… Only the “persistent nemesis for Batman and Robin throughout the Golden and Silver Ages” of Comics is possibly all the more scary as he’s still “perfectly sane.”

With the story “Bullies” Frank Tieri wonderfully taps into this more nefarious and vicious aspect to the Penguin, as the nightclub-owner not only personally dispatches three low-level card-sharks who were foolish enough to cheat within his licensed premises. But also, with a wicked grin upon his face, entraps an old college buddy by covertly injecting him with the “highly addictive super-steroid” Venom and then videos the man brutalising his secretary in a hotel room; “Yes, Miss Collins. What’s left of the lass, anyway. Although we can’t be one hundred percent certain as we can’t find her head. We suspect you might have eaten it.”

Such a horrific portrayal of ‘Image Games Network’s Fifty-First Comic Book Villain of All Time’ is made all the more grim and chilling by the fact that the monocle-wearing bird’s victim, Carter Winston, used to protect a beleaguered youthful Cobblepot whilst the two resided at the same boarding school. In fact before the Governor announces his plans to close down the Penguin’s beloved Iceberg Casino, the homicidal fiend actually speaks very endearingly of “my old friend” to his ‘lieutenant’ Lark.

Possibly just as unattractive as the Brooklyn-born writer’s interpretation of Oswald as a ruthless calculating murderer is artist Christian Duce’s portrayal of the tuxedo-adorned crime lord. The Uruguayan penciller is clearly a thoroughly competent illustrator and his panel-work depicting Governor Winston’s stomach-churning madness as the politician realises the sickening grisly truth behind what he’s done to Miss Collins is extremely well-paced. But the “Arkham Manor: Endgame” sketcher’s depiction of a podgy-faced, beak-nosed Penguin is as outstanding as it is monstrous, with the fiend’s heavily-lined eyes, bright with intelligent malice, proving to be particularly perturbing.

Writer: Frank Tieri, Artist: Christian Duce, and Colorist: Andrew Dalhouse

Batman #23.2 [The New 52] - DC Comics

BATMAN No. 23.2, November 2013

Having made his first appearance in the October 1948 issue of “Detective Comics”, Bill Finger and Dick Sprang’s co-creation has arguably been predominantly portrayed within the ‘DC Universe’ as a brilliant yet “sometimes a little silly” character. A supervillain who is rarely paid “the respect he thinks he deserves”. With “Solitaire”, a “DC Comics” “Villains Month” spotlight book which purportedly “unleashes the Riddler” upon Wayne Enterprises Tower, writer Ray Fawkes would appear to have been trying to inject Edward with a somewhat darker, more sinister streak and by the end of his twenty-page narrative actually succeeds.

Indeed the green-suited puzzle-obsessed madman has rarely been portrayed as such a coldly calculating, patient, nasty piece of work, as he spends four years planning an attack upon an Arkham Asylum guard simply because the man laid a hand on him after discovering that the “psycho” had torn his sleeping sheets to shreds in order to create a deck of homemade cards; “You know the rules. No cards. No games. Not for you, smart guy.” Such chilling dedication to such a perceived personal slight is unnerving to say the least, especially as in order to take his revenge and literally blow off the officer’s “arm you pushed me with” Nygma has to overcome the formidable challenges of “the most secure building in Gotham City”.

Fawkes would have the magazine’s 107,413 readers believe that “one of the Batman’s most enduring enemies” attempts such a feat in order to add “layers to the game to keep himself entertained” and in the hope “that someone will face off against him and allow him to prove his superiority.” But there seems to be much more than that to the Canadian storyteller’s Riddler as the flamboyant felon demonstrates a real viciousness to his character during this ‘intellectual escapade’. Certainly the masked maniac seems to take a sadistic delight in electrocuting one of Wayne’s hapless ‘morons’ simply because the sentry wouldn’t even “try to answer” a conundrum. Whilst Edward's brutal beating of “functionary” Caroline Slater after the company executive catches him unawares with a ‘sock to the jaw’ is unchivalrously merciless.

Disappointingly, whilst the writing for this edition of “Batman” is compellingly strong, the artwork of Jeremy Haun leaves quite a bit to be desired. The American freelancer can clearly draw a very competent panel. But despite the storyline containing numerous dynamic action-packed sequences, the former “Top Cow” illustrator’s pencilling appears very staid with the main antagonist’s movement in particular appearing rather robotic and lifeless.

Writer: Ray Fawkes, Artist: Jeremy Haun, and Colorist: John Rausch

Batman #23.1 [The New 52] - DC Comics

BATMAN No. 23.1, November 2013

Sporting a “supervillains of the DCU” commemorative cover this particular edition of “The New 52” “Batman” is an honest to goodness thrill-a-minute read, whose script is as engagingly enthralling and dynamic as the comic’s Jason Fabok 3-D Motion Cover. For whilst this book is disappointingly devoid of the actual Dark Knight himself, Andy Kubert’s narrative instead provides the reader with a disturbingly endearing tale of the Caped Crusader’s greatest nemesis trying to start a family of his very own.

Disconcertingly however, any of this magazine’s 107,680 buyers foolish enough to think that “Time To Monkey Shine” would therefore be little more than a whimsical tale of the Clown Prince of Crime’s domestic bliss were in for something of a surprise, as the American author not only shows a chillingly caring side to the Joker that is rarely seen. But also offers plenty of harrowing flashbacks to a time when the white-skinned psychopath was naught but an abused infant, desperate to escape the bleach and scrubbing brush of his deranged Aunt Eunice; “I’m surprised I still have all my fingers and toes.”

Indeed Jerry Robinson’s co-creation is stunningly sentimental towards the start of this story, momentarily even appearing “a wee bit shaken”, or at the very least distracted, by the sight of a zoo-keeper being rather gratuitously eaten alive by a giant snake. Unsurprisingly though the supervillain quickly regains his maniacal momentum and having suddenly acquired the urge to become a parent, decides to embark upon the fraught journey into fatherhood as only the homicidal mastermind can… by abducting a baby gorilla whom he laughing names Jackanapes.

What follows is nothing short of a hilarious, though increasingly ghoulish, montage as the Joker ensures his “young pup” experiences “the childhood I wish I had” by teaching him how to bully children at school, rob girl scouts of their sweets and spend ‘quality time together’ watching graphically violent horror movies. Rather impressively the tone of the orphaned gorilla’s upbringing becomes increasingly dark the older the primate gets and this gradual shift from zany antics to callous cold-blooded murder, such as pulling a hapless man’s arms off or trapping people within a burning building, must have caught many an unsuspecting bibliophile off-guard.

Just as interesting is the Quill Award-winner’s transformation of Jackanapes from a naughty, possibly playful, young ape to a seemingly regretful adult primate who clearly no longer wishes to be his father’s colourfully costumed killer. Teary-eyed the animal knowingly chooses a grim-death as a result of a fall from a high-flying aeroplane rather than remain at the Joker’s side and in doing so creates a genuinely sad ending to an otherwise wonderfully humorous comic.

Equally as impressive as The Kubert School graduate’s script is the sensationally detailed artwork by Andy Clarke. Mesmerizingly energetic and vibrantly coloured by digital professional Blond, the British penciller’s illustrations of both the Clown Prince of Crime and his ‘ward’ are incredibly well drawn and really help bring out the character’s differing emotions as they increasingly ‘dish out pain and suffering'.

Writer: Andy Kubert, Art: Andy Clarke, and Colors: Blond