Monday, April 30, 2012

Batman: The Black Mirror by Scott Snyder Art by Francesco Francavilla and Jock


Dick Grayson has had a pretty odd career path.  Orphaned as a child, taken in by a masked vigilante to run around in bright red tights and green chain mail underwear as Robin, striking out on his own as a teenager to become Nightwing, and finally becoming The Batman after Bruce Wayne was sent back in time.  Now Bruce is back, but is off trotting the globe making Batman a franchise operation, so Gotham and all its depravity is under Dick’s protection.  Now a very unwelcome face from the past comes back and wherever he goes people die horribly.  Is Commissioner Gordon’s son really a monster or is someone else the killer.  Dick has to solve the case before the killer strikes again…and again…and again.

Scott Snyder really puts the Dark into the Dark Knight.  Did I say ‘Dark’?  I meant gruesomely, nihilistically, bleak!  But in a weird creepy way it truly works.  It sometimes feels like Saw meets Batman and people looking for happy endings and ‘fun’ may be put off by such a grim Batman yarn.  However, the art is great, the mystery and characterization are top notch, and Dick Grayson makes a great Batman.  All in all, it’s a good read for Batman fans and not a terrible place to start for people wanting to see what’s new with the World’s Greatest Detective.
Check out The Black Mirror in our catalog here.

No comments: