The Batman tie-in miniseries to
FLASHPOINT surprises me on many levels, but the most apparent thing to me when comparing the tone of both series is how one seems bright, and the other seems very, very dark. I’ve said in reviews for the main series how the vibrancy in both color and action is reminiscent of the Silver Age of comics. By contrast,
BATMAN – KNIGHT OF VENGEANCE, while very well rendered by Eduardo Risso, feels as black as night when comparing the two. The creative team really analyzes the psyche of this Batman, haunted by the death of his son, who goes out every night and beats the living hell out of criminals, playing largely by their rules.
This Batman has no preconceived notions about making himself better than the criminals he faces. Thomas Wayne used to be a very good man, but now he’s perhaps only a good man, thickly wrapped in a shield of anger, sorrow, regret, and vengeance. This issue also explores the FLASHPOINT version of Jim Gordon, who seems largely unaltered by the crazy circumstances of the main series and remains the decent man we all know, who perhaps questions his association with Thomas Wayne, whom he knows is Batman. In this, like the Gordon-Batman relationship in “our” world, they are friends, but there are moments here when Gordon feels he must take things upon himself to avoid wrath from this Batman.
As the cover promises, though, the central character with the largest revelation is this version of The Joker. If you go on the internet to find out the identity of this character, then I believe you are seriously cheating yourself out of a rewarding, yet shocking reading experience. My jaw dropped by the time I reached the last page of this book, and has highly elevated this miniseries beyond most other comic book event tie-ins for me. Azzarello and Risso really do bring their A-game into a climate that normally does not contain it, and I think this series raises the bar, at least of my expectations, for event tie-ins that follow.
Risso continues his trend of darkness accentuated by the light touching the surfaces of objects and has a large part to do with the perceived difference in tone for this series from the main book. The artwork feels almost appropriately murky, but Risso does a great job with the emotive work, the shadow, and the mystery he builds into the action scenes. His Gotham feels grimy, and the sleaziness he gives to a character like The Penguin only adds to the danger you feel occupies this version of Gotham. The way that Risso renders the last few pages of this story, where the shocking events really occur, is appropriately outrageous and distressing. If you didn’t learn about this version of Gotham earlier, this issue definitely drives home how dangerous and unpredictable of a place it really is.
With only one issue left, Azzarello and Risso definitely leave you hanging for next month. There are some serious questions to be answered in the climax of this series, and given how rewarding the first two issues have been, I anxiously await the arrival of the finale, not only to get some answers, but to be treated to what may be, for me, the best tie-in to a comic book event I’ve ever read. Solid work all around, and the creative team of Azzarello and Risso is to be commended
