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Reviews
Dark Crisis: Worlds Without A Justice League (2022) #1: Batman by Meghan Fitzmartin, Simon Spurrier
stressedspidergirl's review
4.0
Okay this was really interesting. I am not sure this will go down as something I will reread time and time again, but it was definitely a different take on Batman.
The idea that to be "happy" or at least complacent enough to keep Batman trapped you have to split his personality into what drove him to become the dark knight, and that darkness IN him, and then the lighter side of him... the side that likes helping and fixing -Bruce Wayne and Batman has been done before, but not in a 'good' way like this, I guess. Where both of them are still more complete personalities capable of living what looks like "normal" lives for a comic book character in Gotham.
And I do actually really appreciate that there is a side of Bruce that is genuinely happy doing charity work and working in the light to fix Gotham and support people and be kind. And have compassion and I've seen a few writers playing on that theme lately and I'm really enjoying those elements from BTAS showing up in the comics again. That's always been my Batman and been who I admire and that I can see the aspiration and goals of "no matter how often life knocks you down, or how ugly it is, there is always a light in the darkness, get up." And when writers make Batman the darkness inside of the darkness inside of more darkness I feel like they lost sight of what makes Batman a hero. And an interesting character. (to me.)
So even this "Dark side" of Bruce wasn't trying to necessarily kill the penguin, he didn't want his parents dead, he didn't want others suffering, he wasn't attacking good people. I liked this dark on that darkness in him and that it wasn't something evil, it was something hurt that took some satisfaction in solving the problems viscerally and quickly rather than with the slower "less effective" methods.
And can I just say "wow what the F***" about Alfred and his entire role in all of this and holy wow I cannot.
The idea that to be "happy" or at least complacent enough to keep Batman trapped you have to split his personality into what drove him to become the dark knight, and that darkness IN him, and then the lighter side of him... the side that likes helping and fixing -Bruce Wayne and Batman has been done before, but not in a 'good' way like this, I guess. Where both of them are still more complete personalities capable of living what looks like "normal" lives for a comic book character in Gotham.
And I do actually really appreciate that there is a side of Bruce that is genuinely happy doing charity work and working in the light to fix Gotham and support people and be kind. And have compassion and I've seen a few writers playing on that theme lately and I'm really enjoying those elements from BTAS showing up in the comics again. That's always been my Batman and been who I admire and that I can see the aspiration and goals of "no matter how often life knocks you down, or how ugly it is, there is always a light in the darkness, get up." And when writers make Batman the darkness inside of the darkness inside of more darkness I feel like they lost sight of what makes Batman a hero. And an interesting character. (to me.)
So even this "Dark side" of Bruce wasn't trying to necessarily kill the penguin, he didn't want his parents dead, he didn't want others suffering, he wasn't attacking good people. I liked this dark on that darkness in him and that it wasn't something evil, it was something hurt that took some satisfaction in solving the problems viscerally and quickly rather than with the slower "less effective" methods.
And can I just say "wow what the F***" about Alfred and his entire role in all of this and holy wow I cannot.
majorrawne's review
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
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