Comic Review: Batman Earth One Volume Two
Continuing with the Earth One series, we gaze at Batman Earth One, Volume Two. If you haven't read the first review, please check it out (LINK) and read the first review.
Batman Earth One Volume Two
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Gary Frank
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: May 6, 2015
Cover Price: $22.99
"The Riddler has arrived in Gotham, and he's terrorizing the city with his twisted brand of anarchy. But why is he attacking now, and what is his endgame? The Riddler isn't Batman's only problem, as Killer Croc is on the streets, and his violent crimes can't be ignored. Meanwhile, the Dark Knight has trouble reconciling the increasingly conflicting ideologies of Alfred Pennyworth and James Gordon in this gripping re-imagining of the Batman mythology."
REVIEW
This sequel follows six months after Batman's face-off against the corrupt Mayor Cobblepot and his serial killer for hire 'Birthday Boy'’ After Cobblepots’ defeat, Gotham is gaining hope and optimism again under the new leadership of Mayor Jessica Dent. Along with Brother D.A Harvey Dent, they are busy capturing criminals and rooting out all the corrupt officials.
While
this has been happening, Batman hasn't been quiet. For one, he has earned himself a fearsome reputation among criminal organizations and is finally starting to look like a real professional crime fighter. Though it is not all good news for the vigilante, rumours of a half-man, half-crocodile killer in the sewers are being reported, along with a killer who enjoys setting his victims a riddle before killing them. Unlike the first volume, this story has no flashbacks and concentrates solely on the story: Who is Batman? This makes for exciting character interaction as each tries to determine how Batman will work/affect their lives. Bruce, for example, is struggling with how he should handle the criminals. Does he sink to their level or try to stay a symbol of justice? On the other hand, Alfred wants Batman to become a weapon, a tool that can cut the darkness out of Gotham through fear and violence. The Dents, Gordon and Bullock are all trying to determine if Batman is an ally or a threat to the city, and each one has to decide on their own if they are willing to trust in a masked man. Croc also has a similar path to tread. Can he trust a man dressed as a Bat, or is Batman a threat to his existence? Then there is the Riddler, who finally has competition regarding his riddles and, worst yet, has an unanswered question of his own: Who is Batman?
My Thoughts and Feelings
Once again the story is made by the artwork which is detailed and very modern looking. The story itself lacks space to help it grow. If given twice the page space, the tale would have been so much better. Just like the first one, it's all about character progression. We see Bruce becoming a symbol of hope and gaining the skills needed to survive in Gotham. Alfred slowly starts to warm up to Bruce's way and attitude of fighting crime. Bullock's battle with depression and his descent into alcoholism (the saddest part of this comic). Detective Gordon goes from a coward to a hero, fighting crime and corruption. And finally, the Dents and the birth of Two-Face.
The biggest letdown for me was the villains. The Croc story aspect seemed rushed and happened all too quickly for my liking. Plus his quick willingness to help out Batman just didn't seem right, almost forced to rush past this part of the story. Combined with the Riddler, who was just too normal. For one of Batman's most interesting villains, he lacked his quirkiness and was too willing to break his own rules (which I struggle to believe), which made him more like a crazy person, rather than a man looking for vengeance. This is a real shame as the other aspects of the story work well. It just needed more time and space to grow.
Finally, like volume one the story ends with a hint to the next arc and it's safe to say it's all about Catwomen and I would brave a guess at Two-Face. Check that out soon in the next blog post.
As always thanks for reading and if you enjoyed this then give my YouTube channel a try: Adventures with Peps
