"This Dark -- It's always been there. I fight it.
But the truth is it makes me who I am.
I feel clear, focused...bloodied and bruised, but honed.
This is where I belong.
Down here in the dark.
Alone."
Is Batman a Scorpio? Scorpio rising? I mean this is right out of the Scorpio playbook. Alone in the dark, brooding, relishing the despair. At any moment the need to burn everything to the ground could overwhelm you. I was reading from this script this whole week to be honest. Only difference between me and Bats is I don't have to worry about a ten foot crocodile dude looking to put his croc foot on my fragile punim.
Gee, a Black Label book being awesome again, what's new? I will beat this point over and over again: Marvel, DC is kicking your butt.
Now this is a great Bat Book. Get it. You don’t have to read the review, but if you must here goes. I mean, this felt like an ‘Escape from New York’ story. Some high profile villain is being transferred from one jail cell to a more secure one. He’s ambushed, there’s a black out in Gotham and Bats has got to get him to the cell while all the gangs and corrupt cops of New York descend on him. Sign me up! No frills. No Bat Family nonsense. Just Batman in a classic suit with his wits, muscles and limited gadgets to complete the mission. This is why we read Batman. Jock gets it right.
He really takes our hero through the ringer until the final panel: bloodied, in tatters, his cowl tied around his head to prevent it from falling off. Look, we know he's gonna pull through but as a writer if you can elicit a pang of doubt 'he's gonna make it, right?' even though your audience has to assume that he will, then you've succeeded.
Minor gripe: I wish he incorporated the ‘map’ a bit more that showed his progress and where the gangs were as time kept a ticking; would’ve been a cool touch. I also wish this wasn’t just 3 issues. For some reason it seems these prestige formats get 3 shots to make it to the finish line. Some get more but I can see this as being a 5-6 issue series rather than 3. The finale of this issue seemed a bit hurried, a bit too tidy. It worked just fine but after a grueling journey I would have liked to have seen a more extensive wrap up of the story.
Hey Marvel! Why don’t’ YOU imprint your version of a Black Label. I’ll pony up to not have to see your God awful ads on your cheap paper stock. I’ll pay the 6-8 bucks for a gritty adult Marvel story that’s not all about your cinematic pooh-niverse. I digress.
From the first pitch Jock swings and knocks it into the upper deck with a no holds barred grueling dark Batman tale. It’s worth every penny. It deserves a Prestige Format and is a great read with a cup of tea right before you hit the sack at night. Thank you Jock!
RATING: 9.3
VERDICT: PULL
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