Why Is Batman Bad

Whoa.

Thus far, the best Batman standalone miniseries this year. It's intense. Spoilers! We begin in Gotham city. Enter a well-dressed man in Arkham Asylum, lead by the GCPD. He claims he knows his way around. This man is Jack Napier, once known as the Joker.

The prisoner: Batman.

You need to be ready to follow this rabbit hole, and damn does it fall deep. Batman is held in a high-level prison cell, it's junk and it looks like visitors are rare. Something has turned the Joker good and Batman bad, however, what makes this so good is you'll understand and sympathize with Mr. Napier.

As so many of Batman's rogue gallery, through tragedy, these evil are born. Time and time again, we are shown how easily Bruce Wayne could have become Gotham's worst. Following villains

such as Mr. Freeze losing his wife, Johnathan Crane's insanity and poison, and Two-Face's mental and physical trauma. Bruce losing Alfred is driving him mad. Flashback to a year, where we see how brutal Batman has become. Napier creates a case focusing on the abuse Batman has caused Gotham and himself.

"No more laughter, no more smile, no more make-up, no more Joker, really."

It's a compelling narrative. Commissioner James Gordon, Batgirl, Nightwing, and Detective Bullocks are featured in the story and they are written very well. Murphey knows these characters, and I particularly love moments where he brings in real life issues.

For example, a police officer cheering Batgirl on because she's his "daughter's favorite.'

And Gordon's defense at his career: "I spent the last year cleaning up, cracked down on corruption and suspended the officer who sparked the race riots!" My criticism here is that it demonstrates how easy Gordon is on punishment.

That police deserve more than suspension. Yet, Gordon still a good man who is trying.

Another theme is media. The news creates war and trouble, helping no one. In fact, the news is what will aid Napier's case to sue Batman and take over Gotham. There are people who stick up for him and forgo his past, how in our reality we have people who defend Nazis and that horrendous belief.

The art is spectacular: eerie, beautiful, and violent. Jack Napier mirror's Bruce Wayne, his style, his posture, and smirk. Batman is drawn monstrous, a quasi-form of Bruce. He is barely relatable and appears barely human. Extreme dark hues, and shadows alluding to Gotham's loss once Napier rises and Batman falls. The lines in Hollingsworth's faces outline emotions strongly, the characters look stressed, tired, in pain. They called it a "European Art Style," I suppose from classic noir and the eerie, mal-nourished looks. He's a previous winner of the Eisner awards, and one can see why in his

works.

Conclusion

The writing is so strong, I had to put the book down for a few moments to handle it. It's Batman, but someone going like: he's driving through the city in an unlicensed tank, destroying millions of dollars of property, and sometimes injures civilians. They're such valid reason to arrest him, even Babs and Dick had nothing to say. A crime is a crime, the law is the law, and Batman breaks it. Napier is out to get justice, not war. It's such a political piece. How many were activists, fighting for human rights, were forced behind bars versus the number unjust politicians who create decisions destroying people's lives? How many shooters walk away with sympathies? This is that story. You see Gordon's weakness, Batman's falling, and how evil men rise.