Comic Info
Comic Name: Batman: The Dark Knight
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Gregg Hurwitz
Artist: David Finch
# of Issues: 7
Release Date: 2013
Batman: The Dark Knight #10
Reprints Batman: The Dark Knight #0, 10-15 (April 2013-September 2013). The Scarecrow is terrorizing Gotham and stealing children for a new batch of Fear Toxin. When Batman becomes the Scarecrow’s prisoner, he must face his fears and overcome them if he hopes to stop Scarecrow. However, Scarecrow has bigger plans, and Batman might have to make the ultimate sacrifice to stop him.
Written by Gregg Hurwitz and illustrated by David Finch, Batman: The Dark Knight Volume 2: Cycle of Violence is the second volume of the New 52 original series. Following Batman: The Dark Knight Volume 1: Knight Terrors, Batman: The Dark Knight 2: Cycle of Violence includes the Scarecrow storyline and zero month origin issue Batman: The Dark Knight #0 (July 2013).
Batman: The Dark Knight was one of the worst launch titles of the New 52. It was dull and unoriginal and though it sported great art, there was little substance to it. The second volume of the series has the same problems though I do enjoy the Scarecrow as a villain.
Batman: The Dark Knight #15
This volume feels like it could have been wrapped up in an issue or two. The storyline feels far too redundant…Batman is exposed to fear gas, Batman is scared of being alone, Batman overcomes fear gas…and it is repeated. This combines with a repetitive Scarecrow story with the Scarecrow sharing a similar fear with Batman. It isn’t a bad route to go, but it feels like a two or three issue story.
Likewise, Batman: The Dark Knight #0 was a story that did tie into the storyline (it interrupted the run of this volume), but it also took away the Batman mystique. Here Bruce Wayne searches for Joe Chill…and finds him. Joe Chill has been used and abused over the years as a character for bad storylines. The idea he was “just a guy” is rather cliché (like Spider-Man’s burglar character). I do however prefer this to the multiple allusions that he was one of Batman’s major villains. I just don’t feel that the character should have ever been found.
The great art by Finch just can’t carry this title. Finch has a great look (though he often gets a bit too inky). The real problem here is a lackluster story. I think this title is a good example of how you can’t just put Batman in the title and make a winner. The character is spread awful thin and an average title like Batman: The Dark Knight just doesn’t cut it. Batman: The Dark Knight 2: Cycles of Violence is followed by Batman: The Dark Knight 3: Mad.
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