You think we matter, I think life is a bad joke. “You and I,” the Joker explains, “we’ll always be at war. “Why are you here?!” Scott Snyder, Jock/DC Comics But there’s no rest for the Bat-weary, and as he searches for the Batman Who Laughs, it’s the Joker who finds him. With every minute that passes, Batman becomes more and more like the Batman Who Laughs - his dialogue balloons are even breaking into the BWL’s jagged red lettering. The Batman Who Laughs is murdering alternate-universe Bruce Waynes, Commissioner Gordon has been kidnapped, and Batman himself has been infected with a toxin that is eroding his moral center. Things aren’t going so well for Batman right now in The Batman Who Laughs miniseries. In The Batman Who Laughs #4, Snyder and Jock give their own approach to this question. The first and final scenes of the story are concerned with the same questions: Will Batman and the Joker be at war forever, or will one of them eventually kill the other? Is there any way to stop their rivalry before then? While it’s often overshadowed by Barbara Gordon’s trauma, Alan Moore and Brian Bolland’s The Killing Joke is really centered around Batman, the Joker, and their strange relationship. This week’s The Batman Who Laughs #4 has a take on another of history’s most significant Batman stories, in a scene that could be considered Dark Knight scribe Scott Snyder’s take on the most pivotal moment in The Killing Joke. But we still don’t know what he’s trying to do about it, which keeps us coming back for more.The previous installment in The Batman Who Laughs told the origin of the Grim Knight, a sort of Punisher/Batman hybrid, through a retreading of Batman: Year One, the most influential version of Batman’s origin. We know how Laughs feels about Batman, and we know why. What’s also great about that line is that it conveys intent without revealing anything crucial about the mystery. But he’s the nightmare? The more you think about it, the more it might start to make sense. The line is so brilliant because it really makes you think about the roles these two individuals are in. The bad one.” If that doesn’t send chills down your spine, then you a sponge. See to me, to us, you’re the nightmare Batman. You don’t understand why yet, but you will. As he stands over a wounded Batman, he says “Out of every version of us across the universe, you’re the most miserable. For example, Laughs has a line in this issue that puts everything in perspective for Bruce and us. It’s uncomfortable, but it’s supposed to be. It’s teeming with suspense that makes your stomach turn. The images of those flying bloody limbs won’t be leaving my mind any time soon.Īmongst the visual treats we got this issue, Snyder continues to bless us with a slow burn puzzle of a story. No! Not even butter! He so smooth with the knives it’s like he cut through bone and muscle like some spreadable margarine. This dude sliced up some Wayne Enterprises guards like butter. But let me tell you: Everything you thought about this dude is true. He’s been built up to be this creepy psychopath, but other than his eerie look and unsettling dialogue, we haven’t actually seen him do much. This issue was also effective in the sense that it confirmed a lot of assumptions about Laughs. Shots where Batman is shrouded in shadows replace the signature white eyes with drugged up bloodshot ones. Jock does a fantastic job of using shadow techniques familiar with the character but in new and unique ways that convey his current predicament in a refreshing manner. He’s doped up, and it’s taking its toll on him physically, mentally and emotionally. In the meantime, Bruce is visibly on edge. In issue #2, Bruce has got every strain of the antidote pumping into his veins as he tries to stave off the transformation, but it can only prolong it for so long. At the end of issue #1, Joker shot himself which released a puff of Joker Venom into the air. Issue #2 ramps up the intensity by throwing Bruce into an impossible situation. This dude has had a pretty bad few hours, and the light at the end of the tunnel is dimming. And if this is a story about him prevailing, then someone’s gotta lose. Writer: Scott Snyder / Artist: Jock / DC ComicsĪ reoccurring line in this book is that The Batman Who Laughs wins.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |