***
This is the strongest issue yet of this miniseries from writer Scott Peterson. I have to stand and applaud the title of this story, which I’ll do without spoiling.
This finally got into Batman’s soul and it was a riveting read.
The journey into what drives the Batman is a beautiful and sad telling. The story finally gets into the Dark Knight’s soul and answers some important questions. James Gordon gets some neat action sequences and the citizens and criminals get some space to react to an iconic item. The visuals are exceptional in this issue, with them showing a lot of humor and a lot of horrors, including personal failings. If you haven’t read the first three issues, you could pick this up and not be lost. Seriously, this is a book that every Batman fan should read. Overall grade: A
***
This is a nicely drawn book with economical and powerful writing that just works extremely well. It does an amazing job of telling a horror story mixed with the surreal. It’s an effective combination that works at an incredibly high level.You really can’t get much better than this.
RATING:A
***
Batman Kings of Fear #4 was pretty heavy.
Scott Peterson has done an exceptional job with this story and its pacing.
While it was slow to start, this series is now officially on fire. Veteran writer/editor Scott Peterson and legendary artist Kelley Jones are producing some of the finest work of their careers.
There are some gorgeous surprises in terms of writing, too. Getting inside Batman’s psyche and witnessing how he’d like to see himself is joyous. I’m rarely surprised by comics anymore, but these pages made me grin from ear to ear. Scott Peterson also made me nod in agreement and understanding at how Gothamites respond to seeing the Bat-Signal lighting up the night sky. I am impressed by the writer’s keen insights.
By the final act we not only see where Scarecrow is leading our hero, but we also get to see behind the curtain of the Dark Knight’s psyche, and that of Gotham City itself. This series continues to impress in the way it remains dark, yet also brings moments of fun, action and intelligence in equal measure. Two thirds in and I’m still aching for more.
Peterson continues his deconstruction here in Batman: Kings of Fear #4, allowing Scarecrow to bleed information form the Caped Crusader, and while said deconstruction has yet to add additional insight into the Dark Knight’s psyche, it has been presented in a unique fashion that is highly-entertaining. Kelley Jones continues to successfully churn out panel after panel of stunning artwork, fully-realizing the nightmare that is Gotham City. Scenes immerse and disorient readers in all the right ways, making this issue, yet again, one deserving of multiple reads.
Although it’s been popular, as of late, to deconstruct the Dark Knight, Batman: Kings of Fear offers the darkest, and most exciting deconstruction of Batman in recent history.
***
This series has been great so far. In a time where this so-called “deconstruction” approach seems to be the way to go in DC land, especially when it concerns Batman titles, it is refreshing to see a creative team come in and actually manage to pull this off successfully.
A great issue of a great series. We venture deep into Batman’s psyche, and rather than spelling out everything in captions, Peterson fully trusts Jones to illustrate Batman’s hallucinations and tell the story that way, and Jones is doing a great job. Especially in a time where other Batman titles fail to successfully “deconstruct” our hero, it is a real treat to see it done right in this book. Recommended to all Batman fans!
I've been a big fan of this book and I'm happy to report that it's as gorgeous and weird as ever.
Peterson's voice, when it comes to Scarecrow, seems much fresher than a lot of the different takes I've seen of the character. There's a methodology in his words that I haven't seen before, and his systematic breakdown of what Batman even is stands out as the most interesting bits of this issue, plot-wise.
Check this out if you haven't. Or pick the trade up when it's out. This is a really fun and beautiful story that every Bat-fan should check out.
Writer Scott Peterson is presenting an interesting dynamic between these two characters. I always knew the Scarecrow was a fierce foe in Batman's rogues gallery, but this book puts him on a new level of psychological horror. He literally brings the Dark Knight to his knees and he never even had to throw a punch.
***
This series continues to explore the destruction of The Dark Knight, and we'll admit that this is one of the most unique and fun Batman titles to hit newsstands in recent years! Whether it's the gorgeous 90's style art that calls to mind some of The Dark Knight's most classic adventures, or the fantastical plot which looks to exploit who The Batman really is, this is one great book that DC should truly be proud of as Scott Peterson and Kelley Jones continue to pull back the multi-layered veil of Bruce Wayne in new and unexpected ways!
A unique and exceptional series that offers a fascinating glimpse into the psyche of one of the pop culture world's biggest heroes!
Reading Batman Kings of Fear #4 is akin to finding yourself waking up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat after a terrifying fever dream. It feels like Scott Peterson has a great understanding of Dr. Crane and his powerset, and Kelly Jones' pulp-like artwork creates a face-melting comic book. A wise person once said that fear is one of the most important emotions a human can feel, and that's a sentiment echoed throughout this title.
This book has been a pleasant surprise in that it has been quite an offbeat story and Peterson and Jones continue to pose a story that laced with a deeper level than most Batman books. While this issue does suffer a bit from being a bit of the middle of the story meaning that there is both a lot going on and a little slower pace here but still a solid outing.
Peterson takes a different approach to the deeper scars that Bruce has built up over the years and while some of the story remains the same he gives it nice little twist and turns that doesn’t change any history but adds little in-between to it.
This issue doesn’t have a lot of over the top moments on the surface but there is so much going on just under it that he makes sure that they are all there for the readers to soak in. This issues “dream” sequences are visually breathtaking and simply put I seriously doubt that any other artist could have been able to capture it all the way Jones has on this story.
Peterson and Jones [...] are going for a deeper outside the box approach to this story that tries to not outdo things in the Batman mythology. In a lot of ways they are underplaying things on the surface and letting the subtle things bubble up in the story. I can’t wait to see where they take it all in the end. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
***
Scott Peterson also made me nod in agreement and understanding at how Gothamites respond to seeing the Bat-Signal lighting up the night sky. I am impressed by the writer’s keen insights.
Yeah.
I wish I could say otherwise, but the truth is that the keenest insight the writer had was when the artist said, "hey, you know what would be cool? Let's show what it's like for the average person down on the street when they see the Batsignal go on," the writer had the perspicacity to say, "okay!"
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