What would life be like without the Dark Knight? Scott Peterson and Kelley Jones answers this classic question with a brilliant and refreshing breakdown that even makes the reader wonder if this fan-favorite hero is a necessity for a damaged city such as Gotham.
While there have been stories that wonder what this reality would be like if Batman wasn’t around, Peterson’s extremely detailed look into how the citizens, good and bad, of this tragic city would thrive for the better is spectacular.
***
This has been a series that I wasn’t too excited about initially, but it has won me over since with a strong story and some really excellent visuals. Having now read this fifth chapter of the story, I am thinking this might actually end up being a classic.
Peterson writes an amazing story. It’s an emotional ride into the deepest recesses of Batman’s mind. Eventually the hallucinations get so bad it becomes borderline insane.
This issue ends on one of the darkest notes I’ve been seen in a comic book.
This is a descent into madness and it takes that decent very seriously. And that’s something to truly be commended. This is simply a comic book that is fantastic.
***
Last issue was an sensational issue written by Scott Peterson getting into what makes Batman tick. Now the caped crusader has to see how Gotham would be different if Batman never existed.
The final line: This is a must-read, must-own Batman book. The story is fantastic and the visuals are to die for. I’ve read Batman comics for years and I’ve not seen Batman’s psyche so focused on with such mind blowing artwork. Seriously, this is the Batman to get. Highest possible recommendation. Overall grade: A+
This was an amazing issue. It's something that I can actually wholeheartedly recommend to anyone who hasn't even read the previous four issues of the series. Just jump on and read this, and you'll be delighted.
Peterson's take on Scarecrow is one of the fresher perspectives on the character I've seen in the last few years, and is a major reason as to why this series has been really working for me. The lightness and the humour in the story despite the deep delve into why Batman shouldn't exist is a contrast that surprisingly works for me. This is just fantastic. Everyone should be reading this; Peterson's dialogue is expert and Jones' artwork is some of the best of the year.
***
I’m not even going to try to keep you all in suspense. I’m just going to say it. Batman: Kings of Fear, so far at least, is hands down my favorite Batman series on stands right now.
What I appreciate about Peterson and Jones’s approach to the story is that they maintain such a fine balance between creating a deep character study and still keeping it light and easy to read. In other words, the creative team dives deep enough but knows where to draw the line. I think they could have easily turned this into a convoluted psychoanalytical book, but such a story is probably a tough sell. Instead, they create a fun and engaging narrative that has me on the edge of my seat all the way through. I think that this fine balance and the overall quality of the story mainly comes from the chemistry that Peterson and Jones share. To tell a story in comic form the writer and the artist need to be on the same page, trusting each other to tell the story in such a way that the text and the art can’t be separated from each other. By extension, because there is such chemistry between the creators, it would be nearly impossible to replace the writer or the artist with someone else. I’ll give an example in just a moment, but first I need to explain a couple more things in order to really get my point across.
Without giving away what happens on the final pages, I can say this much: it is a cliffhanger that literally had me jump up from my seat and throw my hands in the air. As the creative team manages to turn the character of Batman upside-down through Scarecrow, they also manage to turn this entire comic upside-down with that final panel.
Wow. Deep stuff… and all from the glossy pages of a comic-book. Yet this issue isn’t just existential angst and philosophical debate, this is entertainment, this is art and this is 100% Batman.
Writer Scott Peterson and artist Kelley Jones are 90% through their epic tale of fear and terror. They have provided us with five issues of incredible emotion, nightmarish horror and true blue heroism. I have to say that this story could go down as the greatest Scarecrow tale of them all.
Though we know heroes always win in the end, I truly feel that any victory Batman may yet glean will come at a cost. This series has been so well executed that I even fear he may not win at all. I eagerly, yet tentatively, look forward to the final chapter of this excellent series.
***
We've loved Batman: Kings Of Fear since the beginning, and every time a new issue hits newsstands, our love for this miniseries grows stronger and stronger! Jones and Peterson have created a beautiful love letter to the Batman books of the 80's and 90's - one that's unafraid to peel back the layers of the Batman's subconscious and have one of the world's most popular heroes face some very real, hard truths! Sure, it may not be for everyone, but it's sure to offer something unique, fun and fascinating to those looking for something a little different! We'll be sad to see this one come to an end, but we're certain that the dynamic duo of Kelly Jones and Scott Peterson have something that will deliver in a very big way!
With all of the Batman comics being published sometimes some get a little lost in the shuffle but hopefully you have been reading my reviews of this wonderfully offbeat book that has taken a very different approach to the Batman mythology. It has been a mix of both what if and a deep psychological mind f**k that break from the traditional approach that a lot of Batman stories tell. Peterson really goes deep into Bruce’s subconscious this issue and nearly breaks the man but the real question is Scarecrow just toying with him or is he actually trying to help him. That is what has made this story so fascinating is you’re not sure what is real or hallucinations. He never takes the easy path with the story in the sense that it just a dream and that in fact this might be what is buried deep down in Bruce’s deepest depths of his soul. Peterson really plays the devil's advocate story quite well here and never gives you the answers. It lets you the reader take away what you want from it that is quite impressive for a Batman story. I honestly can’t imagine any other artist that could pull off this mind trip as well as Jones has done here.
Is this book worth your time and money? This is one of those comics that continues to surprise me and that is pretty hard to come up with a truly unique Batman story in today's comics. Peterson and Jones are delivering a story that cuts deep and takes a uniquely different approach to Batman. It’s a book that continues to surprise and impress and quite frankly keeps you on the edge of your seat. At this point I honestly can't wait to see where it all ends next issue. HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION!
***
Incidentally, this bit?
I think that this fine balance and the overall quality of the story mainly comes from the chemistry that Peterson and Jones share. To tell a story in comic form the writer and the artist need to be on the same page, trusting each other to tell the story in such a way that the text and the art can’t be separated from each other. By extension, because there is such chemistry between the creators, it would be nearly impossible to replace the writer or the artist with someone else.Could not possibly be more on the money. I think Kelley and I had more back-and-forth, more give-and-take on this series than either of us has ever had with any other co-creator. And the results were not only all the stronger for it, it was also just ever so much fun.
No comments:
Post a Comment