It could’ve used more Two Face but this is as good of an examination of how Batman works vis-a-vis the criminal justice system since The Dark Knight. That Batman, despite consistently rounding up super villains, may be seen as a destructive presence to the city he is supposed to guard, a city that still has a corrupt (and in this version, racist) police force, was refreshing.

Who among us doesn’t dream of moving to a big city, only to having our hopes and visions wildly disappointed? Unlike the Psychiatrists-are-Hitler view of mental health spoonfed to us almost 40 years ago by Frank Miller, Sean Murphy takes a good look at what makes his version of the Clown Prince of Crime tick, how his behavior impacts relationships (between this, the movies and the HBO series, it’s great to see Harley Quinn’s character become reimagined), and what he would do if he could possibly break against it. It’s probably just easier to do bullet points from here on out… This story functions as so many things: a questioning of Batman’s motives and psyche, an examination of the Joker, a bird’s eye view of Gotham City, a deep dive into Bruce’s relationships with his former wards/peers… This probably takes the cake for most original one I’ve read so far. How many ways can his origin story be retold? How many more duels with the Joker are left? Almost every one has to have a fresh take, some of which I enjoy (the Year One series being a shining example). While I do enjoy a decent diet of Batman tales, modern ones have to find ways to put a new spin on things. I’ll grant that I don’t go too deep in the weeds with them but when I do venture out of my Batman/Daredevil comfort zone (like Hawkeye for example), I’m almost always disappointed.

They all have familiar story lines, twee dialogue, and conclusive narratives. I’m not a fan of most modern day DC/Marvel graphic novels. This is a rare exception cuz…well, I got a lot to say. I so rarely write full-length reviews on graphic novels.

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