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Batman and the Monster Men #1
Review posted: 07 Dec 2005
Writer: Matt Wagner
Artist: Matt Wagner
Publisher: DC Comics
4.00 out of 5 Stars
Reviewed by Robert Murray
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Immediately upon finishing this issue I thought, “This is exactly
what I was looking for in a Batman story written by Matt
Wagner.” The
classic theme of the Batman’s earliest days as the frightening menace
in the dark who ruthlessly feasts on criminals is combined with
Wagner’s old-fashioned myth-making with just a hint of quirkiness.
This is the kind of Batman story I’ve been jonesing for, something
completely removed from the overly-obsessed icon we see in his modern
tales.
We see Batman as an optimistic hero (yes,
optimistic!) who still believes that the city he loves can become a
peaceful place, one his parents would have loved to live in.
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This tale exemplifies the popular myth of the Batman, drawing
readers back to the days when Batman’s life was split between
millionaire playboy and dark detective. What shocked me was that I
was thinking how this issue would be played out in a movie or animated
series, which is something that I would never do upon reading a
particular comic book. I think that, scary enough, the Batman movies
and TV show (in particular Batman Begins and the animated
series) have become the official custodians of the Batman myth over
the last fifteen years. The comic book Batman we have seen in that
time is one that is only known to comic book fans such as us. Seeing
Wagner’s work in this issue made this realization concrete.
Mind you, the recent comic book Batman is not necessarily wrong or
blasphemous, but those who have grown up with the Dark Knight are
probably unnerved or annoyed by some of the changes to the character
in the last five or so years. To me, a good story is a good story,
and though I don’t want a complete departure from the archetype,
some minor changes here and there to make the story flow are fine with
me.
Wagner’s take on the Batman legend definitely makes for a
great reading experience. We see Batman as an optimistic hero (yes,
optimistic!) who still believes that the city he loves can become a
peaceful place, one his parents would have loved to live in.
Unfortunately for Bruce, this story also begins his long association
with the weird villains of Gotham, the gallery of strange criminals
that will never go away and always haunt the Dark Knight. Wagner uses
one of the first of these criminals, Dr. Hugo Strange, who first
encountered Batman way back in Detective Comics #36. Utilizing
modern comic book storytelling techniques, we learn more about what
motivates Dr. Strange and why he uses the crooked path to reach his
means rather than the straight and narrow. The depiction of Strange
creates a much richer character than the two-dimensional version I saw
in Batman Archives. Still, this is a different era for comic
books, where writing is at a premier. Thank goodness for us!
In regards to the art, I think that Wagner has once again captured
the essence of the classic tale he is trying to forge. All of the
characters have the look and feel of the 1940s about them, and
Wagner’s version of Batman still has to be one of my overall
favorites. Also, Dave Stewart’s work on the colors sets the
mood well, with lots of washed-out tones and dull, dark colors to give
us the impression that this is an aged tale. This is a comic book
that will age well and lead to more Batman or other classic hero work
for Mr. Wagner in the near future. The only question I have is why
this comic book wasn’t promoted more heavily than it was. Has to
be that darned Infinite Crisis!
—CCdC— Cover image used without explicit permission in accordance with the "Fair Use" provision of US copyright law.
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