Saturday 12 January 2013

Sadcrow

So today I have a comic book review of sorts, but I will be talking about a few issues, the story arc if you will. I guess also to keep in mind, this blog will contain tons and tons of story spoilers, so please if you haven't read the story yet or were waiting for the graphic novel collection, then be warned now. Although come back and read this so you can see if you agree with me on any of these points. So this is the spoils warning and so you have been warned. Also Thai counts for both my blog post this weekend, cause I want to have a Marvel and DC comic book review. Lets get things started.


My first review will be for Batman: The Dark Knight by writer Greg Hurwitz and by artist David Finch, and the issues are from to.

So this one has Scarecrow as the main antagonist to Batman, and if you know me you'll know how much I love the fear king of Gotham. I find he's one the greatest characters ever created in the DC universe, but a character that has barely been taped as far as story potential, so you can see why I'd be excited to start reading a new Batman story with the Scarecrow, anything could happen. So essential the story gets going when Batman falls prey to Dr.Crane after hunting him down, looking for a kidnapped child that Scarecrow is using to complete a new and stronger fear toxin, using the fear of this child as the driving source behind it. I can see why that makes sense, kids by nature have a greater imagination, things are amplfyed more in their minds. So if you can use that sense of wonder and awe on horror and nightmares, it could crush the human mind for good, great Scott, so far so good. We then see Batman in a James Bond kind of scenario, you know the one, strapped down and ready to be killed, but instead being lectured by Scarecrow and having new fear toxins used on him. Let's make one thing clear here, Crane is insane, I don't think killing Batman would give him as much joy as seeing him live out his darkest dreams for the rest of his eternity, so I am not mad at the fact that he didn't just off the bat, by all means that should be a Joker thing...but knowing Joker he'd make meat dolls out Batmans flesh and play with it while he slowly kills him or something like that. So we go deep into Bruce's mind and see that deep down inside he's got an attraction to the dark, to all the crazies and the monster of society, he never wanted to be accepted by the light. All the while Batman is dealing with this new fear toxin, Scarecrow is trying to perfect his toxin using the kidnapped child, however you get see the past origin of Dr.Crane, the fact that his father was the creator of the fear toxin and he was the original subject, he was being used in the same experiment that he doing now. Through the course of the story, the little girl starts to see similarities between her and Scarecrow, apparently he has a speech impediment just like the little girl and she even makes him a little drawing as well,  so you get to see that maybe there's more to him than being a fear driven monster. A really interesting idea to throw in the mix, but it's one that unfortunately never sees any light. And by the time Scarecrow is bored and readensues y to off Batman, with a sick bone scythe by the way, the Batman regains his belt and escapes, a fight ensues, a very bloody good fight ensues. Batman ends with the blade in his shoulder and Scarecrow get the bat hook shot right through his mouth, yeah, its as painful as it sounds. So Batman still intoxicated with the fear toxin and bleeding from his shoulder and is picked up by Damien, while Scarecrow with a hook still through his mouth goes to the Penguin to order up a machine of sorts...a zeppelin. This where things start going south, real fast.

So I guess after getting hooked through the mouth, Scarecrow gets pissed off and decides to take it out on Gotham with a f*cking zeppelin. Now here's my beef with this scenario. Scarecrow is a creature of fear, something that lurks within the shadows, the idea that he crashes a holiday street festival with a zeppelin to infect everyone is a little, I don't know, not subtle. He's poisioned the water system, air vents, infected toys, but never something like this. It's a very direct way about going through things. But this is all just a lead to a terrible downward spiral in the last issue. It begins with Batman waking up to Gotham being infected by the Scarecrow's aerial attack, so injured and all he goes out to save the city, he realizes quick that he needs a cure and he needs a cure fast, oh man, this is where it gets wacky. He realizes that the cure is his blood cause he's been infected already and cured himself when gets back to the bat cave. So Batman needs to drain himself out on the city and cure everyone...with his blood. Sigh. So Batman is dying slow but manages to get back home. Of course the most ironic scene in the comic comes where Bruce and Damian are eating dinner after a near death situation with Batman's blood cure thing, Alfred being pissed at Bruce's inability to give a shit about almost killing himself, drops a cup of coffee on him, funny, cause I felt about doing the same thing to this issue by the end of things. So the cops and Batman go and track down Scarecrow at one of his hideouts. Let me play for you, this is all in one page. Batman walks in, Scarecrow looks at him, still bleeding from an attack that was days ago, falls down, end scene. What. The. F*ck! Just an issue ago these two were having an epic bloody battle and then this!? And why was he still bleeding from the bat hook, the guy is covered in stitches and he couldn't just sow himself up, really? That's it. No epic showdown, no nothing. I know the good guy is supposed to win all the time, I get that, but it's the conflict and the fight that makes things interesting. Oh and it gets better, as Scarecrow is being locked up in Arkham Asylum, he is plotting his escape and he reveals he's got a toxin hidden in his pants, of course as soon as he is thrown in his cell the toxin explodes and he ends up self intoxicated. But at this point in time, we all know he is immune to his own toxins! Oh wait...new 52!

I feel like this story had so much potential and it looked amazing as well, but I think due the time frame and the change of artist for the next arc, they may have rushed this one out a little too quickly. And that's the thing, you can't rush a good story. So to the next story, and regardless the character, don't rush it guys. But I suggest check this one out, cause David Finch's art alone makes the trip worth it, regardless on the lackluster run. I find the Dark Knight comic has a more adventure by adventure feel, where as the Batman title as great as it is as well, has a more continued one storyline going on, but by all means check out the court of owls and the current death of the family story going on as well. I am going to continue reading this series, but if there any good recommendations by all means let me know. My next review is coming soon, so stay tuned. Later slackers!

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