Comic Review: Batman: Kings of Fear #1 (DC Comics)

Batman hunts the Scarecrow in a new miniseries from DC entitled Batman Kings of Fear.

It’s written by Scott Peterson and illustrated by Kelley Jones, with Michelle Madsen on colours.

Issue one begins with the Joker holding court with a group of his underlings until Batman shows up.
From there, it’s BIFF, POW, SOCK, and KERRASH, as lots and lots of fighting ensues. So what does Batman have to be so scared of? You’ll need to read the issue to find out!

The writing is clear and well paced, but Jones’ artwork is sometimes distracting. While his drawing ability is undeniable, with his Wrightson-like faces and shadowed scenes, there’s something about the way he draws Batman’s legs that gets under my skin. Huuuge bent knees on Batman’s leaping figure. Enorrrrrmously foreshortened arms on the front cover. An unrecognizably twisted front or back leg (whatever) that makes the reader stop in his tracks and wonder “what the heck?”

It’s the first issue of a six-issue run on this title, and things are getting twisted in more ways than a pretzel!

DC Comics, Batman Kings of Fear #1, $3.99 for 24 pages of content. Teen +