The Batman Who Laughs victory is at hand, and all he needs is for Batman to give into the toxin that has been infecting him.
Gotham City is minutes away from a horrifying collapse into madness, and with Batman struggling to retain what is left of himself, who is truly able to stop his darker counterpart?! Who lives? Who dies? Everything has come to this explosive conclusion as the final issue of The Batman Who Laughs mini-series concludes here!
Batman may have been the main protagonist of this series, but the real protagonist is Alfred, who has stuck by Batman throughout the entirety of this series as the angel on the side of his shoulder. What I love about this final issue, is that Batman really gets down and dirty, by making decisions that he would have never done to any foe, such as having traps that are meant to subdue forces that are just as strong and deadly with the harshest methods. Which I’m glad that Snyder and Jock gave us action on a level that wasn’t only going to consist of fisticuffs. A villain like the Batman Who Laughs needs to be met with harsher action, and with the traps that Batman uses in the midst of the battle made for a very satisfying showdown, especially when Batman uses almost any means to win against his dark counterpart.
I really enjoyed the parallels that occur between the battle of the Bats and the Gordons battle against the Grim Knight, and how they reflect the battle against their worst selves, and their primal darknesses of what could and what may have already consumed them. Snyder’s writing creates fantastic moments where it’ll have readers shouting and hollering at the insanity that ensures throughout the issue. It’s a bloody, dirty, introspective thrill-ride of a conclusion that it provides a sigh of relief when you reach the final pages, that is until you get to the end and gasp at the madness that is teases what is to come in the upcoming Batman/Superman series which follows the fallout of this series, which will be written by Joshua Williamson.
Jock’s artwork in this issue was and is amazing, retaining all of the hallmarks that is known to his art style. Harsh, edgy, sharp lines, that create scenes that turn out to be enjoyably brutal as Batman and other characters engage in combat in a manner that can only be done by Jock. Throughout the entirety of this series, I couldn’t think of anyone that could capture a particular ugliness that only Jock could deliver while still making the art awesome, especially when accompanied by David Baron’s colors and Cipriano’s letters which makes this an eerily beautiful book. It’s safe to say that everyone involved in this mini-series delivered in telling a strong story that will be embraced for ages to come as it already is today. I most definitely recommend this series to be added to your pull list, floppies, hardcover and all! It’s a true successor to Black Mirror and delivers in a satisfying way. Add this to your pull list for new comic book day, you won’t regret it.
Newsdesk
[…] […]