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A review by kevinowenkelly
Dark Nights: Metal - Dark Knights Rising by Joshua Williamson, Dan Abnett, Scott Snyder, Sam Humphries, Peter J. Tomasi, Grant Morrison, Frank Tieri, James Tynion IV
5.0
What if every fear you ever had spawned a new reality dedicated to that fear playing out? And what if those fears then escaped into our world?
That's the premise of Dark Nights Metal, where all of Bruce Wayne's private fears and insecurities have manifested themselves into a number of nightmare Batmen-versions of each Justice League member.
This tie-in series explores the backstories of each of those nightmare Batmen, while also adding some contemporary scenes fleshing out the main events of the Metal plotline.
I was highly impressed with these books. Each takes a credible fear of Batman's and gives free reign to various ways that Batman might be pushed over the edge and compelled to take the power of a Justuce League member to address that fear. For instance, Batman's fear that, despite his best efforts, he won't be able to be there for everyone all the time? Why, let's strap the Flash to a batmobile modeled after the Cosmic Treadmill and drive into the speed force!
The ideas range from the bonkers to the heartfelt, but they're all wildly creative and fun thought exercises. His fears of intimacy, trust, his friends, his family, the trauma of possibly losing his father a second time (in Alfred)... all of them feel grounded and true to the character, but where the books really shine is how each is tied in to a different Justice League member or their power.
Great stuff. The Cyborg/Murder Machine issue is a standout.
That's the premise of Dark Nights Metal, where all of Bruce Wayne's private fears and insecurities have manifested themselves into a number of nightmare Batmen-versions of each Justice League member.
This tie-in series explores the backstories of each of those nightmare Batmen, while also adding some contemporary scenes fleshing out the main events of the Metal plotline.
I was highly impressed with these books. Each takes a credible fear of Batman's and gives free reign to various ways that Batman might be pushed over the edge and compelled to take the power of a Justuce League member to address that fear. For instance, Batman's fear that, despite his best efforts, he won't be able to be there for everyone all the time? Why, let's strap the Flash to a batmobile modeled after the Cosmic Treadmill and drive into the speed force!
The ideas range from the bonkers to the heartfelt, but they're all wildly creative and fun thought exercises. His fears of intimacy, trust, his friends, his family, the trauma of possibly losing his father a second time (in Alfred)... all of them feel grounded and true to the character, but where the books really shine is how each is tied in to a different Justice League member or their power.
Great stuff. The Cyborg/Murder Machine issue is a standout.