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A review by billyjepma
Batman, Detective Comics: Gotham nocturne: act II, Volume 3 by Ram V, Dan Watters, Simon Spurrier
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
4.25
Okay, Ram V is really cooking with something now. The slow burn of the Gotham Nocturne story hasn't led to the most exciting read, but the thematic undertones and broader parallels Ram has been creating start to come into clearer focus in this outing, and the results are very, very promising. I still wish the art were more consistent issue-to-issue, but at least this series has maintained a solid baseline of quality. The most significant departure comes from Francavilla's turn at bat near the end, which is a jarring shift in art style that still works because I've always liked how expressive and dramatic his work is.
I've been waiting and hoping that Ram V had something in mind for the Orghams, and again, I'm starting to see what he's building with them and their role in Batman and Gotham's story. It's not the most original approach, yet the parallels pack a wallop and have the potential to strike a real nerve if the series can keep up the momentum. I'm also a sucker for a Batman book that isn't afraid to get introspective and interrogative toward Batman, his motivations, his role in Gotham, and the fragile nature of the things that hold him together. We'll see how Ram V's story unfolds in the next chapters, but I'm very into the concepts he's been laying down and will be eager to see where they go next.
I also continue to love the series' backup stories, with this collection having some of the best so far. Unlike other books in DC's catalog, the backups are arguably essential to the main story the series is crafting. They enrich supporting characters, add dimensions to backstories, and generally help the story Ram V is bringing us into feel like a proper odyssey.
I've been waiting and hoping that Ram V had something in mind for the Orghams, and again, I'm starting to see what he's building with them and their role in Batman and Gotham's story. It's not the most original approach, yet the parallels pack a wallop and have the potential to strike a real nerve if the series can keep up the momentum. I'm also a sucker for a Batman book that isn't afraid to get introspective and interrogative toward Batman, his motivations, his role in Gotham, and the fragile nature of the things that hold him together. We'll see how Ram V's story unfolds in the next chapters, but I'm very into the concepts he's been laying down and will be eager to see where they go next.
I also continue to love the series' backup stories, with this collection having some of the best so far. Unlike other books in DC's catalog, the backups are arguably essential to the main story the series is crafting. They enrich supporting characters, add dimensions to backstories, and generally help the story Ram V is bringing us into feel like a proper odyssey.