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A review by twan
Batman: The Black Mirror by Scott Snyder
4.0
5 (Random) Thoughts
-Hmmm. So I really enjoyed this. A series of mysterious, semi-detective stories, with some extended narrative through-lines. There is a formulaic 3 act structure, which means that we get several full stories within the "Black Mirror" collection. The book never felt like more than a good Batman read, but that seems to be the worst that I can say about it. So it never reached the heights of my personal favorite Dark Knight stories (My list isn't that creative, your standards: Year One, Dark Knight Returns, Hush, Long Halloween).
-But I really liked it all the way through, so it's not on my list of disappointing stories that other's considered classics. I hated "Batman R.I.P." for instance. Perhaps more (pun) as a big fan of Moore, I found "The Killing Joke" to be disappointing after the hype. It was certainly a fine comic, but nowhere near the top of my list. "The Black Mirror" is, for better or worse, a good comic read.
-But that depiction of the JOKER!.. In the final act of the story, for a few pages, Snyder realizes the Joker so fully. It may be my favorite rendition of this popular villain. He is the co-dependent villain, longing for his old Batman, referring to this new Bat as a "little bird," the former Robin. He is sparse and manic, but, as always full of pathos. Joker has always worked because he makes us question the necessity, or even danger of our protagonist. Here he seems resigned to hide and wait for his return, and it causes us to question our hero once again.
-Another strength of the story is the setting. I am far too old to keep up with these increasingly complex modes and multi-verses. In the introduction page there is a description of the setting gave me cause for concern: Bruce Wayne was thought dead, but he's not. The old Robin, is Batman, and the old Batman's son is the new Robin, and one of the other Robin's is now Red Robin. Batman isn't dead, but when he returned he started recruiting new Batmen, around the country. Uh oh. Well, no actually. Not "Uh oh." Because what Snyder decides to do is pair down the cast to an easily digestible few. His detective story is lean and precise, especially for a (semi) modern comic story. It is more Year One than Hush. A simple story, well told.
-And the post Bruce Wayne Batman is done to good effect. It is well done, because this is a subtly different hero. Less arrogant. Less perfect. In the suit he is leaner and more acrobatic. The lower half of his face, less chiseled, more expressive. His outlook on the future is even different: more hopeful, perhaps less pragmatic. If these seem like minor changes, perhaps they are. What they add up to is a hero that seems vulnerable at all times. Even his faith in humanity leaves him open to be a victim in ways that Wayne's Batman never was.
-Hmmm. So I really enjoyed this. A series of mysterious, semi-detective stories, with some extended narrative through-lines. There is a formulaic 3 act structure, which means that we get several full stories within the "Black Mirror" collection. The book never felt like more than a good Batman read, but that seems to be the worst that I can say about it. So it never reached the heights of my personal favorite Dark Knight stories (My list isn't that creative, your standards: Year One, Dark Knight Returns, Hush, Long Halloween).
-But I really liked it all the way through, so it's not on my list of disappointing stories that other's considered classics. I hated "Batman R.I.P." for instance. Perhaps more (pun) as a big fan of Moore, I found "The Killing Joke" to be disappointing after the hype. It was certainly a fine comic, but nowhere near the top of my list. "The Black Mirror" is, for better or worse, a good comic read.
-But that depiction of the JOKER!.. In the final act of the story, for a few pages, Snyder realizes the Joker so fully. It may be my favorite rendition of this popular villain. He is the co-dependent villain, longing for his old Batman, referring to this new Bat as a "little bird," the former Robin. He is sparse and manic, but, as always full of pathos. Joker has always worked because he makes us question the necessity, or even danger of our protagonist. Here he seems resigned to hide and wait for his return, and it causes us to question our hero once again.
-Another strength of the story is the setting. I am far too old to keep up with these increasingly complex modes and multi-verses. In the introduction page there is a description of the setting gave me cause for concern: Bruce Wayne was thought dead, but he's not. The old Robin, is Batman, and the old Batman's son is the new Robin, and one of the other Robin's is now Red Robin. Batman isn't dead, but when he returned he started recruiting new Batmen, around the country. Uh oh. Well, no actually. Not "Uh oh." Because what Snyder decides to do is pair down the cast to an easily digestible few. His detective story is lean and precise, especially for a (semi) modern comic story. It is more Year One than Hush. A simple story, well told.
-And the post Bruce Wayne Batman is done to good effect. It is well done, because this is a subtly different hero. Less arrogant. Less perfect. In the suit he is leaner and more acrobatic. The lower half of his face, less chiseled, more expressive. His outlook on the future is even different: more hopeful, perhaps less pragmatic. If these seem like minor changes, perhaps they are. What they add up to is a hero that seems vulnerable at all times. Even his faith in humanity leaves him open to be a victim in ways that Wayne's Batman never was.