by Gregg Hurwitz and David Finch
Writer Gregg Hurwitz is putting the ‘dark’ in “The Dark Knight” with his current arc featuring Scarecrow. I’m enjoying Batman: The Dark Knight a lot more since this book has become a quality read. It is still a long way from being as good as Snyder’s Batman but I’d argue it is on a similar level of quality to Detective Comics.
This issue continues where the last one left off. Batman has been captured by the Scarecrow. Scarecrow’s motives aren’t totally clear at this point and that is my major complaint with this book. However, considering the quality of the writing now compared to the previous run of The Dark Knight I am not really too upset about it. That lack of clarity is definitely holding this story back though. It would appear as though this issue didn’t do much to advance the plot, merely reflected on things that we already know about Bruce Wayne and maybe some things we may, or may not, have known about Jonathon Crane aka The Scarecrow. Without knowing what Scarecrow is trying to achieve, it is difficult to tell how important this issue really is.
Having said all of that, I was very entertained by this issue. It has made me come to love Scarecrow as a villain more than any other incarnation of the character I have encountered before. He seems both more terrifying and also more legitimate a threat to Batman than I had previously thought. Where Joker wants to terrorize Batman but keep him as a plaything, and where Bane wants to simply destroy the Dark Knight, Scarecrow seems content to reside in a middle ground.
Artist David Finch is crushing the artwork in this book. This issue is bloody and dark and terrifying and I couldn’t be happier with what the visual team is bringing to the table right now. Everyone is quick to crown Greg Capullo as the reigning artist supreme for the Bat (not without reason) but I wouldn’t be so quick with my judgement after seeing the previous three issues of The Dark Knight which have been drawn by Finch.
I am sticking to my guns and encouraging Batman fans to pick up Hurwitz and Finch’s The Dark Knight starting with issue #10. For some it might be lost in the see of Bat books but I believe it has risen to a level of importance that has surprised even the most hopeful of us. The sheer awesomeness of the art is worth the $3 price of admission- the entertaining and psychotic story is a wonderful bonus. I’m interested to see where this arc is going even though it isn’t clear, I’ll definitely be back again for the next installment of this series.
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