“The Fall and the Fallen” – Part Three
Artists: Mikel Janin and Jorge Fornes
Color Artist: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Review By Eric Lee
Writer Tom King does a wonderful job of overlaying plot with action in Batman #72. Despite this issue being one long action scene, it does not feel like mindless fighting, like #70 did.
There are two huge differences why this comic is superior. First, the action is specific and has a logical flow. Readers fully witness Batman and Bane beating on each other. It is easy to follow and is not just redundant punching. King even throws in a couple of callbacks to make it even more engaging. This diversity in fight choreography and narrative give the action the personality that #70 was lacking. There, Batman engaged in repetitive battles that constantly cut away during key moments, whereas here, the fighting is more emotionally satisfying.
The second reason why this comic is superior to #70 is plot progression. King wisely chooses to overlay the fight scenes with narration describing Bane’s plan. King also takes time to break from the action to show a montage of events that led up to the current situation.
It’s shocking to see the depths of Bane – and King’s – plotting. It’s not an understatement to say that almost every story in King’s run has been leading up to this. The best part is, the narration is also a subtle character piece. This is subversive storytelling at its best.
Using Mikel Janin to illustrate the montage scenes was a smart choice too, as he and fight-scene artist Jorge Fornes have wildly different visual styles. Since Janin has been the main artist on most of the past stories, it’s logical to have him recreate them. This allows visual callbacks, while maintaining this story arc’s personal visual identity.
Conclusion
Batman #72 is a culmination of King’s run so far. Fortunately, he sticks to landing so far and pulls old plot threads together with masterful ease. This issue has not only intrigued me for future storylines, but also retroactively elevated past issues.
Images Courtesy Of DC Entertainment