“Batman/Fortnite: Zero Point” – The Collected Edition
Artists: Reilly Brown, Christian Duce, Nelson Faro DeCastro
Color Artist: John Kalisz
Letterer: AndWorld Design
Review by Philip Clark
Batman/Fortnite: Zero Point The Collected Edition is finally here and it… is… GOOD!
Now, don’t get me wrong, though I went into this title with a fair amount of apprehension, I was pleasantly surprised with what I read. I was fully expecting it to be the laughing stock of the DC Comicsverse, much like the Deathstroke/Yogi Bear run a few years back, but no… this strangely works and works well.
Full credit must go to the creative team for setting up a mini-series that blends our love for comics and video games perfectly.
Fortnite Island
With most of his memories escaping him, it’s only instinct that keeps our favourite Caped Crusader alive. That is until he meets a mysterious new ally, or are they new at all? The familiarity between the two leads to them kicking some serious butt, and standing victorious… at least for a while.
A crossover with Fortnite was always going to be inevitable after Epic Games revealed that they were adding in Batman characters and content for the players, including costumes of some of our favourite Gotham City alumni. It was only a matter of time before we had this crossover.
I must seriously praise the art team as well, as they managed to capture both the seedy grit of Gotham and the bright confusion of the Fortnite game within a few pages of each other.
Batman: The Detective
I’m so glad we get to see the detective side of Batman in this issue, as it’s an aspect of The Caped Crusader that I personally feel is underused in the comics. Not this time, however, in Batman/Fortnite: Zero Point #2 it’s used to its full potential.
I also really dig the new designs for Batman, Catwoman, and all the other characters’ costumes, it really adds to the post-apocalyptic vibe that the story gives off. As the story progresses, you can absolutely tell that they’ve been going through this for a long time. The art team did a wonderful job on the redesigns.
Silent Ninja Warrior
I was fortunate enough to read this story when it was coming out monthly, but my inner child is still squealing. This amazing crossover finally gave fans something they’d been clamoring for for decades, Snake Eyes vs Batman! I still can’t get over the awesomeness that fills the pages of this collection!
Firstly, the Snake Eyes introduction is incredible, as it tells you everything you need to know about the character. He gets the jump on a very aware and alert Batman, and after that, it’s just two of the most incredible martial artists going at each other. Both legends attempt to gain the upper hand against the other, fighting to a standstill every single time.
It’s enough to make every other character stop and watch, no matter who they are; witnessing these two almost perfect humans go at each other was going to attract an audience. Respect is quickly gained by each man, along with the rest of the combatants in The Loop.
Dream Team
Okay, so Christos Gage is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers, and Reilly Brown, Christian Duce, and Nelson DeCastro have joined my list of favorite artists. This whole creative team is phenomenal, and I really hope that DC keeps them on and gives them the love they deserve. I’d love to see them take on one of DC’s big ongoing titles, they certainly deserve it.
It’s not just the character artwork though, the background setting of the island truly makes you feel like you’re there. The feeling of immersion is very similar to that felt when playing the video game itself. I feel I have to comment on the work of John Kalisz as well. I really like the textures he’s given this story as a whole, unifying the work of two different art teams. His cityscapes and tropical islands are great, particularly when contrasted with the sci-fi aspects of action that takes place in front of the backdrop of a crack in reality. Kalisz does a great job at keeping that as an undertone throughout the comic.
Conclusion
This story is a glorious representation of two of my favorite things; comics and video games. It gives a beautiful look at the puzzle-game genre, by trying to figure out things on the fly while adding in the flowing story of a comic.
Being the World’s Greatest Detective is a part of Batman’s arsenal that usually goes underutilized. In this tale, however, I feel like it’s been the best part of his game. He’s had to figure out to escape the Loop, as well as beneath Fortnite island, and he’s taken all of it in his stride.
Batman/Fortnite: Zero Point – The Collected Edition delivers the epitome of exactly who Batman is. He’s a survivor; intelligent, resourceful, and logical. Behind all the gadgets and martial arts, this story shows the true Batman. You can drop him into any situation, anywhere and he’ll find a way to survive.
I left the original run, and this collection, still wanting more… thankfully sometimes wishes do come true.
Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment