“Gargoyle of Gotham” – Book One
Color Artist: Matheus Lopes
Letterer: John Workman
Review by Eric Lee
Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham #2 continues the heavily atmospheric tale, but lessens its dramatic impact with detours from the main plot.
It’s hard to fault Rafael Grampa’s hyper-gritty noir tone in the comic. Even though the main story feels like a generic Batman crime tale, the dense and macabre tone elevates this comic and gives it a more mature feeling.
This issue picks up on the previous installment’s disturbing revelation about Bruce Wayne. This is the part of the comic that feels the most compelling. Grampa’s twist sheds new light on Bruce’s childhood- as well as his motives to be Batman. It also re-contextualizes Batman’s crusade, giving it a troublesome and darker take.
This story twists Batman’s origins into something else that probably could not be done in the regular mythology. It makes readers question exactly how well we actually know Bruce. He’s different and more sinister here, so we cannot assume that this version of his personality will mirror how he’s portrayed in the regular comics.
This all ties back to the mysterious serial killer rampaging through Gotham. As interesting as this storyline is, the art’s what makes this so memorable. Grampa’s depiction of the murderer is disconcerting and creepy. This really showcases his stylized-gritty illustrations in their full glory. His nightmarish images stick with you for a long while.
Out-of-Place Plot
Unfortunately, the main plot is somewhat diluted by a political narrative about protesters against Wayne Enterprises. It’s not that Batman comics can never comment on class inequalities in a giant urban city like Gotham, but there doesn’t seem to be anything that ties it into the main plot, making it feel slightly out of place. It doesn’t serve much of a function other than to make Bruce Wayne look even more like a villain.
Additionally, the idea of Batman ditching the Bruce Wayne identity still isn’t fulfilled in this issue. At this point, I’m reading the issue wondering if the comic was a victim of misleading marketing. All previous publicity for the series boasted this as a tale where Batman would be unencumbered by the Bruce Wayne identity. We’ve now had two full issues and the story’s still not making much headway on that conceit.
Conclusion
Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham #2 has riveting moments when it focuses on the disturbing, new take on Bruce Wayne and the serial killings. The frightening art also makes this an ominous reading experience. However, the odd class warfare plot and the unrealized potential of the series’ premise make for a slightly uneven read.
Images courtesy of DC Entertainment