Review: Batman #50
Normally for an issue of the magnitude, I would advise that they are spoilers ahead. With DC’s “great” PR work over the weekend, I am pretty safe with the assumption that you already know the ending, the proverbial cat is out of the bag. For those interested in the quality of the book, I will try to go spoiler free, out of principle, if nothing else.
It’s finally here. After many months, and seemingly many more one-shots, we are finally cordially invited to the big day. Bridesmaid and best man are selected ready to stand with their respective charge; there is always someone drunk at a wedding, in this case its, the Judge! As we move through the events of the day, we get to see a history of sorts of the whole Bat / Cat relationship, described and entwined by two love letters.
Tom King has been pulling out all the stops for this love locked pair, with a number of trials, tests and twists to encumber the always star-crossed pair, living on opposite sides of the line. Under King, Batman has become slightly more human. Its key to note I said Batman; after all, it is Batman and Catwoman that are getting married, not Bruce and Selina. In doing so, Batman has allowed his greatest foe to enter his heart; happiness. King shows so much through the letters, showing his commitment to the pair and to their love as he steps through their past, with the help of a series of guest artists. Of course weddings are a family thing, meaning that we also get a lovely Alfred moment, one that has possibly been due since Bruce decided to put on the long johns, cowl and cape to patrol the Gotham night. There are also insights on hand, as Selina shows how much she recognised the Bat from their very first encounter, at least giving some closure to the whole different first time argument. The present returns us with a final panel that is truly a master stroke.
As stated, there are swathe of guests to accompany artist Mikel Janin and colorist June Chung. Starting with Janin; by now we know what we are going to get out of a Janin pencilled book; cinematic presence of characters taking the the leading roles. Emotive faces, which in the past may have been his weakness, actually becomes a strength. June Chung gives the book a painted look, that again resonates the emotions of the big day. The guest list of artists is phenomenal, starting with old hand Jose Luis Garcia- Lopez delivering an upfront version of the old classic. In fact, it is the old hands that almost steal the show, with Neal Adams also on point; from the younger pups of Greg Capullo, Tony S. Daniels and Jason Fabok, whose normal high quality work seems a little wonky in a high heeled version of the old Jim Balent suit. Of course, Batman has also gone through some outfits and each artist has their sway with nearly 80 years of wardrobe to play with. I am just glad there is no “Rainbow Batman” suit! With the list of quality on show, there is a Bat and a Cat for every fan of most of the iterations.
Batman #50 is a one of those books that is going to divide opinion; some will hate it, some will love it. There may well be ramifications for the industry, not helped by DC pulling the carpet from underneath retailers and fans with their actions last weekend. Hopefully, when the smoke settles, people will realise that this book is a classic take on two classic characters, both of whom make decisions based on their love for each other.
Writing – 5 Stars
Art – 5 Stars
Colors – 5 Stars
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Written by; Tom King
Art by; Mikel Janin, June Chung, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Trish Mulvihill, Jason Fabok, Brad Anderson, Frank Miller, Alex Sinclair, Lee Bermejo, Neal Adams, Hi-Fi, Tony S. Daniel, Tomeu Morey, Amanda Conner, Paul Mounts, Rafael Albuquerque, Tim Sale, Jose Villarrubia, Mitch Gerads, Clay Mann, Jordie Bellaire, Ty Templeton, Keiren Smith, Joelle Jones, David Finch, Jim Lee, Scott Williams, Greg Capullo, FCO Plascencia, Lee Weeks
Published by;Â DC Comics
Author Profile
- I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow
Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network
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