REVIEW: Batman: Reptilian #3

A Horrifying Hunt

Batman: Reptilian #3 follows the story of Killer Croc, the human-shaped crocodile, as he wipes Batman’s most famous rouges off the map while he’s on the hunt for something and the Joker is next on the list. Riddler, Hugo Strange, and Even Two-Face have all be brutalized beyond recognition, with Batman coldly examining the situation almost like he’s making light of their dire circumstances. In this book, Batman is handled brilliantly; he’s cold, efficient, and is even shown to have a twisted sense of humor, much to The Joker’s dismay; which he witnesses after he’s been ravaged by the reptilian beast. The book sets up this grim story where Croc is hunting for something, and the regular clientele of Arkham Asylum seems to be his primary targets, with bystanders deduced to only be collateral damage by Batman.

Joker has taken hostages at the botanical garden’s using military-grade firepower along the henchmen to handle it. It becomes evident that this is a cry for help from Joker, who is slowly realizing he’ll be next on the list, so he disguises his attempt at self-defense at a grand scheme for Batman to foil to save his ego; how very in-character of him. The writing is very dry, calculated, and just a little snaky, bringing some brevity to the heavy tones and themes of the issue.

Living Shadows

The art by Liam Sharp is the standout here; I haven’t been this impressed by a Batman book’s illustrations since Arkham Asylum: A Serious House On Serious Earth; at first, I thought the titles shared the same artist, but upon checking, they are by two different people. This Gotham is like a living nightmare with creeping shadows, grand Gothic structures, and even Batman himself is depicted as a shadowy specter when viewed from a distance. The dark and disturbing elements of the unsound citizens of Arkham are put on full display with their deeply deformed features like Joker’s smile twisted into nightmarish imagery that just speaks to the macabre part of the reader’s mind. Visually the world of Batman is rendered with an astounding dream-like detail switching between beautifully still and grimly twisted; this is a Gotham City I would very much like to visit. Batman is at his best when the writers and artists explore the thematic and theatrical side of these beloved characters.

The Punchline

At the climax of the hunt, Joker taunts the looming presence around him, thinking it to be Batman, only for it to end up being something much worse. The panel depicting Joker being brutalized is wonderfully wicked, almost looking like a mix between his insanity and his soul being torn from his body as his twisted smile droops off his face. Joker is mauled beyond recognition and wheeled out on a stretcher as a mess of broken bones and steel clamps accompanied by a look of fear upon his face. Batman remarks he’ll be making his jokes from behind bars at Joker’s expense, a chilling punishment for Gotham’s most sadistic resident.

“Batman: Reptilian is a mix of style and substance, creating one of the best stories I’ve seen come out of DC since A Serious House On Serious Earth.”

Final Score 5/5

Writer: Garth Ennis
Artist: Liam Sharp
Publisher: DC Comics