Review: Batman #100
The Joker War finally hits its apex this week, with a giant sized issue that looks to put to bed the current battle between the chaos of the clown and the order of the Bat. Whilst some would say it’s “those wonderful toys” that makes Batman, it comes to light that for a loner, ironically it his sense of family.
We are back in the chemical factory; there are vats of acid, a dead butler, Batman and the Joker Who Batmans. Throw into the mix a resurgent Nightwing, two new Batgirls (of sorts), Robin, Signal and Oracle and you have all the trappings of a proper brouhaha. Batman has to deal with not just the Joker, but the Joker’s plan for Gotham, part of which is probably going to have ramifications in the up and coming issues down the line. There are a couple of surprises in store and as they concern a character I normally dislike, their actions and reactions actually made me smile.
James Tynion IVs’ story has, for the most part, been a pacy affair. Maybe there was at least one issue too many of Batman on his bad trip, but all in all this is a far cry form the long-winded approach by Tom King. Tynion still manages to plan for the future and there are still questions left unanswered which will be interesting to find out, I think that the biggest string to Tynions’ bow is that he has managed to write fresh dialogue for a clash that has been seen numerous times. I had hoped that this book would see the end of the Joker fascination for a while, though the second story kind of puts a nail in that idea. As is the norm for DC’s bigger issues, there are a couple of stories that hint at future paths. The Punchline one has more interest for me; if you check out the recent The Definitive Crusade podcast, you will hear a discussion around Clown Hunter.
Starting with the main part of the book; Jorge Jimenez has been a revelation on this series. Whilst his Justice League art was stylised, with some great nuances for certain characters; here it has depth and emotion coupled with defined action shots, be it Nightwing’s high kicks or Punchline’s baseball throw into the ground. There are a couple of oddities; I didn’t realise that Batgirl’s (Babs) cape was translucent and where did Batman’s eyes go in one particular hospital panel. These though are minor quibbles. The Clown Hunter story features art from Carlo Pagulayan who delivers a more standard, almost functional style. Normally this would be a good look for Batman. The problem with the art is that its normal house style is sandwiched between Jimenez and the third artist Guillem March whose art has always been style personified. Granted, Punchline sans makeup has more than a passing resemblance to Ally from Sunstone, though I have said that before so it is definitely not a March interpretation. Tomeu Morey pulls triple duty for the colors. Looking across the three stories you can see how varied a colorist’s job is, with different schemes in place across all three. Finally, Clayton Cowles’ letters are a joy too read; easy to read whilst feeling like part of the stories in question, maybe more so in the first story.
For all the recent DC larger issues over recent months, I think that Batman #100 has been my favourite, even if for some reason Huntress is on the cover regardless of her lack of family connection. Tynion and Jimenez have brought back the energy to a character that had felt weighed down by his own quest and maudlin meanderings.
Writing – 5 Stars
Art (Jimenez) – 5 Stars
Art (Pagulayan) – 4 Stars
Art – (March) – 5 Stars
Colors – 5 Stars
Overall – 5 Stars
Written by; James Tynion IV
Art by; Jorge Jimenez, Carlo Pagulayan and Guillem March
Colors by; Tomeu Morey
Letters by; Clayton Cowles
Published by; 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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