DC Comics
Script: Matt Wagner
Art: Matt Wagner
Colors: Dave Stewart
Everything about BATMAN & THE MONSTER MEN screams retro. You can tell Matt Wagner is itching to revisit the late 1930’s that he so successfully mined for his marvelous SANDMAN MYSTERY THEATRE run. Only the immutable laws of DC’s continuity seem to be preventing him from going there completely.
DARK MOON RISING is the operative theme, as this six issue mini, along with a planned second (BATMAN AND THE MAD MONK), examines what Wagner has referred to as stories from Batman year 1.5. These tales are designed to examine how Batman evolves from a masked vigilante out to cleanse the streets of Gotham to an actual superhero who battles all manner of monster. Fertile territory, and well suited to Wagner’s feel for the grim and gritty.
I struggled a bit with this first issue as I tried to reconcile the post-depression Gotham skyline, interiors and autos with the more modern touches -- thugs with ear rings, a tech-laden Batcave -- Wagner has sprinkled in. Maybe it was Wagner’s decision to incorporate these things, but they felt like a concession to continuity to an old curmudgeon like me. I guess, on a certain level I’m just sad that DC doesn't feel they can tell a Batman in the 30’s (or 40’s, or 50’s, or whatever) story. But this is a small quibble and I’m hopeful that as the series progresses this type of thing will be kept to a minimum.
A slightly larger issue is the multiple narrative voices. There are four unique points of view within the confines of this 22 page book, and while the transitions are relatively seamless the greater effect was to prevent any one voice from setting the tone or rising above the noise. I suspect this will play better when the story eventually reaches trade paperback.
Wagner's art adeptly captures the Golden Age feel, but it’s Dave Stewarts coloring that really distinguishes the book. Muted skintones, sepia and a very tempered use of shadows combine to provide exactly the right pitch for Wagner’s pencils.
It’s too early to make any kind of sweeping generalization about BATMAN AND THE MONSTER MEN, but I suspect this series is going to far outshine Steve Engelhart’s DARK DETECTIVE mini from earlier this year as well ALL STAR BATMAN & ROBIN. (Although the sales won't likely support this notion.) In fact, based on the parallels between Wagner’s book and the BATMAN BEGINS movie, one might make the claim that this book is better suited as an entry point for new Batman readers rather than Frank Miller’s ongoing train wreck. In any case, as fun as INFINITE CRISIS is, it's nice to have a solid Batman story to fall back to that isn't reliant on bigbrother satellites and the dynamics of the Justice League.
Comments