I feel like issue #4 is where this series really hit its stride. The first three chapters were passable, but delivered nothing that gamers who played Arkham City didn’t already know. Chapter four or “Observations: Part One” is a great jumping on point with a solid narrative.
We’ve all seen the Batman/Gordon rooftop meeting a thousand times. It’s practically cliché and typically used as a short expository scene, but when done right can provide us with some great moments be they intense or more on the funny side. The next few issues of Batman: Arkham Unhinged utilize this classic scene to frame the entire story. Which is a neat idea that I’m sure has been done before, but this I haven’t seen it used recently so I’m enjoying it. Rather than Gordon giving Batman a few helpful tidbits and Batman vanishing mysteriously, Batman is the one updating Gordon and as he does so the story unfolds through flashback and we see the events as Batman describes them. It’s a brilliant narrative that works beautifully, but what about the content itself?
It’s great, a lot is packed into a 10 page (Displayed in 20 half-pages) tale. Not only does it sum up the important bits from the last three issues perfectly, but we learn much, much more about Hugo Strange and witness some explosive action that showcases Batman’s new vehicles. This issue does a great job setting up the chaos that’s going to develop over the next few issues as Batman is hunted by Tyger guards and Hugo Strange. Plus, the art is fantastic. Brian Ching’s Batman pencils are some of the best in any Batman comic right now. Print or digital! Check these images out…
The inking, coloring, the poses…it’s Batman art done right. If you’ve been at all curious about reading this digital series, this is the issue to get you started!
Worth a Buck?
Absolutely. And the following issue, also available for download is top-o-the-line quality as well.
Batman: Arkham Unhinged can be purchased at comiXology
