It’s time to dive back into Gotham with our favorite vigilantes! A quick aside before we get started, I’ve been playing the Heroic Assault raids in Gotham Knights: The Game the Comic the Game, and they’re a lot of fun! I teamed up with some friends, and we were able to clear most of the floors pretty easily (though most of us were at max level). If you’re looking for a reason to pick the game up, be it again or for the first time, now is a great time to do it!
Alright, on with the show!
Gotta Get Back (Back to the Past)
Our issue opens with some much-needed insight to the Court of Owls circa 1847, as they try to induct the Runaway into their ranks. I’m very glad to see more of this past Gotham, it’s extremely interesting to get a glimpse into the Court in their early days, especially faced with a non-Batman threat (or two, due to the end of this issue!) There’s also a fascinating ideological conflict here, between the Runaway’s mission to free all enslaved people and the Court’s tendency to treat anyone that’s not them as disposable. It’s really neat to see a villain so Batman-specific finally meet another nemesis that fits so neatly against them.
Speaking of that new addition I mentioned earlier (spoiler-free, of course!), a whole new world has been opened up for the Court, and I can’t wait to see where it leads. Hell, even if it doesn’t lead anywhere in this mini, I would love to see angles like this explored in future comics.
As for the modern day plot, the fomo freaks are still at it, and Nightwing and Robin are working to save them from the old abandoned amusement park! A classic, truly. I will say that the dialogue has taken a noticeable dip in quality, becoming more akin to everyone’s least favorite parts of the game.
It’s not TERRIBLE, but it’s not GOOD either.
A lot of that “how do you do, fellow kids?” energy that plagued the trailers for this game permeates throughout this issue, with awkward dialogue and lame quips. It’s not a deal-breaker, of course, but after Evan Narcisse’s stellar last two issues, it definitely feels like a downgrade.
It’s a good thing this looks so good, then!
One thing I’ve been saying since the beginning, this book looks GOOD. Abel and John really were the perfect team to be tackling this. Every page is dynamic, colorful, and just plain fun to look at (honestly, the designs look better here than the game sometimes). The vibe of the book really meshes with the writing, providing a fun, dramatic adventure for readers to follow.
And of course, no comic is complete without its lettering. Steve Wands has absolutely nailed it here. The lettering is extremely fun, and complements the art perfectly. This might be weird to say, but it might be my favorite in a book I’ve read recently.
All of this combined makes this book one of my visual favorites out right now. I really hope we get to see more from this creative team, they’re fantastic together.
Recommended if…
- You enjoyed or want to get into Gotham Knights
- A solid Bat-fam book is up your alley.
- The history of Gotham interests you.
- Hey, free item code with every issue. Not bad, eh?
Overall
We’re halfway through this series now, and things are starting to ramp up. I’m excited to see what comes next!
Score: 7/10
DISCLAIMER: DC Comics provided Batman News with a copy of this comic for the purpose of this review.
