Writer: Chip Zdarsky
Art: Carmine Di Giandomenico
Publisher: DC Comics
Price:$4.99
Release Date: February 16th, 2022
Bruce Wayne’s voyage toward evolving into the BATMAN has commenced. However, he’s had many tough lessons to learn along the way. Now, Bruce embarks on a quest to Paris, where he’ll acquaint himself with a world-famous cat burglar while simultaneously coming in connection with a killer lurking after the city’s elite. Let’s dive into BATMAN: THE KNIGHT #2 by Chip Zdarsky and Carmine Di Giandomenico to uncover this next phase in the development of the future crime-fighting, detective known as the BATMAN.
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THE DISPATCH
If you’re looking for a different side of Bruce Wayne that’s not been thoroughly explored by many writers, BATMAN: THE KNIGHT #2 is most certainly for you. This issue by Zdarsky finds a young Bruce Wayne in Paris honing different aspects of his craft. And in this issue of BATMAN: THE KNIGHT, readers will see the first encounter with Henri Ducard as well as his beginning machinations with cat burglars (cough… could… CATWOMAN).
More importantly, Zdarsky focuses on a Bruce Wayne that’s insecure, unsure, and juggling his ideals as well as his moral compass. This issue is certainly unlike any BATMAN issue we’ve seen before. However, there are just a few wrinkles that didn’t seem to make sense yet were used to make the story progress well. For example, the beginning relationship between Bruce and the cat burglar didn’t make sense. Why would she feel like training him? Plus, Bruce’s morals against crime have always been rock solid. So, why would he participate in a robbery? Sure, he might learn from a criminal but I feel like he’d plan a way to return the items stolen as to undo the crime. Not only was this aspect not mentioned BUT Bruce was willing to die in order to see this mission through. Die in order to commit a crime? That just doesn’t jive.
Granted, this takes me to a characteristic of BATMAN that Zdarsky hit with a bullseye. Bruce literally gets shot in the leg in order to complete “the mission”. He says, “I had to see [the mission] through.”, which is a huge character strength and flaw of BATMAN. This sometimes hinders his abilities almost like to his detriment. But then again, this is the only way he oftentimes triumphs. Zdarsky does a great job painting that picture and character trait in this issue and fakes readers to a place they’ve never seen before well.
ART
Carmine Di Giandomenico’s illustrations are commendable showcasing an excessive amount of definition in the body structure as well as facial features of the characters which help distinguish their feelings and emotions. Towards the end of BATMAN: THE KNIGHT #2, readers can easily articulate the agonizing pain Bruce is in from the way Di Giandomenico shows panels specifically centered around Bruce’s teeth grinding amplifying the mood and tension in the issue.
However, the colors were extremely dark in multiple scenes making some panels difficult to decipher. I get it… they’re robbing at night. And, it does make sense for the pages to be darker. Nevertheless, not so dark that I can’t distinguish between faces and body movement. Moreover, there is a scene where Bruce is being trained by Lucie to work through a security system in which his arm looks totally out of place and almost like an extra appendage.
Plus, as BATMAN: THE KNIGHT #2 wraps, Bruce discovers a secret that is supposed to be a big reveal. Alas, the items found are so small, it’s too hard to distinguish what exactly was found. Moreover, with the lack of detail, misplaced shadows across faces and panels, as well as darker coloring, I feel like I had to take wild guesses as to who the B Plot killer was. It just wasn’t as straightforward as Zdarsky and Di Giandomenico may have thought.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Zdarsky attempts to weave Henri Ducard back into BATMAN’S history by showing the very first meet-up between Bruce and Ducard. Alas, the meet-up doesn’t transpire until the end of the issue after Zdarsky explores some growing pains for an extremely young Bruce Wayne. With this being the initial machinations of the character, some of the traits can be pushed to the side with assumptions that could suggest maturity and growth of BATMAN with time. However, some foundational aspects of BATMAN’S character were fudged a bit by this issue and didn’t sit well with this reviewer.
Overall, BATMAN: THE KNIGHT #2 is serviceable and lets readers into a specific aspect of Bruce’s past that many writers haven’t traversed making this reasonably uncharted territory that could easily be fixed along the way if need be. Yet, even with some of the art issues and characterization feeling a bit wonky, I still found the issue interesting, entertaining, and exciting. For now, I’m still in and find myself intrigued as to what angle Zdarsky is pushing with Ducard. Let me know what you think, have a great week, and God Bless!