Before anything, I need those reading this to know I'm not King's biggest fan. And yes it's because of Batman and Heroes in Crisis. I haven't read anything else of his aside from Rorschach and the first 3 issues of Human Target. I know he's an EXTREMELY talented writer. I still have a hard time touching his work. I even love his first two arcs on Batman. This though...

This is simply amazing. Its opening is unbelievable. It's such natural, flowing human dialogue that you'd just have this kind of conversation with anyone. So much comic book dialogue is filled with too much gravitas, emphasis or exposition that nothing ever feels grounded and real. Pair that with artwork and paneling that puts you right in the shoes of the perspective character to literally see as they do, you get lost in the first few pages engulfed in the story.

Transitioning to the camera feed and interrogation by Gordon, everything here just feels real. No Batman yet. Just a criminal and an officer doing his job. I don't think for a second, nor should anyone that Edward Nygma is telling the truth about Jack's 'One Bad Day'. He's the Ridder. He's supposed to confuse you, get you thinking, get off balance. Taking him seriously or at his direct words will likely not yield you the right answer.

The only trope that King falls into here of his that I have one of the biggest problems with is his stammering, unsure, uncomfortable dialogue. I only mean that in characters that are in a sad or uncomfortable position as was Mrs. Oates when speaking to Bruce Wayne. He tries to create a real conversation that is stuttery, broken and intentionally sad. Someone in pain trying to cope. Reaching out with words they can't find. Sometimes it translates to the page better than others and this is the only time I noticed it.

This Batman is the Batman I have wanted to see from King. This Batman is terrifying. A force. An immovable object that is undeterred from his mission to find the truth. I've not in recent memory seen such an imposing and cold Dark Knight than here and is amazing.

It wasn't until I saw Edward's teacher and the interaction with him that I realized why his father looked so much like Kurtwood Smith. King gave Edward a new origin that is a beautiful amalgamation of the studious but unsure Todd Anderson and the tragic rebellious Neil Perry from Dead Poet's Society. It's not subtle. He wasn't trying to hide it and Gerads and King even included his name in the files Edward rifles through to find his teachers'. If you haven't seen that movie, a lot of this is likely not to resonate with you as well. King is known for his love of film and it would be a disservice not to recommend everyone who reads this to watch that movie. This book like that film is a masterpiece. To say otherwise is just a flat out biased, bitter lie. Something a child would scoff at because they don't understand writing. Good writing. Great writing.

I need to sing Mitch Gerads' praises in here as well. This is honestly one of the most beautiful books I have ever had the pleasure and privilege to see. I can't really describe how perfect it is. The colors are perfect, the lines are perfect, the perspective, depth and scale of every panel giving everything weight. Simply the best. Oh and The New Batman Adventures Batmobile. That is all.

If 'ruining' the Killing Joke with one line or that it's doing an homage to that story is enough to get you to call this bad, you like Edward, are an idiot. If Batman, breaking his 'one rule' is enough to get you to call this bad, you really didn't understand the book or the point. Edward knows more than you think. He knows more than everyone thinks. If Batman thinks that his family was in real danger. He wouldn't hesitate. And he doesn't. That's what Batman does. The city is his family. Batman believes in mercy. He was giving mercy to his city. more