Comics / Comic Reviews / DC Comics

Batman in Barcelona: Dragon's Knight # 1 (of 1)

By Koppy McFad
June 8, 2009 - 04:43

This one-shot special, which is not connected to the ongoing stories in the regular "Batman" titles, takes Batman/Bruce Wayne to the scenic Spanish city of Barcelona where he encounters an old enemy in new surroundings.

This story is filled with local colour, with scenic backgrounds that truly capture the strange beauty of Barcelona, particularly its famous cathedral. While Batman deals with a more typical threat in the form of a super villain, Bruce Wayne must contend with a spirited senorita who has become disillusioned with his shallow playboy persona.

The art, by Spanish artist Diego Olmos, does capture the spirit of the historic city while retaining the spirit of Batman. His style easily encompasses both the human and superhuman aspects of the Batman, making the character rather awe-inspiring while still letting the man inside the costume shine through. The bad guy is suitably scary and the climactic fight scene at the end could make for a great climax for an action movie.

The writing however is just slightly above adequate. It does not really capitalise on the unique setting of the story. Partly this is because we are merely seeing Batman go up against another old member of his rogues' gallery and not dealing with something unique to Barcelona or Spain itself. Perhaps we should be grateful that they did not resort to some stereotypical Spanish villain like an evil matador but having Batman fight an old foe for the Nth time detracts from the novelty of a story set in Barcelona. While this is a very good-looking comic with an entertaining story, when you get down to the basics, it could just as easily have been set in Baltimore.

Rating: 7 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12