Comics / Comic Reviews / DC Comics

Vigilante # 10

By Koppy McFad
September 26, 2009 - 00:16

The newest version of the Vigilante visits Gotham City where he encounters the newest version of Batman. Not surprisingly, they fight before reluctantly joining forces.

The scene on the cover, with the Vigilante lynching Batman, never happens in the actual comic book. Instead, Vigilante, for all his guns and weapons, barely holds his own against Batman. But since it is Dick Grayson under the mask, he goes easy on the Vigilante, actually letting him go free to interrogate the Penguin.

The confrontation between the two heroes is quite disappointing. Sure, we know the great, mighty Batman is not going to lose to some neophyte but to have Vigilante taken down so easily makes the title character look like a pushover. When Batman actually lets Vigilante go to let him pursue the Penguin, one has to wonder why he even bothers to do so. Surely Batman could do a better job than the Vigilante.

Vigilante's situation is also not exploited well. He is after his father-in-law, who it turns out is a big crimelord. But other than that, we don't get a sense of urgency or a even a compelling reason for his mission. Sure, his wife has been murdered but it is hard to say he is affected by this as the character doesn't act like he is driven by a deep sense of mission.

The art is a bit blocky and stylized with monochromatic backgrounds and odd panels where Batman and other characters are suddenly coloured differently. It is rather distracting. But the art also has a mysterious, modern "noir" look to the book which makes it stand out from the other DC Comics books on the stands.

Rating: 6 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12