Comics / Comic Reviews / DC Comics

Batman and the Mad Monk # 1 (of 6)

By KoppyMcFad
September 2, 2006 - 04:04

This tale, based loosely on a Golden Age story, recounts the first time Batman ever encountered a supernatural threat. Wagner has a subtle touch, starting off with what looks like a standard crime drama and then introducing a few dead bodies that have been drained of blood. In this issue, we are not told too much of this new threat but longtime Bat-fans will know that Batman will be facing more than the usual vampires eventually. The gore is kept to a minimum and the emphasis is on mood and atmosphere. Batman is suitably portrayed as a man who rejects the idea of magical creatures and there is clever foreshadowing in this issue that he will soon get shaken down to his socks. The art has a decadent, menacing look about it and gives this issue a feel similar to the old "Night Stalker" TV series. But like too many modern writers, Wagner again overuses the gimmick of having his characters conduct an internal "monlogue," where their thoughts serve as narration.

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12