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Creative Team:
Written and Drawn by: Christian Ward
Letters: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Cover by: Christian Ward
Variant Cover By: Bill Sienkiewicz
Publisher: DC COMICS
The Art:
It’s no secret that Christian Ward is one of, if not the best, artists in the current comic book game. His actions in this comic raise the bar even for himself. It’s as though we have a cosmic take on Batman. Every panel is filled with vibrant and beautiful colors.
Every character is the Batman character we know and love, but the minor details make me fall in love with this issue. The way two-face is drawn and the external torment he makes you feel that Harvey is battling with, the Court of Owls boasts a frightening look. Every page is full of a cosmic, beautiful motif bringing a delightful look to a dark Gotham underbelly.
The Writing:
Just like the artwork, the details make the difference in this book. Christian humanists Batman in a way we have not seen done in a very long time. The way Alfred is made to care about Batman in a fatherly way ties this in. He regrets training Bruce and not being there more emotionally for him. He worries about him nightly, and even Batman telling Nightwing to pass along a message to Alfred showcases his humanity in a beautiful, endearing way.
Now, as for the story, we are getting Bats, and the court makes a truce that each can rule these two Gothams. The ani- Batman is a force, and it’s written like a clever detective thriller story enrapturing us in every word.
Overall:
Christian Ward profoundly loves and understands the world of Gotham City. It’s evident in this story and the copious amount of rogues we get from the Ventriloquist, which showcases Wesker’s human side. And then even making Harvey Dent the hero almost amongst his duality hidden in his mind. never thought we’d see Two-Face being the one to warn Batman to save Gotham, yet he’s done it. Batman City of Madness is a must-read horrifying yet beautiful love letter to the history of Batman. Do yourselves a favor and make this the number one comic you read this year.
10/10 Cigars.
Thank you for taking the time to read my review! You can find all of my other reviews here https://nerdinitiative.com/?s=HopsGeekNews. Follow me on social media @hopsgeeknews and let me know what comics are on your pull list!
Love this comic? You can vote for Christian Ward for his work on this run in this year’s Cheersies Awards hosted by Nerd Initiative! Follow the link, vote as many times as you’d like and if you see a creator you want to vote for you can even write them in. Voting ends December 21st and will be announced on January 2nd!
