Share this
Creative Team: Christian Ward (Writer), Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (Letters), Christian Ward (Art), and Cover by Christian Ward
Batman City of Madness #3:
This 3 issue tale wraps up stunningly as we are told a story of pushing beyond pain, of fighting for your life, and met with the sadness that can come with being a father watching your child torture himself within. Gotham City has never been seen like this before as Christian Ward takes us deep underground and into the mind of Batman, Gotham, and the Court of Owls, ending his tale epically.
The Art:
So many things stand out in this book, and Christian does so fundamentally well that I could go on for hours about it. Through his drawing and coloring, he made Gotham feel like a living, breathing entity, which is not easy to do. Particularly though, my favorite scene in this book was the shot of Bruce in Alfred’s arms being held. Alfred has been a father to Bruce but, I think we tend to forget that and so this shot floods us with so much emotion in such a simple shot. The colors overall were amazing throughout, the way he showcases Harvey’s face being half skull in the Gotham below, the purples, the reds, and blues melt together stunningly. This may be a bold statement but, perhaps this may be the most visually stunning and pleasing book I have ever read.
The Writing:
Christian and Hassan do a fantastic job in this book. Hassan’s lettering adds the voices behind the words, giving us an imaginative experience. Christian plainly loves and understands Batman almost better than anyone has shown us before. Rather than giving us a big boss battle to end the story, we instead get Bruce being human and understanding that sometimes counseling is the way to get through. This story floods us with the human side of Batman, his rogues, and even Alfred, who has always been Bruce’s father.
Final Thoughts:
Batman City of Madness will be a top 3 Batman tale. It is a surprisingly emotional tale that hits all of the right beats through the art, writing, and fundamental telling of Gotham City and those that inhabit it. I will be re-reading this one for a long time.
10/10 Cigars.
If you enjoyed this review and want to read more from me or find our podcast, head to http://linktr.ee/hopsgeeknews to find all of our work!
