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Batman: Gotham by Gaslight The Kryptonian Age #2:
Creative Team:
Writer: Andy Diggle
Art: Leandro Fernandez
Colors: Dave Stewart:
Letters: Simon Bowland
Cover: Leandro Fernandez and Dave McCaig
Publisher: DC Comics
Ancient relics are going missing, and their curators are being killed in the process. The League of Shadows has been unearthed as a contender grasping for the relics as Batman fights to keep them out of the wrong hands. Meanwhile, as Professor Adam Strange finds an ancient city, he discovers that his team is not alone. In the midst of the chaos, a third party, guided by the Royal Crown, entered the foray.
The Art:
The second chapter in this exciting period piece does a great job of balancing different worlds together throughout their artwork. Leandro and Dave create the shroud of mystery and suspense on their expedition in search of the ancient society. The blues and dark shadows play into creating the slow-building sense of dread the team faces. When it comes to the action in Gotham, the duo gives us beautiful close-up panels of Batman, who is sporting a tattered uniform, and the mix of blood against the gray and the sense of anger and rage drawn in his eyes deliver home how unwavering and powerful Batman can be. There’s also a level of vibrancy in the fight against Talia as the punches land in an explosion of oranges and green against the night.
The introduction of John Constantine was a welcome surprise, and I enjoyed the character they created during this period. Normally, we see a well-put-together Constantine, but in this story, he is ragged, and his hair is not well-kept. It fits the period, and I enjoyed the design they chose.
The Writing:
Andy delivers a compelling story as we dive into issue #2. Giving us three different stories in one issue is not an easy task, but it feels cinematic in a way. There is intrigue in the expedition, and Andy introduces our beloved Amazonian Princess and nods to other characters, such as Lex Luthor. They are tying this mystery together by creating a compelling arc that stands out amongst other Batman titles.
When it comes to the letters, Simon extenuates the sounds we see in action, crafting the letters around the swords or other effects in this issue. When it comes to Batman growling, the lettering helps us feel the roughness in his voice and anger as he speaks.
Overall:
Batman: Gotham by Gaslight The Kryptonian Age #2 builds off the mystique of issue #1 as the team delivers a cinematic feeling mixed with intense action sequences and introduces compelling and interesting characters. This issue has fully sucked me in as I cannot wait to see where we go as it appears they will not be staying in Gothams playground only.
9.5/10 Cigars
Hey! I’m Matt Roth, one of the hosts for the podcast Hopsgeeknews, a show where we talk comic books, movies, and TV shows. Thank you for reading my review! If you enjoyed this review and wish to check out our show head to http://linktr.ee/hopsgeeknews
