Scarecrow is putting his final plans into motion as Bat-man and Superman play a game of cat and mouse. With Christmas approaching and Gotham in disarray, Gordon has promised the tree lighting to be a safe reprieve from the chaos falling right into Scarecrow’s trap! It is up to Batman and Superman to put differences aside and save Gotham before they tear themselves apart.
Creative Team: Dan Jurgens (WRITER), Mike Perkins (ART and COVER), Mike Spicer (COLORS), and Simon Bowland (LETTERS).
*SPOILERS AHEAD*
The Story:
As this epic three-issue story wraps up, Dan is pulling out all of the stops to make this incredibly memorable. The issue picks up where we left off with Batman locked in battle with Superman, and I love the way Dan has Bruce using his detective skills to deduce that loud noise can paralyze Superman.
This issue weaves in and out between thriller and sometimes horror as Scarecrow is out to destroy Gotham, but also an interesting take where he is bent on selling his toxin to the Nazis. Living in this world has been incredibly fun, and I hope we can continue to get more of it. The way Bruce and Clark deduce each other’s identities was absolutely clever and such a typical way for them to do so. Jurgens has one final surprise in store as Bruce is settling down?!
The Art and Letters:
There is such a scratchy, horror-fueled vibe to Perkins’s art that leads to some incredible splash pages and monumental moments. The way Scarecrow has this rugged, artistic look to him lends itself to the time period and really makes this feel gritty at times. Spicer’s colors are beautiful and complement the scenes that are set up. There are times when the greens of the background properly convey the chaos, and the way we use the colors to help shape the overall tones of the panels cement this as an all-time story.
When it comes to the costumes, I really enjoyed the subtle changes that were made. Superman is in his usual outfit. The typical red underwear is slightly longer, and again, Batman’s cowl and small details remain just slightly off enough to give this story its own feeling. Overall, the art complements the story perfectly.
Final Thoughts:
The Bat-Man Second Knight #3 is a perfect chapter ending to this unique take on Gotham’s hero. The artwork creates an uneasy feeling, while Jurgens storytelling makes it feel refreshing and gripping. This is a must-read for fans!
Overall Grade: 10/10
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