Batman #16

Summary

Batman ventures into the living nightmare which the Joker has transformed Arkham Asylum into. It’s a race against time as Batman tries to reach the Joker before his arch-nemesis has fully put his plan into motion. With one more issue to go, the stakes are high, and the revelations to come are certainly being built up.

What I liked

· A fallible Batman: If Snyder could only be praised for one thing about his Batman series; I think it would be that has made Batman more human. Snyder’s Batman is a character that makes mistakes and that cannot always anticipate every move of his opponent. This isn’t to say that this Batman isn’t somewhat overpowered. Of course, he always comes through in the end, but it is a struggle to get there and the high-points of the story always seem more deserved.

· An insight into the Joker: The relationship between Batman and the Joker has always been imprecise and open for interpretation. This can sometimes lead to a real mess of storytelling and characterisation. Luckily, however, Scott Snyder has his own vision of this love-hate relationship down to a tee. This issue provides an excellent character study of just how the Joker regards Batman. The imagery of Joker being the Jester to Batman’s King was an excellent comparison to make. Snyder misses the obvious tired suggestions that Joker is in love with Batman and goes deeper into their relationship, showing it to be a more organic dutiful bond.

· Thematically pleasing: The whole issue works around the theme of a king’s court: from the ballroom dancers, to the knights to the court jester. It sets a tone that harks back to the past – a message the Joker himself has been pushing throughout the whole story arc. As with most Joker stories there is some finesse in his madness that makes the story almost elegant in a way.

· Well paced: The premise of this issue is Batman trying to overcome the obstacles put in his way by Joker as fast as possible. The elaborate design of each instance, coupled with the speed at which Batman passes through it gives a real sense of urgency that helps the reader get into the headspace of Batman as he rushes through Arkham.

· Stunning art, as always: Sometimes when a comic series’ art is consistent, it’s easy to overlook. This series is premium storytelling and premium art work all rolled into one package. Well worth the $4 price tag.

What I didn’t like

· The story didn’t seem to progress: This issue is not plot heavy. It is more of a “mood piece”. Joker’s proverbial punch line is still left unrevealed, as is much of the end game. This isn’t really a problem and probably is a tribute to the compelling story Snyder is telling. If you want any sort of closure this month – you will be disappointed.

· Balanced villains for plot convenience: There is a scene where Batman fights Scarecrow, Mr Freeze and Clayface all in quick succession. Each villain is capable of taking on Batman in some way, but for the sake of the story, they all are defeated within seconds. I know it isn’t uncommon for B-List villains to be used as fodder in high-stakes stories, but I do feel like in doing so, it diminishing the villain’s reputation somewhat.

· Not enough weight: Maybe I have become desensitised from reading other comics, but the “shocking” scenes in this issue fell a little flat for me. Don’t get me wrong, this issue is gruesome, but not in a particularly tense or shocking way. This is probably just me.

Verdict

In many ways this issue delivered. Snyder takes his time to examine every detail of the Joker’s elaborate set-up and does not hold back on the macabre. It was a terrifying insight into what Batman means for the Joker. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this issue was somewhat of an anti-climax, or even filler. If it was filler- it was very well written filler. It just didn’t seem as though the story had moved on much since last month.

8/10