Legends of the Dark Knight #15

Together

I have found Legends of the Dark Knight to be one of the most surprisingly gratifying Batman series in production. There are other titles that deliver a more consistent level of quality, but there are no other titles which are so consistently surprising. With a new creative team on each story arc, I never know what to expect, and I love that. The last issue was good though it felt a bit rushed, and I wish that it had been expanded into a two-issue arc rather than being crammed into a one shot. Does this one shot also cram too much story in too little space, or does it manage find the right pacing and deliver a good narrative?

In this issue, Batman investigates the disappearance of a brain surgeon and two of his patients only to discover that Two-Face has kidnapped the doctor in order to have him severe the communication between the two hemispheres of his brain.

Compact Excellence

I’m a sucker for a good Two-Face story, and boy did this one deliver, and in twenty web sized pages (about ten full length comic pages). In my view of the character, Two-Face should be a man caught between his two natures, but unfortunately, he is often portrayed as nothing more than a thug who likes the number two. Thankfully, this story holds to the former interpretation.

I very much enjoyed Bruce’s fighting, inner monologue, and investigative techniques. It is sometimes difficult for a writer to get all of these elements to pan out, but all of Batman’s behaviors seemed exactly right for the moment. Jonathan Larsen nailed it.

By the way, the surgery described in this issue is a real thing, and it does have fascinating effects on people. I do not know that Harvey Dent’s personalities would be located separately on his left and right hemispheres, but I am certainly willing to accept the idea for the sake of a good story.

Conclusion

It may sound as if I given everything away, but there are a couple more twists in this short little comic. It is absolutely worth the ninety-nine cents.