Just when I think I have DC Comics New 52 Universe figured
out DC Comics comes along and caught me totally by surprise. For example: here are two examples.
The Batman Dark Knight Annual #1 doesn’t have Batman in
it-at least physically, and yet it is one of the cleverest and most complex
Batman stories I have ever read.
When the Mad Hatter, the Penguin and the Scarecrow are
invited to the dilapidated Arkham Detention Facility For Youth by supposedly each
other, they soon realized they’ve been duped.
But by who?
Eventually they surmise that it’s their arch-enemy, the
Batman, who has set up the whole scenario.
Paranoia runs rampant as the despicable trio start to see Batman
around every corner, threats in every dark hallway and their troubled pasts
come alive.
Driven almost to hysteria the trio somehow manages to gather
themselves together and flee the facility vowing never to talk amongst
themselves or with others about their weird experience.
And what about Batman?
He spent Halloween night at home that evening and rested confident that
on this one particular night of the year “the superstitious and cowardly lot” was
best left alone to their own devices.
Different? You
bet. The art, story and pacing is unlike
any Batman story ever created. Kudos to
Gregg Hurwitz and Szymon Kudranski for pulling of such a clever tale.
For a more conventional superhero story (and just a good as
the Dark Knight tale) be sure to pick up a copy of the Earth 2 #1 Annual.
Just a few of the surprises you can expect to see in this
issue is the new Captain Atom and most importantly the new Earth 2 Batman.
The new Dark Knight is every bit as smart and savvy as the original
Batman only he’s not afraid to use weapons and deadly force.
Did I mention that Big Barda, Hawkgirl, Mr. Miracle and…just
who is that mysterious woman also appear?
Get ready for lots of fun and surprise as James Robinson,
Cafu, Julius Gopez and Cam Smith present the new Earth 2 Annual. The New 52 will never be the same!