Review: The Batman’s Grave #1

"The Batman’s Grave" - Book One
Writer: Warren Ellis
Artist: Bryan Hitch
Color Artist: Alex Sinclair
Letterer: Richard Starkings
Review by Max Byrne

 This limited series has hit the ground running... and then some! When this 12 issue project was announced earlier this year, we were promised “life, death and the questions most are too afraid to ask.” Based on The Batman’s Grave #1, DC Comics were certainly not lying. This tale is part police procedural drama, part philosophical musings on Batman’s place in the world, all wrapped up with one hell of a cliffhanger ending. With such a strong opening, one gets the feeling that The Batman’s Grave is going to be something very special indeed.
With the outstanding Bryan Hitch on art, it goes without saying that the visuals in this book are next level quality. With a style that’s kinetic, bold and striking, the characters Hitch depicts are extremely pleasing to the eye. For my money, he draws Batman as well as anybody that can be brought into the discussion. Contemporary, but with a classic edge, this Dark Knight is jacked with a capital “J.” Working in perfect synergy with the color work of Alex Sinclair, the book is infinitely readable.
Warren Ellis has laid out the groundwork for an intriguing story within this issue. From an opening section that plays with the notion of time and a possible future for Alfred, to a simply brilliant look at Bruce’s investigative process, there is so much meat on the bones here. For fans of Thomas Harris’ Red Dragon, there is a Will Graham vibe to the way in which Bruce examines the crime scene, albeit with some technological augmentation. One of the most explicit looks into Batman’s deductive mind, the writing is something that wouldn’t be out of place in the very best crime novels out there.

Conclusion

One of the best debut issues in recent memory, The Batman’s Grave #1 is a vital and thought provoking book that bodes very well for the next 11 issues. With a creative team that is firing on all cylinders, this could end up being a contender come the next awards season. This comic helps prove that the Batman character is evergreen and without doubt the standard bearer for DC Comics. We’re are all going to be in for a great ride with this one.
Images Courtesy Of DC Entertainment

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thought Bubble 2024 convention & festival dates announced

Image
Article by Steve J. Ray Thought Bubble  is, without a doubt, the UK’s best entirely comic-based convention and art festival. I’ve been fortunate enough to attend the show for the last three years, and have been anxious to see what’s in store this year. Well, the wait is over, as the team behind the event has announced the Thought Bubble 2024 convention & festival dates. THOUGHT BUBBLE ANNOUNCES 2024 COMIC CONVENTION & FESTIVAL DATES ACCLAIMED COMIC ART CONVENTION AND FESTIVAL TO TAKE PLACE ACROSS YORKSHIRE THIS NOVEMBER THOUGHT BUBBLE FESTIVAL LEEDS & ACROSS YORKSHIRE 11 -17 NOVEMBER 2024 THOUGHT BUBBLE COMIC CONVENTION HARROGATE CONVENTION CENTRE 16 & 17 NOVEMBER 2024   https://www.thoughtbubblefestival.com “Thought Bubble is the place to be. This is the show where everyone feels and is treated like family” –  Dark Knight News “Thought Bubble is the most important comic convention around” –  Popverse Returning to the Harrogate Convention Centre,...
Read more

Mystic Muses: A D&D Podcast

Image
Article by Philip Clark An all queer cast. An all femme ensemble. A non-binary Dungeon Master. Throw in some quality story-telling and role playing too, this sounds like a whole lot of fun! If any of the previously mentioned things has piqued your interests, then I implore you to check out Mystic Muses. You can find this wonderfully crafted podcast where you can find all your other favourites including Spotify. There are currently four episodes out. Episode 0 is the prologue and character introductions, and I have to say it is very well put together! The intro to each episode is cleverly crafted, with the players and DM each sounding off a sentence to bring us into the game space. Speaking of bringing us into the game space, Adam, the talented DM sets the scene for the story very nicely. A descriptive, yet concise introduction to the environment gives both the players and audience a vibe of what we're in for. Then come the delicious character introductions that give vivid descripti...
Read more

Fantastic Universes Interview: Madison, Matthew and Macsen Lintz From 'The Walking Dead'

Image
Interview panel led by Steve J. Ray, with a gathering of Comic/TV Media Journalists. I've spoken to some amazing people over the last couple of years; writers, artists, costume designers, and actors from some of my favorite TV shows. It's no secret that I'm a huge comic-book fan, and one of the TV series that's based on and inspired by a comics title - but has gone on to be so much more - is The Walking Dead . At a recent Comic-Con in London, I had the great opportunity of leading a panel where some fellow journalists and I spoke with Madison, Matthew and Macsen Lintz, three siblings who played Sophia and both iterations of Henry on the show. The eldest, Madison Lintz (born 1999) played Sophia Peletier - Carol's daughter - in the first two seasons. She's also well known for playing Maddie Bosch in the Amazon series Bosch . She started acting at the age of six, filming commercials and voice-overs. Matthew (born 2001) took over the role of Henry from ...
Read more