Bloody Hell
Written by: Tom KingArt by: Mitch Gerads and Clayton Cowles
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 9, 2019
After the big cliffhanger of issue #60, I really was hoping that we were finally going to get an explanation of the how and what of Flashpoint Thomas Wayne...or if it is even him at all. Of course, we didn't get that last issue as we got a Master Bruce story and while I think we will have to wait a bit longer, I can always hope, right? What we do get this issue for sure is a teamup of Tom King and Mitch Gerads, the first since they ended their Mister Miracle book. So, how is it? Let's find out...
This issue certainly does fit into the nightmare concept of this arc. It is a visual nightmare as Batman is sliced, beaten and tortured by Professor Pyg. It certainly comes off as very SAW-esque, something that is not my cup of tea at all, but it certainly rings true to the concept.
Until the end, we get only Batman's inner dialogue and it's all about figuring out what is going on (here and the bigger picture) and how to escape his current situation. I actually think this issue might have worked better without the dialogue at all as Tom King gets back to his repeating trope and most of it only reiterates what we know or what is actually happening on the panel here. Plus, King seems to be trying too hard to be clever at times which took me out of the visual story Gerads is presenting.
The entire issue continues on making the reader wonder what is real and what isn't. The cliffhanger hinges on that, but it is such an over-the-top wow moment reveal that it felt a bit silly. It's like when Eric told me he's afraid of spiders but can watch Eight Legged Freaks because it doesn't seem real.
My biggest complaint, however, is that the issue does nothing at all to push the overall narrative anywhere. I'm sure details will be revealed by the end of this extended arc that could shed light on what's going on, but for now, this just seems like a one-shot to get the Mister Miracle band back together. If you weren't aware, I was not a fan of MM so I am not going to be won over just because of that. I need more and by the end of this issue, I didn't feel like I got it.
I may not have liked the art in this book as something to just sit and look at, but boy does it fit the tone and story here. I mentioned above that I wish that this was a silent issue and I stick by that. Mitch Gerads does some real storytelling with his visuals and I found the writing took a bit away from it.
Bits and Pieces:
This issue doesn't do a lot to advance the overall narrative, but Mitch Gerads art almost makes up for that all by itself. If you are a fan of King/Gerads, then I'm sure you will get more out of this than me and if you just look at it as a one-shot and not worry about the stalled overall story, you may love it. However, if you have been frustrated with this book and are looking for an issue to get you back into this entire series, you may have to wait a little longer.
5.0/10
Score: 10... because this thing deserves two fuck you fives. Maybe the site needs a 'fuck me' four, because fuck me for buying this shit.
ReplyDeleteWhat the fuck am I reading anymore? I'm assuming the fuzzy, 1980's 3d coloring book art will be used to explain it never happened as a way to erase all this shit, but I was thinking it had to do with him being drugged or knocked out. Maybe even being tortured somewhat by Pyg, with all the blood running into his mouth and him not being able to hear.
And seriously, WHY COULDNT HE HEAR HIM? That was the one piece of repetition I didn't mind, because I was wondering the same thing. But then it's never answered. Has anyone ever told Tom King about Chekov's gun? He's got an entire armory of 'guns' that we'll never see of again. I dont need the answer to every question, but can we get one every now and then?
The book lost me completely when Batman lets up on Pyg and allows him to get the knife back. It was like the scene in Naked Gun 33 1/3 when Leslie Nielsen tells Fred Ward that he should have the gun because he's the cop, and Ward should have the bomb because he's the bad guy. Then the entire crowd at the academy awards does the facepalm at the same time. I did a mental facepalm at that part of the book, and I might be done completely with this nonsense.
Obvious filler issue in full-on Tom King pretentious mode. I'm sure there are those out there kneeling at the altar of King while they light candles and chant his name that will consider this issue to be the very height of surrealist comic art, inviting intense attention to every tiny detail as deeply meaningful to the finely-interwoven tapestry that is being created by their idol.
ReplyDeleteTo them, I slowly raise my middle finger.