Batman: The Knight #6 Review

 

My Aim is True

Writer: Chip Zdarsky

Artist: Carmine Di Giandomenico

Cover Price: $4.99

Release Date: June 21, 2022

I have been enjoying Batman the Knight, and while it's still unknown how much this "prequel" will show in Chip Zdarsky's solo Batman run, I still can't help but get excited.  I am a Zdarsky fan, and soon we will have two Bat Books on the shelves by him, which is way cool.  So, what does Batman: The Knight #6 have in store for readers, and does it kick off the second half of this series in style?  Let's find out...

Batman: The Knight #7 starts with a cold open, and I mean the kind of cold you find in Northern Canada.  Bruce and Anton have moved on to their next trainer, a reluctant-at-first Luca Jungo, "The Swiss Mark."  I'm not sure how things would have gone without the Avery Oblonsky name drop, but Luca takes them in, and the training begins.

While there has been a lot of talk about whether or not Anton is Ghostmaker, one thing has been inevitable from the beginning: Anton and Bruce are heading for a head-on collision.  Bruce has a code that Anton openly laughs at, and while that can be brushed aside when you are learning to be a burglar or a spy, it's different when you are learning to be a marksman with deadly weapons.

As for the training, Anton is a natural with the bow and arrow, while Bruce can't seem to relax enough to master it truly.  That dynamic leads to an interesting take here as Anton becomes itchy to learn more deadly techniques while Bruce shows that he can overcome some of his faults using experience that some might have called "worthless."

Things pick up a bit when Luca tells his two students why he got out of the killing game.  It's a bit cliche, but it sets up the next step in their training, with the promise that neither of them ever use guns to take a life.  Seriously, if you think Anton would genuinely agree to that, you're not paying attention, but that's the fun of it and adds some tension.

I won't spoil the ending, but things don't go well.  While some may still think Anton is Ghostmaker, I hope we are seeing the makings of a "future" Batman villain.  Maybe those can still be the same, but we shall see.

Overall, this is a good issue that continues doing what this series started with at the beginning.  Zdarsky mixes in some old and new to give us something that feels fresh and classic simultaneously.  We see the training that made Batman and the thoughts and actions that shaped him as well.  That combination has made this more than the sum of its parts and is why I continue enjoying it.

I like Carmine Di Giandomenico's art, but issues like this one, with its snow-filled exteriors and minimalistic scenes, make it hard to be wowed by it.  The same goes for Ivan Plascencia's colors, but both do the job they are here to do, and everything looks fine.

Make sure to listen to our Weekly DC Comics Recap and Review Podcast to hear us talk more about this book.  Just look up "Weird Science DC Comics" anywhere you listen to podcasts or click here for podcast links and more: https://campsite.bio/weirdsciencecomics

Bits and Pieces:

Batman: The Knight #6 continues exploring the early steps that helped make Batman.  I have enjoyed this series, and this issue throws in a twist that should lead to conflict down the line.  Zdarsky uses this to show that Batman isn't just the training but also the man, and I am here for it.

8.5/10