GRAPHIC NOVEL REVIEW: Batman: Gothic Deluxe Edition

CHEATING THE DEVIL

Batman: Gothic by Grant Morrison and Klaus Janson is considered as one of the Dark Knight’s greatest tales ever told. Released in 1990 and still in print due to its perplexing fusion of detective and noir, and the supernatural genres that can still stand the test of times in superhero storytelling, and plus, it’s a Batman tale. This mid-year of 2015, the story’s 25^th anniversary, DC Comics releases a deluxe edition. For starters, it contains Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #6-10. It treats with glossy papers, an incredible cover blurb art by Janson himself. And, it has additional features, like the behind the scenes entitled Danse Macabre, the writer’s typewritten original draft plot after the first chapter, his thumbnails of the deathtrap scene with his handwritten notes alongside with Janson’s sketches, some of Klaus’s watercolor color guides in selected interior and cover arts, and naturally, some of the selected original pencils of the artist.

The story is a revisiting of the Faustus tale set in the Batman mythos: a mysterious fellow that goes with the name Mister Whisper comes back to get even with those who “killed” him while the Dark Knight uncovers piece by piece who is exactly this villain whose past actually interconnects with the Caped Crusader’s past. And, the Batman needs to stop the villain’s master plan of plaguing Gotham City with a deadly and ancient virus. Simply put, new readers and fans of Grant Morrison can see his superhero brand of storytelling evolution in this edition. It must be noted that the Scottish writer was just starting his American superhero comic career and expect a few of his patented non-linear sequential narrative, his love of deconstructing certain words (i.e. “Gothic”) to unlock the mystery behind the events transpired, and the inclusion of the macabre and mundane in certain points of the story, together with Janson’s traditional but highly kinetic mastery of sequential take on the Dark Knight.

As much I enjoy this latest hardcover treatment, I must say some of my reservations here that still plaguing many of DC’s high-end editions since the past few years. First, there are neither in-depth annotations nor commentaries made by the creative team itself or either one of them. Moreover, there are neither foreword/introductory nor afterword. Both Morrison and Janson are still actively connected with DC Comics and the company probably failed to ask for their respective views at all that could have enhanced or further explored the story’s rich symbolisms, particularly the “Gothic” stuff. Second, as always, the binding is still inferior to Marvel’s sewed counterpart. Despite its thinness, I need to hold the very first few pages to study and enjoy the overall comic reading experience. Fourth, the cover blurb mentions this phrase, “(Batman: Gothic is Grant Morrison’s) first Dark Knight Story ever”, which can be refuted as a big resounding NO! Grant’s first ever Batman work is the highly seminal and influentially disturbing Batman: Arkham Asylum, released on 1989. Batman: Gothic is basically Grant’s second Batman tale. And, new Batman and Grant Morrison readers may find this work way anachronistic since many technologies in the 1980s and early 1990s were considered obsolete to most of the 21^st century readers (i.e. consulting printed “books” for answers, listening to “tape recorders”, and rotor-bladed Bat-plane). I hope new readers know how to put things into context, to say the least. Additionally, not everyone can appreciate Janson’s European brand of illustrations, especially those who are now exposed to digitalized artwork.

Nevertheless, both old and new Batman fans and readers would surely appreciate DC Comics’ effort of releasing this Batman: Gothic 25^th anniversary hardcover deluxe edition. The tale can be at par with many of today’s Batman and superhero comic stories. And, we witness and/or revisit the evolutionary artistic takes of the creative team, particularly the writer himself. Worth it!