Batman Dark Detective Review

Writer: Steve Englehart Artists: Marshall Rogers & Terry Austin

The Batman creative team from the 70’s reunites to tell another Batman story. Yeah, I had never heard of them either, but after reading the trade of this mini-series that only recently ended I wish I had. The Joker runs for Governor, and Batman must find a way to stop him, meanwhile Bruce’s old flame, Silver St. Cloud returns to Gotham. Can the Batman stop the Joker while distracted by his old flame? And what role to Two-Face and the Scarecrow have in Joker’s scheme?

It is not the best Batman story, but it is certainly a good one. If anyone read the Batman comics from the 70’s and loved them, this book is for you. Or if you’ve never read any 70’s Batman comics, and just want a good Batman story, this book is for you. Dark Detective is not really a detective story at all like “The Long Halloween”, it does have some small detective elements to it. That is what Batman does right? The book centers around the Joker’s plot, and Silver St. Cloud. I had no idea who Silver St. Cloud was, but that is not necessary to read this book. Englehart gives enough of a recap of previous Batman history at the same time writing Bruce and Silver’s scenes so that thier past history is evident in the dialougue and art. I really liked Silver as a character from her appearances in this book. She seems like a strong, well-rounded woman, and not the damsel in distress that comic book women sometimes are. Englehart uses Silver to explore Batman’s triple-identity (Public Bruce, Batman, and Bruce in the Batcave) and delves into Bruces’ psyche. This exploration uses the Scarecrow’s fear gas as a way into Bruce’s mind, and we see that Bruce has overcome so much fear that he is not affected by the gas at all. The gas makes Bruce face his fears, not run from them like it is supposed too. Some of these fears have to do with women and relationships, giving reason as to why Bruce has never had a longtime love interest, and that is best part of the story.

Englehart writes a really good Joker, he portrays him as both fearsome and funny, in a way the movies have never really done. Two-Face and Scarecrow are bit-players in this drama, Englehart uses them as plot-devices rather than real obstacles. The real obstacles here are the Joker and Silver St. Cloud.

The whole feel of the book is nostalgic, from the story’s themes, to the art style, to the lettering, the book makes you feel like you really are reading Batman from the 70’s. There are some current cultural references in the story so it doesn’t feel as dated, but it will date the story in the long run. The art is classic comic-book art. Its not the hyper-detailed, or stylized art we currently know, nor the simplistic art from the Golden Age. Its job is to move the story along, add depth, and to convey emotions, all of which it does well. This book makes me want to go back and read some 70’s Batman stories by this same team. B+