BATMAN: THE BLACK MIRROR
by Scott Snyder, Jock and Francesco Francavilla
(NOTE: I'm not dead (the irony), but I have been on a hiatus for a while. This isn't exactly me coming out of said hiatus, but, I decided to do a little something something for Halloween, look for more reviews in the coming weeks, though they won't be as frequent, and I won't be reviewing singular issues for a while. )
So, how did Scott Snyder get the job of head Batman writer in the New 52? I'm glad you asked.
Batman: The Black Mirror was a story that ran in Detective Comics right before the New 52 began. When Scott Snyder was only known as the guy who wrote American Vampire. In the aftermath of Grant Morrison's epic 'Batman and Robin Must Die!' arc (which I might review). Batman Incorporated had taken over the titular 'Batman' series as the flagship Dark Knight comic. Expectations were high for David Finch's writing debut. And Tony Daniel was only an 'ok' writer. Batman and Robin was switching creative teams left and right. So DC needed to revitalize the pre-existing Batman titles and give readers a good Batman series that wasn't Batman Incorporated. They put their faith in Scott Snyder. Yes, American Vampire was pretty freaking amazing, but not many people read it. That is, until Snyder gave Detective Comics a quality injection that therefore caused DC's titular series to overdose on awesome, leading John Travolta to try to inject it with adrenaline to remind readers that this was still just a Batman comic, when it had come so close to becoming much more. The Black Mirror, similar to Snyder's current Zero Year arc took place over the course of multiple subarcs, each one focusing on a specific mystery that really put the 'detective' in Detective Comics. Even though the series focused on Dick Grayson's stint as Batman, there was quite a bit of real detective work to be done. The first part (which is still my favorite) focused on a group of really sadistic rich people that auction memorabilia from Gotham's brutal past. This arc felt a lot more like a horror story than a Batman story, and goddamn great one at that. There was some really dark shit that went down in this chapter, the standout one which happens when the auctioneers realize that Batman-- You know what, I'm not going to ruin the surprise. The second part (which was technically the backups) revolved around Commissioner Gordon's son, James Gordon Jr. And let me just say folks, that he is the most terrifying bastard Gotham has made since Pyg. Seriously, this guy is absolutely bonkers and out of his mind in the calmest way possible. Imagine Hannibal Lecter, just without the cannibal part, and with much, much more ambition. This is more of an overarching part of the story, as it is really what connects the chapters together. The next piece of the story (which is my least favorite) involves a villain named Tiger Shark. However, it's still a fun read. And then, there's the part that basically cemented Scott Snyder's reputation as a Bat-writer. Believe it or not, Death of the Family is not the first time Snyder has dealt with the Joker. The first was here in the Black Mirror that featured some of the most terrifying things to ever happen in a comic, with some really disturbing imagery that has been burned into my head to this very day. Though I'll touch on that later. And then, the entire finale of the arc is where I think the series did not live up to its full potential. I can't tell you anything about the plot of the last bit of the book, seeing as it will spoil the entire story, and we can't have that. Here, Snyder's script slowly escalates tediously with an insane amount of horror, comes to a grisly climax, and then it just ends. I really don't think it was Snyder's fault, seeing as he only had this one issue to finish up the arc as the New 52 was set for its debut the following month. However, the last issue still hurt the overall arc. All in all, Snyder's tale was filled its ups, and ups, some parts just pointed towards the sky more than others.
The Black Mirror has some of the best looking art I've ever seen in a comic. Jock is the master of horror. Seriously, his pencil is controlled by a demon on crack, I swear. It's a very minimalistic style, with thick lines, and the frequent use of splatter just lend to the fear factor. And then, Francesco Francavilla delivers some equally badass art with some great pages that recall old pulp comics from the 50's with a modern edge. However, both artists also work on the taboo final issue, and both styles are so unique, that they mesh together terribly, despite both artists being able to adapt to the tone of the script.
Batman: The Black Mirror is one of my favorite Batman comics of all time. While I don't think that it transcends the peak of comic book greatness like others say, I would say that it comes very close. The final issue which has a rushed feel does bring it down a bit, but it doesn't ruin it. The Black Mirror is that rare piece of comic book greatness that relies on all the tropes that make Batman so popular, and uses them well.
STORY: 4.25/5
+ Good mysteries
+ Nice character work
+ James motherfucking Gordon Junior
+ The creepiest Bat-story in a while
- Rushed final issue
ART: 4.5/5
+ SO MANY CANNOT UNSEE MOMENTS
+ Francavilla's pulpish art
- Two styles don't mesh
VERDICT: 4.5
