Written by Steve Niles
Art by Kelley Jones; Michelle Madsen; & Pat Brosseau
Cover Art by Kelley Jones
SUMMARY:
Published by DC Comics for February 2009, this untitled eighth issue (otherwise, the cover calls it “Oh, Holy Knight!”) continues Batman’s year-long quest to capture the ghoulish serial killer known as Midnight. Amidst the Christmas season, Gotham City Police Detective April Clarkson has a love triangle with Bruce Wayne and Batman. Commissioner Gordon privately chides the Dark Knight for this less-than-subtle romance. These two long-time allies further disagree as to whether or not April’s murdered partner, Barry Lucas, is Killer Croc’s latest victim.
A determined Batman takes Midnight’s bait in a pursuit over Gotham’s rooftops, only for Catwoman intercept the Dark Knight. This issue ends with an explosive cliffhanger.
REVIEW:
The tag-team of writer Steve Niles’ macabre storyline and Kelley Jones’ distorted artwork deliver a surprisingly good installment. In part, this issue contemplates Batman’s detective skills being emotionally compromised. Another welcome element is less emphasis this time on grisly mayhem. Still, be advised that one character is seen impaled in the chest. Niles and Jones, as one might expect, make this sequence as jolting as possible.
In a different respect, kudos to Jones for two separate head shot panels of April Clarkson, as both are superb close-ups. One of them has April’s brown hair blowing in her face at the Lucas funeral making her ominously resemble Batman’s old flame, Talia al Ghul. One might even construe that this particular frame an ominous hint of foreshadowing.
Though Batman: Gotham After Midnight isn’t a must-have Batman series, this issue still makes a relatively solid read.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
The single-page DC Nation column by Senior VP-Executive Editor Dan DiDio hypes the imminent Flash: Rebirth mini-series. It’s revealed that the project was evidently conceived at the same time as Green Lantern: Rebirth. The next issue’s cover is revealed, as Batman furiously pursues vengeance against Midnight during the so-called ‘New Year’s Evil.’
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7 Stars
