Batman: Europa

Product Information

This had the color that made Giussepe Camuncoli's issue look great, but also had the scale and shadows that made Diego Latorre's settings look amazing. If instead you are looking for a fun take on Batman and the Joker having to work together as a team, then you're in the right frame of mind for this one. Interestingly, to reflect their decaying minds and bodies, the artwork devolves and roughens throughout the book.

Batman in Europe is the basic idea, but instead of letting him get a feel for the city and ultimately comparing it to his mistress Gotham, we’re instead handed a few set pieces and thrown some typical action. Also, a big hurrah for Lee deciding to ditch his crummy New 52 Batman outfit for the classic Batman look - blues, greys and yellows, winner, winner!If you’re not turned off by this story yet I will continue to tell you that this was clearly DC’s attempt at recapturing some of the magic from Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee’s “Hush” storyline. Hopefully it demonstrates that fans want more content featuring these two teaming up and actually getting something done. No missing or damaged pages, no creases or tears, no underlining or highlighting of text, and no writing in the margins. The impossible has happened and Batman is on the verge of being taken down by an enemy he cannot defeat: a virus for which there is no cure!

That right there should tell you the idea behind the plot which is a long time Bat villain pulling all the strings until the final reveal. Batman’s face tells us well enough that he’s stymied (and the stuttering “I…” is more than sufficient). You don't get to pull from the collective identity that is Batman, but then fuck up all his decisions and say "whoops, it's not canon Batman. There’s always a chance to change, even for the Joker (not really, DC is making too much money, but certainly from a character perspective).

Batman's worldview is getting skewed and more nightmarish and the art is reflecting that beautifully. Hier sind die Kontrahenten auf ihre Grundzüge heruntergebrochen und zeigen ihre Feindseligkeit einzig und allein in ein paar halbherzigen Schlagabtauschen, in denen Batman immer als humorlos und der Joker als schrill und witzig herausgeht. Latorre's painted art is beautiful, especially that first page of Notre Dame at night, but many of the panels are dark, close-up and difficult to figure out what you are looking at.