DC Comics reviews for 1/16/19

The Batman Who Laughs #2

Scott Snyder’s familiarity with Batman allows him to explore some very unusual concepts and make them seem like they should have been canon all along. The Batman Who Laughs #2 delves deeper into the titular character, The Grim Knight and another Bruce Wayne caught in the fray.

Meanwhile, the regular Batman is trying to stave off the Joker toxin that will eventually turn him into the very evil he’s trying to stop. That sense of a deadline also helps to make this six-issue limited series feel like a race against the clock. Batman isn’t just rattled. He’s desperate to stop TBWL before he turns, but his adversary isn’t going to make that easy especially when he’s prepared for all of Batman’s contingency plans. Part of the fun here is how Snyder seems to inhabit TBWL and has a counter for every action Batman plans out. It’s high drama to see Batman consistently stymied.

Jock’s art style is well suited for characters like TBWL and The Joker, but is fitting for a story where Batman becomes increasingly more unhinged. Jock chooses some fun perspectives that seems designed for maximum horror. The beauty of his work is Jock draws a standard comic book with panels that would be right at home in a horror thriller. David Baron’s colors are exquisite with smart use of reds, blacks and stark whites.

TBWL #2 was a flat out fun comic as Batman’s nightmares are come to life. The final few pages reveal another character aligned with TBWL that should make the rest of this compelling series even more intriguing.

Rating: 10 out of 10