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A review by manuphoto
The Bat-Man: First Knight by Dan Jurgens
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
An interesting take on Batman’s beginnings. Set in 1939, it is gritty and akin to gangster movies from that era.
The book tackles the memory of the First World War, the coming of the second, nazism, antisemitism, American isolationism… it’s a bit much for a single graphic novel. I get that all those elements are part of that time period, but it prevents the story from focusing on one of these aspects enough for the reader to really care.
That being said, it’s still an interesting tale and the art is very good. The use of light is particularly well done, the ambiance is consistent during the scenes and I enjoyed watching these "old style" versions of the characters. The way Batman moves and is drawn reminded me of Batman Year 100, although both books are extremely different in every other aspect.
It’s definitely not for kids (the Black Label should be warning enough). I did enjoy it, but I’d recommend it only to Batman fans who want to explore another setting for their favourite character.
The book tackles the memory of the First World War, the coming of the second, nazism, antisemitism, American isolationism… it’s a bit much for a single graphic novel. I get that all those elements are part of that time period, but it prevents the story from focusing on one of these aspects enough for the reader to really care.
That being said, it’s still an interesting tale and the art is very good. The use of light is particularly well done, the ambiance is consistent during the scenes and I enjoyed watching these "old style" versions of the characters. The way Batman moves and is drawn reminded me of Batman Year 100, although both books are extremely different in every other aspect.
It’s definitely not for kids (the Black Label should be warning enough). I did enjoy it, but I’d recommend it only to Batman fans who want to explore another setting for their favourite character.