An old-fashioned murder mystery.
Not that Batman needed a change of pace so soon into its new status quo, but that’s what issue #44 delivers. Regular writer Scott Snyder is joined by co-writer Brian Azzarello and guest artist Jock. While this chapter may be a significant stylistic departure from the rest of Superheavy, thematically it’s a relevant as any issue before it. It also happens to be one of the strongest chapters of Snyder’s run.
Is Batman Villain Mr. Bloom the Anti-Joker
This issue unfolds five years in the past, in a time when Gotham is still recovering from the events Zero Year and Batman is eager to prove that he can maintain control of his city by solving a seemingly simple murder case. Naturally, that’s easier said than done. That case winds up driving at the heart of one of the big themes of Snyder’s run – the idea that Batman doesn’t know his city as well as he thinks. There’s a very pragmatic quality to the script as it explores the malaise felt by the downtrodden and ignored citizens of Gotham. When you’re living in a city wracked by economic inequality, organized crime and police brutality, what relevance is there to the idea of a guy who dresses up in spandex and punches people in the face? What problems does Batman actually solve? Why does he think he can save his city by acting alone? These are the questions our hero wrestles with in this issue, and it all ties back to the larger Superheavy conflict rather nicely.
The script’s most impressive quality is the fact that it doesn’t read like a Snyder comic or an Azzarello comic, but a fusion of the two. There’s a hard-boiled, gritty quality to the story that suits the setting and the general tone of the conflict, but the dialogue still reflects Snyder’s sensibilities. This issue also defies convention by swapping the traditional first-person narration for third-person, suggesting that we’re viewing a young, naive Batman through the eyes of Gotham itself. It’s a very effective approach that only highlights Batman’s arrogance. The book reads like a true collaboration between writers rather than something where one penned an outline and handed it off to the other to provide dialogue.
It’s a pleasure seeing Snyder reunite with Batman: The Black Mirror collaborator Jock for this issue. Jock is in fine form throughout the book. he captures the raw, brutal quality of the story while lending his signature surreal touch. Various embellishments like blocks of newspaper text only add to the book’s sense of mood and the idea of the past and present colliding together. Jock’s Gotham is an urban sprawl that’s both all-too familiar and otherworldly. Needless to say, his rendition of Mr. Bloom rivals Greg Capullo’s in terms of its inhuman creepiness. Lee Loughridge’s colors do their part as well, giving the issue a washed-out, dreary feel. It’s as if Batman’s rigid, black and white world is being invaded by shades of gray.
Though this may be an interlude issue, it’s not a filler chapter by and stretch. Batman #44 features two talented Batman writers working in sync alongside a very stylish artist, resulting in a very cohesive collaboration. This issue is less about the murder mystery or the origins of Mr. Bloom and more about challenging Batman’s world view and place in his own city. In other words, it’s a perfect companion to Snyder’s ongoing storyline.
