Batman is locked behind bars.
Note: this is a spoiler-free advance review of The Dark Knight III: The Master Race #2, which will be released on Wednesday, December 23.
The Dark Knight III creative team kept their cards pretty close to the vest with the first issue. Batman didn’t even appear until the final pages. Most of what could be gleaned about the overarching conflict came from the Dark Knight Universe backup rather than the main story. Issue #2 is a little more forthcoming, luckily. This new chapter sheds more light on what the titular “Master Race” is and what role Batman has to play in this world. In short, it gives the series the momentum boost it needed while also offering a terrific showcase for the art team.
Mind you, the series isn’t nearly as densely packed as the previous two volumes. Even considering how long each issue was, Frank Miller crammed an awful lot of story into The Dark Knight Returns and The Dark Knight Strikes Again thanks to his intricate 16-panel grids. Andy Kubert and Klaus Janson aren’t quite as ambitious in that regard, settling instead for a more open nine-panel grid and frequently opening up the page even more. The most impressive pages are the ones that toy with this structure the most, including the jilted panel structure on the first page and the high-octane chase sequence midway through the book. Kubert and Janson bring their storytelling A-game here. The book has its fair share of dynamic action scenes, but there’s also a lot of emotional weight to the dialogue-driven scenes. At times the line-work is a little too clean to properly channel Miller’s distinctive style, but that may just as soon be a selling point for many readers.
Special mention should also be made of Eduardo Risso’s work in the Wonder Woman-centric Dark Knight Universe mini-comic. Risso’s art might just be the most striking of any artist to contribute to this series so far. He provides a stunning depiction of Miller’s Spartan warrior-style Wonder Woman and her Paradise Island surroundings. Risso’s style is supremely elegant, boasting plenty of vitality but no wasted lines. It’s a shame his work has to be shrunk down into the mini-comic format, but hopefully the eventual trade paperback collection will rectify that.
Outside of the Wonder Woman mini-comic (which provides more insight into the strained relationship between Diana and the increasingly willful Lara), this issue splits ts focus between Carrie Kelly’s interrogation and Ray Palmer’s attempts to help restore the Kandorians to their rightful size. Again, by the end of this issue readers should have a better idea of what the overarching conflict entails and what the “Master Race” actually is. Even though Carrie plays a more active role this time, this issue really hammers home the notion that the Dark Knight Saga has really become a Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman tale rather than simply a story of an older Bruce Wayne. Whether this is for the good of the franchise remains to be seen, but at least Miller and Brian Azzarello can’t be faulted for their ambition with this conflict.
That said, the highlight of the script here involves the characters who have been at the forefront of the Dark Knight universe from the beginning. Azzarello scripts a very poignant scene as Carrie relates the painful final days of Bruce Wayne’s life and the passing of the Batman mantle from mentor to pupil. The fact that the reader can’t be sure Carrie is telling the truth with her story does nothing to diminish its impact. In more ways than one, the script pays close attention to the contrast between how Carrie presents herself as Batman and the real person beneath the mask. Carrie is quickly developing into a compelling lead outside the shadow of Bruce Wayne, which is a very good thing. The “Batman is arrested” subplot seems to do little to actually advance the plot, but at least it serves a purpose in terms of fleshing out both Carrie and Commissioner Yindel.
In some ways, The Dark Knight III doesn’t quite capture the feel of its predecessors. It’s less dense and frantic, losing some of Frank miller’s angry passion and opting for a more controlled pace and precise visual style. But often it’s the spots where this issue breaks the mold that it stands the most. The introspective look at the relationship between Carrie Kelly and her boss is a highlight, and both the main story and the mini-comic have moments of sheer visual delight.
