Review: Batman: White Knight #1

Quick Summary

Pros: The intro to the book is a great hook for fans. Batman’s story here appears to be much more complex than initially believed. The entire concept is interesting. The art is wonderful.

Cons: Some aspects of the book are a little unbelievable.

Overall: This is a promising start to a concept that already had tons of promise behind it. Readers will be hooked from the very beginning as the story is even more interesting than imagined. Though there are a few places where things start to feel implausible, this is a necessary sacrifice in order to get the series where it needs to be. Overall this is a good comic for everyone, but a great comic for anyone who is even a slight fan of the Joker.

Story

There was a lot of hype leading up to the release of Batman: White Knight #1. The concept was exceedingly interesting, however the question remained as to whether it would amount to anything more. Plenty of comics have been made that sell based on the concept alone, no matter if the story is good or not. Would White Knight end up suffering from the same fate?

After reading this first issue, the answer is a resounding: no. Sean Murphy’s Batman: White Knight #1 presents a great start to what looks to be a thought provoking and deep series. It takes the concept of a “good” Joker and executes it properly. Plus, it is just a good story in general, taking the Bat-family, the Gotham Police Department, and the reader through a crisis of conscience along the way. This is a story made for anyone who likes the Joker and is something all Batman fans can appreciate.

(spoilers start here)

The story starts out in the future, where Batman is locked up and Joker is driving the Batmobile around, apparently sane and fully reformed. Things then flash back to the present, where Batman is risking life and excessive property damage in order to catch the Joker again. He seems off, more vindictive and reckless than usual. He eventually catches the Joker and, in a fit of rage, forces him to eat a plethora of pills. The Joker is then shown cured of his insanity, stating that he plans on saving Gotham City from Batman himself.

Right from the start, this series has an interesting hook to keep fans reading. The Joker is driving the Batmobile! And Batman is the one behind bars! It is a tantalizing tease that works perfectly in keeping you interested in reading while also setting up for the series’ main plot. If they read any ad for this series at all, most readers will come into this issue knowing almost exactly what will happen; Joker will be cured somehow and will start to vilify Batman. However, the proper execution of this immediate tease is what makes getting to this point less boring and more thrilling.

From here the series places a majority of the focus on Batman. He is acting strange and more violent than usual. I almost chalked this up to an inaccurate portrayal of the Dark Knight, until the reasoning was revealed. Alfred is dying and Bruce doesn’t know what to do. Though this point is not elaborated on at all yet, it is all that is needed to explain everything Batman is going through. Readers are instantly able to understand and sympathize, which is an impressive feat to accomplish through the use of a one page reveal.

Things shift perspective after this reveal and highlight what Joker is doing. He appears to be completely sane and is preparing a case against the GCPD. This is the part of the story that I have a little trouble believing. GCPD members talk as if Gotham is rallying behind and supporting Joker, which seems a little ridiculous. In order for the series to go in the direction it needs to go, this is something that needs to happen; however, I personally have some trouble getting there. Perhaps Issue #2 will convince me more thoroughly, but as of now I am hesitant about this aspect of the book.

(spoilers end here)

Art

One of the advantages of being both the writer and artist of a series is that you are able to make both aspects of the series work together in perfect harmony. This is what Sean Murphy does here. His bleak outlook on Gotham mirrors the depression that Batman seems to be going through and also sets the tone for something more. It tells us that this will not be a standard romp of superheroics, it will be something deeper and more emotional. This is a beautiful looking issue and one that certainly does not disappoint when it comes to looks.

Continuity

Batman: White Knight #1 is set in a completely separate continuity from the rest of DC Comics. This means that you do not have to know anything about the story or universe in order to understand what is going on here. A passing knowledge of Batman and Joker’s history would be helpful in fully appreciating this issue, however it is by no means necessary.

This issue also references a story from another comic book, detailed below:

• Joker’s past as a comedian could be an allusion to Batman: The Killing Joke, the most famous origin story for Joker.