Batman. An exceptionally dark night attracts attention not only with its intriguing title, but above all with its dark cover. Will a talented cartoonist using the pseudonym Jock create an original and memorable story?
Blackout, Batman running
Batman oversees the transport of a prisoner, the telling name of EMP, from Arkham Asylum to Blackgate Prison. Unfortunately, it turns out that many people have a hard time with him and here comes the attack on the convoy. EMP escapes and then blackouts with his abilities . The sun is just setting and all the electrical appliances are dead. Batman therefore throws the prisoner on his shoulder and decides to take him to prison at all costs. The plot is not too revealing, rather predictable to some extent. Nevertheless, the Dark Knight’s struggles with numerous gangs, as well as Killer Crock, are exciting. At one point, one of the villains even destroys the mask of a cloaked Crusader. The best part is that it all happens in absolute darkness. Unfortunately, if I’m being honest, I think this whole blackoutfades into the background. The whole plot, the whole intrigue, would have been the same even if there had been no blackout. That’s how I feel. The gangsters took to the streets not because the lights went out, but because of the prisoner. This is best reflected in the meaningless text spoken by the protagonist: “Why did Gotham … my city fall into chaos so quickly? I thought we were stronger…better.” And that’s when I tap my forehead. Because – pardon me – Bruce, what are you talking about?! There was a blackout , and people went crazy and started vandalizing shops, setting cars on fire… No. Civilians stay at home, and it’s just that all the gangs went out because of the EMP. They create this chaos, and you can’t expect them to be better/stronger, right? These two sentences show what I wanted to see in this album and what is not here.
What’s going on in the sewers?
The script failed my expectations. Overall, it’s not bad, but from the description, title, and intriguing cover, I expected this blackout to have a lot more meaning for Gotham. However, I admit that Jock created interesting characters. EMP is an interesting character, a criminal to sympathize with. That’s why I was so drawn to his relationship with Batman. Despite the fact that EMP has many lives on his conscience, the Dark Knight does not treat him like garbage, but a human. This is one of those comics that reminded me of the obvious thing that Batman doesn’t kill. And I saw more sense in it. In A Very Dark Night , however, I was most moved by Commissioner Gordon’s reaction. I didn’t expect him to act like a coward.
The charms of the night
It’s time to take a look at Jock’s line. The second and third chapters are especially memorable as Gotham is taken over by Egyptian darkness. The funniest thing is that the cartoonist best captured the darkness when Batman went down to the sewers. In addition, the appearance of the characters is also noteworthy. The Dark Knight’s well-brushed face makes us realize how much he’s been through that one night! I’m not surprised that Jock has a group of his fans, because his breed style has its own unique charm. I’d love to read this comic again and again.
On the technical side, I caught one bug; it’s probably the translator’s fault, because early on Batman asks Alfred if Arkham Asylum is prepared to take over a prisoner. Only the EMP is in the Asylum and is to be escorted to Blackgate Prison, so they should be ready for the criminal’s arrival. It is also worth paying attention to accessories. At the end of the volume, there is an alternative, very dark cover. The idea was brilliant, but luckily it wasn’t implemented because the story simply didn’t deserve it. In addition, there was also room for other illustrations or character sketches. A Very Dark Night was published in hardcover and in enlarged format. In my opinion, completely unnecessary, but otherwise I have no major objections to Egmont.
Is it worth getting to know the history of EMP?
Batman. An exceptionally dark night is a good comic about the Dark Knight, which unfortunately promises a lot and gives little. Unfortunately, the phenomenal idea with the blackout is only the background for the events taking place in Gotham. Thanks to this, Jock definitely showed himself as a cartoonist, but unfortunately he gave up as a screenwriter. Despite my job, I still had a great time with him. There was a lot going on in individual frames, the action did not slow down even for a moment. In addition, I was particularly captivated by the relationship between Batman and EMP. However, I expected something much more interesting, more ambitious. Especially since DC Black Label has already released great comics about the Dark Knight, such as Batman Imposter or Batman’s Grave .