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Batman: Dark Age #1 Review

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So, the creative team behind the critically acclaimed Superman: Space Age is back again to deliver their take on the Dark Knight. Except…if you have read said acclaimed story, they already kind of did their own take on Batman. But this is a chance to look at the world from what they perceive as Batman’s POV. I could argue about how many books like that are already out there, but this is a team who have proven themselves in the past. Can they pull it off?

Stop Me If You’ve Heard This Before…

The Waynes are gunned down on their way back from watching The Mask of Zorro, leaving Bruce an orphan and under the care of his faithful butler Alfred. Pretty standard Batman origin, except writer Mark Russell changes a few minor details that seemingly have huge consequences.

Spoiler
So, in this world, Thomas and Martha Wayne are specifically targeted by Roman Sionis, whose False Face Society would have also killed Bruce…if he had been there that night. Yes, this version of Bruce Wayne did not witness his parents’ gruesome murder in front of his eyes. This also leads to a world where Bruce is at risk of getting assassinated by the False Face Society at any given moment…just because of who he is.

As a result of everything, Bruce ends up developing self-destructive tendencies, leading to multiple arrests and him becoming a juvenile delinquent. While there have been plenty of stories about Bruce traveling the world to become the peak of human physical and mental perfection, this rather… and I hate to use this word because it has been overused and misused to oblivion… realistic take on a teenager going through grief with no one to keep him in check was something I found refreshing.

The Art. Oh, the Art…

Once again, the Allreds (Mike on pencils and Laura on colors) deliver a stellar piece of visual storytelling. For me, this is best exemplified by the two contrasting ‘Gothams of the future’, where we have Thomas Wayne’s vision of his ideal Gotham… side-by-side with the actual grimy future that has led to the existence of someone like Batman. Thomas’ imagined future is futuristic, Epcotesque, and maybe even a bit sterile (although I’m unsure if that was intentional). The future inherited by Bruce is derelict, riddled by crime, and a result of the rich doing their best to keep the poor as out of sight as possible. The art does a good job of making the reader question if Thomas’ vision was ever achievable in the first place or just the hopeless dream of an optimist unable to predict the future.

Or maybe that’s just my inner cynic.

Ok, But How is This Related to Space Age?

Weeeeeeeell…

Spoiler
As it turns out, Pariah is the one behind not only the False Face Society, but everything that has happened to Bruce so far. This is a really effective last page twist, raising several questions. If this Pariah is the same as the one in that story, why has he taken on a more villainous role here? What possible reason could he have for backing the False Face Society? Is he trying to ensure the existence of Batman…or is he attempting to make his own version of Batman?

Recommended If

  • You loved Superman: Space Age and want more from this creative team
  • You like the idea of “Bruce Wayne, Teenage Delinquent”
  • You want to read another Batman origin but with Mike and Laura Allred artwork

Overall

Batman: Dark Age starts on a strong note and does a decent bit of world-building as we get to see the circumstances that will lead to this version of Bruce Wayne becoming Batman. While there are a few changes that might rub some fans the wrong way, I remain cautiously optimistic about where the story will take us. Add in some of the best artwork that stands out amongst its peers and you have one of the more interesting #1s out there.

Score: 8.5/10

DISCLAIMER: DC Comics provided Batman News with a copy of this comic for the purpose of this review.