Sunday May 8th, 2011 The Dark Knight Reads

If you’re a Batman fan like me, it’s been a lean couple of years. The Dark Knight came out in 2008 and the video game Arkham Asylum came out in 2009. While sequels are in the works for both of these (The Dark Knight Rises is due out in 2012, and Arkham City is due out this fall), it's been quite a wait for anything new. Luckily, there are some fantastic Batman graphic novels available at the public libraries which have helped to tide me over while I wait for these sequels.

Batman: Secrets is a shorter read featuring the Joker. Batman and Joker get into a fight which is photographed by a couple. One of the pictures, taken while Batman was wrestling a gun out of the Joker’s hands, looks like the Dark Knight was actually threatening the Joker with the firearm. This picture gets released to the media, painting Batman as one of the bad guys. This was an enjoyable quick read by Sam Keith which includes some excellent artwork of the Joker.

Batman Vampire, written by Doug Moench, is something special. It is a story told in three parts. First, Batman is the only one who can stop Dracula, who has come to Gotham City. But at the end of this first tale, although victorious, the Dark Knight is now a vampire himself. The rest of the story deals with Batman trying to control his vampiric urges; the Dark Knight strives to continue protecting the weak, but what happens if he does succumb and drink blood? Batman: Vampire is part of an alternate history in the Batman universe, telling the terrifying tale of what happens when the Dark Knight becomes a monster himself.

One of my favourite Batman writers is Jeph Loeb. The library has a couple of graphic novels by him, such as Superman: Emperor Joker, and various Superman/Batman titles (I’m a fan of this series. It’s a lot of fun to see how Batman and Superman think. And believe me, it’s very different!) But one of the best Jeph Loeb stories that the library has is Batman: Hush. Hush is a story told in two parts. Hush himself is a hidden menace, drawing Batman and many of the villains into his game. Batman: Hush is also a love story between Catwoman and Batman, but as the game continues with more and more villains part of it, Batman is left wondering whether he can trust her. Or is she just another piece of the game?

While Jeph Loeb is my favourite Batman author, Batman Knightfall by Doug Moench is my favourite Batman graphic novel. While all three parts were pretty good, Part 1: Broken Bat was the best. In Broken Bat, Bane releases the inmates from Arkham Assylum, using them to wear out Batman’s strength. Batman was already in rough shape from the previous few weeks, so tracking down the escaped villains drains his already depleted strength. He has no time to rest, even though his body desperately needs it. Yet he always managed to find the strength to continue because there was no one else to take his place. And finally, when Batman was at his weakest, Bane struck! Broken Bat was an amazing story about the limits that even the Dark Knight himself has.

So if you’re like me and in need of a Batman fix, come and check out these and the many other Batman stories available at the Thunder Bay Public Library.

Shauna Kosoris, Supply Staff