Batman: Gotham Nights #2
Written by Michael Grey
Art by Ryan Benjamin, Richard Friend and Alex Sinclair
Lettering by Troy Peteri
Published by DC
‘Rama Rating: 8 out of 10
After a disappointing first installment, the Caped Crusader makes an impressive comeback in Batman: Gotham Nights #2. Similar to Robert Venditti and Paul Pelletier’s winning Superman: Man of Tomorrow, writer Michael Grey and artist Ryan Benjamin deliver a satisfying done-in-one detective story that is rooted in characterization and anchored by some truly dynamic artwork.
While this is my first introduction to his work, writer Michael Grey’s first swing at Batman is action-packed and propulsive, as he kicks off his story with a high-speed car chase that deliberately tries to invoke the Fast and the Furious. Using that kind of opening sequence to dovetail into a mystery is a choice that pays off nicely, giving readers enough momentum to rocket past some of the clunkier detective work before pitting Batman against one of his longtime rogues. Moreover, Grey is able to slip in some surprisingly timely themes just under the wire, giving readers a sympathetic edge to this often-overlooked Bat-villain.
But perhaps just as impressive is the artwork on display here. Artist Ryan Benjamin and inker Richard Friend channel Jim Lee hard in this issue – but when you’ve got seminal “Hush” colorist Alex Sinclair in the mix, they’re largely able to pull it off. And while there’s the occasional small hiccup in the finer details, Benjamin, Friend and Sinclair make action sequences like a burning theater look downright gorgeous, while even quieter moments like Batman putting the pieces of the case together look far more dramatic than you might expect. When you see Batman walking away from the crime scene at the end of the book, it looks downright iconic.
And it’s those qualities that keep Gotham Nights running strong, even amidst some wonkiness in the storytelling. There’s some elements of convenience that run through some of the detective elements of the story, and some exposition (like the way Batman tells a perp that he’s been caught on tape for murder) can’t help but feel a little hokey. Even the final climax of the story, while beautifully illustrated, comes across as a bit forced – that said, while the idea of a villain randomly setting the theater he wanted to save on fire might fly in the face of even comic book logic, Grey sticks the landing in such a way that it’s easier to overlook.
Credit where it’s due – while the first issue of Batman: Gotham Knights felt woefully insubstantial despite the A-list talent attached, this sophomore installment shows there’s plenty of storytelling potential coming from names you might not be familiar with yet. Self-contained, beautifully illustrated and touching upon all the elements that make a Batman story great, you’re absolutely getting your money’s worth with this 99-cent adventure.