Knight and Squire #6 – Review

By: Paul Cornell (writer), Jimmy Broxton (artist), Guy Major (colors)

The Story: An American Joker in London.

The Review: It’s almost a sure thing no one knew what to expect going into this series, and certainly as it’s gone on, it’s become even more unpredictable.  As it turns out, Knight and Squire aren’t simply Batman and Robin with charming accents.  For a while, their style and philosophy toward crime-busting has come off so lighthearted, they came fairly close to parody.  But this issue proves they are more than up to the job of taking down the big-name villains.

Regardless of which Dynamic Duo you’re talking about, sooner or later, it had to come down to this: a face-off with the Joker.  I don’t think many of us anticipated the original to show up (how does an infamous psychotic manage to bop his way across the pond anyhow?), but Cornell uses him to show not only what K&S are made of, but the overall philosophy of the British culture.

A lot of praise has to be given to our heroes for stepping up to the plate despite confronting a foe with far greater malice and danger than they’re used to—in comparison to a resurrected Richard III, anyway.  Especially admirable is Beryl’s design of a clever trap for the Joker in spite of her grief over her beau’s murder—it’s one of the best amidst a lot of examples in this issue of what the Brits lack in outright boldness, they make up for with formidable resilience.

Nowhere is that more evident than in Jarvis Poker’s subtle baiting of his former idol even in the death throes of his disease.  How fitting he ends up being the character that learns the most by the story’s end.  After all, he reflects the side of Britons that admires American independence, only to learn that a nation as big as America can afford it, while the citizens of an island nation must learn to get along—even heroes and villains.  The source of their indefatigable civility is the same thing, which allows them to overcome challenges: in Jarvis’ words, “Sacrifice.”