Batman Incorporated #9 – Review

By: Grant Morrison (story), Chris Burnham & Jason Masters (art), Nathan Fairbairn & Hi-Fi (colors)

The Story: Now is not the time for Batman Inc. to have its first public offering.

The Review: Although the fallout of Damian’s demise has spared no book in the Bat-family, I think consensus would agree that the most poignant, effective, and important scenes of the aftermath came in Batman and Robin #18.  Yet the Boy Wonder’s death must have at least an equal impact in the book where he actually died.  Pete Tomasi has already covered the grief and despair of the event quite masterfully; what emotions are left for Morrison?

Rage, pure and simple.  Yet as Bruce reels upon his son’s murderer, all the pain and anger fueling him proves unavailing and he’s forced to retreat with his remaining family with Damian’s body in tow.  But once the casket is lowered and the eulogy made, the build-up toward range starts again, with the first victim being Alfred.  In hindsight, of course, the butler’s decision to let Damian go does seem quite egregious.  Nevertheless, the wounded expression in his eyes as Bruce tells him, euphemistically, to “[t]ake a vacation,” is quite heartbreaking to see.

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.”

Knight and Squire #5 – Review

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

The Story: The end is near for Jarvis Poker, British Joker, and Knight and Squire are determined to make it worthwhile.

The Review: It’s been fun reading the madcap romps of Britain’s dynamic duo among its unashamedly whacked-out world of heroes and villains, but this story has so far lacked a sense of direction.  Each issue is largely self-contained, with few events having much of an impact on the next story in line.  Considering the finite nature of a miniseries, it’s important Knight and Squire make a statement for its characters before disappearing into publishing limbo.

This issue reveals that Cornell has been doing just that all along, beneath the surface of the series’ self-deprecating humor.  In previous issues, we’ve seen how Knight and Squire truly are the preeminent heroes of Britain, facing and taking down the most dastardly foes the nation has to offer.  The comedy comes from how small scale these threats really turn out to be, and how both sides, good and evil, value civility above all else in their fantastic doings.

But as Jarvis Poker’s melancholy, twelfth-hour reflections show, there’s a bittersweet taste to the laughs.  Because small as the scale is for British super-crime and its heroic responses, these things are still distinctly theirs, and they take incredible pride in their peculiar culture.  That’s why the appearance of the original Joker feels so invasive.  It’s as if Cornell has been soaking you for so long in how things must be done in this series’ universe that the injection of born-and-bred American character comes off foreign and—you have to admit—ugly.

In a way, it’s as much of a statement on American superheroes and villains.  Cornell writes a brilliant Joker, who is not only crazed and abominable, but very, very purposeful about how he channels those qualities.  At the same time, there’s an inherent disrespect of order and love of chaos in his personality, an exaggeration on American values of freedom and individualism.  Hence the contrast between Jarvis’ “agreement” with Knight and Squire on his meticulously plotted crime of the century, and Joker’s sudden, explosive entrance and spontaneous declaration of war on all British villains and heroes.

Knight and Squire #4 – Review

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

The Story: Squire and Shrike’s first date gets more than the usual awkwardness when Knight’s armor accuses Knight of being an imposter—it’s not quite as complicated as it sounds.

The Review: Some of the most fun in reading these misadventures of Knight and Squire has been the chemistry between our eponymous heroes.  There’s no doubt their outlook on the work they do is drastically different from that of their American counterparts, Batman and Robin.  How can it not be, when their homeland’s criminals tend to be such civil buffoons?  But this issue shows that spiritually, the two sets of dynamic duos have a lot in common.

Robin’s initial conception was little more than as a colorful sidekick for younger readers to latch on to.  Later, the character became a more necessary part of the Batman mythos when portrayed as a balance to Batman’s darkness, an idea which got special attention during Tim Drake’s assumption of the role.  Paul Cornell uses that idea in retelling the origins of the current Knight and Squire.  Even though Knight’s self-destruction goes a different direction than Batman’s, both allow isolation to eat away at their souls, and are saved only by their younger partner’s friendship.

Cornell writes the tale simply, but with a lot of sentimentality, giving the series and its characters some much needed depth.  Not that the wacky plots and gags of previous issues haven’t been great—they have.  But to give Knight and Squire more ground to stand on even after this miniseries concludes, Cornell needed to show that they’re not just all fun and games with funny accents.  Knight’s one-off with his AI-driven armor sounds like yet another light premise, but becomes the most serious conflict of the series yet as Cyril battles his dark side—both metaphorically and literally.

It’s a shoo-in that character work gets strong treatment in this issue.  Cyril’s blunt recollection of his lowest moments and his confrontation with their return to life makes him seem all the more admirable for overcoming his weaknesses.  But Beryl continues to be the highlight of the series, as in this issue you get to see the many shades of her personality at play, from her bashfulness around villain-turned-hero Shrike, her temper when their first date goes awry, and her devotion to Cyril, even at his most despicable.  The final scenes between her and Knight’s armor have no dialogue, but the emotions running throughout are crystal-clear and quite sad.