Flashpoint: Batman - Knight of Vengeance #2 (of 3)

DC Comics
Flashpoint: Batman - Knight of Vengeance #2 (of 3)
By Dan Horn
July 6, 2011 - 16:23

DC Comics
Writer(s): Brian Azzarello
Penciller(s): Eduardo Risso
Inker(s): Eduardo Risso
Colourist(s): Patricia Mulvihill
Letterer(s): Clem Robins
Cover Artist(s): Dave Johnson
$2.99 US

Last month's debut of Knight of Vengeance was one of the most ingenious character reconceptualizations in years. Knight of Vengeance #2 lets readers know this isn't a miniseries content merely with revamping its lead, though; it's revamping the whole lot of Batman continuity.

In this penultimate chapter, Jim Gordon, who feels he needs to prove his salt to his brooding taskmaster, Thomas Wayne (aka Batman), goes it alone on the trail of the Joker. Azzarello and Risso's sequencing is nothing less than cinematic, building tension progressively to each character revelation and each plot twist, and this issue's got quite of few of both up its sleeves.

Uncharacteristic of my usually keen powers of deduction, I never saw the cliffhanger at this issue's climax coming, and it subsequently hit me like a freight train. Good on any creative team who can surprise its readers. That quality is becoming rarer with each passing moment in the comic book industry these days.

This issue moves at a ridiculous pace and may only take you a minute to read, but it's absolutely gorgeous and riveting from cover to apogee. I'm salivating just thinking about the finale to this series.

Really the only problem with Batman - Knight of Vengeance lies in its succinctness. Reveals come at a Gatling gun fire rate, and it's difficult to get steeped in the ephemeral lore of a world that's so fleeting. Once again, I have to fault DC with short-changing a really wonderful concept, but Azzarello and Risso's Knight reigns the Flashpoint tie-ins nonetheless.

Rating: 8.5/10