Review – Batman: Reptilian #1
Review – Batman: Reptilian #1
Writer: Garth Ennis
Artist: Liam Sharp
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: June 23, 2021
Variant Covers
Synopsis
What strikes fear into the hearts of those who terrorize Gotham? It used to be Batman, but something far more frightening than a mere man stalks the shadows—and it’s after Gotham’s villains. How savage must a monster be to haunt the dreams of monsters? Pick up this dark and bone-chilling tale by comics legends Garth Ennis and Liam Sharp to find out!
Writer: Garth Ennis
Ennis gives us a darker, angrier and more brooding Batman with almost everybody and everything pissing him off. This Batman doesn’t kill (yet) but seems to have to keep repeating this to himself and others. At the start of the issue we see a greasy lawyer getting a rapist boxer out of charges by getting Batman’s evidence thrown out, as he boasts to the press batman calmly walks up and taunts his client until he attacks him and is left in a lot of pain as a result.
Back at the Batcave, Bruce and Alfred are chatting when a report comes in that Riddler and Penguin are dead as well as several of their henchmen. Riddler’s been torn almost in half and Penguin’s nailed to the roof. One unfortunate hench has been inserted into the body cavity of another one.
Batman follows the clues and tracks down the Riddler’s top goon, who recounts a Legion of Doom-style meeting where they normally plot to kill Batman going wrong and everyone turning on each other.
Artist: Liam Sharp
Sharp’s work here is stunning. Fully painted images and panels show off brushstrokes and energy sometimes lacking in digitally drawn comics. Each amazingly painted image bring gravitas to Batman, a giant shape brooding over anyone stupid enough to get in the way.
Goons look like tiny midgets and expressions and reactions are heightened through Sharp’s brush strokes.
My one bugbear is making the Joker look like a Blue Meanie from Yellow Submarine.
Overall Thoughts
Ennis sets the dark tones for this adults-only book early on with the confrontation with the boxer with the book then ramping up the tension as each panel and page unfolds, balanced with Sharp’s amazing artwork.
[yasr_multiset setid=1]
[yasr_visitor_multiset setid=1]
Buy tickets for BGCP Comic Con in and around Glasgow Scotland – BUY TICKETS
Check out all of our Comic, Movie, Television and Videogame Reviews HERE and our Podcasts/Interviews HERE
If you want to be part of the BGCP community, Join us on Discord, Twitter, Instagram etc then click HERE
