Batman: Full Moon #1 – Rodney Barnes, Writer; Stevan Subic, Artist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: I’m always a fan of stories where Batman has to go up against something that just does not fit with his strict standards for what makes sense in the world, even in the DCU. That’s exactly what happens here, as a werewolf comes to Gotham City and begins tearing it apart – starting with a massacre at Wayne Pharmaceuticals. Telling this tale of Gotham and classic monsters is Rodney Barnes, who is already well-known for fusing supernatural horror with urban modern noir in the acclaimed Killadelphia, and he’s weaving a timeless tale of terror here. This Batman is a little different – he’s dating Zatanna, Alfred is still alive, and there are no Robins in sight (probably for the best) – but he still has the intense dislike for anything magical or supernatural, and it immediately starts causing tension as he and Jim Gordon try to unravel the mystery that’s spreading blood all over the city.
But the monster here isn’t a simple monster – it’s a man named Christian Talbot, and Barnes makes the wise decision to split the narration between Bruce Wayne and Talbot. The man behind the werewolf lost everything to the beast he was cursed by and is so desperate to cure himself that he’s becoming the monster he fears. The action segments are chilling, largely thanks to the excellent work of Stevan Subic, who has a surreal edge to his art that really works. But the strength of this issue lies in how expertly it builds Batman’s world, giving him a large group of allies to network with – and sometimes trade barbs with, in the case of John Constantine, who is both a magical ally and a rival for Zatanna’s heart. This first issue builds the tension expertly, before abruptly switching gears and ending with a grim twist that sets the stakes sky-high for the next issue.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
