Batman: The Dark Knight #26 Review

Written by: Gregg Hurwitz
Art by: Alberto Ponticelli
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: December 31, 2013

Almost Silent, Almost Good

Batman: The Dark Knight has always been a book with average storytelling coupled with above average art. Well, this month we get a mostly silent issue (I don't know why, but that description cracks me up) that puts Alberto Ponticelli's art in the forefront.  Unfortunately, some of my problems with Gregg Hurwitz' depiction of Batman still manage to creep in.

Batman: The Dark Knight #26 is not a feel good issue.  In fact it's downright depressing.  The first part of the two part Voiceless arc features the exploitation of illegal immigrants, child labor, violence against an elderly woman and the death of an infant..  Yikes.  The story does invoke an emotional response for sure and if you think the Penguin is a nice guy after reading it you may be a homicidal maniac with no soul.

I have always liked Alberto Ponticelli's art.  His work on Frankenstein: Agents of SHADE and Dial H was always good so it's nice to see him in action again.  The dismal story fits his pencil heavy art nicely as does the overabundance of greys, browns and blacks.  It's a dark tale for a dark book...literally.

Best. Line. Ever.

Like I said in the beginning, I still had a problem with the Hurwitz' Dark Knight himself.  Mainly, he is not good at his job.  I have mentioned it before, but this issue really points it out.  He gets angry, goes in half cocked and *spoiler alert*...gets captured by some low level thugs.  Isn't Batman the guy who plans for everything?  The guy who knows how to kill Superman for Christ's sake?  Not here.  He just busts into a factory full of rage and gets captured.  Maybe he has a plan, but if Hurwitz is true to form, he doesn't.  Maybe he can punch Commissioner Gordon in the face again to see if he's Clayface.  At least then, Gordon can yell my favorite line of all-time...

Bits and Pieces:

Batman: The Dark Knight #26 ends up being an average comic at best. The art fits the dark story nicely, but the same old problems the book has been plagued with still manage to rear their ugly heads.  The Dark Knight is not good at his job and that always brings this title down in the end.

5.0/10