Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #214
Writer: Christos Gage
Artist: Phil Winslade
Company: DC Comics
If you haven’t been reading Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight (and I generally haven’t), it’s entirely possible that you missed its final issue. Generally, if you’re not reading a book, there’s no need to catch the final issue, but in the case of Legends of the Dark Knight, the final issue is also one of the book’s strongest. It’s a Batman story, but it also makes a nice epilogue to the Christos Gage/Stephen Cummings Deadshot miniseries of 2005, as it features Batman and Deadshot facing off over a mob witness that the latter has been hired to kill. Given that the story is written by the guy who gets Deadshot better than anyone save maybe John Ostrander, it’s no surprise that “Superstitious and Cowardly” is one of the stronger one-off Batman stories I’ve read in a while, and another strong Deadshot story under Gage’s belt.
What’s kind of nice about this issue, and indeed one of the good points of the late and generally un-lamented Legends of the Dark Knight series as a whole, is that it is entirely self-contained. One needn’t have read any other Batman stories, or indeed any other Deadshot stories, to get a fully satisfying read here. Gage, a writer who was worked in the self-contained episode mode of television, clearly gets the notion of beginning, middle and end in a way that all too many comics writers, reared on a serial medium full of four- and six-part stories, don’t. The story opens with a three-page sequence that spells out the crux of the plot, introduces the complication on page four, throws in a few twists and comes to a nice resolution by the end.
Which is not to say that the story is rote by any means; it’s just professionally done. There are nice little continuity nods to the supporting characters introduced in the Deadshot miniseries, to moments Batman and Deadshot have shared in Suicide Squad in the ’80s and even to Identity Crisis and its ludicrous version of Justice League security. In addition, Gage’s moment-to-moment storytelling is strong, with a solid understanding of both of his main characters and even some depth of character given to mob snitch Leland Lindsay, who could easily have been little more than a plot device. Batman and Deadshot talking about legal niceties on the roof or a shooting range features some clever dialogue and insight into the characters, Lindsay spells out some of the rumors about Batman when the Dark Knight tries to intimidate him in his hotel room, even Alfred gets a pretty good scene giving Batman the key he needs to victory over Deadshot’s seemingly implacable nature.
Some of the joy in this issue comes from seeing Deadshot written well. Gage has an eye for detail, so that he addresses the Suicide Squad giving Deadshot a permit for his wrist magnums, or drops in details about Deadshot’s one-way glass in his mask. There’s also a nice, casual reference from Batman where he says “Deadshot has never killed a child.” In these days of raping, mass-murdering villains, it’s nice to find a writer who knows the meaning of restraint, and it makes Deadshot a more sophisticated villain, rather than a one-dimensional monster. The same care is given to Batman, as we see the difference between his indomitable costumed facade and the frustrated man trying to deal with the puzzle of Deadshot’s motivations when he’s in the Batcave talking to Alfred.
Then there’s the art. Gage’s story is such that, for a Deadshot fan like me, it really only had to be passable. As it stands, though, the last issue of Legends of the Dark Knight is graced with some of the best art the book has had, courtesy of artist Phil Winslade and colorist Mike Atiyeh. The two-page opener features a stunningly detailed cityscape, but the characters and the story are never lost in the hubbub of these lovingly detailed backdrops. Winslade also has a great eye for dynamic moments, whether it’s a five-panel sequence of Deadshot assembling a sniper rifle, a three-quarter page shot of Batman pouncing on the assassin or Batman’s shadow looming ominously over a terrified Leland in a cramped motel room lit by red neon outside.
It’s been a few weeks since this issue hit, but it’s still in stock at Diamond, so your retailer should be able to special order it for you without difficulty. It’s well worth the three bucks, especially if you were a fan of the Deadshot miniseries.
Loading ...
Cool, thanks for the heads up, I enjoyed the Deadshot mini quite a bit, Deadshot doing Red Harvest/Yojimbo/Fist Full of Dollars was a lot fun. So if ya don’t mind could you special order it me?
01 Mar 2007 at 9:24 am
QuoteKinda sad to see one of the longer-standing DC series be replaced with a new #1, in Batman Confidential, which isn’t very good to begin with. Hopefully, Confidential can make shorter stories, including one-shots like this, instead of 6-issue arc. And hey, we did get nice shiny covers out of it, though.
01 Mar 2007 at 11:57 am
QuoteGood review.
I also liked the issue.*
01 Mar 2007 at 1:09 pm
QuoteBut I wonder… since the Doctor Light thing did happen several years in the past, maybe JLA security wasn’t as good as it later became?
Anyway, this issue of Legends sounds pretty good; the dialogue and especially the art on the pages you showed us are quite nice. And speaking of Suicide Squad, did you guys hear Ostrander’s going to write a new Suicide Squad ongoing?
01 Mar 2007 at 2:43 pm
QuoteGray, it will be ordered for you for next week.
Kiel, much as Batman Confidential is a disappointing title thus far (and a disappointing name, really… Legends of the Dark Knight sounds cooler), I do think this is a title that was past due for retirement. It’s mission statement was muddled, it had a legacy of bad, fill-in type stories and really it had a rep as something of a nothing book. Now, I think they would have been better off with a marketing and editorial refocus, really bring in some big guns (Dini on LOTDK instead of Detective, maybe?), but I can’t argue too much with the decision to mercy-kill a lackluster book that had become purposeless.
Tomas, I think Ostrander’s doing a new Suicide Squad mini… but I’m quite excited about that. I’d be more excited if one of his best characters, Captain Boomerang, hadn’t been pointlessly offed.
01 Mar 2007 at 4:09 pm
QuoteIt also seemed pretty unrealistic for him to become fat and balding so quickly. In DC Comics time, it hadn’t been that long since he was seen in his prime (albeit “Jokerized”) in The Flash, right?
01 Mar 2007 at 5:46 pm
QuoteI’ve been reading Gage’s Stormwatch PHD and am totally impressed with this guy. I’ll pick this up, and hunt down the Deadshot mini.
01 Mar 2007 at 6:43 pm
QuoteI had never bought an issue of Legends of the Dark Knight until this story was released; how appropriate that it’s the end of the series. Gage & Deadshot were the draw, and it didn’t disappoint.
01 Mar 2007 at 10:01 pm
QuoteTim, you won’t be disappointed. Deadshot is my favorite thing that Gage has written. I’d also recommend his Union Jack miniseries from Marvel, a fun action-adventure story with beautiful art by Mike Perkins.
Gage is definitely a writer to watch.
01 Mar 2007 at 10:13 pm
QuoteI remember buying the first issue of this series back in 89 or 90 when the Keaton/Nicholson film came out. I bought multiple issues and told my mother this was my “retirement fund”. Ahhhh youth!
When the title first launched I remember each arc being billed as be “a graphic novel split into five parts”. It could have been the father of decompressed storytelling…Except I generally found the each issue packed with content resulting in a very rich 5-part story arc. They ultimately played with the format generally opting for 3 part stories and single issues.
I’ve checked in on it a few times since officially “dropping” it probably 10 years ago and will maybe grab this issue. At one time it was unique to the market and the DC Universe (anyone remember it’s “sister” title “Legends of the DC Universe”?). Now with Batman Confidential, All Star Batman and even Superman/Batman all basically serving the same purpose, I guess there was no need for this book to keep going.
I must agree though that it had the best name by far!
02 Mar 2007 at 10:59 am
QuoteA little off topic, but if you like Gage, he’s got some upcoming Marvel work that sounds pretty good. He’s supposed to be doing some issues of Iron Man, and he’s also doing the X-men tie-in mini for World War Hulk. Based on the strength of Union Jack, Stormwatch, and Iron Man/Captain America (surprisingly one of my favorite CW tie-ins), he’s definitely a writer to keep an eye on. Gonna have to check out the Deadshot mini and this Batman issue sometime soon.
02 Mar 2007 at 7:49 pm
QuoteSeeley: I second that recommendation for Deadshot, and since I buy your stuff you know I have excellent taste.
04 Mar 2007 at 4:57 pm
QuoteLook for bogus name “Roary’s First Kiss”
They are taping the Dark Knight on Broadway one block north of Irving Park in Chi-town.
Go see the actors and actress…great setup and….. talk about stunts to be filmed at night after 11 on Broadway.
14 Jun 2007 at 6:45 pm
Quote