BATMAN. Their Dark Designs

While talking with a friend in a library. I noticed this comic sitting on the shelf.

I had a quick flick through and it looked good.

Good? Yes, it had the dark theme of what I want from a Batman story.
Dark. Ominous. With fantastic art that kept the gory detail.

I appreciate characters that are larger than life.

If you've played Arkham Asylum, or watched the cartoon, Assault on Arkham, then you, hopefully, appreciate the uphill battle that Batman has conducting his detective work.

I'll keep away from spoilers.

You find out early that there is no Robin, Batgirl or any of his normal "dynamic duo" partners.

I'm sure there is a story behind these circumstances. I've enjoyed dipping my toe in occassionally.
I'm sure those of you who are Batman fans can point me in the right direction of what to read next.

At this point, Batman is in a relationship with Cat Woman.

There are the usual antagonists throughout the story, which is broken into "Parts". Also, there are new players that I've not heard of before.

I can say that I physically and mentally enjoyed the artwork, the vibe of the story, the action, and the conversations that are contained within.

I didn't want to rush the turning of the pages.
Yet, I was eager to know what would happen next.

Many times, I was flipping back to previous pages to re-read them.
Ensuring that I took my time moving through it.

It is an orchestra of brutal chess.
Batman stumbling from scene to scene.
You are not sure whether he is ever in control of the situation.
It is a punishing dance. Batman is relentless.

There are desperate times. Yet, fortune favours the bold. There are many times that the story has a twist, and a turn, a plot planned while another is unravelled.

Who doesn't love a little bit of crazy? The fine line between a genius and a mad hatter.
Harley Quinn, is always a delight. Somewhere, between sweetness and being a psycho.

In the PC game, Arkham Asylum, you hear tapes of Harley Quinn (Dr. Harleen Frances Quinzel) trying to treat, The Joker.
However, the Joker, turns the tables, making Harley fall in love with him - losing her sanity in the process.
(Reading the comic has also motivated me to replay the game.)

Every character makes their own impact in the story.
You actually feel sorry, for some of the baddies, when they get seriously hurt.
I guess that's the charm of an evil character. They've put so much effort into their plans. You kind of appreciate the efforts that have been undertaken. Or you sense that moment of compassion, that inkling of goodness rising out of their black souls. Where all of these characters are damaged. Possibly, beyond repair - even the Bat. 😅

Before I close about my gushing over this comic.
There are 2 factors that I noticed.

First, you can notice the different artists through the different Parts of the book. Is that bad? Yes, and no, but mostly it is a good thing.
It brings different ideas to the fore, different lighting, concepts and style. The downside, sometimes there are inconsistencies in the drawing of characters. It isn't a big deal - it just snapped me out of the illusion a couple of times.
Like, "Penguin should be squat, wrinkly and "distinguished". But, it looks like they drew him too tall a bit in this scene."
Not super bad, and sometimes it adds a beneficial perspective.
You, also, can see the shared project - which is good for the depth of talent, and the variety of styles that can add depth to the story.

Second. It's been a while since I've read a comic with such delight, and focus. (I think, previously, was a Judge Dredd comic).
One of the impactful things, which had me re-read the page, was crossing the strip across two pages, rather than moving across the one page.

It caused me to feel a sense of momentary loss, while my eyes searched for the right path to follow. This method was impactful and effective.

Also, the fragmenting of some sentences, into separate words, so you had to wait, until the full meaning hit you. Like a stone skipping across the water. It is a very good technique as it causes you to pause, and think, drawing you into the ensuing drama.

The methods were timed beautifully and not overutilised. A technique, that made me appreciate the craft of comic making. The whole process is an artform.

There are people on YouTube who do a great job of reading, reviewing, critiquing, and adding further depth to this comic.
I recommend digging into these to unlock more flavours.