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Batman
Goes Manga:
Batman: Child of Dreams
DC Comics Graphic Novel review
By
Matt McConnel
Writer
(English script): Max Allan Collins
Art: Kia Asamiya
More
Info: www.dccomics.com
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So
when I first heard that Kia Asamiya was going to do Batman
for DC I was happy. When I found out that the English script
was going to be Max Allan Collins, the scribe for Road to
Perdition, I was elated. When I held the book in my hands
and read it, I was satisfied. The story is strong and builds
well on long established characters and themes. The art is
some of Asamiya's best coming from his wide background in
cyber/steam-punk, fantasy, and science fiction. DC's presentation
of the series in a very nice trade volume is marred only by
the low quality of the paper in an otherwise solid binding
job.
Batman
is having a rough night. A Japanese television crew has just
landed in Gotham to try and snag an interview with the Dark
Knight and if that were not bad enough apparently people masquerading
as his greatest adversaries are popping up and then abruptly
dying. There is a new drug on the streets that causes one's
dreams to come true and many dream to be the next star in
the ongoing drama of Batman's war on crime. When these psudo
Two-Faces, Riddlers, and then Jokers spontaneously mummify
on their way to the hospital, Batman is faced with a dual
problem. How can he stop this new drug, but more importantly,
who is producing it, and why would they use it against Batman.
After a two incidents, one with a Joker who is far too sane
and calculating for his won good, and a drugged up psudo-Batman,
the trail leads to Tokyo where reality and fantasy collide.
The
story is solid, and Max Allan Collin's treatment of the adaptation
goes a long way towards making Asamiya's usually Japan-centric
scripts more accessible. For example, when Batman visits the
real Joker in Arkam, the interplay between the two oldest
and most deadly of adversaries plays not only on the history
of the Batman universe, but also on popular culture. Joker
references "…playing Hannibal Lecter to your Clarise…" and
other little bits of Collins' delicate touch abound throughout.
The
story is still Asamiya's however, and he takes Batman to places
few American comic book makers would, Tokyo for example. The
last third of the book takes place in Japan and the climax
is very much under the influence of the tradition that Asamiya
is a part of. Strangely, the book seems more at home in Gotham,
and not Tokyo. It almost feels like Asamiya is trying to rush
through the time in Japan in an effort bring Bruce/Batman
back to his home stomping grounds. This means the climax is
rushed, and is almost secondary to the story. The grand scheme,
when revealed by the villain, is really superficial, and Asamiya
might have been better served using one of the old standbys
of the Batman rouge's gallery, such as Rahs Al Gul, instead
of devising a new villain to kill off.
Despite
this, the artwork is some of Asamiya's best in recent years,
far outstripping his work for Dark Horse in Star Wars Tales
or some of the latter episodes of Silent Mobius. After
some time trying to re-find his nitch, it seems Asamiya has
finaly found something he is comfortable with. The backgrounds
are simply stunning, and Asamiya's envisioning of some of
the most hallowed Batman baddies is truly stunning; the Joker
especially captures the manic and utter insanity that lies
both within and without the Clown Prince.
I
cannot recommend this book enough. While there are some serious
errors made in marketing, the paper and price, the book remains
a solid buy on the strength of the art, writing and story
alone.
Matt's
normally our Anime guy, but come on; him doing this one was
a no-brainer. Email him here.
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