Review: The Batman Who Laughs #7 (FINAL ISSUE)

Review: The Batman Who Laughs #7

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Scott Snyder

Artist: Jock

Letters: Sal Cipriano

Colors: David Baron  

Reviewed by: Carl Bryan

Summary

What’s the definition of “irony”?  The Batman Who Laughs wants a fully transformed Bruce to embrace his destiny alongside him.  However, there can only be one true Batman Who Laughs.  Can James Gordon and his son Jim defest the Grim Knight?  Who wins?  Who loses?  Scott Snyder has broken Batman down far worse than Bane ever could.  And who fires that last shot?  Buckle your Bat Utility Belt.  It’s the exciting conclusion (?) of The Batman Who Laughs.

Positives

This really looks like a game changer for Bruce Wayne.  Scott Snyder has painted Bruce into a corner that he may not be able to come back from physically and psychologically.  Even as the story is sewn up a bit, there are enough frays around the edges that Bruce will find The Batman Who Laughs haunting him forever.

Snyder has placed himself in the forefront of Batman story telling and rest assure dear readers, you need to gobble up everything he touches.  His pen is red hot, and any character he touches will be exponentially better for having him write about it.

Jock’s frenetic art depictions of The Batman Who Laughs provides a crescendo to the story.  It’s as if he is being literally torn apart until Bruce can make a final transformation.  I don’t like this form of The Batman Who Laughs, as I like the original version that is more of a Joker homage.  However, I get it from the story telling need. 

Sal Cipriano – his lettering for this series.  Wow!  Cartoon bubbles aside, his overtime to deliver the correct story telling is crucial.  Kudos to him!

The father-son pairing of James and Jim Gordon against the Grim Knight…perfect.  And the reader is rewarded with the cliffhanger we deserve.  Snyder’s foreshadowing is eerie.  There are poignant moments between the two and it is a testament to Dads and their sons.  “I’m not where I should be yet” – Jim Gordon.  “I’m not yet either” – James Gordon. Such good story telling in that one exchange.

The Joker plays his part perfectly in this one!  “You’re welcome!” he exclaims.  I cannot help but think that a Batman Who Laughs versus the Joker story line is in the works as there can only be one main villain against Batman.  The King of Batman’s Rogues Gallery is not in the mood for a challenge from this newcomer.  However, The Batman Who Laughs is the hot hand right now.

Negatives

The only negative thing about this issue is that it is at the end of the seven issue run.  DC was smart enough to know that six-issues could not contain this story, so this seven issue run (eight if you count the side bar story of the Grim Knight) was appropriate!

We need more Grim Knight….more Batman Who Laughs… and more Jim Gordon.  Snyder has created a tapestry of new ideas and we can’t get enough.

Verdict

Run to your nearest comic store and buy every issue and explore the Dark Metal origins of The Batman Who Laughs.  This run by Snyder has been epic and has gotten everyone back on board the Batman train (as if we ever left….).  And what a cliff hanger…. A case of Visine cannot get this red out of the eyes!