This review contains spoilers for The Bat-Man: First Knight #3!
Bat-Man was given an ultimatum in the last issue. Will he use a gun in his vigilante justice? What will be the lines he draws? Now, he’s going to decide whether he wants to be known for vengeance or justice. While his decision isn’t exactly surprising, given his decades of history to indicate such, the division created between the two offers an unexplored concept for Batman: what does he represent? In the final issue of this three-issue miniseries, writer Dan Jurgens and artist Mike Perkins deliver a brilliant closing sentiment on their elseworlds story.
DC Comics
There’s a lot to unpack in this issue, and it’s nearly impossible to do so without spoiling most of the story. But there’s still quite a bit that can be discussed. The overarching theme of this story has been split between Bruce Wayne discovering the type of hero he intends on becoming in a quickly evolving world while also seeing how everyday citizens find inspiration and faith in a time of crisis. This was something Jurgens spoke about with AIPT as he intended to parallel the troubles in 1939 to the issues in today’s time. By the time the issue ends, both of these themes find an intersection between the idea of humanity. While Bruce has to decide between leaning into his humanity more than becoming detached from the world, the citizens of Gotham grapple with how to stand up to injustice in their own way. Altogether, the underlying theme of humanity is something well explored in this issue by comparing the weirdness of a man on his own becoming a vigilante to the strength needed for society to band together when faced with hardship.
DC Comics
Mike Perkins continues to depict Gotham City as a living beast in its own right, while merging its intricacies with its citizens. This story certainly benefits from the Black Label format as the pages come to life like scenes in a play. With Gotham as the stage for action, love, and horror, Perkins takes advantage of the paneling to shift between acts in this story. Another strong part of this issue is how well Perkins and colorist Mike Spicer have the shadows overlap with warm colors. There’s an interaction between Bruce and Julie Madison that encapsulate this quite well, as the world seems to fall away in their heartfelt conversation. There’s a brief moment where it becomes impossible to make out Bruce’s eyes, as if he’s truly become one with the shadows he lurks in, and this makes for a more haunting tone that carries along with their dialogue. Altogether, this issue is beautifully illustrated and rides high off of grotesque violence and contrasting somber moments.
So, is The Bat-Man: First Knight #3 good closing issue to this miniseries? Absolutely. Who is The Voice? What happens to these Monster Men? Who is the Bat-Man? By utilizing the extra pages and mature rating of a Black Label book, this issue succeeds in being a captivating finale that wraps up all of its loose ends. Altogether, this issue, along with the series as a whole, has been a great reflection on the early days of Batman while showing how impossible his never-ending battle against crime is for one man.
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