Broken Frontier

Filmmaker and frequent comic scribe Kevin Smith takes on the Batman in a six-issue limited series set outside the Batman RIP storyline.

Batman: The Widening Gyre serves as an exploration of the sidekick phenomenon for the Dark Knight, and at the same time explores the more supernatural elements that pop up in Batman comics periodically. Besides a few out of place remarks from Batman, where he quips like a hipster, Kevin Smith writes a quality tale bringing in some timeless villains and a tremendous incarnation of a classic character, the Demon Etrigan.

The story begins in flashback, where Batman and Dick Grayson as Robin dispatch the deadly if a little silly Baron Blitzkrieg and the Atomic Skull. Smith does some very good characterization in the context of a fight scene, and brings it into the present with Batman and Nightwing cooperating on a case which has the fingerprints of Poison Ivy. The plot is complex, and brings in a host of characters and an always charming visit to Arkham Asylum. The plot involves a great deal of characters and even in the confines of one issue, builds an interesting complexity which leads to the introduction of Etrigan.

Smith's work on the character in the brief interlude was the highlight of the issue for me. Concentrating on the truly demonic nature of the character, in terms of smells, disgusting disregard for human life, and truly superhuman power, it's the most powerful rendition of Etrigan that I've read, and one of the most fascinating. Ever since Grant Morrison got a hold of Batman, the character has been portrayed as completely unbeatable, usually annoyingly so, and thus it was refreshing to see Bruce back on his heels when facing the demonic Etrigan and even in his own mind knowing he is over-matched physically.

It is wise and generous of DC Comics to produce these Batman mini-series for those of us who still love the character, but cannot commit to the monthly Bat-universe titles for a host of reasons. As Niles did with Batman: Gotham After Midnight, Smith creates a Batman story that both fits with the modern interpretation of the character, but creates a longer self-contained story not easily done within the regular periodicals.

Walter Flanagan and Art Thibert's artwork is fantastic. The story moves from the “slam, pow” daylight of the action packed Dynamic Duo, and morphs into the darker, moodier atmosphere of Arkham Asylum without missing a beat. There are nicely designed pages with vegetation as panel borders and some unique renderings of some classic villains, including a unique Killer Croc. If the amazing cover by Bill Sienkiewicz is any indication, the story will take a turn into the nightmare regions of the Batman mythology, and I look forward to Flanagan's darker take on the characters.

A very impressive debut for this series, Smith is poised to take us places with this mini-series. I'm not sure if I am reading too much into the “Widening Gyre” sub-title, but I believe it refers to the Robin dynamic, which is always interesting if sometimes controversial to the Batman character. Dick Grayson figures prominently in this issue and I am hoping Jason Todd and Tim Drake receive similar treatment in future issues. Overall an excellent issue for what I am hoping is an excellent Batman graphic novel.