Batman/Deathblow: After the Fire Review - Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo

DeathBlow3 Azzarello/Bermejo/Batman - just that combination of words is enough for Batman fans to instantly buy this because, after €œDeathblow€, they went on to create the superb €œLex Luthor: Man of Steel€ and the controversial but brilliant €œJoker€. It€™s no surprise that DC looked at the success of those two later books and thought a reprint of their earlier, lesser-known comic was in order. And I€™m glad they did reprint it if only for Bermejo€™s art, which is always amazing, rather than Azzarello€™s writing which, for me anyway, is often hit-or-miss €“ and in €œAfter the Fire€, it€™s definitely lacking. The plot is easily what disappointed me most about this book - it€™s convoluted to an absurd degree especially when the double and triple crosses begin happening towards the end. For a 3-issue mini-series, it didn€™t need to be so twisty and over-complicated. Yes a lot happens, but when you take a moment to think about what€™s going on, it makes very little sense, especially the reveal at the end when you find out that the whole chase was kind of pointless. Also, Bruce€™s €œfriend€ is someone we€™ve never seen before and never will again. He€™s just inserted into the story as a plot device rather than an actual character which felt incredibly contrived. I did like that Azzarello€™s penchant for realism meant that we get to see a lot of Bruce Wayne rather than Batman, which made for an interesting angle to the story rather than the usual superhero schtick. Part of the book€™s problem is that Deathblow is simply not an interesting character: he€™s your run-of-the-mill tough guy with a gun and no personality. He€™s like a cross between the Marvel characters Nuke (they both paint lines on their faces and have military backgrounds) and the Punisher (they both hunt bad guys, have no superpowers, and have no problems with killing people) - not exactly the best ingredients to create a memorable character. And then to top it off, name him €œDeathblow€? Despite Azzarello€™s script lacking a cohesive plot, so long as you don€™t think too hard about the story, it€™s an enjoyable read mostly because it€™s such a gorgeous book to look at. Because the real reason you should be reading this is for Lee Bermejo€™s art: incredible is one way to describe it though the full range of superlatives are applicable. If you€™ve never encountered it before, it€™s breathtakingly beautiful art that€™s realistic and fantastical all at once. Bermejo€™s Batman is one of the best renditions of the character I€™ve ever seen €“ it€™s just perfect. While this early work doesn€™t show the refinement which Bermejo acquired since this book (see €œBatman: Noel€ for his most recent, brilliant Batman), it€™s still an amazing version of the Dark Knight that few artists can come close to. BatmanDeathblow Bermejo and colourist Tim Bradstreet give Gotham this early 20th century look with a lightly golden sheen to the panels, dotting its skies with zeppelins, though the references to Vietnam in the past put it at least late 20th century, and the mutant€™s outfit is definitely modern contemporary (looking like something Tyler Durden would wear). Mixing in different aesthetics gives the story a warped €“ but not unpleasant - timeless feel and coupled with Azzarello€™s story jumping back and forth 10 years every other page, makes for a quite discombobulating reading experience. This deluxe edition is repackaged in a sturdy hardback designed like other Batman hardcovers and features a nice slip-on cover. Extras-wise there isn€™t much, just a handful of sketches and notes by Bermejo explaining his process. These are interesting but I€™d expect more from a deluxe package. €œAfter the Fire€ is definitely worth reading if you€™re a fan of Azzarello and Bermejo€™s books though it€™s don€™t expect anything as good as their later works, and if you haven€™t experienced €œLex Luthor€ or €œJoker€, I highly recommend picking up those over this. €œAfter the Fire€ is a very poorly plotted noir-ish pseudo-political thriller where Batman only pops up in a few scenes but Bermejo€™s art is extraordinary and makes picking up this book worthwhile in the end. €œBatman/Deathblow: After the Fire€ Deluxe Edition by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo is out now in hardback

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I reads and watches thems picture stories. Wordy words follow. My blog is http://samquixote.blogspot.co.uk , and if you want to see all the various places I contribute to, or want to send me a message, you can find links to everything here: http://about.me/noelthorne/#