Something isn't right, it's the Bat-Mite
Legends of the Dark Knight was a title that was meant to bring back the solo days of Batman, while re-imagining his first encounters with the many characters in the Rogue Gallery. Earlier issues brought Two-Face, Cavalier, and Hugo Strange with amazing story telling and amazing art. This time around, DC decided that they would tackle a rather odd character from the Golden and Silver Age, the Bat Mite. My first thoughts were pretty low, since this is technically a goofball character that just plays pranks from another dimension. I couldn't have been any happier with this story.
Story
Alan Grant does an amazing and creative job of handling the Bat-Mite. It really impressed me that he wrote the character faithful to his Golden Age personality, yet at the same time in a story that really fits the whole darkness concept of LOTDK. A junkie (known only by his alias, Overdog) is in an interrogation room with Batman after all his accomplices were found dead.... but was he really the one responsible? After a certain crime they committed, they began ingesting what appears to be an almost lethal dose of drugs. This is where Bat-Mite appears and the story really runs with it. You can never tell if it's all one extremely intense hallucinogen, or if it's really happening. Bat-Mite still acts with a playful and prank attitude, only more extreme. In one case, he shoves a cartoonish looking piece of dynamite into a criminals mouth, and the results are a tad bit grotesque. This is not your fathers Bat-Mite. The end will ultimately leave the interpretation of events up to the reader whether they happened or not (in my opinion, they did happen).
Art
The is a perfect blend of seriousness and also playful cartoonish styles, Kevin O'Neill brings art brings the Bat-Mite, Batman, and Overdog to these pages in a way that really compliments Alan Grant's story. Certain moments have those little blown up sad puppy face eyes, and others have a more gothic and dark feel to it. There are a lot of nice little touches, like a page border that he lined up with pills. Yet on Page 22, on the bottom left panel is a close up of Batmans face that differs from the rest of the book. A couple of full splash pages also showcase the rest of his work rather nicely. Perfect art in my opinion.
Verdict
Most of the LOTDK stories have at least a 3-5 issue run. This is a one issue story, and it deals with the Bat-Mite. You can usually find this issue for about a dollar at the right flea markets or in an archive section of a comic store. In the end you have a very mature look at a very childish character that you didn't really expect. New and old Bat-fans should definitely pick up this issue. The art and story really compliment each other extremely well, and it makes a nice addition to anyone's collection.
