BATMAN the DARK KNIGHT #22 DEADLY ENEMIES! Re-Enter....CLAYFACE!
COVER ART: 3.5/5 ALEX MALEEV provides us with an image that is NOT Batman for once. This is an incredibly cool cover, the art is not super great but it is gritty and real and I like it. Commissioner Gordon looks like he means business and I like the idea of him shooting towards the reader.
STORY ART: 3.5/5 AlEX MALEEV takes over the pencil duties of this issue and with colorist DAVE McGRAIG, they tell a magnificently gritty, surreal story through their creative process. Initially, I think the art is crap, but that is just because I have been reading comic after comic doing reviews. Once I read through this issue, I read through it again, really in the "Batman" zone. The art is not going to win any awards, but the dirtiness, the grittiness of this issue is totally Batman. And when we know this issue is about CLAYFACE, the brown tone themes throughout makes perfect sense.
STORY ARC: 5/5 As you can see, this is where this issue really wins. GREGG HURWITZ, who has had the reins of this series, really brought out his A game on this issue. This issue is really the start of a new endeavor for Batman. He just wrapped up a long series with the MAD HATTER, and after an annual issue, Gregg invites us on this new journey, this new case for our favorite CAPED CRUSADER.
We jump right into this issue with a stressed out looking COMMISSIONER GORDON. The criminal known as CLAYFACE has returned as is holding up a jewelry store. It looks like Gordon snapped and went PUNISHER on the bad guys, and then as you can see, turns the gun on our favorite detective Batman. What is going on?!
Well, Batman ain't havin' that! Not even from Commissioner Gor....what...wait...thats not Gordon! That's CLAYFACE! Clayface SHOT his own heist team to try and set up Commissioner Gordon! But if Clayface is pretending to be Gordon, then WHERE is the REAL Gordon, and now that Batman knows this is the fake Gordon, the real Gordon is in serious danger!
We move to the real Gordon, whom the Clayface has tied to a chair and also chained to the floor. Gordon is no slob though. He is the truest and toughest Cop in all Gotham City, that's how he was able to make it to the top. Even when the city has taken his son and his daughters legs, this tough Cop keeps on fighting, and that is what we see him doing here. Gordon is able to tip himself over and in doing do unveils a spot light that was covered by an old dusty tarp. Knowing that time is off the essence, Gordon quickly cuts up magazines and uses scraps to create a makeshift/ghetto BAT-SIGNAL! Commissioner Gordon knows that by now Batman must know what the deal is and is probably looking for him so the quicker he can get a message to Batman the better. This was such a brilliant move that showed great writing talent and the artistic execution was brilliant. This is one resourceful and tough Cop.
Sure enough, Gordon's plan worked! The ghetto Bat-Signal really worked! As Bruce was having a moment with his best dog Titus, he becomes aware of the signal and immediately goes into action to save his friend and one of the only men he truly trusts Commissioner Gordon.
Here is Batman swinging into action to save Gordon. After looking around, we can see that CLAYFACE is a PSYCHO! His "lair" is super creepy with a bunch of costumes and fake faces and movie posters and just creepy stuff everywhere. How can Batman catch this villain who can be anybody, and can be anywhere?
FINAL VERDICT: 5/5 Ultimately this was a team effort in delivering such a fantastic issue. This is a start of a new series with CLAYFACE at the center. Pick up this issue and you won't regret it. The art will grow on you. It's Batman, it is supposed to be dark and gritty.
