Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
DK III: The Master Race #1
DC Comics
Miller, Azzarello, Kubert, Janson & Anderson
Frank Miller's "Dark Knight" gets resurrected for a third go round with an all-star creative team. This issue is largely introducing the characters and providing a nice cliffhanger to launch into the second issue. There isn't anything in here that will "wow" the reader in the same way the original Dark Knight probably did upon a first read. However, because the original was one of the best things DC Comics has ever published readers will return for more just in case this turns out to be a classic. This is an average elseworlds story with quite a presentation for six bucks. I recommend giving this a shot.
The format of the comic is nearly thirty pages of story (with no ads or other material) and a dozen page miniature comic in the middle of the book. You definitely get a lot of comic for six bucks, but even with the card stock cover, this comic book feels overpriced. It's up to the individual consumer to decide.
The contents of the main comic book is Batman cutting loose. He is cracking heads of cops. This doesn't go well in the media or with the police commissioner, but does make for some nice artwork.
The pieces of the book in between the violence give the reader a glimpse into a couple of the other heroes in this distant future. With their roles undefined as of yet they are just players being moved into position.
The miniature comic book focuses on the The Atom with some other guests playing a part. It is unclear how this comic will tie into the main one, perhaps it won't at all, but it is a nice bonus.
The artwork tries very hard to match the grit of the original. It does not. The original had an edginess to it while this one looks polished and productionized. It isn't bad, it simply isn't anything different from what you might find in a dozen other Batman books. When you look at the list of artists that have taken their hand at Batman over the last couple of decades this issue just doesn't measure up to those high standards or the hype this book has received.
The comic tries to tie in current events with the story in the comic but it certainly does feel forced. The jabs at the media in the way they jab at the president, the people that scream out for civil rights while the other side screams out for police rights all feel so trendy for a book of this nature. This is Gotham. People live through dark times constantly. Batman turning on cops doesn't seem to be something anyone would blink at.
"DK III: The Master Race" kicks off with a thirty-page comic with a twelve-page mini-comic for six bucks. The issue is mostly setup as it provides the dilemma at hand and rolls out some of the key players. The artwork tries to replicate the original "Dark Knight" look but doesn't quite rise above the normal dark Batman comic book. The comic is a decent read but doesn't measure up to the hype yet. You should still pick this up because it might become a classic even if it isn't there just yet.
3.5 out of 5 Geek Goggles
