The last five nights and days has been long so I’m getting a little breather today from the ministry. Here’s a fun read review as a mental break.
Enrico Marini. Batman: The Dark Prince Charming Book One. Burbank, CA: DC Comics, November 6, 2018. 144 pp.
5 out of 5
Purchase: Amazon
This is a comic book written and illustrated by a European artist name Enrico Marini. It is an exciting take on Batman versus Joker from the perspective of an European artist. I thought Marini did a good job telling this story.
This story is quite intense. Joker as a super villain is out to get a gift for his girlfriend Harley Quinn through the use of his gang but is opposed by Batman. Joker then comes up with the idea of kidnapping a girl so he can blackmail Bruce Wayne to buy him a gift for Quinn. But what exactly is Bruce Wayne’s relationship to this child? I thought the artist is to be commended for giving this story a sense of mystery as you are not sure what the truth is at first. It adds suspense to the story. There’s a number of twists and turn as well. There’s also a sense of dark comedy since the Joker is not all there and is a psychopath. At times I thought it was too much. Yet overall the story was enjoyable. I think one sees the intensity of Batman fighting crime and doing detective work at a whole new level since he wants to save a little girl that looks up to Batman. But it is also more than that as the story progressed; I don’t want to give the whole book away. This story is appropriately subtitled “The Dark Prince Charming.” What I really like about this story is the theme of Batman’s humanity and intense sense of protecting those whom he love and cares about. I felt in light of the direction our society is going in which kids can be harmed this was rather sobering to consider the importance of adults and parents to protect the next generation beginning from the womb and beyond.
I’m glad I read this work and I found out there’s going to be a book two. If the next volume is as good as this work I’m looking forward to it!
The Domain for Truth 
Batman is one of my favorite superheroes. He’s quite awesome, isn’t he?
He is! Is there any comics on Batman that you like and enjoyed?
Actually I never read any Batman comics. I only watched the movies. I liked Batman Begins (movie) the best.
Sounds like a fun intense read
Thanks for the fun review! I think that Batman was one of my least favorite of DC’s Justice League heroes back in the Silver Age (despite the TV show) because he didn’t have any super powers. But that’s what makes him more interesting to contemporary adult readers.
Wow I didn’t know there was Justice League during the Silver Age. Thought it was more recent in its formation. After LSH are you planning to review Justice League Silver Age or contemporary comics?
At the rate I’m going I’ll reach the end of the LSH’s Silver Age stint in Adventure Comics (#380, May 1969) in September. After that, I’m thinking I’ll either continue with their short stint as the secondary feature in Action Comics #377–392 (June 1969 – September 1970) or I may review the franchise’s last year of publication (2013). Those plans could all fall by the wayside if the Legion relaunches in 2019. The chances of that seem to be shoring up.
BTW, I bought all of the individual JLA member’s comics back in the day. The only JLA members who didn’t have their own comic series at that time were Martian Manhunter and Green Arrow.
Sounds really good, Jim! I imagine Batman is kind of problematic for a writer. He’s so strict in his pursuit of justice, that I suspect it is hard to make the depiction of his humanity easy to portray.
I think some of the newer comics have done a good job of showing the torn psyche of Batman and even the exploration of the weight he carries with his career, double life as a undercover superhero and the impact of the death of his parents. I’ve enjoyed these and for this particular work (warning:I’m going to give a spoiler here!) there’s an exploration of Batman as a father. I’m a few days behind with my blog reading in light of this weekend, hope to catch up with your blog today, have a blessed day RG!
Thanks Jim! You too!
Lovely just what I was looking for.
Thank you for this review, never heard of this Batman story arc before
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