Batman As Mission Impossible's Mr. Phelps

books:

	• Batman: Snow Dan Curtis Johnson, J.H. Williams DC Comics, 2007 - 128 pages average customer review:based on 7 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Batman's little social experiment.

This book was surprisingly enjoyable. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from this story because the idea of the Dark Knight Detective forming his own team sounded a bit disconnected from the usual Batman characterization. Luckily though, the drama unfolded as each team member's character dynamics started to propel the story and plot forward. Unlike other superhero team books this one was firmly grounded in reality because the recruits were not super powered themselves but ordinary people with extraordinary talents. The imagery of Batman presiding over a hodge podge of professional criminal justice seekers at once seemed a bit hokey but deliciously entertaining in a sort of "Charlie's Angels" kind of way.
The device used did lend some introspection into the motivations of a young Batman and how he realized that waging a war on crime has to become a team effort if success is desired. The art of course is unconventional for a Batman story but does have a great silver age throwback feel to it. The art is great because it is not your typical comic or Batman art. It's light, fun, rich, and well lit. Seth Fisher did not deliver as much surrealistic imagery as he was known for in this story but he did still include his mind boggling Geoff Darrow type detailing in rendering Gotham landscape and architecture. It's still a great leap ahead of what you currently find in many current Batman titles.
But again, the unconventional story and art do not take away anything from the Batman conceits or conventions but rather give a nice interpretation that I think adds a bit more depth and dimension to the already very large Batman tapestry. Highly recommended.

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Batman As Mission Impossible's Mr. Phelps

This story contains a good version of the origin of Mr.Freeze and an interesting attempt by Batman to put together a civilian team of helpers for his war on crime. After being badly injured, Batman/Bruce Wayne realizes he needs some help(this story is pre-Robin), so he goes about recruiting his own kind of Mission Impossible type team.Each member has a certain attribute to contribute, i.e. a communications expert, a psychiatrist, a former FBI agent, an ex-com with underworld connections and an ex-special forces guy to provide muscle and special ops if needed. They get mixed up with some gangsters who are in the process of trying to get their hands on a top-secret Government weapons sysyem that deals with an ultra freezing ray. At the same time the rays inventor, Dr. Victor Fries' wife has become terminally ill and the good doctor is distraut. He removes his wife from the hospital and takes her to the lab in an attempt to cure her. Needless to say everything goes wrong and the weapons reactor explodes and MR. FREEZE is born. His wife is killed and the efects of the weapon drive Fries insane. He has an ongoing delusional relationship with his dead wife and goes on a rampage against those he feels are responsible for her death. Batman, his team, the police, the mob and Mr. Freeze all intersect in an exciting conclusion.Batman learns valuable lessons about endangering others in his "war".
This book contains great art and a brighter than the norm color scheme featuring varying shades of pastels and blues. The writing is excellent and poignant. The thing I especially liked is the artists depiction of Batman as more of a regularly proportioned man.Athletic, but not like some kind of steroid abusing muscle bound goon. 5 stars.

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Surprised by how good it was

I kind of looked at this one and thought 'this artwork is kind of childish and goofy; this is probably just a one trick pony based on unusual artwork'. Not so, this had a really good story, and the art really grew on me towards the end. With some of the batman graphic novels it gets so dark and noir-y that you can't even tell what's happening, its just swirls of red and black. Not this one...if you can't tell what's going on here, get a new hobby. So yea, kind of refreshing. Also, I liked the idea of Batman assembling a team and playing off their emotional needs. It was like reservoir dogs, if Batman was the boss.

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Seth Fisher's Final Great Work

I read the original five issues of LOTDK and it was completely different from the Batman stories. Seth Fisher, who tragically comitted suicide after SNOW was published, did a wonderful job of capturing the Batman from a brand new point of view, and I love how both of the Caped Crusader's costume elements was blended(The Batman's classic 1982 blue-and-gray costume added with the "Year One" utility belt). The best part of the graphic novel was Victor Fries' delusional conversations with his late wife. Above all, this is one of the best DC Comics graphic novels to read.

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reviews: page 1, 2

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