Batman: Earth One, Vol. 1 by Geoff Johns, Gary Frank

    I’ve been on a quest to find some traditional superhero comics I might enjoy. Nontraditional supers I absolutely adore, but the ones from the movies are a much tougher sell, too bland, too formulaic, etc.
    And then the idea bolt went off…why not try to less conventional of conventional supers, the guy with no superpowers to speak off outside of seemingly boundless wealth and matching determination. Et voila…this guy. The Dark Knight himself.
     I’ve seen all the movies, the good, the great, the corn, the flashiness…but until now have never read him in a comic form and what do you know…in Geoff Johns’ multitalented paws (seriously, this guy seems to have done every super, comics, tv, movies) Batman shines.
      This is a reimagined version of Bruce Wayne. It still featured all the familiar details and characters, but with a twist. Alfred is more of a kick ass butler of Gotham tv series. But more importantly, Bruce himself gets something of a makeover and reemerges as the brooding prince of Gotham City, eager to take on the injustice while customed and somewhat more reluctant to do so while tuxedoed.
      Still, he gets all the same terrifically evil characters to battle, Penguin in this volume. But much of a struggle is within Bruce, in finding acceptance of his mission, defining his morals, of trying to shed the man to become the legend. He is positively angsty in this volume, still devastated by the tragic death of his parents all those years earlier, but, of course, of course, you can already see the greatness to come.
         I found this book surprisingly riveting. And I say surprisingly purely because I didn’t expect this much out of a traditional superhero comic. It’s a great story, a classic really, well told and nicely rendered artistically. In fact, the art while being well within the parameters of conventional superhero comics I’ve read, is elevated by the expressive portraiture and terrific single panel action stills. Very striking. Eagerly on to the next one.

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