I’ve written before that the Legends of the Dark Knight series that started in 1989 was, as the title implies, one of those legendary runs. Not of a single creator, or creative team, but of a variety of teams telling the best stories they could possibly come up with, working through the lens of Batman’s early years. Many would say this is true for the first 50 issues, and I’d probably push it straight through until it became part of the No Man’s Land crossover, although there’s an argument to be made that there really were no duds at all during the lifespan of this book.
Among the many highlights during that time to me were issues #32-34. They comprise the “Blades” arc by James Robinson, Tim Sale, Steve Oliff, and Willie Schubert. Diving into Batman’s investigation of a serial killer seemingly targeting the elderly, the appearance of a new dashing vigilante in Gotham City, and a series of high profile burglaries.
“And oh…my sword is sharp.”
Although a decidedly different story, “Blades” leans heavily into many of the stylistic choices of Batman: Year One, adopting some of its conventions to tell its tale. There’s a decided noir feel to the tale that’s also informed by early action movies. With the Cavalier’s Zorro-like appearance causing a kind of mental stumble for Batman. It’s also Batman’s relative inexperience that leads him to doggedly pursue just the serial killer case, causing other details and incidences to slip past him.
James Robinson gets an opportunity to wax philosophic a few times with three separate narration threads: one of Batman’s journal, of the Cavalier’s thoughts, and an omniscient, disembodied narrator. The three different narrators allows Willie Schubert to give it all some flair, maintaining the mixed case journal approach established by Todd Klein in the earlier work and two other lettering styles for the others.
There’s an interesting quality to this period of Tim Sale’s artwork. The figures are a little rougher, not always quite as angular as his style develops, and more traditional hatching than shadow washes we see in his later work. In a way it reminds me a bit of Matt Wagner’s work. As well as both Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli, when you throw in some tiny panels and television sequences. And with Steve Oliff’s colours, there are more nods to the Year One feel, with some muted yellow washes, amidst the darker blues and purples.
“The reality, as ever, is so much smaller.”
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight – “Blades” by Robinson, Sale, Oliff, and Schubert is a wonderful stylistic continuation of the Batman: Year One. It deals with a still fledgling Batman as he hunts down a serial killer and allows a new vigilante to take over the limelight in his stead. To surprising results. The story is a shining gem even among a period where practically all of them were diamonds.
The arc was collected in both Tales of the Batman: Tim Sale and Batman: Collected Legends of the Dark Knight. Sadly, I think both are now out of print. If you manage to come across either of them, they’re well worth your time — for this story and for the others contained within. Otherwise the individual issues are available digitally.
Classic Comic Compendium: Batman Legends of the Dark Knight – “Blades”
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight – “Blades”
Writer: James Robinson
Artist: Tim Sale
Colourist: Steve Oliff
Letterer: Willie Schubert
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: May 7 – May 28 1992 (original issues)
Read past entries in the Classic Comic Compendium!
Check out other recent review pieces from The Beat!
Source link
