Review: Batman Vol. 10- Knightmares

Quick Summary

Pros: The majority of this volume’s stories are imaginative and enjoyable. The way the stories play off of one another and help develop larger themes is very interesting, especially given the current state of this series. The artwork is positive throughout the volume.

Cons: A minority of the stories are lackluster.

Overall: This collection gathers together several interesting stories in a format that makes them even more interesting. These stories are varied when it comes to their presentation but almost all of them manage to combine a compelling narrative with good-looking visuals . Not all of them are winners but the vast majority are definitely worthwhile. In the end, this collection is for readers looking to see a unique examination into Batman’s mind, especially readers who are coming to this volume after reading earlier volumes in this series.

Story

Batman Vol. 10: Knightmares, by Tom King, continues the post-wedding exploration into Batman. This volume presents several mostly independent stories featuring far-out concepts and incredibly unique ideas. The vast majority of these stories are very fun to read and help give a picture of where Batman’s head is at this particular point in time. The only real downside is that two of the stories are a little below average when it comes to quality. However, for the most part, this is a solid read with more positives than negatives.

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Knightmares features a series of illusions that are mostly independent but still connected to a larger narrative. The fact that every chapter is an illusion allows the volume to get incredibly creative, as it bounces from potential futures to strange fictions.

For the most part, these stories work out well. The sudden appearance of narration from Batman’s point of view is purposefully jarring, as the series has done little to nothing with narration thus far, and helps highlight the mental anguish he is currently going through. Then, a conversation with Catwoman helps dig into the heart of Batman’s ongoing depression over the loss of Catwoman. This is followed by a thrilling chase through Gotham. Then, the narrative has a little fun by pairing up Superman with Batman and Lois Lane with Catwoman on respective bachelor and bachelorette parties, while still finding time to touch on the comic’s central theme. Finally, it closes by providing one last look at Batman’s mental state before setting up the next volume. Each of these stories are fun on their own, but the fact that they all feel unique from one another while still tying into to larger themes makes the reading experience even more enjoyable.

However, not all of the stories here are great. The opening chapter focuses on a young man’s insane obsession with the death of Bruce Wayne’s parents. It serves as a reminder that Batman’s obsession with his parent’s death is unhealthy, yet such a reminder feels redundant in a series where that point has been obvious for a long time now. The chapter featuring Constantine is similarly lukewarm. It clues readers in on the illusory nature of this story arc but otherwise is forgettable.

(spoilers end here)

Art

The artwork in Knightmares comes from a variety of different artists, all of whom do a excellent job in their respective chapters. Mitch Gerads’ work is gorgeous and reflects the confusing nature of the battle with Pyg. The chapter from Jorge Fornés manages to bring out noir-style mystery in a story about love between a crimefighter and a criminal. Lee Weeks delivers a thrilling and well-laid out chase through a beautifully designed Gotham City. Amanda Connor’s work is as appealing as ever and manages to inject awesome levels of fun into an otherwise serious collection. And Yanick Paquette’s work on the conclusion does a fantastic job in bringing emotion to characters, which is essential to understanding the motivations in this particular story. All in all, the visuals in this volume are wonderful and seriously enhance the reading experience.

Continuity

Batman Vol. 10: Knightmares continues the story from Batman Vol. 9: The Tyrant Wing (Review).

The story here continues in Batman Vol. 11: The Fall and the Fallen (Review).

• This entire volume heavily references the wedding issue from Batman Vol. 7: The Wedding (Review) (Reading Order).
• Batman and Catwoman’s conflicting stories about their first meeting allude to two version of their meeting from DC Comics history. They met on a boat in Batman Vol. 1 #1, collected in Batman: The Golden Age Vol. 1, and they met on the street in Batman: Year One.
• Batman #67 makes several references to characters and concepts from Batman/Elmer Fudd #1, collected in DC Meets Looney Toons or Batman by Tom King & Lee Weeks: The Deluxe Edition.