Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Batman: The Dark Knight #5



This comic doesn't start out with Batman being pummeled to death by the Scarecrow. But it does start out with Batman being psychoanalyzed by the Scarecrow.



I really hate this shortcut in writing. Batman has been thinking about fear throughout these five issues and now Scarecrow suddenly shows up to say a bunch of things that relate to what Batman has been thinking about. And he nails it immediately!

It's probably the main reason I stopped watching House. I really liked the character interactions for a few seasons. But then I just had enough of every stranger coming in off the street and somehow skewering House to the wall even though they didn't know him and he didn't know them. They'd just, out of the blue, nail him on some personality flaw or fear he had or some other incredible insight into the man they didn't know until the previous day. It's just lazy writing. And I know lazy writing!



Crane continues his fortune cookie psychology. For a great master of fear, he really stumbles on this one. He's just spouting text book lines that could apply to any Super Hero. If you're pathological enough to dress up as a super hero and run around saving lives, putting yourself and your uncostumed persona in danger, you're going to have some serious issues like this. Saving lives a compulsion? Yeah. That probably fits every costumed hero.

By using his fear Toxin on Batman, Scarecrow gains the upper hand and injects Batman with his anti-fear toxin. I guess chemically the two don't cancel each other out because Batman freaks out and becomes all Bane-like. But Superman arrives on the scene! Again, the super villain somehow hears Superman coming. Maybe it's the fanfare that always plays when Superman arrives.



Batman and Superman have big battle. Mostly it's Superman trying to calm Batman down and Batman throwing punches and saying things he's going to regret later.


Oooh! I wonder which one is the pervert?! Green Lantern?

Batman finally calls Superman a 'fascist control freak' which is pretty spot on and Superman knows this because he finally has had enough and hurls Batman to the ground. The drug wears off (probably because it couldn't take full control because Batman was on the fear toxin as well) and Superman lands to see Batman busted up on the ground.


Whoops.

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