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Graphic Breakdown: Batman: Dark Night: A True Batman Story OGN, Dark Knight Returns: The Last Crusade, Danger Wolf #1, & Scarlet #10,

Hello! This time on Graphic Breakdown we have a few titles that popped into my view this week.

Without further adieu, here goes!

STL001584-720x1143Batman: Dark Night: A True Batman Story

Written by Pau Dini and Illustrated by Eduardo Risso
Published by Vertigo Comics

Anytime Paul Dini writes a comic books it’s a cause to celebrate. And why not? Dini crafts comic book tales unlike any other. This is no exception. Team him up with Risso? And this becomes a classic.

A classic? You betcha. Dini writes a personal tale, haunting and brilliant. The story is based on Dini’s life, when he was walking home one evening and beaten to within an inch of his life. It also explores the recovery process after. I was stunned DC Comics published this. Stunned. I read it and I’m still shaken by how good it is.

Risso’s art is off the charts good. They have both always been top notch creators. They take a step beyond that here. This is graphic storytelling at it’s best. Invest in this hardcover.

Immediately.

You have to read this for yourself. It’s a  personal story mixed in with Batman characters…and the story of one man who becomes a hero in his own right. Top level stuff.

RATING: A+

842f6a579ce84c5cc7e26ba2b8246aa0._SX640_QL80_TTD_Danger Wolf  #1

Written by J. Hunter Richardson and Illustrated by Tevy Khou
Co-Created by James Thornton

Published by Good Guys Comics

Here is another Kickstarter comic book that is available on Comixology. And hey, these guys DID IT. That’s huge to have a comic book out. But how is it? Did they tell a good story or did it bore me to tears? Let’s find out.

The story is about a superhero named Danger Wolf at the twilight of his career. The story is set in the early 80’s and it’s got a crime noir feel to it. And it works. It feels like an independent book from that time period as well, which I love.

Khou is a marvel with the art. She’s got a style of Rick Veitch by way of Tim Sale and I liked that very much. This is an artist who, with a little work, I can see one of the big two snatching up. I hope not though. I hope she goes with Image and creates her own stuff.

And Richardson is a decent writer. There are a few moments where I wish he would “Show me” and not “Tell me” about things. There were also a few clunky moments between the art and the writing not meshing as well as I had hoped. But I’m being nit-picky. Only because there is so much passion and heart my cold dead heart was won over. It’s a good book. They deserve the recognition.

So go forth and pick up this book. Track it down. These two creators have a future in this business. See them here first. Danger Wolf is a comic book outside the norm that deserves your attention.

RATING: B+

1Scarlet #10 

Written by Brian Michael Bendis and Illustrated by Alex Maleev
Published by Marvel Comics

This is a good book.

This is a good book that I’m going to give a B- to. Why?

Because I can’t count on it. It’s been published so sporadically it actually impeded my enjoyment of it.

And that’s a damn shame.

Bendis writes a good tale with this book of Scarlet, a woman who bucks the system to become an anti-hero. Maleev is a perfect artist to work with Bendis and his art is gorgeous. The first 6 issues were extremely compelling. Then…I just forgot about it.

Plagued with delays I just grew bored. Then! Issues 8, 9, and 10 come out at a steady pace and then at the end of this issue we get a cliffhanger…to be continued next year.

I’ll be dead before this series finishes up it seems. I understand, it may not do the numbers that Marvel wants. But come on. You’ve got an A book here. Give me a little more than dribs and sprinkles.

RATING: B-

w577axlrqubvnaxwzzcfDark Knight Returns: The Last Crusade 

Written by Brian Azzarello and Frank Miller and Illustrated by John Romita Jr.
Published by DC Comics.

We started with a Dark Night book and so we will end with a Dark Knight book.

This book is a shame. I really was enjoying it. And then…it felt like a rushed ending.

Set before the seminal Batman story The Dark Knight Returns, this book shows why Bruce Wayne hung up the cape. Azzarello and Miller are a great writing team…each tempering each other to hold back their bad traits. They work incredibly well together. And Romita Jr. on art is superb.

The story had me going. It was so damn enjoyable.

Then…well. That was that.

I think this should have been a graphic novel with more space to breathe and get deeper. It certainly felt deserving. Instead we are left with a good book. Not a great book. I’ll still give it a B+. It could have been an A+.

RATING: B+

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