It’s been a long time since I have reviewed any comic books. I have been catching up on a lot of my comic book reading. I wanted to review the first two issues of Batman Curse of the White Knight. This is the second volume or sequel to the hit Batman elseworld series. Curse of the White Knight takes place months after White Knight. Sean Murphy continues the creative momentum from White Knight into his sequel Curse of the White Knight. (Minor Spoilers Below)
PROS
If you’re a fan of Jean Paul Valley he is heavily one of the centered characters in the second volume. This version of Jean Paul is in his 60’s and is a vet who can still kick a lot of ass in the second issue.. I am liking the shake up of Jean Paul, because it makes him a stronger character in this volume. One of the things I am enjoying about the second volume is Sean Murphy wants to present the deep history of Gotham, and the connect from first Arkham and the first Wayne of Gotham. If readers remember a box Alfred left for Bruce after he died in volume one. The mystery box is revealed but with clues that will connected to the first Wayne of Gotham, to the first Arkham and Azreal. I love the flash backs in both issues as that is how readers will pick up on clues that will be a bigger play into what Joker has plan for Batman.
Bruce has become a little nicer in the first two issues compared to the first volume which I think some readers will be happy with. We see how his relationship with Gordon has changed now that Gordon knows who is behind the cowl in volume one. I like seeing Batman making some mistakes and cannot be perfect all the times because he is more humanizing that way in my opinion, and that is one of the core parts of the White Knight series that makes it such a good Batman story with a well vet Batman, who does not have all the answers. I like how Murphy writes Bruce or Batman and how he understands the character.
The way Sean Murphy writes the Joker in the second volume shows that he is done playing around with Batman and that he is going to destroy Batman for real this time and for good. Joker is written to be many steps a head of Batman while Batman is playing checkers and Joker is playing chess. Joker is written as a greater strategic when he is going up against Batman. This is a story so far is showing how big of threat Joker ca be in any medium, when he seriously wants to try hard. He’s already exposes one of the bat families secret identity as a tip of the iceberg to show how just how quickly he can destroy Batman when he really wants to in issue two.
CONS
The flashbacks in both issues can be confusing for some readers who want to read the issues when they pick up one and two. However the flashbacks are very important to the main story, because it connects to whatever kind of plan Joker has that will destroy Batman forever. Sean Murphy does juggle a lot of characters in both issues. We see Batman and his supporting cast back while introducing a lot of new characters that is part of the story. There’s a lot going on in Batman Curse of the White Knight, especially with some of the lose ends from volume one that are getting fleshed out in volume two. It is important for readers to read Batman White Knight first before reading Curse of the White Knight, because many call backs and aftermath from that story continues in volume two.
OVERALL
ISSUE ONE: 7/10 and ISSUE TWO: 8.5/10
The first two issues of a nine issues series of Batman Curse of the Whit Knight or Batman White Knight Vol. 2 is another great Batman detective story. The stakes are even higher when comparing vol 2. to vol 1. Batman is put in another impossible situation thanks to the Joker and a new organization that is fleshed out in vol 2. Thanks to Jack Napier letting Batman to check out. This is a story that will make Batman more vulnerable then he was in White Knight that will destroy him for good by the Joker.
My Comic Book Opinion 