Greg Capullo Original Art? 2 2

[delekkerste]

On 7/3/2018 at 12:53 PM, delekkerste said:

I checked out the "Batman Noir" (black & white) version of "Black Mirror" from the library on Kyle's suggestion (haven't started it yet, though).  I also have the Gaiman-penned "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?" waiting for me there on hold. 

Read both of these.  I think "Black Mirror" is a worthy entry into the Batman canon.  I don't know that I would go so far as to bestow the tag of "greatness" or "classic" on it, but, I did enjoy it, definitely more than all of the Snyder/Capullo Batman TPBs aside from the first two (Court of Owls, City of Owls).  I have to admit that it did nag at me wondering if Snyder had stolen the James Gordon Jr. plotline from somewhere else, given how many retread ideas were in his Batman run, but, nonetheless, it was entertaining.  I do have some issues with his dialogue (not enough differentiation between characters; some of the things he has D. Grayson say in this volume and Batman in the run he did with Capullo just don't sound like things that they would say).  

The Jock artwork I enjoyed overall.  He has some very inventive layouts and every so often dazzles you with a very detailed page of brilliance.  In-between, sometimes it gets a little chicken-scratchy, but, I did like it.  I did warm up to Francesco Francavilla as well; he has a very interesting style...you can see all sorts of influences in his art; sometimes it looks very European BD, other times you can see a strong U.S. indie streak.

I enjoyed the Gaiman story as well.  I think I read that it won some awards and such, and the Kubert art drawn in all kinds of different styles (including Bolland's) is interesting, but, as we were discussing in the other thread (debating Miller's two DD runs vs. the later Bendis & Brubaker runs), comparisons between this and Moore's last Superman story inevitably have to end with "who actually read the Gaiman story?"  Anyway, it's a nice, quick read, though, ultimately won't be remembered/revered like Moore's story IMO.