[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][woodmart_image woodmart_css_id=”62eacde4adbcb” img_id=”125342″ img_size=”full” display_inline=”no” parallax_scroll=”no” responsive_spacing=”eyJwYXJhbV90eXBlIjoid29vZG1hcnRfcmVzcG9uc2l2ZV9zcGFjaW5nIiwic2VsZWN0b3JfaWQiOiI2MmVhY2RlNGFkYmNiIiwic2hvcnRjb2RlIjoid29vZG1hcnRfaW1hZ2UiLCJkYXRhIjp7InRhYmxldCI6e30sIm1vYmlsZSI6e319fQ==” woodmart_box_shadow=”no” wd_hide_on_desktop=”no” wd_hide_on_tablet=”no” wd_hide_on_mobile=”no”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][woodmart_text_block woodmart_css_id=”62daa2ca10f55″ woodmart_inline=”no” responsive_spacing=”eyJwYXJhbV90eXBlIjoid29vZG1hcnRfcmVzcG9uc2l2ZV9zcGFjaW5nIiwic2VsZWN0b3JfaWQiOiI2MmRhYTJjYTEwZjU1Iiwic2hvcnRjb2RlIjoid29vZG1hcnRfdGV4dF9ibG9jayIsImRhdGEiOnsidGFibGV0Ijp7fSwibW9iaWxlIjp7fX19″ parallax_scroll=”no” wd_hide_on_desktop=”no” wd_hide_on_tablet=”no” wd_hide_on_mobile=”no”]Chip Zdarsky and Jorge Jimenez’s Batman #125 kicks off a new era for Gotham’s Dark Knight with an ominous and intriguing new story.
It’s the beginning of a new era in the DC Universe as rockstar writer and multiple Eisner award-winner Chip Zdarsky takes on the Dark Knight. Having just finished his Daredevil run for Marvel, Zdarsky jumps ship from one dark character with a complex past to another. Considering the fact that he’s been retelling the Caped Crusader’s origin story in Batman: The Knight, Zdarsky seems like the perfect choice to write the flagship Batman series, and he seems to have a lot planned for Bruce Wayne. Written by Chip Zdarsky with artwork from Jorge Jimenez and Tomeu Morey and lettering by Clayton Cowles, Batman #125 sets off a massive chain reaction in its debut issue.
The opening page of Batman #125 takes the reader back to the past as an ominous beeping sound ushers in the next scene of the three Jokers sitting on a heap of Batman’s dead allies. Bruce wakes up from his nightmare, readying himself for another night of crimefighting. A serial killer is on the loose, and wealthy Gothamites are on the chopping block. Penguins lay claim to crimes on national television, prompting Bruce to attend a gala where he expects to find the master criminal. As Batman had anticipated, Penguin tries to release a poison gas that Robin had already sabotaged. But, he has no idea that the man in front of him might not even be the Penguin at all.
Chip Zdarsky’s inaugural issue on the main title is off to the best possible start, cashing in on the explosive action and Batman’s illustrious rogues’ gallery to cause some spectacular mayhem. Batman #125 gives a peek into how Bruce typically spends his days and nights now that he does not have the same financial backing as before.[/woodmart_text_block][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][woodmart_text_block woodmart_css_id=”62daa2e9224d0″ woodmart_inline=”no” responsive_spacing=”eyJwYXJhbV90eXBlIjoid29vZG1hcnRfcmVzcG9uc2l2ZV9zcGFjaW5nIiwic2VsZWN0b3JfaWQiOiI2MmRhYTJlOTIyNGQwIiwic2hvcnRjb2RlIjoid29vZG1hcnRfdGV4dF9ibG9jayIsImRhdGEiOnsidGFibGV0Ijp7fSwibW9iaWxlIjp7fX19″ parallax_scroll=”no” wd_hide_on_desktop=”no” wd_hide_on_tablet=”no” wd_hide_on_mobile=”no”]Bruce has fully engrossed himself in the Batman persona, and the resulting stress of the job is piling up on him, giving him foreboding nightmares. The story moves at a flurried pace like a polaroid sideshow that takes the protagonist from scene to scene with a few brief moments of self-reflection in between. The narrative focuses solely on progressing the plot, with every bit of dialogue and cross-examination serving that goal. The book is not without its shocking moments, and frankly, the number of twists that Zdarsky fits into one issue is impressive.
The creative team of Jorge Jimenez and Tomeu Morey returns to the Batman title, once more knocking it out of the park with their efficient use of space and overall brilliance. One of the signature aspects of Jimenez’s illustrations is the framing of the characters surrounded by long shadows. Throwing into the equation his acumen for anatomical correctness, Batman has verily turned into a creature of the night, haunting dark corridors like a terrifying curse. There is a certain ferocity to the artwork that accelerates the story from panel to panel as colorist Tomeu Morey does the rest, lighting up the pages in vivid colors. Moreover, his sense of lighting perfectly complements Jimenez’s use of shadows, dousing the book in a cacophony of different tones that deepens the sinister tone of the book.
Batman #125 is a spicy cocktail of mind-bending mystery and high-octane action that pulls the reader in from the very first page. Despite a riveting start to what hopefully is a long ride, Zdarsky takes a lot of liberties in storytelling and takes inspiration from popular storylines from the past. While classic stories like A Death in the Family and Bruce Wayne: Fugitive come to mind, the plot is at once fresh and familiar. But knowing Zdarsky, he probably has a trick or two up his sleeve, which he will pull in due time. For now, Batman #125 is the start of something new, something bold, and something sinister that fans and new readers alike won’t want to miss.[/woodmart_text_block][/vc_column][/vc_row]