I've been meaning to re-read this for a couple of months now, at least since the issues were all released.
After reading through issues one, two and three separately when they were originally released, I really felt by the end that I needed to read them all in one go in order to truly ascertain how I felt about this comic series.
Fortunately, after hearing on a prior episode of the Wednesday Pull List (the Nightwing trade review, I believe), their plan to readthrough the series themselves gave me a bit of a kick up the arse (eager was I to not have my thoughts influenced by 'outside' sources).
So, as I mentioned during some of my prior posts, Batman: The Imposter follows the Dark Knight only a couple of years into his crusade. Having been brutally injured during his night time 'activities, Billionaire Bruce Wayne's alter ego stumbles into the home of Dr. Leslie Thompkins, Bruce's childhood therapist. Unsure of what to do, Thompkins patches up Bruce's wounds before delivering him an ultimatum: See her at the end of each night for a therapy session or she will reveal his identity to the Police. However, this becomes the least the Batman's worries when footage is recorded of an imposter, dressed identically. killing criminals. Now the GCPD, already eager to catch him, redouble their efforts, led by Blair Wong, a cop with a drive equal to Bruce. As a result, Batman must track down this imposter, all the while dealing with the complications stemming from his dual life.
I'm not a big Batman fan, truth be told. I like the character in a general sense and have watched (almost) every film he has (either jointly or solely) headlined but, for me, he's not a character that I would actively seek stories for. Therefore, the arrival of Batman: The Imposter, along with Batman: One Dark Knight, at the end of last year not only had me intrigued (thanks to the concept and the artist attached) but made me wonder if it was worth indulging in a character that wasn't usually my cup of tea (which is strange, given my love of Daredevil, Marvel's poorer, more sightless, Batman).
The Imposter is certainly a comic which hooked me well on the first read and did so again this second time. I enjoyed the main story which Mattson Tomlin put together, that of Batman seeking an imposter. As the series delved more into that aspect of the plot, mainly in the last two issues, I really felt like I was reading a story that had been almost ripped out of the Animated Series and modernised for this time period. There was a lot of interesting aspects that appeared here; like the ziplines and the multiple bikes, which gave it this tremendously realistic vibe that I liked.
However, there was maybe such a thing as too much realism that maybe soured me to the series as I read through it this second time. While I understand, from an in story point of view, that Batman is a villainous character (i.e. a vigilante and, therefore, a criminal) it really felt that nearly every supporting character, from the police to Wesker (not Arnold but his father), were trying to shoehorn that point across. As a result, it not only gave me the impression that Tomlin truly believes that it is impossible to fight power (which Wesker and the corrupt cops maintain) but also that Batman could genuinely be a bad guy whose actions are not entirely selfless. Of course, maybe this would help if the Dark Knight was a little more likable, however, while he sounded like Kevin Conroy when I read his dialogue, I struggled to be invested in this guy who didn't strike me as entirely likable. As a result, I didn't find myself invested in his mission.
For me, the art was much more of a positive, but then that makes sense given that it was Andrea Sorrentino. After Green Arrow and Gideon Falls, I've really falling in love with Sorrentino's work, especially these almost Gravity defying panels which seem to utilise the space on the page perfectly while making a sort of thematic connection. The best example in this series was a double page spread where Blair and Bruce walk their respective missions in as almost reflection of each other, helping confirm that while they walk in the same direction, it's on different paths. Otherwise, I like Sorrentino's style because, like with Green Arrow, it's gritty and grimy and quintessential Gotham City.
In the end though, while I enjoyed reading the Imposter and thought it was, overall, a good read, it's overly realistic vision of the Batman left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. I certainly like what was trying to be done here as a socially relevant Batman is invented to answer questions like 'why doesn't Bruce Wayne spend his money' (Of which, I have to wonder why his parents would place such a caveat on him if not to prevent him to enact change (in a fitting cynical viewpoint). However, by the end, I think I would have preferred a classic Batman mystery with a lot less of this kind of cynicism.
But, despite the flaws I see, I don't regret reading this series, even if the re-read has me convinced that I might not read it again. If Mattson and Sorrentino were to return, I'd certainly be intrigued to see how Bruce would work to reverse the consequences of his doppelganger actions.
Regardless of this though, it's helped me gain a taste for similar Bat stories, which I think might've been the point.
No comments:
Post a Comment