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There are many iconicBatmanstories , and a lot of them get the dearest they merit . It ’s hard to talk to anyone about authoritative Batman stories without them convey upThe Dark Knight ReturnsorBatman : Hush , but people rarely ever bring up this one fantastic yet underrated Dark Knight fib .
Every one of Batman ’s most iconic stories has left a long-lived impact , but Batman : The Black Mirror is a glaring elision .
Few story in Batman ’s rich history are as brilliant — and as underappreciated — asBatman : The Black Mirrorby Scott Snyder and Jock . It ’s puzzling that such a standout narrative has received so footling flourish over the twelvemonth . Dark , haunting , and deep unsettling , The Black Mirror boasts some of the best fine art ever see in comics .
The story delves into the trauma of the Gordon family , shaped by the Joker ’s rabidness and the perpetual menace of Gotham . At the same meter , it postdate Dick Grayson , now Batman , as he unravels a deadly secret . This tale also introduces one of Barbara Gordon ’s most formidable villains , making it a must - read for any Batman fan .
James Gordon Jr: Gotham’s Perfect Antagonist inBatman: The Black Mirror
Batman: The Black Mirrorby Scott Snyder, Jock, Francesco Francavilla, David Baron, Jared K. Fletcher, and Sal Cipriano
The primary antagonist ofBatman : The Black Mirroris unveil to be none other than James Gordon Jr , the vernal sidekick of Barbara Gordon . James is a remorseless consecutive killer and a gross monster , void of all emotion . The antic part ofBlack Mirroris the fact that James Jr is really write as a sociopath , which he is also diagnose as in the comic . He is completely remorseless and emotionless , just going through the motions of his horrible crime , making him a brilliant opponent to his empathic sister . This story cemented him as her everlasting resister .
Absolute Batman has cement himself as the most savage adaptation of the Dark Knight to appointment , thanks to a badass costume feature that ’s beyond epic .
Not only that , but the story goes a stride further and uses James to explore why there are so manyviolent malefactor in Gotham City . It ’s revealed that James reverse - engineered his anti - psychotic pill , castrate them to increase the effects and symptom of psychopathy . He then knock down this novel chemical formula into the vats of child formula all around Gotham City . By the time Batman and Gordon realize what James has done , the value-added tax have already been sack out , and the formula has been put on shelf , entail James reach nascency to a generation of psychopath .
James Gordon Jr.: A Villain with Untapped Potential in DC Comics
Batman: The Black Mirror – The Art That Redefined Dread in Gotham
While James Gordon Jr was a wild villain , he really does n’t have any other good stories under his knock . Scott Snyder was able to masterfully use him inBlack Mirror , but after that , DC seemingly had no idea what to do with the characterand rarely lend him up . He appeared in a few other report , such as aSuicide Squadstoryline where he bizarrely insisted on calling Amanda Waller " mommy,“as well as tormenting Babara Gordon when she returned to the office of Batgirl . But beyond that , the character has mostly disappeared from DC ’s current persistence .
Beyond the introduction of James Gordon Jr as a villain , the artwork inBlack Mirroris some of the good that DC has ever done . The entire story has this unbelievable mother wit of apprehensiveness hanging over it thanks to the incredibly warm and deep color by Francesco Francavilla . A lot of Batman comics have good artwork , butBlack Mirroris one of the only Batman stories that isinstantlyrecognizable fromanypanel , even the ones without Batman in them . The hauntingly affectionate pallette dead expand the unsettling atmosphere , seduce the comic ’s tone unmistakable and unforgettable .
Batman: The Black Mirror– The Iconic Story That Deserved More
Every one of Batman ’s most iconic stories has left a last impact , butBatman : The Black Mirroris a glaring exception . The Dark Knight Returnsforever changed how Batman was portray in the media , spawning numerous subsequence . Batman : Hushwas one of the first to feature closely the intact varlet picture gallery , withHush 2on the horizon . EvenBatman : The Long Halloweenreceived multiple sequels . YetBlack Mirrorhas remained largely disregard , and this is largely due to DC ’s failure to build upon its powerful narrative . James Gordon Jr. promptly fell out of favor , and Dick Grayson move on from his stint as Batman , egest two key elements that made the tale work .
Most of Batman ’s keen tales received subsequence because they fundamentally castrate his mythos , butBlack Mirrordidn’t shift the position quo in any significant direction . It introduce a fresh villain , but the story did n’t redefine anything major . what is more , with Dick Grayson assume on the mantel of Batman , the history is somewhat dated within the strip timeline . These factors likely explain why DC never followed up , which is a veridical disgrace — Black Mirrorremains one ofBatman’sfinest chronicle and deserves far more recognition than it has receive .
Batman : Black Mirroris on sales agreement now from DC Comics !
