Batman: Crimson Mist

[cyberghostface]

Here is the final installment of the Batman Vampire trilogy. In my opinion, I would have ended it with the second installment as I consider this to be the weakest of the bunch, but maybe you'll think differently. Once again, this was a full-length graphic novel, I'm including a third (32 pages out of 94).

Also if you liked the trilogy you can get it for pretty cheap in the form of a single trade paperback at Amazon right now.







In the aftermath of Batman's staking, Gotham has been overrun by various villains--in addition to Two-Face, Killer Croc stalks the sewers. The Penguin, Scarecrow and Poison Ivy are also spreading their own brand of evil.

Alfred decides the only thing he can do now is to bring his master back to life. Venturing into the crypts, he wrenches the stake out from Batman's corpse.




Now a monster, Batman begins to slaughter the various villains of Gotham, murdering the Penguin and the Riddler.









Gordon tells Alfred that Batman's become more than a murderer, but a predator; killing has become natural to him, and all he can do is choose his prey selectively.






Batman is well aware of Alfred's plan of betrayal, but does nothing. He doesn't know what is becoming of him, or what he truly wants--death, or immortality. He slaughters the Black Mask and his gang, and leaves their heads on the spikes of Blackgate Penitentiary as a warning to the prisoners inside. He then arrives at Arkham Asylum, and massacres all the homicidal inmates before leaving a message to the warden writ in blood, telling him to go home for his work us done.









Inside the cave, Alfred, Gordon, Two-Face and the rest attempt to lure Batman to them, but Batman is well-aware of their treachery.



During the melee, Gordon gets a clean shot and shoots.

Comments

[philippos42]

"Oh no, I am a monster who can't be killed! Oh, wait, I forgot I can just stand in the sunlight."

[cyberghostface]

He never suggested that he couldn't be killed, just that he was no longer able to resist his urges and needed someone to end it as he himself could not.

[reveen]

This uses the more outright monstrous depiction of vampires so it's likely that if he tried going out into the sunlight he'd just instinctively recoil from it.

[silverhammerman]

It's honestly kind of shocking how how crappy the Vampire Batman books got. I mean at least the first two had some strong ideas (Batman vs Dracula! Joker leads a force of vampires through sheer villainous charisma!) at the core, however you feel about the execution; this just looks like utter dreck through and through

[cyberghostface]

Basic rule of trilogies; the first is what it is, the second might be able to improve on it but the third will be the worst of the bunch.

[trooper924]

Seriously, what is up with the art with this series? Admittedly, not quite as bad as the previous issue, but Batman looks like a cartoon character in some panels and Alfred's face appears to be melting.

And yeah, that ending is crap. Guess they decided the ending of the last issue wasn't bittersweet enough. Oh no, it needed to have an insane murdering Vampire Batman running around and two of Batman's allies to die incredibly stupid deaths.

[bradygirl_12]

Well, that cheered my day!