Batman: Hush!
If you are a Graphic Novel Fan”atic,” that title comes with a string or two attached to it. For one, graphic novels are very expensive and draw a hole in your wallet; two most of the high-art, quality works are not available in India and you end up succumbing to low-art, comics disguising as them; three there is a fair chance of you finding that your favorite character isn’t done justice to either art wise or writing wise and you pay a grand and feel robbed.
In Chapter One, Batman hanging midway between skyscrapers unawares gets his batline severed and falls all the way down Crime Alley fatally wounded. His skull severely fractured, the skilled neurosurgeon, Tommy Elliot is called upon and he saves Bruce Wayne. Who is Tommy Elliot? Bruce’s childhood friend. Who cuts the batline? Hush does. Who is Hush? Tommy Elliot is! As if a jigsaw puzzle is this easy, only this one doesn’t fall in place so easily. It takes one full circle. The story brings in almost all the Batman’s enemies—Killer Croc, Poison Ivy, Ra’s al Gul, Two-Face, Joker, Harley Quinn, Clay Face, Catwoman—and his friend Superman and resurrected Jason Todd, the long-dead Robin, all of them tricked by Hush to achieve his goal: unmask Batman in Arkham Asylum. Hush plots this game with the help of, of course, Riddler.
Why does Hush want the game of vengeance staged? This is a long story and goes back all the way to when Bruce and Tommy were 10-year-olds and thick friends. Tom is the only child of very rich parents. In that tender age he desires, notice unnaturally, to inherit his parent’s fortune. On a rainy day, he severs the car’s brake line that leads to the crash. Bruce’s father, a surgeon, saves the mother when the father cannot be saved. Tom’s hopes are shattered because his mother survives hindering him from laying his hands on the fortune. Bruce father saving his mother stems his hatred for Bruce only to be added with jealousy when Bruce’s parents on a fateful night killed and later Bruce inheriting their fortune in an early age. Tommy had to wait until his mother dies of cancer in old age for his share. (Why he doesn’t attempt another severance is a mystery when how a well-bred kid goes unnaturally deviant is an unacceptable mystery). Tommy grows up to become a skilled surgeon and aside from having the gift of severing lifelines is a gifted marksman. He waits 25 years, learning the night life of Bruce, to avenge with the aid of Riddler.
A quote: “Think like the enemy. And to do so…without becoming the enemy.”
Jeph Loeb’s—The Long Halloween and Dark Victory—writing is mediocre. There are few breathtaking moments, Chapter 7, The Joke for one where Batman makes up his mind to kill Joker to end all misery only to be interrupted by Jim Gordon. All put together, doesn’t deserve further criticism. Jim Lee’s artwork, on the contrary, is superior. The flashbacks drawn in faded shades are classic artwork. Half the work can be read in an unlit dark room thanks to the colorist Alex Sinclair for his vibrant colors. Good artwork for an uninspired writing is most surprising, but bad writing cannot be brushed aside for inspired artwork.
As if Hush story line were batline, it is severed and crashes down on the Art Alley failing to lift it to the Graphic Novel status ends up as a mere comic book work. I am willing to pay half a grand for the artwork alone and I want my other half back for bad writing.
In Chapter One, Batman hanging midway between skyscrapers unawares gets his batline severed and falls all the way down Crime Alley fatally wounded. His skull severely fractured, the skilled neurosurgeon, Tommy Elliot is called upon and he saves Bruce Wayne. Who is Tommy Elliot? Bruce’s childhood friend. Who cuts the batline? Hush does. Who is Hush? Tommy Elliot is! As if a jigsaw puzzle is this easy, only this one doesn’t fall in place so easily. It takes one full circle. The story brings in almost all the Batman’s enemies—Killer Croc, Poison Ivy, Ra’s al Gul, Two-Face, Joker, Harley Quinn, Clay Face, Catwoman—and his friend Superman and resurrected Jason Todd, the long-dead Robin, all of them tricked by Hush to achieve his goal: unmask Batman in Arkham Asylum. Hush plots this game with the help of, of course, Riddler.
Why does Hush want the game of vengeance staged? This is a long story and goes back all the way to when Bruce and Tommy were 10-year-olds and thick friends. Tom is the only child of very rich parents. In that tender age he desires, notice unnaturally, to inherit his parent’s fortune. On a rainy day, he severs the car’s brake line that leads to the crash. Bruce’s father, a surgeon, saves the mother when the father cannot be saved. Tom’s hopes are shattered because his mother survives hindering him from laying his hands on the fortune. Bruce father saving his mother stems his hatred for Bruce only to be added with jealousy when Bruce’s parents on a fateful night killed and later Bruce inheriting their fortune in an early age. Tommy had to wait until his mother dies of cancer in old age for his share. (Why he doesn’t attempt another severance is a mystery when how a well-bred kid goes unnaturally deviant is an unacceptable mystery). Tommy grows up to become a skilled surgeon and aside from having the gift of severing lifelines is a gifted marksman. He waits 25 years, learning the night life of Bruce, to avenge with the aid of Riddler.
A quote: “Think like the enemy. And to do so…without becoming the enemy.”
Jeph Loeb’s—The Long Halloween and Dark Victory—writing is mediocre. There are few breathtaking moments, Chapter 7, The Joke for one where Batman makes up his mind to kill Joker to end all misery only to be interrupted by Jim Gordon. All put together, doesn’t deserve further criticism. Jim Lee’s artwork, on the contrary, is superior. The flashbacks drawn in faded shades are classic artwork. Half the work can be read in an unlit dark room thanks to the colorist Alex Sinclair for his vibrant colors. Good artwork for an uninspired writing is most surprising, but bad writing cannot be brushed aside for inspired artwork.
As if Hush story line were batline, it is severed and crashes down on the Art Alley failing to lift it to the Graphic Novel status ends up as a mere comic book work. I am willing to pay half a grand for the artwork alone and I want my other half back for bad writing.
Comment
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Comment by Ahimaz on September 25, 2008 at 2:43pm - Thank you. Welcome.
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Comment by Ahimaz on September 25, 2008 at 11:42am
- If, as you say, The Long Halloween is a masterpiece, when Loeb teams up with an artist so gifted as Lee, he must do justice to his part of work, which he doesn't. I can't wait to read The Long Halloween and Dark Victory...
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Comment by iBatman on September 24, 2008 at 10:50pm -
a must agree with you on your story vs. artwork idea...
Oh, and thanks for writing so nicely, it's was a pleasure to read.
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