It’s the spookiest time of the year. But is it as spooky as it could be? Well, now it is, with the arrival of Batman: Full Moon. Bats and werewolves, magic and sorcery. I love Halloween. Can this book capitalise on the scariest season of the year, or will it underdeliver like a stingy neighbour while trick-or-treating? Let’s get stuck in and find out!
Skeletons in the closet
We begin our tale with a man strapped down to a standing frame, being observed by various medical staff. As he thinks to himself about the wrath of God, we see his heart rate increase. As he transforms into a werewolf, he bursts out of his restraints, beginning his slaughter. The werewolf looks really good. Just a massive hulking figure covered in shadows. While I love Subic’s art style, I will say that the character designs in this book are very hit-or-miss. The werewolf is a hit for me though, he’s very physically imposing, and terrifyingly violent to boot.
Speaking of good designs, now we get to see Batman. Subic does shadow work really well, so naturally, Bats looks great. He’s currently taking down some crooks while on the phone with Zatanna, who he is late for a date with. It’s interesting to see that this Bruce is actively looking for a relationship with her, while she is suggesting that maybe they should stay friends. In these dark and gritty Black Label books, I feel that Bruce often takes on his “loner” persona, so kudos to Barnes for switching it up a little bit. Bruce finishes up his fight but is alerted by one of his Bat-drones that there may be another problem. We get a look at Zatana, who I don’t particularly like the design of. Her proportions look a little odd and her outfit is…interesting.
As you may or may not know, I am often wary of Black Label books. They often overly indulge in the fact that they can be gory or use coarse language and can border self-parody because of that. I cannot say that this is the case here, as when we cut back to our werewolf, Christian Talbot, he may be slicing people up, but it isn’t just for the sake of it. The violence and gore show how truly formidable of an opponent he is, feeling very purposeful. Combine that with his monologue detailing how he is not in control of his actions while in this state, and you’ve got a very compelling creature.
We cut back to Batman, following the call of his drones to Wayne Pharmaceuticals. He investigates the scene we saw at the beginning, detailing how the limbs were ripped off of the victims, rather than cut. Subic shines in this section. Batman appearing out of the shadows, Gordon and the fire chief’s design, even all the gore is just super well drawn and reminds me why I love his work. Bruce concludes that there’s something more unusual than a large cat roaming the streets, and rushes off to Kane Park to confront it.
Wolfman, Man-Bat, Batman
The caped crusader finds the beast, disregarding the police’s concerns over its strength. This proves to be nearly fatal, as Bruce is almost immediately killed, seemingly saved by the rising sun. He retreats back to the Batcave, quickly changing his costume to continue his investigation. No rest for the wicked eh? He goes back to the initial crime scene where he encounters Dr Kirk Langstrom. I think Langstrom is a great addition to the story, being a very good in-between point for Batman and a werewolf. He tells Batman of Talbot’s origin and reminds him that tonight is a full moon, so he can expect to see the Wolf again. Two full moons in two days? Unlikely, but not impossible.
If you can’t tell, this book is a lot of cutting back and forth between Bruce and Talbot. While I do appreciate a dual narrative, it can get a little tiring. The issue feels a little bit overcrowded in the end, as John Constantine joins the fold, but I’ll give the benefit of the doubt with this being the first issue. If there are no more characters introduced, I’ll be happy. Batman, Zatanna, Constantine, Man-Bat and a werewolf? That’s a whole lot of people. I like Bruce and Zatanna’s dynamic, with him still believing that magic can be explained by science, despite Zatanna’s very mystical life.
Constantine looks a little strange, but maybe that’s just because he’s drawn in the daylight. Give Subic a chance to draw him with some darkness and I’m sure I’ll fall in love. I really hope a love triangle doesn’t develop between the three, but that remains to be seen. We get a quick glimpse of some various mystical characters including Dr. Fate and I have to say, I love his design. Let the man illustrate a Dr. Fate book!
Recommended if…
- Spooky season’s got you in the mood for freaky wolfmen
- You like Batman interacting with a more mythical roster of characters
- Riddler: Year One visually pleased you
Overall:
It’s a very solid start. There’s some pacing issues cutting back and forth between our two main characters, and possibly too many people in the story, but these can all be fixed with relative ease. I enjoy the Talbot sections of the story much more than the Batman side, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I love me some werewolf. Subic’s art isn’t for everyone, and even though I love it, there are a few designs I might tweak. In the end though, an enjoyable book to both read and look at, and does what it sets out to do. It makes Batman feel outmatched. excited to see where it goes!
Score: 7/10
English (US) · 