Batman: Kings of Fear #1 Review

Writer: Scott Peterson

Artist: Kelley Jones

Colourist: Michelle Madsen

Letterer: Rob Leigh

I’ve been looking forward to this since it as initially announced a few months ago, mostly for Kelley Jones since I’m a fan of his artwork. Former Batman editor Scott Peterson is on writing duties, so there’s a bit of credibility to this book that I appreciate

I quite enjoyed this, mostly for being just the kind of story I feel like I could’ve read ten years ago, or maybe farther back. The artwork certainly gives me a more classic vibe.

Jones’ artwork isn’t going to be for everyone, but his style appeals to me and his storytelling is crisp and exciting. There are some basic anatomy issues that Jones clearly isn’t able to fix based on his previous work, and this issue contains at least two egregious examples, mostly concerning Batman’s legs and how massively oversized they are. The final page will probably generate a few jokes at Jones’ expense, but as I’ve read more and more comics I’ve come to appreciate the quality of the storytelling more than correct anatomy, although it would certainly help.

Peterson delves a bit into Batman’s psyche, but just enough to give you a taste of what this series might ultimately be about. As you can tell from the title of the comic, this is a Scarecrow story and one that I’m excited to read more of.

There are some annoying aspects of the story and the art, but I mostly enjoyed myself and I look forward to reading more. The artwork won’t be to everyone’s tastes but it scratches an itch that modern comic art doesn’t anymore.