REVIEW: ‘Batman: Last Knight On Earth,’ Issue #2

Batman: The Last Knight on Earth #2 is published by DC Black Label, an imprint of DC Comics, and written by Scott Snyder, with pencils by Greg Capullo, inks by Jonathan Glapion, colors by FCO Plascencia, and letters by Tom Napolitano. The bi-month three-issue mini-series picks up where the previous left off as Bruce Wayne, now dressed as Batman, has escaped Arkham and is exploring this post-apocalyptic world with only Joker’s head to keep him company.

At the start of the issue, Batman has a nightmare flashing back to an encounter with Joe Chill, the man who killed the Wayne’s starting Bruce’s obsession with justice. Once waking up, Bruce is reminded again just how desolate the world is now as Joker taunts him. I will be the first to admit that I don’t love Joker centric stories since they are often overdone and feel redundant.  However, Snyder’s Joker reminds me so much of Mark Hamil’s Joker from Batman: The Animated Series and the Batman: Arkham game series, that I get excited to see where his dialogue will go.

As Batman explores the desolate wasteland in search of who is responsible for the state of the world, he encounters old allies and enemies who have succumb to the elements and danger within this hostile world as well as those who are still fighting. In the meantime, Alfred, still in Gotham City faces more of Batman’s foes as Bane and Scarecrow who have been sent by a mysterious force.

Batman: The Last Knight on Earth #2 is if the Batman of the DC Universe was Mad Max. A lot of the plot of this story can seem murky at times but the moments when things begin to fall together are truly incredible. Each string that begins to unravel leads to a new discovery and for Batman, a new clue into the hellscape he now occupies.

While I would describe Batman: The Last Knight on Earth #2 as a horror comic, it does not have the same horror elements as most other horror comics. There is not body horror and little to no gore. It is horror in the same way The Walking Dead television show is horror. Its focus is on building suspense through world-building.

A lot of this world-building is brilliantly created through Capullo’s art. That in combination with FCO Plascencia’s vibrant colors frame the post-apocalyptic world. Unlike a lot of media, this apocalypse is dripping with color – from red storm clouds to green plains. Additionally, Capullo’s designs, particularly of Joker and the Flashes, Barry, Wally, and Jay, seen in the storm cloud are top-notch.

Overall, Batman: The Last Knight on Earth #2 is an incredible elseworld story that captures a lot of the whimsy of these “what if” comic runs while also delving into the darkness Batman is known for. With only one issue left, it is hard to determine exactly how everything will be wrapped up as this issue revealed a lot more about the world and its secrets than the previous. Either way, I am very much on board.

Batman: The Last Knight on Earth #2 is available now everywhere comic books are sold.