REVIEW: ‘Batman: City of Madness,’ Issue #2

Batman: City of Madness #2 is published by DC Comics through its Black Label imprint, written and art by Christian Ward and letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. The Gotham Below is starting to become known by those in the Gotham Above, as the Court of Owls seeks help from Batman.

The cerebral, supernatural series returns and delves deeper into this murky, mystical world. Not only is the city underneath Gotham exposed and revealed, but it is leaking into the city we thought we knew. It is changing the citizens to a horrible and frightening level. The story expands, capturing more of what is happening in an expertly structured second chapter. Batman has a meeting with Ventriloquist before the Courts of Owls find him. Nightwing encounters another enemy who has been altered. And the Batman from below trains his Robin.

This comic is creepy and yet mesmerising as every plotline is simply elevated. The pacing is perfectly weighted, taking its time to explore a world that is threatening to flip on its head. There are confrontations, not necessarily fights, but you certainly see the consequences. The scene between Ventriloquist and Batman serves as a cold open before the rest of the book works towards sending Batman underground. And brilliantly, the introduction of Nightwing provides anchors in both versions of Gotham.

The dialogue has a really interesting manner to it. Everything around Batman: City of Madness #2 is chaotic and unsettled. But the dialogue seems normal at times. It clearly explains it, serving as the readers’ tether to the story. But then, suddenly, a character will release a line that shows just how disturbing the Gotham above can be. Two-Face is important to the book as he thematically matches the comic. He is quite literally split in two, with his body in a constant war of order and chaos.

Ventriloquist is similar. He’s a very interesting choice for Ward to use for the comic, with insight given into his background that may not have been known previously. Batman’s relationship with the Court of Owls is also fascinating. There’s a sort of respect, an understanding. The communication between the denizens of Gotham who have danced this dance for so long is superbly and subtly scripted.

The art is simply stunning, almost indescribable. Ward is creating a whole new world that exists underneath Gotham, but both cities have been reinvented by the artist. The opening looks slightly different than the rest of the issue, with balloons and bubbles creating a party atmosphere. It’s set in a nightclub with an oppressive, rich background. But outside that is a haunting situation. Every villain has been recreated. Two-Face’s head is captivating and repulsive at the same time. Ventriloquist actually looks the most normal until he begins to get affected. What happens to him is skin-crawling. The villain that Nightwing comes up against has become a harrowing monster, truly the stuff of nightmares. The Gotham below is presented with huge shots of its skyline, only tantalizing at the minute.

The art styles are incredibly interesting. There aren’t always recognisable ink lines, and when there are, it is because Ward demands focus at that specific time. This is primarily on the characters in the foreground. It separates them from the chaos behind them and adds features to their faces.

The colors are glorious, each page bringing something different to this phenomenal world. The details are immaculate. You can see the individual sun beams poking into a cave from above and the ripples of water reflecting onto the stone walls. Green and blue are the most common shade, representing the two cities. But there are moments where red is used and is extremely overpowering. That is the primary color within the first scene, and it is shown as almost a singular block behind the characters. That is very different from the rich and constantly changing night sky effect of the rest of the issue. Every page feels like another experiment, another universe. The lettering is remarkable, as Otsmane-Elhaou is the best in the business at creating unique word balloons.

Batman: City of Madness #2 can make any reviewer feel inadequate. It’s an artistic experience that is utterly unforgettable and leaves you tongue-tied. There are inspirations, sure, but both the story and the art have been escalated from any other graphic novel of the sort. You can spend an eternity looking at the individual molecules of color on the page. It’s a book that exists in its own universe, speaking in both story terms and from a creative standpoint.

Batman: City of Madness #2 is available where comics are sold.