Batman: War on Crime — The Dark Knight's One Man War
Written: Jul 16 '06
Product Rating:
Pros: Absolutely gorgeous, both story and art wise
Cons: The binding of the book makes the pages bunch up in an awkward fashion
The Bottom Line: Dini and Ross show that Bruce Wayne's involvement is just as important as Batman's, and maybe there is more to Bruce than just being another playboy billionaire.
elvisdo's Full Review: Alex Ross - Batman Broken City
“As Batman, I’m more concerned with criminals than victims. Maybe it’s time I started effecting changes without the mask.”
—Bruce Wayne, Batman: War on Crime
Batman is easily the superhero that most people can relate to without any suspension of disbelief. He is the son of wealthy parents who were murdered in front of him as a boy. This act of violence changed his entire outlook on life, and he took matters into his own hands by training to become the Batman. The theatrics may be flamboyant but the dedication and determination are real. But the Batman operates in the shadows to clean up his city from scum. That is when he does his best work. If that’s the case, then what exactly is Bruce Wayne’s role n the entire grand scheme of things?
Batman: War on Crime is the second book in a series by Emmy-winning writer Paul Dini (of the Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series television shows) and painter extraordinaire Alex Ross (of Marvels and Kingdom Come fame) that takes a look at both Batman and Bruce Wayne’s crusade against injustice in his town. Gotham City is a mean town with a large shadow cast upon it, and this Dark Knight seems to be a sliver of light in this city filled with corruption.
However, crime comes in many forms. There is the simple bank robbery from a grocery store to the murder of a young boy’s family to drug trafficking to shady corporate shenanigans. These are just the tip of the iceberg and Batman needs all his resources at his disposal, even the mask called “Bruce Wayne”.
“As Bruce Wayne, I weave through the crowd, giving a smile here, a handshake there, every move executed with the same precision Batman would use to disarm a thug in an alley.”
—Bruce Wayne, Batman: War on Crime
Dini understands Batman very well, having written him for his animated series for several years. Batman is the vehicle, the true persona that is able to do what he does. Bruce Wayne is just the sideshow to deflect any suspicion; he’s just a mask, a disguise to Batman’s crusade. However, what Dini presents is the importance Wayne has in society, probably just as important, maybe even more than Batman’s role in society. He shows that Bruce has his foot in a world that Batman can’t operate in effectively, and do just as much good as his alter ego. The war on crime isn’t only Batman’s problem, but it concerns everyone who lives in Gotham City, even Bruce Wayne. While Batman may be dealing with the street thugs, drug lords, crime bosses, and even insane masterminds, Bruce Wayne’s role is just as important in dealing with shady businessmen and corporate crime. Dini shows how one man’s influence and power can make a difference he decides to act upon it. Bruce may be doing so as Batman but he never considered that he, as Bruce Wayne, could also make a difference.
Ross’ Batman showcases what the Dark Knight Detective would look like in real life. He does it so well to the point where you can actually see the eyes behind the mask. Because Batman operates in mostly in the dark, the subtle nuances are shown when Ross renders Batman against the shadows of the night. If anything, he makes everything look cinematic and it does feel like you are watching a movie rather than looking at a book.
The treasury-sized format (10”x13”) really allows the reader to salivate over Ross’ art up close and personal. His compositions and layouts really highlight the details he puts into his paintings. I still don’t like how the book is bound together as it makes the pages hard to turn.
Out of all the books done in this series, Batman: War on Crime is perhaps the easiest one to alert the readers of the social commentary that these two creators are making aware through their craft. Batman’s world is rooted in a more realistic setting and makes what he does easier to understand.
Superman has the tagline of fighting the never-ending battle. Maybe it applies more to Batman as he will never rest as long as there is a war on crime that needs to be waged.
“I know I am fighting a war I can never completely win. But there are small victories that encourage me to keep trying. If I can win back one child, there may be hope for many others. If it starts with one person, and then a neighborhood, then perhaps redemption can spread through an entire city, and finally back to me.”
—Bruce Wayne, Batman: War on Crime
Product Details: ISBN: 1563895765
Format: Paperback, 64pp
Pub. Date: December 1999
Publisher: DC Comics
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