Batman has always had an edge of melodrama, but Brian Azzarello has really taken that to heart. Batman spends the better part of this book wandering around Gotham solving the kidnapping and death of the young sister of a gangster while comparing himself to God. It’s not that I don’t think that Batman thinks of himself as godlike, particularly when it comes to Gotham’s night. However, I find it heavy handed to have an actual written inner monologue confirming that fact. It’s a case where I think “show don’t tell” would have been better employed. The artwork also didn’t do much for me in this volume. The colors are gorgeous, but the people all look like they’ve been hit with the ugly stick and then distorted. I’m a fan of Batman, but this isn’t a volume I’m recommending.
Batman: Broken City
ISBN: 1401201334
By Brian Azzarello
Art by Eduardo Rizzo
DC Comics 2004
