Batman Legends of the Dark Knight # 206 - DC

There's a couple of things I like about this book. First I like the 3 or 4 issue story arc. I like longer stories too, but, for the most part, the 8 to 12 issue "Maxi-Series" always end up with a couple of issue in the middle that are really boring. It's like, they start fast and furious into the story, give you a couple issues of either backfill or character development, then give you a couple more exciting issues as they race to the finish. Overall, when you look back, it may have been a great story, but there's always a couple of issues in the middle you could do without. But, the 3 or 4 issue story has to assume that you at least have a passing familiarity with the characters. Which is one of the main reason I feel X2 was so much better that the X-Men. But, that's a discussion best left for later. The other thing I like about this book, is that it follows no set chronology. When you start on a new story in this book, it could be at anytime during Batman's existence. Which is cool, because as long as Batman's been around, and as much as we know about him, there's got to be lots of stories that we don't know, or haven't heard yet. And as a concept for how this series is set up and envisioned, that is awesome. Now this particular story, "the Madmen of Gotham" is neat in that it's going back in to Thomas Wayne's life, Bruce's father, and some of the affect his influence or decisions had on Gotham. He was a member of a group called, you guessed it, "the Madmen of Gotham". They had a plan to keep Gotham safe and crime free by putting chemicals into the drinking supplies and creating a more submissive and more easily manipulated populace. As with most altruistic visions such as these, someone comes along and thinks they have a better use of the tool, and usually one that will feed into their own personal gain rather than that of the general populace. After all, why should you distribute the wealth, when it can be so much more satisfing and enjoyed by a select few. Hmm. Reminds me of some people in our government. Anyways, Batman has to figure out what this old original plan was, how it's being manipulated and used to create the problem that's happening today, and what he's going to do about it. Justin Gray delivers a good story, and Steven Cummings' art is developing a unique style and feel of it's own. Overall this is a good story arc. Now that's not to say there haven't been some dogs in this series. But, theoretically, if there is a dog you could skip those 3 or 4 issues, then decide if you want to come back on the next story arc. Theoetically. Have I done that? No. I have every issue. But that's me. I've talked about my obsession before. Another thing I like about this series is that you see support characters in roles, sometimes, that you're not used to seeing them in. This one in paticular has Alfred using some of his knowledge to help Batman with some of the legwork in trying to find an antidote to this psychotropic drug. And finally, with the 3 or 4 issue story arc, there is a definite conclusion. That's not to say that I don't like storylines that leave things left up in the air, after all that's what this form of story telling is all about. But, should some aspect of this story pop up in a later adventure, you have a definitive place to go to reevaluate the details. Plus it's actually kind of a "History of the Dark Knight". But, that's not as catchy of a title.