STUFF I DIG: Batman: Gothic by Grant Morrison and Klaus Janson
Published by DC Comics
I haven’t reviewed a Batman comic… or a Grant Morrison comic… or anything creepy and therefore Halloween related so now is the perfect time to talk about Gothic, one of my favorite Batman stories and definitely one of the more underrated.
Originally published as a five-issue story arc in Legends of the Dark Knight way back in 1990, this represents one of Morrison’s earliest Batman stories, next to the masterful and bizarre Arkham Asylum, of course. Unlike the very high-concept Arkham, Gothic is designed to be a slightly more straightforward and traditional Batman story. That doesn’t mean, however, it’s lacking any of the layers and twists typically categorizing Morrison’s writing.
The story begins with a mysterious serial killer offing Gotham City’s mob bosses. Gangsters are being knocked off and when Batman goes to intercept this decidedly unusual serial murderer first-hand he recognizes him as one of Bruce Wayne’s schoolmasters from his private school days. Making the situation even creepier is that he hasn’t aged in the decades since he last saw him. The supernatural continues to be intertwined into the story as Batman digs into this character’s past, learning of his connection to an Austrian cult that traces its roots back to the era of the Black Plague and a Satanic pact that… I can’t give everything away but it’s the kind of surreal page-turner that layers abstract weirdness into what would be a standard mystery, were it written by a more boring writer.
Speaking of the writer, I have to say that Gothic struck me as the most Gaiman-esque story NOT written by Gaiman himself. If it didn’t have Morrison’s name on the cover, I’d have guessed it was penned by Neil himself. The story’s mix of modern characters and setting with romantic themes and literary styles, the suggestion of magic and the supernatural, the plot revolving around arcane history - a plot better appreciated by people who read books from musty library stacks instead of four-color superhero books, the American urban life that seems just a degree off, being written by a European, an obvious love for natural beauty and poetry (again, both links to Romanticism) and a distinctly 80’s flavor embodied by distinctly 80’s artwork done by a true master of the sketchy, inky style - Klaus Janson. ALL of these traits are typically characteristic of Gaiman and in abundance in this very literate and well-written Batman comic.
There are other qualities that remind me of Gaiman, as well. The villain being a creepy schoolmaster and the twist ending being the Mephistopheles to Mr. Whisper’s Faust is a cute girl seem Gaiman-esque. What’s my point? I’m not saying that Morrison was attempting a Gaiman tone or that either is better or worse than the other. I’m just noticing tonal and thematic qualities for the purpose of this recommendation. While I’m on the topic, dreams play a heavy role and so does that hazy in-between time in life known as adolescence - both themes characteristic of Neil.
The art, as I mentioned above, feels a bit dated and of its era but that’s not a bad thing if you’re as much a fan of the late 80’s, early 90’s Veritgo “house-style” as I am. A dark, inky, scratchy, Miller-inspired tone is the order of the day in this book and Janson is really adept at it. The characters and locales are conveyed beautifully, the story never being hindered by an overabundance of clutter or on-panel detritus. This is the style that would eventually be termed “gritty” before such a thing was cliche. It’s used to really good effect here, every panel looking sharp and eminently readable which was probably a great break from whatever Marvel was publishing that same year.
Although, as I mentioned before, this really isn’t Morrison’s signature work, as it doesn’t do as good a job as, let’s say, Doom Patrol at capturing Morrison’s trademark qualities and themes, it is a really smart and well thought-out Batman story that is truly entertaining and surprising when it’s harder and harder to do that with a character that has seen so many stories published over the years. It’s a nice representation of the transition Grant Morrison made from British comics to American superhero work. The title is also well-earned as it reiterates a lot of standard themes associated with Gothic horror, including the Faustian bargain with the devil, nod to Gnostic magic, and an obsession with the past.
Available as a newly re-released cheap and quick trade paperback, this is a great Halloween read, also.
- Dorian Peace
