[Editor’s note: This review may contain spoilers.]
Writer: Chuck Dixon
Artist: Graham Nolan
Colors: Gregory Wright
Summary
A new threat has set its sights on Gotham City, and one man has taken it upon himself to deal with this problem. No, I’m not talking about Batman, but instead one of his fiercest foes, Bane. But unfortunately for Bane, it seems this new threat may just be one step ahead of one of the most brilliant villains in DC history.
Positives
First and foremost, it is fantastic to see Chuck Dixon and Graham Nolan back, working together on the character they created so many years ago, and they haven’t lost a step. Bane is brilliantly portrayed here, from Dixon’s use of smart dialogue, to Nolan’s impeccable art. We even get an extended look at Bane without the mask, and Nolan manages to give him a great ire of humanity while continuing to make him terrifying, even without the iconic mask.
But don’t worry, because we get plenty of Bane in his full getup too, and that’s not all we get. Dixon and Nolan have reintroduced Bane’s original Knightfall henchmen, Zombie, Bird, and Trogg. And they were great. The three of them meshed perfectly with Bane, like old friends who meet up after a long time apart and fall right back in sync with one another.
I also loved the small Batman reference. It shows those not fully initiated with this character that he is tied to The Dark Knight, but it doesn’t overpower or rely on him to push the story, at least not yet. And it gives those of us who know Bane a little insight into what may be coming down the line.
Oh, and one last thing, there’s one scene in particular towards he beginning that is somewhat gory, and I have to say, it took me by surprise. I love that Dixon and Nolan don’t seem to be holding back, and I hope that continues throughout.
Negatives
This issue was just a tad slow at times. This is most likely due to it being the first issue of the series, and having the need to set certain things up for the next eleven issues to come. It doesn’t bring down the overall quality of the book by much, but I do hope to get a bit more action in the coming issues.
Verdict
Overall, I think this was a great start to this new maxiseries. It reintroduced us to some great characters and gave us a version of Bane we haven’t seen in a long time, all thanks to the power team that brought us this character, Chuck Dixon and Graham Nolan. So, no matter if you’re a long time Bane fan, or just getting into him now, this is definitely a series to check out.
