Comic Book History: KnightFall – Batman vs the 90’s

If you don’t know much about comics in the 90’s, you’re lucky. It was a mess. While things started off well early in the decade, it quickly spiraled into a creative mess that nearly brought down the entire industry. Hyper stylized characters with tiny feet, spiky costumes, and pouches along with an increase of violence became the norm. No one escaped unscathed, especially Superman. Out of all the superheroes running around then, I think Batman got through relatively unharmed. Relatively.

Creating new characters in comics is all but impossible anymore. More precisely, characters that stick and become popular. I think villains are a little easier to establish than heroes. They can make an appearance for a few issues then vanish, only returning if they were well received. First impressions are always important, and none made a better one than Bane. He broke the Bat.

His first act of mayhem was to free the inmates from Arkham Asylum. Every criminal from the Joker to Firefly was plaguing Gotham. Bane’s plan was to first wear down Batman mentally and physically through this manufactured gauntlet before confronting him. His plan worked because irrationally, Batman chose to face these rogues alone, not letting Robin (Tim Drake) assist. Completely worn down, Bane confronted Batman at his mansion, having deduced his identity. He physically beat him before breaking his back over his knee, crippling the Bat. Taking his battered body to Gotham Square, Bane threw him off a building for all to see, declaring that he now owns Gotham.

Gotham needs a Batman. Fearing he would confront Bane, Bruce opted to not ask former Robin Dick Grayson (Nightwing) to take up the mantle. Instead he asks new ally Jean-Paul Valley to become the Bat. Jean-Paul was a brainwashed sleeper agent for the Order of Saint Dumas. He went by Azrael, becoming a hero of sorts after Batman freed him from their control. Jean-Paul ignored Bruce’s order to avoid Bane, facing him in battle, and nearly dying. His old brainwashing kicked in, convincing him to make a few upgrades to the costume, and eventually insane. Jean-Paul eventually defeated Bane.

That is how the 90’s infected Batman. I thought this was smartly done. They found a way to test the waters with bringing then contemporary design aesthetics to Batman without tarnishing the character himself. Batman can theoretically be anyone. Having Bruce wear a costume like that would be do more damage than Bat-nipples. Okay maybe not but still pretty damn close. Rather than Bruce go inexplicably 90’s, they created a character to do it for him. This let the writers show people that they didn’t really want this.

I have two prevailing thoughts about this story. I loved what this did for Batman. He has always been just a man (money is not a super power). He built himself, becoming a symbol, with nothing but his will driving him. Now he walks as an equal amongst gods. Seeing someone break that will, break him, and what it would take for that is amazing. Moreover, watching him rebuild himself was great story telling, boiling down to the essence of a person. Reaching your apex, only to fall can completely break a person. Watching them climb and rebuild from that is almost always an amazing story.

Bane is a great villain, making a lasting impression with his entrance. The problem is how he was handled afterwards. Bane was a two edged sword, being Batman’s mental equal and physical superior. Nearly every writer (other than Gail Simone, she got it) forgot half of this equation since then, having the character be more so a physical threat to Batman, and little else. Also, he needs to stop trying to break things over knee. That shtick is getting old. I can understand seeing it in different incarnations (animation, movies, etc.), but when the same iteration of the character does it over and over, it gets old. Let’s stop riding this horse into the ground.

The Knightfall – KnightQuest – KnightsEnd story line was a good one with a strong opening and surprisingly a good ending. The middle is the weakest, but mostly do to the generic characterization of Jean-Paul. I didn’t really care for anything he did, even when reading it as a kid. I still the the story overall is a fantastic read.

What do you think of Bane or Azrael? Sick of the knee thing? Comment below!

Tony writes for his own site, thecredhulk.com, about comics, video games, movies, TV and more, six days a week. You can follow his updates on Facebook or Twitter. Drop by and tell’em hi.

“I will break you!” – Love that line.