| | Batman: Gothic (Legends of the Dark Knight) |  | Authors: Grant Morrison, Klaus Janson
Publisher: Titan Books Ltd
Category: Book
Buy Used: $69.69
Used (2) from $69.69
Avg. Customer Rating:  13 reviews
Format: Import
Media: Paperback
Pages: 120
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
ISBN: 1852863978
EAN: 9781852863975
ASIN: 1852863978
Publication Date: October 10, 1991
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Excellent customer service. Order inquiries handled promptly.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 8 more reviews...
 One of the great hidden treasures in comic books June 5, 2005
13 out of 15 found this review helpful
Though Grant Morrison is best known for his wonderful multi year rampage on New X-Men, or the dark masterwork Arkham Asylum, Gothic is a match for either one of these. With gritty, haunting art by Klaus Janson, Morrison tells a remarkable tale of Batman, Mr. Whisper, and sinister evil that has burned across continents for more than 300 years.
Batman is still at the beginning of his crime fighting career, still coming into his own, when a mysterious madman named Mr. Whisper begins killing off mob bosses using poetry as a clue. Meanwhile, Batman is plagued by nightmares of his father with his lips sewn shut, trying to pass on some manner of clue to his son.
Soon Batman is horrified to learn that Mr. Whisper is actually his old headmaster from an all boys school that nearly killed him as a child, and the madman might be older than that.
Filled with occult lore, and mature topics, this Batman volume is more suited to older audiences, and parents might want to screen it before letting their children read it, but for those of us who have been Grant Morrison fans for a long time, please take the time to read and enjoy this lost treasure.
This volume collects Legends of the Dark Knight #6-10.
 A Good Read January 8, 2001
8 out of 11 found this review helpful
The story is a rather straightforward telling of gang murders and Batman solving the crimes. Some violence, but little complexity. I apologize for the mediocre rating -- it reflects my personal tastes but doesn't lessen the fact that I'd recommend this to Batman fans and fans of the medium. Grant Morrison writes a tight plot here, but there's really nothing new. As for the art, Klaus Janson has a jerky, rough style, but I really admire his composition if not his rendering. I had him as an instructor for graphic storytelling, and this guy really has depth to his storytelling -- every pane is a thoughtful and complex solution to a communication problem. Also - an inside scoop - in one of the panes, Batman appears with 6 fingers!
A Really Good Batman Story April 6, 2000
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
This is a tradepaperback of issues that appeared in Legends of the Dark Knight. Someone is killing mobsters in particularly inventive and vicious ways. It turns out that all of them were involved in a killing many years ago and their victim is back to claim revenge. However, that revenge is just a digression of a plot that stretches back to an Austrian monastery at the time of the Black Death. Batman has to solve this mystery before Gotham dies screaming. Grant Morrison does a good job with Batman; nothing as arcane and twisted as Arkham Asylum but some interesting glimpses into Bruce Wayne's childhood and his feelings towards his father. Klaus Janson does the art and it's very good in a Neal Adams style. Very tight and moody. Recommended.
Good and solid July 1, 2001
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I personally consider the earlier stories in the "Legends of the Dark Knight" ongoing series the better ones, and this one (which collects #6-10) is no exception. Bruce Wayne is being plagued by a lot of nightmares about when he was a young boy lately. Each night he wakes up from a nightmare about his father to which he can relate no meaning. Meanwhile a man who calls himself 'Mr.Whisper', a man with no shadow, is rapidly killing off underworld members in brutal ways. The crime-leaders are heavily frightened and ask Batman for help, trying to make a deal. Batman refuses and tells them they're getting what they deserve. Back home he puts some things together for himself and realizes there may be a connection between Mr.Whisper and his nightmares. Because of that he decides to do some detective work after all to find out who this Mr.Whisper is. From there on a highly paranormal (which is quite extraordinary for a Batman book, but quite a trademark of Grant Morisson) story unfolds which leads Batman through memories of his days in private school and even to an eerie Austrian monastry, which he learns is the subject of an occult Austrian legend. People who are into listening to scary 'true' stories by the campfire will probably like this a lot. It's like one of those stories you heard of which you just KNEW they weren't real, but gave you the chills anyway. That's also the case here. You go through the story asking yourself if what's going on is the legend being forfilled or if there's a more down-to-earth thing going on. Grant Morisson does what he does best, he's giving clues without giving it away, keeping the reader on his toes. Klaus Jansons art is suitable for the story and especially the way he draws the architectural backgrounds deserve some credit. I don't think many people who are into Batman comics will feel disappointed after reading this.
An intriguing plotline September 3, 2005
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Some people are of the opinion that the Batman genre, one that exemplifies modernism in so many respects, should never mix with anything of the superstitious or supernatural. I am not one of those. Even if I was, "Gothic" would have probably changed my mind.
Batman is drawn to a place from his past when men are murdered in a chapel. From this trail of destruction Batman is led to confront a terrifying evil that has existed for nearly 300 years.
Batman is himself the stuff of many legends and superstitions. He preys on the fear of criminals that he might be some monster or demon. How will he fare when he faces a being that is worthy of such fear?
Batman "Gothic" is actually an intriguing piece that is inspired by literary greats like "Faust." Morrison's title is very appropriate and for once, I actually enjoyed the foreword that explained the reasoning behind the storyline. This is good stuff.
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