Batman: Noel
Story and art by Lee Bermejo
Colors by Barbara Ciardo
Letters by Todd Klein
Reviewed by Steve Seigh
In what I consider to be constituted as a stroke of genius, Lee Bermejo, woke up one morning and said to himself, “What if I took Charles Dickens’ famous Christmas tale “A Christmas Carol” and applied it to the Batman universe?” What resulted from this was one of this years most vibrant graphic novels, perfect for the holiday season or otherwise. The book is stunningly drawn by Bermejo. Each page is carefully crafted expertly with insane detail, so much so that I spent several minutes after finishing the text just staring at the way the line work sat on the page. Together with the gorgeous colorization of Barbara Ciardo, it’s difficult to tell where one line ends and one begins, all of them seamlessly blending into one another to create a marriage of art that boasts an absurd amount of talent and dedication.
Batman: Noel deserves a spot in any comic enthusiasts collection. Art methods aside, the story that is told is one that is truly inspired. I never would have thought to place Batman/Bruce Wayne in the role of old Scrooge (with a select few of Batman’s most famous villains serving as the visiting ghosts) but after finishing the book I thought to myself, “How could I have never seen this before?” What I truly enjoyed about this book was that it is yet another story in which we explore the more cerebral side of the Batman character. With all of his heroics it’s often easy to forget just how dark and cruel he can be. His obsessive nature is something the character can never truly get away from no matter how hard he tries, and many of the times his actions bear grave consequences. You’d be hard pressed to find another Batman book this holiday season that fits the mood of this cold winter that is upon us.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?
If you’re not familiar with the timeless classic “A Christmas Carol” you have been robbed of a tale familiar to the rest of humanity. Knowing the dealings of Scrooge will certainly help you to appreciate this book.
VERDICT
An absolute buy! Whether it be for the Christmas season or otherwise, this book is filled with colorful panels, a compelling story, and is just all around a fun book to read. I couldn’t put it down.
