Batman: Cacophony

Kevin Smith returned to comics with a 3-part Batman mini, which, believe it or not, actually came out within 3 months of the first issue going on sale (am betting DC didn't announce the project 'til they had 3 scripts out of the criminally tardy writer).

Onomatopoeia, created by Smith in his heralded Green Arrow story, comes to Gotham and frees the Joker from Arkham Asylum (creating a little havoc along the way). Naturally, Batman leads the search for the Joker, who's essentially being used by his liberator as bait. Along the way, we get some interesting b-stories (one involving a designer drug made with the Joker's poison), and some great dialogue (Alfred, in particular, was pitch-perfect).

The final confrontation between the Batman and Joker here is one of the better I've read--far better than the conversation in The Killing Joke.

All in all, a good story. Nothing fantastic, but a good solid story. Emblematic of what comics should be--and all too often aren't. Smith didn't stretch a 3-issue tale over 6 issues to make a better trade paperback, he didn't "permanently" alter a character or anything. Character, plot, resolution--thanks for coming, have a nice day.

Smith delivered a story, not an event. Now, unlike Joe Quesada, I'm not against character growth, character development and change--but I am weary of the world-changing, character dying (temporarily), "we're gonna change the face of [insert comic company name here] forever" events. DC currently has 2 such events going on that are naturally opposed to each other--one is posited on the idea that Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman are so integral to the make-up of reality that without them the nature of the world is permanently altered. The other has Batman dead and a battle to replace him as Gotham's protector waging. Which is it boys? Pick one!

Just tell good stories, and when you decide to have something epoch-changing happen--let it happen and move on, telling stories that come from that. Leave Barry Allen dead, leave Jason Todd dead (why, why, DC, ruin 2 of the best moments of the 80's?), leave Peter Parker married (and outed, since you made that stupid move), leave Steve Rogers in the ground. I swear, if Sue Dibney lives again I will blow something up (and I really liked Sue).

Ooops, seem to have gotten off on a rant there, time to bring it home...Cacophony's a great example of what comics should be. I just hope someone out there in a corporate office remembers that one day.