The series title Batman/Dylan Dog gives the Italian nightmare investigator second billing, but this is increasingly his comic with Batman as a secondary character. I have no problem with that, because this comic makes full use of Dylan Dog in a delightfully spooky way.
Batman and Dylan Dog manage to cure Catwoman and Groucho from the zombie-like affliction which capped-off last issue, and Groucho tells them that Dr. Xabaras and the Joker are working to resurrect serial killer Christopher Killex.
Killex believed that he could find the human soul somewhere in the body, and searched for that soul by ripping and tearing through people. It’s a terrifying idea, and the one panel showing the character is just as disturbing.
Dylan Dog and the Dark Knight have to find a way to confirm whether Killex has been brought back from the dead.
Writer Roberto Recchioni takes this story into an occult direction, as the vast majority of this issue is spent with Dylan Dog and John Constantine wandering through Hell to find Killex. It’s a ton of fun.
Gigi Cavenago and Werther Dell’edera render the gothic streets of London and the depths of Hell with artistic relish. They use light to pump-up the menace of Batman in a way I haven’t seen in a while. A three-panel page depicting damned souls stuck with me for a while after putting the comic down.
Colorist Giovanna Niro nails down the visual elements offered by Cavenago and Dell’edera with a palette saturated with stark blues, purples and reds. It complements the tone the writer is setting well, and is a treat to look at. This is one of those comics you could just be hypnotized by without a word of dialogue.
That isn’t to say that the dialogue isn’t fun, because it is. I particularly like that Dylan Dog yells “Jumping Judas!” whenever he’s scared. Letterer Pat Brosseau’s work has an analog feel that feels cozy amidst the intense atmosphere of this comic.
While Batman/Dylan Dog is obviously co-published with DC, this creative team is almost entirely stacked with Sergio Bonelli Editore artists who presumably grew up reading Italian horror comics, and it shows. This comic drips with a distinct style that feels influenced by a combination of giallo and mid-80s VHS covers.
The fact that this comic is almost entirely steered by Italian creatives with an intimate understanding of Dylan Dog as a character means that this a comic about this obscure Italian character exploring the supernatural side of the DC Universe rather than a Batman comic.
Honestly, I have no issue with that. I’m so glad that this comic introduced me to Dylan Dog, and it’s a testament to the quality of this series that it makes me want to go through the back catalog of a character I’d previously never heard of. However, if you are picking up this series for lots of Batman, you’ll probably be disappointed. There is more John Constantine than Bruce Wayne in this issue.
Side tangent: There’s a point in this comic where Constantine meets with Epicurus (that’s right, the ancient Greek philosopher) in the heretic’s hall of Hell. I’m not sure who at DC or Sergio Bonelli is writing jokes for seminary dropouts and theology enthusiasts, but I for one was charmed by that little subplot.
Recommended if...
- You are a fan of the magical side of DC, from Constantine to Etrigan.
- You are looking for some great Dante-esque visuals.
- You enjoy a fun horror comic that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Overall...
This comic took me by surprise. It isn’t necessarily a great Batman comic, but it is a wonderful Dylan Dog comic. If you are looking for a creative horror comic with some Gotham flavor, this series has been a lot of fun so far.
