Bat-Reviews: The Widening Gyre #1
For someone who thoroughly enjoyed the underdog of Kevin Smith’s Batman: Cacophony, I’m having a hard time accepting how much The Widening Gyre withered in front of my eyes. “Turning and Turning,” the premiere of Smith’s six-part mini-series with artist Walt Flanagan, comes across as an awkward endeavor to imitate the charm of the Joker’s jabs and the cunning of Onomatopoeia’s sinister growth as a character in Cacophony.
Smith’s handle on the narration and story this time around feels almost cheap. The issue begins during a flashback to the good old days when Batman pummeled costumed losers like Baron Blitzkrieg alongside the acrobatics of the loquacious Boy Wonder in red and green. The intended carefree attitude of the Dynamic Duo while fighting Baron and his laughable new partner in crime, Atomic Skull, shines through in a justified nostalgic way, but it doesn’t take long before the “golden classic fallen to harder times” tone erodes, leaving shallow interaction in its place.
It’s fitting that the embarrassing tumble from the heights of grace occurs in none other than a supermarket showdown (uh, yeah). From Batman’s cry of “Drop it or I shatter your jaw!” to a silly, Aryan-themed play on Marvel’s Avengers and even the Dark Knight’s reaction to a typical Nightwing humor stab that soars over Bruce’s head, everything feels wrong. It’s amateur Batman hour—and it doesn’t help that Nightwing’s unappreciated comparison of Bruce to Squidward reminded me of an lame parody of a fun scene from The Animated Series between Batman and Batgirl involving certain world domination-seeking mice.
The Widening Gyre does craft genuine moments of emotion in which it channels true Batman comic strength, however—like the “smiling’s for Superman” panel so effortlessly but powerfully expressed, and Bruce’s quiet thoughts about those who have stumbled into his curious and burdensome walk of life. The story itself boasts potential, flitting off the commonly woven thread that Arkham’s been taking over by one or many of its inmates—this time bearing the mark of Pamela Isely—except without the mass riots and dark twists. The long wind down the corridors of Arkham Asylum, overrun by Ivy’s plants, uproots psychological meaning to Batman as well—and Flanagan’s illustration of Riddler sent chills up my spine. And of course, Smith doesn’t forget to sprinkle in a delightful moment with the Joker, as well.
Smith’s portrayal of Isley buds showered in extreme erotica, as the writer chooses to exploit the teasing sensuality and masterful seduction of the character without holding back. However, Poison Ivy comes off more like a green cat in heat rather than a darkly sweet woman of unbridled power. From thereon, anytime Smith’s writing warms up to quality again, Ivy literally pops in from the side, spoiling the goods.
Etrigan fans (*raises hand excitedly*) will find redemption through his rather gory cameo, although Smith’s attempt at chivalry through the Dark Knight sent the rhyming dramatic tension into comedic failure again. The panels that follow seem oddly forced in order to make way for the deus-ex-machina that ensues. Suddenly Batman resembles the lovechild of those Godawful All-Star Batman and Robin Frank Miller variants, which I barely stomached when placed beside Jim Lee’s glorious covers of Goddamn awesome. And of course, there’s the “new guy.”
The Widening Gyre #1 somehow manages not to go up in smoke, but the overwhelming fluctuation in quality tramples the brighter moments of the comic. Here’s hoping the second issue can make up for the sins of the first.
Recommendation: The only thing distracting you from the reek of Mulligan’s half-eaten body splattered all over the pages is that green, naked chick in the front row with you.
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