About Jamison Sacks
Location: Manhattan, NYC, NY
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Batman or Bruce Wayne: Which is real?
I am generally the first to admit that I am a fan of Japanese Manga. I watch anime as well, but I find the comic form, called Manga, much more entertaining. Manga’s complexity often translates poorly to the anime and you lose something from the story. I was pleasantly surprised to find Batman: Death Mask #1 on my plate this week.
Manga has a tendency for the writer and the artist to be one and the same. Batman: Death Mask keeps with this tradition as DC brought in famed Japanese storyteller Yoshinori Natsume. Death Mask tells the story of a Bruce Wayne haunted by nightmares where the Batman seems to stalk him. This causes Bruce to start questioning whether Batman or Bruce Wayne are actually the mask he wears. Japanese executives show up to do business with Wayne industries and Gotham city and their intern reminds him of the girl he knew back in Japan as a teenager learning martial arts, further confounding him since she seems to have not aged at all. Add in the sudden several startling murders where people turn up with their faces removed and you have the beginning of an intriguing Batman story.
I really like Natsume’s Batman. His Bruce Wayne shows some age and acts a little rougher around the edges. The first issue seems to revolve more around Bruce Wayne than Batman, which I find a nice change of the dynamic. The dynamic, clean and detailed art rounds out the book nicely, giving it an almost noir feel. You can see the age lines in Bruce’s face giving you a sense that this Bruce Wayne may have a little more experience, even though he still maintains his youthful playboy cover.
The black & white manga comic style has a tendency to turn American readers away. I think many people would end up impressed by this book if they gave it a chance. The story takes place in a familiar location for Batman readers (compared to other Manga that give him reason to go to Japan) and does not rely on the same old tired Batman villains. I found the book to be quite enjoyable and entertaining enough to make me want to know where the story will lead.
Batman: Death Mask #1 (of 4)
Story and Art by: Yoshinori Natsume
Letters by: Rob Leigh
