Batman: Black and White, Volume 1

AUTHOR: Bolland, Brian; Chaykin, Howard; Dixon, Chuck; Gaiman, Neil; Goodwin, Archie; Helfer, Andrew; Janson, Klaus; Kubert, Joe; McKeever, Ted; O’Neil, Dennis; Otomo, Katsuhiro; Sienkiewicz, Bill; Simonson, Walter; Strnad, Jan; Timm, Bruce; Wagner, Matt; Williams, Kent

ARTIST: Neal Adams (illustrator); Mike Allred (illustrator); Simon Bisley (illustrator); Brian Bolland (illustrator); Howard Chaykin (illustrator); Richard Corben (illustrator); Gary Gianni (illustrator); Klaus Janson (illustrator); Michael Kaluta (illustrator); Teddy Kristiansen (illustrator); Joe Kubert (illustrator); Tanino Liberatore (illustrator); Ted McKeever (illustrator); Moebius (illustrator); José Muñoz (illustrator); Kevin Nowlan (illustrator); Katsuhiro Otomo (illustrator); Alex Ross (illustrator); P. Craig Russell (illustrator); Tony Salmons (illustrator); Bill Sienkiewicz (illustrator); Walter Simonson (illustrator); Brian Stelfreeze (illustrator); Bruce Timm (illustrator); Matt Wagner (illustrator); Kent Williams (illustrator); Jorge Zaffino (illustrator); Marc Silvestri (penciller); Matt Banning (inker); Ken Bruzenak (letterer); John Costanza (letterer); Ellie De Ville (letterer); Phil Felix (letterer); Tim Harkins (letterer); Todd Klein (letterer); Bill Oakley (letterer); John Workman (letterer); Jim Lee (cover artist); Frank Miller (cover artist); Alex Toth (cover artist); Barry Windsor-Smith (cover artist); Scott Williams (cover artist)

PUBLISHER: DC Comics

FIRST SERIAL PUBLICATION: 1996

FIRST BOOK PUBLICATION: 1998, 2007

Publication History

The brainchild of DC Comics’ editor Mark Chiarello, Batman: Black and White, Volume 1, was originally published in 1996. Inspired by Warren Publishing’s Creepy and Eerie comics magazines, Chiarello wanted to gather the most talented artists and writers in the field to complete a black-and-white anthology of short Batman stories. Chiarello received artistic and writing contributions from such luminaries as Neil Gaiman, Archie Goodwin, Katsuhiro Otomo, and Ted McKeever.

In order to maintain Batman’s integrity, Batman comics’ editor Scott Peterson was brought in for guidance. Despite a common belief that readers do not like anthologies or black-and-white comics, the series proved successful after its release. After a Batman: Black and White preview was released in 1996, the original four issues were released monthly between June and September of the same year. DC Comics released a hardcover collector’s edition combining the four issues of Batman: Black and White, Volume 1, in 1998 and a paperback version trimmed to the standard size of the original release in 2007.

Plot

Batman: Black and White, Volume 1, is a collection of original, eight-page Batman stories from some of the premier graphic novel artists and writers of the Modern Age. Without the constraints of fitting the stories into the official Batman canon, this anthology provides twenty unique perspectives of the Batman universe.

In “Perpetual Mourning,” written and illustrated by McKeever and lettered by John Workman, Batman performs an autopsy on an unidentified murdered woman in order to understand more about the victim, the crime, and the murderer. Written by Goodwin and illustrated by José Muñoz, “The Devil’s Trumpet” tells of a legendary trumpet that once belonged to the Devil. Musician Les Farrell wishes to possess the instrument. After tracking down the trumpet and killing its owner in a blind rage, Les attempts to harness the horn’s power, but he is quickly apprehended by Batman.

Written and illustrated by Walter Simonson and lettered by John Workman, “Legend” is a futuristic story in which a mother tells her child about the legend of Batman and how he vanquished evil from the Earth. The mother says that if evil ever returns, Batman will return to save his people once again. The final page reveals the family living under totalitarian rule, leaving the reader with a glimpse of Batman’s reappearance.

“A Black and White World” is a metanarrative in which Batman and the Joker are real people who happen to work as comics characters for a Batman comic. The story follows the two characters as they prepare for, and perform, a specific scene, complaining throughout about the nature of the business. This story was written by Gaiman, illustrated by Simon Bisley, and lettered by Costanza.

In “Good Evening, Midnight,” written and illustrated by Klaus Janson and lettered by Bill Oakley, Alfred reads a note that Thomas Wayne had written for his son on his third birthday. As Alfred reads the note, the text overlays a journey Batman has undertaken to save a busload of children being held captive.

Written by Andrew Helfer, illustrated by Tanino Liberatore, and lettered by Costanza, “In Dreams” follows a young woman seeking treatment for a reoccurring nightmare in which Batman crashes through a window into her bedroom. The reader learns that the woman was kidnapped as a child and saved by Batman, but she has been unable to process the experience.

“Bent Twigs,” by Bill Sienkiewicz, casts Batman in the role of child protector, as he witnesses a father threaten his child and throw his pet cat to its death. The single father attempts to defend himself, but Batman becomes infuriated with the father’s neglect of his son. Batman berates him for his inadequacies while attempting to get him to be a better parent.

In “An Innocent Guy,” written and illustrated by Brian Bolland and lettered by Ellie de Ville, a man records a video diary in which he discusses his desire to perform an evil act in order to help him determine whether he is inherently good or bad. He decides killing Batman will be the perfect crime and fantasizes about how his death will occur.

Written by Goodwin, illustrated by Gary Gianni, and lettered by Todd Klein, “Heroes” tells a remembered tale of a ten-year-old boy and his distracted architect father that is set in 1938. The two are kidnapped by a German soldier for secret designs, but Batman appears and rescues them. In the end, the boy discovers that his father’s secret designs are actually for Batman’s equipment.

In “The Third Mask,” written and illustrated by Otomo, translated by Jo Duffy, and lettered by Oakley, Batman hunts a serial killer with multiple personalities. The killer draws a parallel to Batman’s own duality, leading Batman to eventually question his own identity.

Characters

•Batman, a.k.a. Bruce Wayne, the protagonist, is the crime-fighting alter ego of American billionaire Wayne. Unlike many comic book superheroes, he does not harness any supernatural abilities or powers, instead relying on his physical prowess, intellect, and training and on advanced technologies to provide him with the resources necessary to perform his duties. Wayne is driven to fight crime after witnessing the murder of his parents in the streets of Gotham City as a boy.

•Commissioner James Gordon is the police commissioner of Gotham City and an ally to Batman. He often works with Batman to help solve particularly difficult or serious crimes and is one of the few people Batman trusts or would consider a friend.

•Alfred Pennyworth is Bruce Wayne’s butler and one of the few people who are aware of Batman’s true identity. He can sometimes act as a protector and surrogate father figure, as is evident in the story “Good Evening, Midnight,” in which Alfred is in possession of a letter that Thomas Wayne wrote to his son on his third birthday.

•Two-Face, a.k.a. Harvey Dent, is Batman’s antagonist in the story “Two of a Kind.” Two-Face, formerly Gotham City’s district attorney Harvey Dent, has gruesome scars covering the left side of his face. Two-Face uses the flip of a coin to direct his decision making. He offers a complex case study into mental illness.

•The Joker is one of Batman’s most well known antagonists, but in the story “A Black and White World,” Gaiman has reimagined their relationship. The two are seen as regular guys with real-world concerns as they work as characters in a comic. The Joker is very cynical of the whole business, jealous that Batman gets the best panels, and annoyed that the extras get to raid the commissary first.

Artistic Style

The only commonality in artistic style between the twenty stories in Batman: Black and White, Volume 1, is a lack of color. Each of the artists was given license to develop his story using the styles and designs of his choosing, with the only requirement being that the comic had to be in black and white. The editors of the anthology intentionally sought out many of the artists specifically because of their unique styles and notoriety throughout the graphic novel and comic book community. Some of the biggest names in the industry contributed to the piece, including such esteemed artists as Otomo, Richard Corben, Bolland, and Joe Kubert.

This diversity is evident in each story, but it is exemplified in the varied depictions of the Batman character. McKeever focuses on the humanness of Batman; he takes up little room on the page and conveys emotions in the very way he carries himself. Kubert, however, takes his inspiration from the “bat” aspect of Batman, focusing more on Batman as an almost inhuman creature who appears in frames covering large swathes of the page, hanging upside down and soaring through the air with his fellow bat creatures. Howard Chaykin and Sienkiewicz each portray a more retro Batman character, with a simple suit and little in the way of musculature, whereas Bisley and Janson each illustrate Batman with caricatured musculature.

Themes

In addition to the amazing diversity in the artistic styles, Batman: Black and White, Volume 1, includes incredible variety in narrative style and thematic elements.

“Perpetual Mourning” discusses the importance of death and focuses on the remembrance of those who have died; “Two of a Kind” confronts the ideas of love, duality, and the fragility of human nature; and “The Hunt” explores the subconscious driving force behind Bruce Wayne’s need to fight crime.

“Petty Crimes” comments on the evolving nature of the world and mankind’s necessity to keep moving forward, while “The Devil’s Trumpet” focuses on the destructive nature of greed. “Legend” looks at the issue of personal freedom.

“Monster Maker” serves as a commentary on the dangers of children being raised on the streets. “Dead Boys Eyes” is a reflection on the motivational force of guilt and revenge. “The Devil’s Children” is concerned with city crime and the inability of getting away with one’s crimes.

“A Black and White World” serves as a comic commentary on working-class citizenship, while “Good Evening, Midnight” attempts to convey the complex emotions, hopes, and fears of a father for his son.

“In Dreams” explores the weight of one’s dreams and the fragility of the human psyche. “Heist” focuses on some of the criminal elements of society. “Bent Twigs” is an exploration of the importance of a loving family and the difficulty of being a single parent. “A Slaying Song Tonight” discusses the importance of family and tradition.

“An Innocent Guy” offers a philosophical question about free will and the nature of good and evil. “Monsters in the Closet” explores the boundaries of science and the concept of playing God. “Heroes” focuses on the importance of parental role models. “Leavetaking” looks at the immense toll emotional scars can inflict on a person after a tragic event. “The Third Mask” discusses the nature, fragility, and importance of human identity.

Impact

Despite concerns about the perceived undesirable nature of both anthologies and black-and-white comics, Batman: Black and White, Volume 1, became a creative, critical, and financial success upon its release in 1996. Having gathered together some of the most talented artists and writers in the business to develop their own original stories, Chiarello helped to continue the already vast legacy of Batman comics. Part of the success arose from the authors’ free rein to create their own story without having to worry about fitting into the official Batman canon. As such, Batman: Black and White, Volume 1, contains some of the most original and creative Batman stories written by some of the most famous minds in the comics industry.

Although the impact of this publication on the larger graphic novel world is minimal, its existence is still welcomed and celebrated. Batman: Black and White, Volume 1, did spawn two additional volumes, although neither was received as highly as the first. In 2001, Web site IGN rated Batman: Black and White, Volume 1, as the fourteenth best Batman graphic novel ever written.

Television Series

Batman: Black and White. Directed by Ian Kirby and Adam Fulton. Sequence Post, 2008-2009. In 2008, distributor Warner Premiere Digital developed quasi-animated versions of a select number of stories from the three volumes of the Batman: Black and White series and published them online as motion comics. Each episode runs for approximately four to six minutes and includes actor voice-overs. Of the twenty episodes produced, seven derived from Batman: Black and White, Volume 1, including “Two of a Kind,” “Good Evening, Midnight,” “Perpetual Mourning,” “Monsters in the Closet,” “In Dreams,” “Heroes,” and “Legend.”

Further Reading

Chiarello, Mark, ed. Batman: Black and White, Volume 2 (2002).

‗‗‗‗‗‗‗. Batman: Black and White, Volume 3 (2007).

Miller, Frank. Batman: The Dark Knight (1986).

Bibliography

Beatty, Scott, Chuck Dixon, and Sangbok David Hahn. The Batman Handbook: The Ultimate Training Manual. Philadelphia: Quirk Books, 2005.

Brooker, Will. Batman Unmasked: Analyzing a Cultural Icon. New York: Continuum, 2001.

Daniels, Les, and Chip Kiss. Batman: The Complete History. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1999.

White, Mark D., and Robert Arp. Batman and Philosophy: The Dark Knight of the Soul. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, 2008.