Batman: Damned has been a very interesting book to say the least. While the first issue got a lot of attention for a very unexpected reason, the concept behind the book is still solid with questions still left unanswered. Is Joker really dead? Was it Batman that killed him? And if the Clown Prince of Crime is actually gone, what happens if his vengeful spirit returns from beyond? Include John Constantine and a handful of other characters from the magic side of the DC Universe, and this has the potential to be one of the darkest, best told stories to date. Add in the artistic contribution of Lee Bermejo, the same man that created the spectacular Batman: Noel, and you have excellent art to match a hopefully excellent story.
While issue 1 was contained mostly to Batman struggling with his inner thoughts about the Joker’s death and the arrival of Constantine, we didn’t see much of the actual world around them. Is this similar to the main DCU? How much is different? Well those question gets answered, at least for a few characters.
(Spoilers Ahead)
While I consider myself a hardcore Batman fan (have you seen my username?), I also have a huge interest in the magical characters of DC. Characters like the demon Etrigan, the Spectre and Deadman. To my surprise, all of those characters and a few others actually show up in issue 2. However, these are not the same characters we’re used to. Etrigan is reimaged as a rapper that Batman comforts. The Spectre is a homeless man that Batman tries to save after bombs start going off around the city. And as we saw in the first issue, Deadman is jumping from body to body, this time in an attempt to help Batman before the body he was using is engulfed in flames. The one person who seems to be the exact same so far is the Hellblazer himself, John Constantine. John is still the brash con-man he always was and always will be. The dialogue between John and Batman at the beginning of the issue is a highlight for me. Much like when the two shared the page in the Injustice comics, it’s clear that these men cannot stand each other. Seeing the two of them put aside their differences to work together will always be one of my favorite concepts. Another character that appears again is the Enchantress. What is her connection to Bruce? Why did she appear to him as a child, and then again in this issue as Batman attempts to save lives? I hope that when this story is wrapped up in the next issue, we’ll get the answer.
But then comes the showdown at the end of the issue: Batman vs Harley Quinn. It seems Harley blames Batman for the Joker’s death and is out for revenge. The fight isn’t that long or epic, but there comes a moment in it that makes the reader see exactly how messed up Harleen Quinel became after becoming Harley Quinn. After taking a stiff hit from Batman, Harley begins crying and asking for Batman to keep hitting her. She states that she “can’t live without him”, referring to her lost love. Before Batman can show her any sympathy or comfort her, she drugs him and pushes him down. At that point, Harley tells Batman that he needs to die for killing Joker. What comes next is truly uncomfortable, as Harley unzips her bodysuit, clearly making her intentions known. However, before she can act on her twisted desires, the gloved hand of Batman wraps around her neck. In a display almost identical to the end of the Killing Joke, Batman wraps both hands around Harley’s neck and lifts her off the ground. While we never actually see Harley’s dead body, we do see what looks like a spirit of death closing in on the two rivals as the issue ends.
What I found interesting about it is that when Harley unzips her bodysuit, the reader can clearly see a scar on her chest. That scar looks to be identical to the same incision made by coroners while performing autopsies on dead bodies. Is Harley already dead? Was making that scar some tribute to Joker? Unfortunately, we have to wait until the next issue to find all of these answers out.
Overall, this issue was incredibly dark. If you’re like me, that’s your thing. But there was something about this that didn’t fully sit right with me. The main issue was the part with Harley attempting to sexually assault Batman. I completely understand Harley feeling alone and wanting Batman dead, but having sex with the man that supposedly killed her lover? That seems a bit forced. I think if you can look past that and you know going in that this is an incredibly dark take on Batman, you can really enjoy this book. I’m just hoping that by the end of the final issue, all of these unanswered questions are resolved and we’re left with no loose ends. Just remember when recommending this story to a friend, this is NOT for the faint of heart.