DC Comics: Legends of the Dark Knight #1-6

Batman comics have been a staple of DC for 80 plus years and are not slowing down anytime soon. Whenever a new release Tuesday roles around there is sure to be a new Batman comic or something relating to Batman among the titles up for grabs.

The latest one that I noticed was called Legends of the Dark Knight and the basis of the plot is a new chemical is being shopped around and all of Batman's rogues want a piece of the action. Can the Dark Knight unravel the mystery before it is too late and the citizens of Gotham are once again put in harm's way?

If you are a fan of classic Batman rogues such as Mr. Freeze, Joker and Scarecrow then this series is for you. It keeps Gordon in his usual role playing facilitator between Batman and the GCPD as Gordon begins to wonder as the rainy night rolls on whether or not Batman will survive this fight-filled night.

It's fairly simplistic on the plot structure but plays to each one of the villains strengths within the story and Batman always being there to foil the plan. It's dark and depressing from a visual standpoint. Crafted by Darick Robertson and Diego Rodriguez it relies heavily on the grim set pieces and rainy aesthetic to really drive home how intense these nights are for Batman. It's phenomenal in the use of the color palet and not trying to be too forceful with colorful images just to keep our attention. That should be on the story and for the most part it is with the visuals really aiding to enhance the dark subject matter of the script.

I know branch off stories like this have people divided a lot of the time but this one was really good. Joker was his usual chaotic self and Scarecrow continues to be one of my favorite and most underutilized villains that Batman fights with. The coolest change was with the Riddler when he learns he has met a woman he has fallen in love with who goes by the name of Quiz. She is not overt in any way and uses her skills acquired through time spent with The Riddler to help lure Batman into helping them. It keeps The Riddler intact and adds another layer of emotional development to a longstanding rogue and that's great.

It doesn't attempt to be too much. It's a plot that naturally brings the legendary rogues into a fight with Batman and with six issues at $1.40 apiece it doesn't break the bank to read this miniseries. It does a lot well like show us how much one night can have a physical toll on Bruce and how much time he gives to consistently handling new crime waves in the city of Gotham.

Like I said it's not groundbreaking from a story perspective but it's an easy ride with Batman and sometimes rather than going all in on an ongoing series it's okay to sit back and enjoy a miniseries. It provides you with the same characters, the nuance of said characters and what makes them who they are. That's what we want to get from these stories. A sense of what makes these characters motivated to do the things we do. With Batman we know he is motivated by a heavy personal tragedy and seeing him carry that weight in any story is emotionally gripping. Robertson did just that here. He took us on a thrilling night through the rain soaked streets of Gotham and put Batman through hell and back but that's what we have come to expect. Batman being challenged.