Batman: City of Light

(DC, 2003-2004)
™ and © DC Comics, Inc.

An old Mad cartoon once featured a brightly lit, potentially crime–free New York City. However, instead of ridding the city of crime, the ubiquitous lighting, in true Mad fashion, simply helped the criminals see better what they were stealing. Well, Batman: City of Light isn’t supposed to be a gag, but it is funny (unintentionally so) and it does have essentially the same concept: illuminating Gotham City in order to cut down on crime. The DNA–enhanced illuminator in question is a “special phosphorescent material” that would be applied to the various structures already in existence, turning the city into “Neo–Gotham.”

Even readers who can stomach this glaringly awful (literally and figuratively) story conceit will have problems with the characterization of Batman. He starts off on the right Bat–foot, bemoaning the disease–ridden, crime–infested city he has sworn to protect but degenerates into a grimacing good–for–nothing bordering on a nervous breakdown. And all because of an innocent kid whom he accidentally hurts while thwarting a drug deal. Sure, Bats would brood and feel guilty about the mistake, but he wouldn’t drop out of the crime–fighting game for months, as he does here.

— Brett Weiss

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