A new project from Tony (Starman) Harris is always cause for celebration, so welcome to the party that is Legends of the Dark Knight #169. Comics readers were treated to Harris's take on the Batman in Starman (as well as an Elseworlds version in JSA: The Liberty File and The Unholy Three), and it was clear that his dark style was well suited to bringing the haunted hero to life. As an added treat, we get to see Harris inking his own pencils here, and it makes for a slightly different feel than what we've seen from the artist before.
Frank Sharp is cursed with a misshapen face, but he's been a given a gift as well... the ability to control people's minds when he touches them. His greed and bitterness have blinded Frank to another gift, though: loving parents. He turns his back on them and strikes out on his own, determined to use his power to take him to easy street. He soon attracts attention, the kind of attention that no one in Gotham City who's into less-than-legal activity likes to get.
The greatest strength of this new story arc is clearly Tony Harris's artwork. His skill with bringing a realistic look to comics is matched only by his adeptness at bringing monstrous and twisted figures -- like Frank Sharp -- to life. Frank's face is so unsettling because of the rich detail of what surrounds him. That context, and Harris's eye for the impossible, makes Frank's face -- and his equally ugly soul -- seem incredibly real. Still, there's a softer quality to Harris's self-inked artwork, but that softness doesn't work against the harsher nature of several characters and the setting. Mettler's colors also serve to reinforce the dark, unsettling mood of the story and artwork.
The premise of a mind-controlling criminal isn't exactly new in the world of super-hero comics, but Peyer brings some newness to it here. I love the notion that a man who can control people's minds really doesn't have as much control as he thought. His power isn't really limited, but his imagination and vision are. I also enjoyed the misdirection in the narration through the opening sequence.
Ultimately, this story is about respect and self-esteem. Frank clearly doesn't hate his parents or the people around him. He hates himself, and making those around him like him does nothing to dispel his self-loathing. His face is his excuse, but it's his attitude that's holding him back. He can force others to do anything he wants, but he can't force himself to change.
