I reviewed the hardcover edition of this graphic novel almost a year ago, and DC is now releasing its softcover twin. What follows here is the meat of my original review, slightly tweaked to address the new format.
Michael Uslan's name is not a new one to comics fans, but he's better known for his role as an industry rep in Hollywood, trying to get well-known and more obscure comics adapted for big and small screens. He was involved as Stan Lee's partner in pen on the Just Imagine Stan Lee Creating... line for DC, and that was far from a creative highlight of the industry. So it was with some trepidation that I approached this graphic novel.
For 75 years, a secret society of detectives -- founded by the legendary Allan Pinkerton in the wake of President Abraham Lincoln's assassination -- has fought a quiet war against a group of nihilists known as the Knights of the Golden Circle. Each member of the Secret Society of Detectives is given a number rather than a name. A young man named Bruce Wayne returns home to Gotham City in 1939 after a decade of studying abroad, and he has one goal on his mind: to avenge his parents' murder. His skills and background have attracted the attention of the Society, though, and soon, Wayne finds himself dubbed Detective No. 27.
The best thing this ambitious project has going for it is Peter Snejbjerg's artwork. Those who have sampled his work on Starman, The Books of Magic and JSA knows it boasts a dark edge, one that's in keeping with the conspiracy-theory aspects of this story. He also does an excellent job of capturing not one but two historic periods here. The likenesses of historical figures are strong as well. Snejbjerg brings a gothic quality to the story that puts one in mind of Mike (Hellboy) Mignola's style, and there's an exaggerated, twisted quality in his style that's appropriately unsettling and surreal.
Uslan's script isn't without its strengths as well, and chief among them is his incorporation of figures from history and literature as characters. Allan Pinkerton is a particularly engaging character here. Uslan instills in him a commanding presence and a brilliant intellect. He really comes off as something of a visionary here. Uslan's approach here reminds me of Caleb Carr's penchant for historical fiction in such novels as The Alienist and The Angel of Darkness, which, like Detective No. 27, also counted a pre-presidential Teddy Roosevelt among its characters.
Still, there are elements in the script that detract from the more grave and gothic tone of the plot. Uslan gets a bit redundant with the exposition at times. He refers to a plant toxin that warps the mind, and he makes that reference over and over and over again. He also retreads the familiar elements of the Batman origin in far too much detail. He really doesn't deviate too far from canon when it comes to those elements in the plot. Furthermore, the wink-wink approach to referencing mainstream DC continuity is more than a little jarring. I love seeing the Crimson Avenger turn up here, but the Robin and Justice Society nods, for example, are obvious and really don't add much to the story or atmosphere.
While entertaining, I don't know that this graphic novel was worth the extra bucks for the higher-end hardcover format, but the story definitely works as a graphic novel rather than a limited series. I'm pleased DC has released a softcover edition. The story is dense and diverting, but I think readers expect a little more when they shell out for a hardcover. In this format, it's within the reach of more readers, and the lightness of the fare will seem worth the while as opposed to unworthy of the heftier price of a hardcover. I hope younger readers seek this out as well, as it's a good introduction to the notion of historical fiction. 7/10
Note: Some of the comments in this review were reproduced from a previous feature on the website.
