Review of Batman '89 #1

Batman, directed by Tim Burton and written by Sam Hamm and Warren Skaaren, arrived in cinemas in the summer of 1989. To some younger Batman fans, this isn’t the movie for them but rather for their older siblings or even their parents. Being born the year this movie came out, its always seemed a little distant for me. I understand the appeal of the movie but could never connect with it on a fanboy level, even more so for the follow-up Batman Returns, which, I feel, almost abandons the Batman character to focus on the Penguin and Catwoman characters. That being said, when DC Comics announced that “Batman ‘89” would be a continuation of the Tim Burton movies, I instantly reserved copies of this six issue mini-series. Also, knowing how great of a team that writer Sam Hamm and artist Joe Quinones could be, there was no way this series could disappoint. I’m happy to say that this first issue is a slam dunk and a promise for an amazing mini-series.

This first issue highlights Billy Dee Williams’ version of Harvey Dent, a small yet effective role in the original movie. Williams accepted the role in the ‘89 movie because he knew that Harvey Dent was destined to become the villain Two-Face. He gave such an underrated performance that, looking back, could have set up for one of the best depictions of a Dent into Two-Face transformation. Alas, it was not meant to be. Anyway, Harvey Dent in this issue is a clear continuation of the character from the movie, an on-the-rise politician whose smile can charm even the most cynical voter. However, much like Aaron Eckhart’s version of Dent from 2008’s The Dark Knight, this Harvey Dent has a brash streak, eagerly confronting some Joker-esque goons in an alley after one of them steals his fiancé's purse (the official introduction of Barbara Gordon in the ‘89 universe). It was a great idea building the crux of the story on a strong character that is Harvey Dent, it helps distract from the very minor story flaws that follow.

The story is very well paced so far. It’s more in line of the aftermath of the events of Batman than Batman Returns is and feels like what a live-action Batman tv show would be like in 1990. However, the idea of Batman being turned against by the police of Gotham, led by an overly ambitious politician, feels like an idea that has been explored a few times, very reminiscent of the Arthur Reeves character from the 1993 Batman: The Mask of the Phantasm. That being said, the fact that its the first issue does not worry me and I trust this creative team to deliver on a great arc in the next 5 issues.

As I figured going into this, the highlight was always going to be Quinones’ art in this book, as he was the main thrust in getting this book made and continues to be a passion project for him. He doesn’t try to change his style to adapt more to the Tim Burton’s look but it is evident that he kept a close eye on the costume design from the two Burton Batman movies. It shows that we are still in the late 80’s early 90’s of this Batman universe but not to a point of parodying the look of the time. Quinones’ focus on faces also pays off well in some instances but not so much in others. His depiction of Billy dee Williams’ Dent is absolutely perfect but his Michael Keaton comes off as a little bit of Screech from Saved by the Bell, mostly from the odd styling of the hair. Other than that, all the character designs are superb and the pages are an absolute beauty to look at.

With this and “Superman ‘78” hitting shelves, its a great time for DC comics, finally wising up to the fact that this nostalgia driven work is a worthy successor to the highly successful Batman ‘66 series a few years ago. I’m excited for the stories coming out of these movies but also what could be done with other eras of Batman movies such as continuations from the Batman Forever timeline or even of Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy. In the meantime, I think this miniseries will be a great read and even has the potential of surpassing the Burton movies in terms of quality.