‘Batman: Nightwalker’ (review)

Written by Stuart Moore
Art by Chris Wildgoose
Published by DC Zoom

This is a graphic novel based on the prose novel by Marie Lu. It’s a pretty decent adaptation, too.

The story is a look at Bruce Wayne when he had just turned eighteen years old. It also features a really strange and frankly downright weird storyline that I enjoyed a little more than I ever thought I would.

It is definitely a different take on the traditional Batman story we usually get for sure.

The opening sequence of the book has a mysterious figure finishing up a job in a big mansion. The person then is spotted by what looks to be a SWAT Team.

The figure runs away trying to escape. They make a good run of it too until they are captured.

The person has their mask taken off. It is a girl underneath. Somebody says that they have “bagged a Nightwalker.” But what does that mean exactly? And just who is this woman? This opening piqued my interest immediately and I was hooked from that point on. That is when things really start to get interesting as well.

Then, we are introduced to an eighteen year old Bruce Wayne. We see a nicely staged introduction to him. We also see that it is his first night as a billionaire. The paparazzi are in full effect. There is a benefit going on and he is making an appearance.

Alfred tells him to behave himself. But this is Bruce Wayne here. Wherever he goes, trouble will not be far behind.

A young named Dianne gets Bruce out of trouble from people wanting his attention. She’s an interesting character. We also meet Richard, another one of Bruce’s friends. But Richard manages to offend Bruce. That sends Bruce out from the party and into the night.

Bruce goes driving around and encounters a Nightwalker. But what is a Nightwalker?

Bruce chases the Nightwalker in an exhilarating scene. He stops him by causing an accident.

This is when the book takes a strange turn. Bruce has to do community service for his interfering with a police investigation at Arkham Asylum. He is cleaning floors there when he meets Madeline, who is a brilliant killer. He eventually finds out the she is also the leader of the Nightwalkers.

The rest of the book is a cat and mouse game between the two characters. Bruce tries to get information from Madeline. But is she playing him? Who exactly has the upper hand here anyway?

Stuart Moore does a decent job getting this story to the comic book page. The real star here is Wildgoose. His art is vibrant and the storytelling is excellent on his part. He has taken a very standard story and made it great. His art alone is worth the price of admission. A decent book with a great look to it, Batman: Nightwalker was very enjoyable.

RATING: B+