By d. emerson eddy — This past Saturday was this year's celebration of “Batman Day” and it had me thinking of combining my current search through some favorite European comics and Batman. Somewhat surprisingly, given the sheer number of Batman interpretations across the decades in the North American market, there isn't a huge selection of foreign language originals, but what is out there is very well done. Batman: The Dark Prince Charming was technically published simultaneously in English and French (and Dutch, I think) by DC Comics and Dargaud, but it's one of the few out there in association with a European publisher. It's also good, so you needn't worry that being originally published by a European publisher was my only criteria.

Written and illustrated by Italian creator, Enrico Marini, Batman: The Dark Prince Charming is an interesting take on Batman. The story revolves around the familiar deadly dance between the Batman and the Joker, drilling down into a kidnapping of a young girl whose mother claims Bruce Wayne of being the father. It's a premise that we'd normally dismiss as out of hand within the DC Universe, but here Marini makes it considerably more believable. Marini's Bruce Wayne is more overtly flawed, and it's set up that his promiscuity isn't necessarily just an act. His takes on the Joker and Harley Quinn are also interesting. Harley is almost a caricature of the Batman: The Animated Series version, playing up the more extremes of her behavior. And his Joker, his Joker's something different. Madman, certainly, but there's a kind of criminal mastermind cruelty here that reminds me a bit of how Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo portray him in their Joker.

Marini's lush, painted artwork are worth the price of admission alone. This is a gorgeous looking book. Marini's style reminds me a bit of the soft realism that I see throughout the works of Stjepan Šejić and Joshua Middleton, but there's a different depth and tone through his watercolours. The choices of color washes and fading of colors at the edges gives the work a kind of dreamlike quality. When you incorporate the more harlequin like clown make-ups for Marini's designs for Joker, Harley, and their henchmen with the narrative, there's a kind of twisted storybook atmosphere to the tale. Elevating it even further is Marini's depiction of Gotham, blending what looks like some of Anton Furst's designs with Rocksteady's Arkham games.

Overall, Batman: The Dark Prince Charming by Marini is a wonderful take on the Batman mythos. It blends an assortment of familiar elements from across multiple Batman sources, the comics, the movies, the games, and the animated series, and it combines them to create something familiar, but new.

Batman: The Dark Prince Charming

Batman: The Dark Prince Charming
Writer & Artist: Enrico Marini
Publisher: DC Comics & Dargaud
Release Date: November 6, 2018
Acclaimed European comics master Enrico Marini (Eagles of Rome, Le Scorpion) makes his American comics debut with this graphic novel starring unique interpretations of Batman, The Joker and Harley Quinn! What secret connection do both Batman and The Joker share with a strange and mysterious young girl? After she's kidnapped by The Joker, Batman must plunge deep into the underworld of Gotham City and race against time to find out where she's being held. The stakes are high, and for Batman, it's personal!
Price: $6.99 on Comixology
Buy It Digitally: Batman - The Dark Prince Charming

Check out more classic comics of the week from d. emerson eddy!

d. emerson eddy is a student and writer of things. He fell in love with comics during Moore, Bissette, & Totleben's run on Swamp Thing and it has been a torrid affair ever since. His madness typically manifests itself on Twitter @93418.