Okay, that was a cheap shot. But hear me out. (spoilers ahead)
Its common knowledge that Neil Gaiman is ultra-talented - Novels, Graphic Novels, Films - this man has scored on every field he has played. So when DC gave Batman to Gaiman, it sure sounded like Jimi Hendrix on acid. Only, when I was hoping for "Purple Haze", Hendrix OD-ed and went into "Star-Spangled-Banner-using-teeth-as-pick" mode.
"Whatever happened to the Caped Crusader" looks a lot like "The Wake" from the Sandman series. The lead guy is dead, an esoteric set of friends and enemies appear in the story reminiscing him, and at the end of it all, you guessed it, there is a "we are not done quite yet" moment. It didn't work for me with The Sandman. It didn't work for me with Batman.
I loved the earlier Sandman books. Packed with action, twists and thrills all along. The first four books (preludes, dollhouse, dream country and seasons) of the Sandman series just blew me away and my interest peaked for me with "Season of mists". That should give an idea of what kind of people Gaiman's audience contains - The "dont-get-all-metaphysical-on-me" kind which is actually the "not-smart-enough-to-understand-much-outside-of-an-action-novel".
Clearly, Gaiman didn't dumb it down to my levels in the next few Sandman books, and that's perhaps exactly were WHTTCC left me wanting as well. A superhero novel needs to be a superhero novel. If the author isn't a superhero author, he should perhaps change his style just a little, but only for that series. Frank Miller knew how to do it with his "Dark Knight" books. Alan Moore worked his magic with "The Supreme" which is a stand-out in many ways. Gaiman's time will come soon. Just not yet.
The artwork and inking is outstanding in WHTTCC, the Gaiman touch is prevalent - he makes you look at the characters in a different light, the Gaiman-esque Joker-Batman sketch is top-notch in it's own way. But it feels like walking into Chipotle and being served Wasabi-on-Sushi. Both good on their own, but were they meant to be together?
Read on ... (at your own peril, obviously) ...
