The Bat-Man: First Knight – A Pulp Noir Journey to Gotham’s Roots
In the shadowed alleys of 1939 New York City, a masked vigilante prowls, seeking justice in a world teetering on the brink of chaos. The Bat-Man: First Knight takes us back to Batman’s earliest days when he was more pulp hero than a billionaire playboy. Writer Dan Jurgens and artist Mike Perkins masterfully weave a tale that pays homage to the Golden Age while adding a modern twist.
The Gritty Origins
Remember the Batman who drove a red sedan instead of the Batmobile? The one with purple gloves and no Alfred? That’s the Bat-Man we encounter in this series. He’s a powerless crimefighter, navigating a city where even Gotham doesn’t exist yet. His rogues’ gallery is a motley crew of strange crooks, and survival is a daily struggle.
Nods to Detective Comics
Jurgens and Perkins lovingly sprinkle the narrative with nods to early Detective Comics. Julie Madison, Bruce Wayne’s fiancée, makes her debut here. The red sedan, Batman’s trusty wheels, roars through the streets. And those internal monologues? They fill the empty air, compensating for the lack of a supporting cast.
Setting the Stage
The real-world New York City serves as our backdrop. But it’s not just any NYC—it’s 1939, a time of unease and uncertainty. The rise of Nazism casts shadows, even across the Atlantic. Batman’s quest for justice intertwines with the world’s turmoil, making this more than a mere superhero story.
Bat-Man: First Knight, is notable for its timeliness. While the background is different, the United States of 2024 faces similar turmoil stemming from police corruption and overseas conflict. It will be interesting to see how future issues draw parallels between the politics of yesteryear and today, within the context of Batman’s battles.
The Bat-Man: First Knight #1 arrives in comic shops everywhere on March 5, 2024.
