The Dark Knight Rises - Prodigal

DECIPHERING DC

Writers: Chuck Dixon, Doug Moench, Alan Grant
Artists: Mike Gustovich, Ron Wagner, Phil Jimenez, John Cleary, Lee Weeks, Graham Nolan, Bret Blevins, Mark Bright

Click to Enlarge

Welcome to the final edition of Deciphering DC's coverage of the colossal and epic Knightfall saga. Though Knightfall ended with KnightsEnd, the good people at DC saw it prudent to use this opportunity to bring forth the long out of print, perennially in demand Prodigal, where we see Dick Grayson donning the cape and the cowl as Batman for the first time.

Click to Enlarge

An interesting read, however, the cynic in me cannot help thinking that this was initially just a response to the gazillions shouting out at the top of their voice, "Why couldn't Bruce just hand over the cape and the cowl to Dick? Dick might not have liked it but if Bruce asked him, he'd never say no."

Click to Enlarge

The story begins with Nightwing and Robin on a rooftop, reminiscing about how their early encounters with Two Face ended less than satisfactorily and it was more or less like a baptism in fire for the Robins. At the same time, Two Face is being psychoanalyzed and comes to the conclusion that he actually hates Robin more than Batman.

Click to Enlarge

When Nightwing and Robin return to the cave, Bruce tells them that he came back only because it was required, because he had to take the mantle of the Bat back from Azrael. He's giving another chance to the life he might have led, had he not become Batman... and he wants Dick to fill in for him.

Click to Enlarge

 
After a few battles with Killer Croc, the Ventriloquist and Scarface and Ratcatcher, we get to the meat of the story. Due to a glitch in the system, Two Face is released instead of one Harvey Kent, who was a minor offender. Now, obsessed with Robin, Two Face decides to make a mess of the current judicial system.

Click to Enlarge

Years ago, when Dick was Robin, he misjudged Two Face, and that cost Harvey Dent's successor as DA his life. Brief flashbacks to that event plague him throughout the book. While Tim did better against Two Face as Robin, Dick is still wary of Two Face. Alfred's absence is felt throughout the book.

Click to Enlarge

Obsessed with the binary code that is responsible for the computer programming of the entire judiciary system, Two Face throws the system into anarchy by drawing release orders for a lot of prisoners. Blackgate Prison is plunged into chaos, as are the streets of Gotham City. The Harvey Kent who was supposed to be released instead of Dent gets kidnapped by Two Face and Dick has to get his act together to save both Robin and Kent.

Click to Enlarge

Subsequently, Dick faces The Tally Man, last seen facing Jean Paul Valley in KnightQuest: The Crusade. We finally learn about what Jean did to the Tally Man off panel that had the police so horrified. It's not... beyond Jean, but at the same time, it's not something THE Batman could have done.

Click to Enlarge

The story is also a good 'coming of age' treatment for Dick. Dick and Tim make a good Dynamic Duo. Also, it was nice to see Dick go solo, as this wasn't when he had his own Nightwing series. There were a few continuity glitches, like in an issue of Shadow of the Bat, we see that Harvey Dent steps up when the prison guard calls for the release of Harvey Kent. Later in the book, it is referred to as a computer glitch made release papers available for Dent rather than Kent. I just can't picture Harvey Dent walking out free, without anyone raising an eyebrow. I mean, really?

Click to Enlarge

The art shines at places, but the two issues that Lee Weeks does with Chuck Dixon are the best of the lot. I still can't get used to Bret Blevins' Batman on Shadow of the Bat. Phil Jimenez on Robin is a welcome change from regular penciller Tom Grummett. Covers are by Mike Manley, Ron Wagner, Tom Grummett, Lee Weeks, Brian Stelfreeze and Graham Nolan.

Click to Enlarge

The payoff is missing from this trade, as the next story called Troika (which is set up in this trade) features Bruce Wayne's return. If just the Knightfall story had to be covered completely, I see no reason to put this here. I'd rather have preferred KnightQuest: The Search (which for the moment is gone) which is an actual part of Knightfall making it, instead of some book that can always be released in a separate edition. Sadly somehow, I don't see a trade collecting only KnightQuest: The Search making it to the stands.

Click to Enlarge

Finally, contents of the Knightfall Vol 3: KnightsEnd (new edition) are:
Batman issues #509,510,512-514
Detective Comics #676,677,679-681
Batman: Shadow of The Bat issues #29,30,32-34
Robin issues #8,9,11-13
Catwoman #12,13
Batman: Legends of The Dark Knight issues #62,63
Showcase '94 issue #10

Click to Enlarge

Prodigal actually starts with Robin #0, which features Tim and Dick reminiscing over their careers as Robin, also Two Face's psychoanalysis and Bruce handing the Bat Costume to Dick. It wasn't collected in the first print of Prodigal, nor is it here.

Click to Enlarge

 In summary, let's take a look at what additional material we got from the new printings of Knightfall versus the old printings. No material has been lost, which is, perhaps very fortunate:

Batman: Vengeance of Bane 1 (never collected before)
The entire KnightsQuest: The Crusade (never collected before)
Catwoman issue 13 (never collected before)

Though DC still dropped the ball a bit this time around and there is a lot of stuff that was part of the story which could have been included in the trades, even if they had to put in a fourth trade:

Batman: Sword of Azrael (initial trade out of print)
A few issues of Batman before Knightfall begins, which feature Bane and are a prelude to Knightfall
KnightQuest: The Search (never collected before)
Robin issue #0
Troika (never collected before)

Click to Enlarge

Who knows, maybe, fifteen years from now we'll see a Knightfall Omnibus series. Personally, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting.

My rating: 9 on 10

Still, the new Knightfall collections, three volumes priced at US$29.99 each, present a much better picture than the older prints, and collect all the covers as well. Go out and buy them now!


And of course, don't forget the previous editions of this mammoth saga we've already covered if you're just jumping on:
Prelude to Knightfall
Knightfall Vol 1: The Broken Bat
Knightfall Vol 2: Who Rules the Night!
KnightQuest: The Crusade - Detective Comics and Robin
KnightQuest: The Crusade - Batman: Shadow of the Bat

--------------------------------------------------

Aalok Joshi is a total fanboy and claims to read everything in the comics genre but American comics and Syndicated strips totally win him over. He has been reading comics since he was 5 and started off with Indrajal Comics. After his relatives started pestering him about changing his reading habits, he switched over to novels after junking his erstwhile collection. Gotham Comics, the Indian Authorized publisher of DC/Marvel brought him back in 2002 and he has stayed here ever since. 
Now concentrating largely on DC and slightly on Marvel and few selected independents, he is interested and taking steps towards writing for the genre. He also dabbles in illustration and his dream is one newspaper style cartoon per day.