Pulp 25 - Batman: Noel
Alastair:
If you’re as obsessed with comics as Cameron and I are, you pretty much read them all year round. No breaks. Ever. Not that it’s unhealthy or anything; we just really like comics. It’s not a problem. We swear! As we wind down for the year and get ready for the Christmas/New Year break, I figured I’d get festive and look for some Christmas-themed stuff to ramble on about because hey – it’s Christmas, and you can’t NOT talk about Christmas. Nothing really stood out at first, and I had a lot of trouble deciding what I was going to talk about. Then, I remembered that Batman: Noel – the perfect blend of Batman and Christmas – exists. Perfect!
Released back in 2011, Batman: Noel is written and illustrated by Lee Bermejo, best known for his work with Brian Azarello on Joker and the more recent Before Watchmen: Rorschach (the only Before Watchmen comic I bothered to read!). Primarily a DC writer/artist, Bermejo got his big break working as an intern for Jim Lee’s Wildstorm Productions. Bejermo is given a (mostly) glowing review by Jim Lee himself, which is usually a good sign.
Batman: Noel is basically the DC version of the classic Dickens tale, A Christmas Carol. DC has placed its characters in the roles of the original cast, and for the most part it works really well. Batman is Scrooge, all angry and pigheaded – of course, like the original tale he reforms in the end. Catwoman makes for an interesting Ghost of Christmas Past; the long and off-again-on-again romance serves as a great reminder of Batman’s history as a comic. What really interested me, however, was Bejermo’s portrayal of Superman as the Ghost of Christmas Present. In comparison to the ever-dark and brooding Batman, Superman literally glows with warmth. In such a cold, dreary world, this portrayal of the Man of Steel absolutely nails what he’s about.
Speaking of Bejermo’s art – wow. Just wow. There has been criticism of Bejermo’s art (“the realistic style detracts from the comic feel” etc.) but I have to disagree. The first few pages – featuring Gotham’s skyline and Batman running across the rooftops – are nothing short of spectacular, and Bejermo’s version is probably my favourite depiction of Gotham to date.
The story doesn’t change all that much from the original tale – the characters might be different, but there’s parallels everywhere. That’s not to say that Bejermo’s writing doesn’t add to the story, but it becomes so blended with the original story that it can be hard to distinguish anything original. The content is there, but I feel like it could stand out more. There’s interesting insight into the life of Joker’s goons, too – the Noel equivalent of Bob Cratchit shows what it’s like to be desperate, as well as showing just how terrifying the Bat can be when he wants to.
All up, Batman: Noel is the perfect comic to read this Christmas – while it might appear to be just a comic version of A Christmas Carol, this is an awesome take on the tale, and Batman in general. Do yourself a favour and pick it up.
Have yourselves an awesome Christmas!
