Batman: False Faces

Batman: False Faces
Batman: False Faces

By Brian K. Vaughan & various (DC Comics)
ISBN: 987-1-84576-720-4

Like most “overnight successes” writer Brian K. Vaughan actually plugged away for those requisite few years before hitting it big with series such as Ex Machina and Y: The Last Man and original works such as the magnificent Pride of Baghdad (ISBN: 1-84576-242-8).

This collection purports to be a Batman compendium (better sales potential, I’d imagine) but is in fact a general gathering of DC universe material by Mister Vaughan in his formative days. First up is a three-part tale from Batman #588-590, illustrated by Scott McDaniel & Karl Story, starring the Dark Knight’s underworld alter-ego Matches Malone. ‘Close Before Striking’ is very readable psycho-drama revealing the true origin of the underworld alias whilst taking the reader on a traumatic excursion into the dark side of undercover work. This is followed by the delightfully dark and whimsical ‘Mimsy Were the Borogoves’. With art by Rich Burchett and John Lowe this stand-alone story features a deeply demented encounter with The Mad Hatter, and is undoubtedly the best thing in the book.

There’s only a tenuous Batman link in the next tale, which originally saw print as Wonder Woman #160-161. ‘A Piece of You’, drawn by Scott Kolins with inks from Dan Panosian and Drew Geraci, finds shape-changing Bat-villain Clayface attacking the Amazing Amazon when he discovers her origin. As she was formed from Magic Clay he reasons that he can absorb her – and her magical abilities – into his own mass. And stone me; he’s right! Action-packed and tongue in cheek, this daft but readable thriller also guest stars Donna Troy, Nightwing and Robin.

Somewhat messily the tome ends with a mere snippet from Batman: Gotham City Secret Files #1 which introduced new villain The Skeleton, and then promptly forgot all about him. ‘Skullduggery’ is illustrated by Marcos Martin and Mark Pennington, and although competent, rather lets down a very enjoyable trawl through the genre work of one of the best new writers in comics. If you enjoy superhero tales or are a Vaughan aficionado please don’t let this slight defect deter you from a great slice of comic book fun.

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