Dark prince charming is freaking dope. one of the best modern Batman stories. Plus the art is sick
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Howdy @Twogun_DC, I totally agree this was a fantastic story and the art is amazing I love how captured the gritty look of gotham.
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Have you read this story before or any other works by Enrico Marini?
I hadn’t read any work by him beforehand (though I really want to now, as soon as they go on sale on Comixology I might snag one up). I had read this before, back when the site first started and only had the first issue on here, I saw that the complete trade was on sale on Comixology, and had to buy it to see what happens next. 
What did you think of the art of this story, specifically the redesigns of some of the characters we see?
The art is, in a word, exquisite. It was such a perfect fit for Batman – dark, moody, dynamic, full of action, danger, and just a little bit sexy.
In terms of redesigns, Batman’s is probably the most basic and sticks closest to the classic look, and looks fantastic.
Similarly, Catwoman looks pretty close to what Darwyn Cooke did, but with a little extra touch to it. I really like the claw mark design around her ribs and thighs – I feel like they give the suit just a little more pop.
Joker also feels pretty close to his classic appearance, but the spiked hair and the blue make-up around the eyes gives him an extra crazy vibe. I wonder if maybe the designers on Joker saw the blue make up here and decided to incorporate their own version for the movie. I also feel like this was probably a better implementation of him with tattoos of his iconography than what David Ayer and co did with Suicide Squad.
Finally, Harley’s is probably the most out of left field, but considering some of her most recent make-overs from each of the Arkham games, Injustice, the New 52, Suicide Squad, Rebirth…her constant look is a constant state of flux, it’s weirder if she has a set outfit to herself other than whatever whimsy she feels like with an extra checkerboard pattern to it.
What took me a second to get used to more was her role in it firmly as Joker’s girlfriend/hench wench. Seriously, when was the last time we’ve really seen her in that role? …Hush, I think? That’s a long freaking time. While I overall like the independent Harley with her weird set of morals and her poly relationship with Poison Ivy, it was fun to see her go back to her roots a bit.
(Also, it looks like out of all the Gotham characters, Harley is the one Marini has drawn the most. Which…I can’t blame him.)
What did you think of the character of Alina, the little girl that Batman vows to save?
I really liked her as a character. Kid characters can sometimes be a pain to read, but I think Marini did a good job of making her feel childlike without being annoying. I liked how we see her legitimately afraid, but she never lets herself cower and actually stands up for herself. She freaking kicks Harley in the shin and actually beats the Joker! Whether she’s related by blood or not, she’s definitely cut from the same mold as Bruce, at least at this point in time.
I’m gonna go ahead and join the chous of GIMME MORE STORIES IN THIS UNIVERSE.
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Also, as @Aquamon couldn’t get it to work on his end, here’s one of the best Batman over Gotham images we both talked about.
Also, like I said, I have the trade on digital, so I thought I’d share the sketchbook at the end with you guys.
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Thank you for sharing the sketchbook. Such beautiful art!
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@Jay_Kay, thanks for sharing the pics! Funny I was wondering the same thing about the blue paint on jokers eyes and if this was a inspiration for the recent movie. I love his Harley design and how he wrote the character. I favor the Jester outfit above all but this one was done well i feel. It show skin but seems more playful and suits the character more with the poofy skirt and collar, than what is currently her look these days, I like her best when she is with the joker. Never been a fan of the Ivy pairing really.
I would love to see more from this universe as well. The pic’s from the sketch book are great! Love the comparison of the Gotham one. Really shows how much he put into the painting to make things come alive. I think I am going to buy this book as well.
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Thanks y’all for joining this week and the great discussions! Next we will jump into Batman Europa and an optional ElseWorld story Batman: In Darkest Knight. Will have it up later today!
Thanks again and hope everyone has a great weekend!
@AlexanderKnox
@ralphsix
@Jay_Kay
@Batman0803
@Twogun_DC
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Thanks for the selection! Looking forward to the new week of reading. 
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I love Batman: The Dark Prince Charming! I hadn’t read anything featuring this artist before but he really blew me away. The rich, unique watercolor gave the incredible story a cinematic quality and kept me on the edge of my seat. I agree, @Batman0803 - the flow of the reading was very different! For me it was refreshing.
Harley’s redesign lent well to her fun banter, likewise for The Joker. I couldn’t agree with you more on Batman’s description, @Jay_Kay. I feel that his interpretation was the most tangible and visceral I’ve seen.
I believe that the events implied that Alina was in fact Joker’s daughter, not Batman’s. The ending supported this theory with Joker at the same bar chatting up (and potentially hooking up with) the same bartender. I think that Batman knew that the girl was Joker’s and thought that disguising her as a Wayne would secure a better future, especially since she wanted to do good (unlike her criminal father).
It’s interesting to see Joker at a bar, notably the very same establishment where Bruce made an appearance. Because of this, I also theorized that the Clown Prince of Crime set it all up or somehow influenced the outcome with this child - as a scheme of sorts. @ralphsix, I got a “Johnny Depp” vibe too!
I look forward to adding these books to my collection in the near future - instant classic! Thank you @WorldOfBatsBookClub for allowing me to join your discussion!
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