Watching the Flashpoint movie made me want to reread the Batman tie-in series to the event and post my review for others to see. This will be a shorter review compared to my other reviews because I will be avoiding spoilers. That being said, I would avoid my review of the Flashpoint movie since that one does include spoilers that reflect on this story, especially if you'd want to read this story with fresh eyes.
It isn't often that a tie-in series shines as bright as the event itself, but with Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso's "Batman: Knight of Vengeance", we get more insight into the life of Flash's co-star: Thomas Wayne as Batman. As one of the many divergent paths of DC's heroes in the Flashpoint timeline, readers would see a different and much darker course of events when the Waynes decided to cut through Crime Alley that fateful night. As this timeline's Batman, Thomas Wayne is much older, grittier, and much more willing to kill than his son.
While Thomas had helped Flash in his mission to change the world back to the way it was, he also had his own mission going on: rescue Judge Harvey Dent's kidnapped children from the Joker, who has once again escaped from Arkham Asylum. At the time of this story's publication, this was one of the most demented versions of the Joker I had seen, comparable to 2012-2013's "Death of the Family" storyline. Even rereading this story again, I still get goosebumps from the character's actions.
Now, the Batman/Joker relationship everyone is familiar with has always been unique in that they're opposites. Apparently, this is something Azzarello wanted to work with in the Flashpoint version of the characters, and it is the relationship between these characters that makes this story amazing on its own merits. While the Joker we usually know loves to torment Batman, this Joker genuinely hates Thomas Wayne and wants him dead; and while we know Bruce Wayne's code keeps him from killing anyone, no matter how much he would want to, particularly in the case of the Joker, one may question why a man like Thomas has become keeps allowing his own Joker to live and escape over and over again. The revelation of why will shock you, but in a way, will make perfect sense once you look back at the clues. By the end, the climax of their final confrontation will emphasize the tragic nature of the Flashpoint timeline.
As its own story, "Knight of Vengeance" ranks among the greatest Batman stories told in my opinion, even if it doesn't involve the Batman we are used to seeing. I'd recommend it to any Batfan, especially those who enjoy alternate versions of the character.
STORY RATING: 10/10
RECOMMENDATION RATING: 10/10
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