Batman: Nightwalker
Publisher: Random House
Author: Marie Lu
Batman: Nightwalker is the newest release in the DC Icons YA (young adult) book series. The first title, Wonder Woman: Warbringer was released in 2017. The idea behind this series is to pair iconic DC superheroes with bestselling authors in the YA genre. All of the books are reboots to the characters’ origin stories, with new plot lines based on their teenage years. However, instead of being set in the past, they are current timelines with technology relevant to today’s YA readers. The next two installments in this series are Catwoman: Soulstealer, scheduled for release on August 7th of this year, and a Superman story to be released in 2019.
I chose to read Batman: Nightwalker first, even though it’s the second in the series. Each installment is a standalone, so reading them out of order will not in any way ruin the stories for readers. I’m a big Batman fan and was drawn to this story first. I’m also a Marie Lu fan, so it was a natural choice for me. Marie Lu is known for both of her action packed, dystopian style, YA trilogy series Legend and The Young Elites. She also recently released the first book in her newest series, Warcross, in 2017.
From the start, this story had the right tone for a Batman tale. The scenery is dark and atmospheric and the cars are sleek and fast. Bruce, ever in a crowd, expresses his feelings of detachment and separation based on his unique circumstances from the outset. He’s surrounded by people he’s not sure he can trust, and he’s trying find some meaning in it all. Classic Bruce.
The story starts out with a fast and furious car chase as Bruce inserts himself into a police investigation. Lu perfectly describes hairpin turns, screeching tires, and the adrenaline rush of doing what the police can’t accomplish with their clunky cars. From there Bruce finds himself entangled in the web of a mysterious Arkham inmate and fighting to save the city from the powers that would destroy it.
With that being said, there’s nothing new here for Batman enthusiasts. It’s comfortably centered in well-written, classic Batman tropes. Bruce is plagued with doubts, he’s the reluctant super-hero, and he’s ready to try out all the new toys. The story was fast-paced with little filler. The villains were Mad Stan-esque as their plans involved taking down the capitalist overlords of Gotham City. There was a bit of flirtatious romance, but in true Batman style, the woman in this story is dangerous and elusive.
Using the standard five-star rating system, I would say this is a solid 3.5 – 4 star read. It’s not over complicated, it doesn’t challenge readers, and it doesn’t bring anything new to the Batman spectrum. This isn’t a grim, dark plot along the lines of The Dark Knight trilogy, this is more similar to the stories told in the animated series Batman Beyond. However, it is a fast, fun, action-packed thriller appropriate for YA audiences and anyone else who doesn’t take the story too seriously.
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Frankie Reads
frankiereads@comicattack.net
