And, boom, there goes the series. Smith opens the issue reasonably well with a big fight scene between the Joker, the new supervillain and Batman, but then he decides to do a Killing Joke rip-off instead.

I think he even opens the conversation between Batman and the Joker like Moore does in The Killing Joke. Except, here, it isn’t interesting or special. In fact, I’ll bet most people who read this comic book know it’s a lift from the Killing Joke.

Additionally, the art’s pretty weak. Flanagan’s figures change size and proportion often. I originally assumed Flanagan would be doing something stylistic for the series. Instead, he does something standard, nothing special.

Smith has some funny dialogue and maybe a couple honest moments, but the entire issue is a misfire. He knocks the story off track to write the scene he really wanted to write–a Killing Joke ripoff.

There’s some really problematic art this issue. I feel kind of bad pointing it out (it happens regularly throughout the issue) since this issue is even better than the first. Smith opens it with narration. I can’t remember the last time I read a Batman comic with so much opening narration. It’s wonderful.

There’s a lot of enthusiasm here–both with Smith’s writing and Flanagan’s art. There are a couple panels where Flanagan seems to be going for a Michael Keaton look to Batman’s expression–and then there’s a slightly more obvious Dark Knight joke regarding the Joker and the character’s recent changes.

Smith doesn’t have any guest stars this issue, though he finally does a funny pop culture conversation and, more importantly, brings in Alfred.

Smith really ought to be writing a Batman monthly. I know it’s not feasible with his slow writing… but it’d be a good comic.

Who knew? Kevin Smith can write one heck of a Batman comic. And his buddy, Walt Flanagan (who spent many years as a punchline in Smith’s films), can draw well enough. I’ve certainly seen far less professional looking Batman comics than Cacophony.

I haven’t read a Smith comic in ten plus years–since Daredevil. He does a good job of doing a big Batman story–sure, it’s a Joker story really–but Deadshot shows up for a second and it all of a sudden reminds of great, pre-Dark Knight Batman stories. Or, at least, good ones.

Smith’s Joker, who can’t shut up about sex, is probably the best Joker I’ve read in a long time. Smith maintains the insanity and evil, but still makes him–somewhat annoyingly–fresh.

The more I think about the comic and what it does, the more I like it.

I’m very surprised it’s good.