Kevin Smith, director of comedies such as Clerks, Dogma, and most recently, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, is no stranger to the world of comics. Smith's noted comic career spans the pages of Spider-Man, Daredevil, and Green Arrow. Now he's tackling the Dark Knight with the new mini-series Batman: Cacophony.
"Cacophony" is defined as a harsh or discordant sound-a very appropriate name for the mini-series, since Batman now squares off against the sound-based assassin Onomatopoeia. Smith, along with artist Walt J. Flanagan, crafts a twisted tale starring a lively cast of assorted Batman characters.
The story centers on the mysterious assassin known as Onomatopoeia, a villain from Smith's Green Arrow run. Little is known about him except that he can reproduce classic comic noises such as "pow," "blam," and "bang."
Onomatopoeia busts the Joker out of Arkham Asylum as the laughing anti-hero goes on a rampage culminating in a gang war with flamboyant mob boss Maxie Zeus, the Greek god-inspired criminal mastermind. Stuck in the middle of it all is Batman, who must not only deal with the usual batch of Arkham hooligans but now must contend the new threat of Onomatopoeia.
Smith's storytelling is truly the strongest element of the graphic novel. His trademark dialogue, which is usually showcased in his raunchy comedies, fits seamlessly in the dark world of the Batman.
Every character is strongly written into stories that are both fun and exciting. Whether it is the vile and disgusting Joker or the stoic and commanding Batman, Smith portrays each character in an engaging manner.
However, the character that stands out the most is the one who says the least. Smith uses the deadly Onomatopoeia brilliantly. Rivaling the infamous Joker, the new villain steals the scene in each panel that he appears.
Occasionally, Smith slips up when writing discourse; the Joker sounds as if he is being played by Jason Mewes, known for his role as Jay in nearly all of Smith's films.
Smith approaches a fine line between joyful insanity and outright perversion with the Joker's dialogue. When Smith crosses that line, it seems like it belongs less in a Batman story and more in one of his outlandish films. At times, Batman comes off as more of a jerk than the down-to-Earth hero familiar to readers.
Flanagan's artwork is another shining point of Cacophony. His cartoony style fits oddly well with the dark story and his storytelling ability is excellent, creating well-drawn scenes like the escape from Arkham and the confrontation between the Joker and Maxie Zeus. His character design is top-notch, recreating all of Gotham City's finest.
Batman: Cacophony is not the best Batman story of the year, but it is an entertaining read. Between this, Batman R.I.P., Heart of Hush, and The Dark Knight, it is a great time to be a Batman fan. Cacophony is a must-have for any Batman or Kevin Smith follower.
