Batman: Kings of Fear

 Writer: Scott Peterson

Artist: Kelley Jones

Rating: 6 of 8

Batman

Kings of Fear

Would the world be better off without me? It's a question a lot of us will ask at some point, with a number of different answers. Of course, Kings of Fear isn't about if the world would be better off without you, but whether it would be better off without you as you are.

It's a very different question to the above, but one that's definitely worth asking. In Kings of Fear, Scarecrow, the self-proclaimed Master of Fear, escapes the Asylum and wreaks havoc on Batman's mind, causing him to question his very existence. The Crusader is thrown through a torrid of turmoil, as he's forced to ask: would Gotham be better off without the Batman?

Through the annals of his own troubled mind, Wayne is presented with a world where he never became the hero we know. But instead of the city and, indeed, the world falling apart because of it, it's much better off. It's not overwhelmed by crime, chaos, or corruption, but instead much safer because of what he chose to do instead.

In this scenario, most of his enemies either went down far less violent paths, or met decidedly bloody ends before they could do any meaningful damage. Was this ever a real possibility, or is it all just a dark fantasy, conjured up by some deadly chemicals and lingering self-doubt? Well, that's up to you to decide.

For me, I struggle to see a world where Batman, or someone like him, wasn't necessary to take on the teeming crime and corruption of his city. He definitely didn't do it alone, but if it had just been a steadfast Jim Gordon taking it on, I'm not sure how he could have succeeded.

Though this is a very compelling exploration of Batman's psyche, I'm not sure if it makes sense for a more seasoned Dark Knight to have such heavy self-doubt. It might make more sense when he was just starting out, but I'm more used to seeing him be resolute in his beliefs.

Though Jones creates some incredible imagery, particularly when it comes to it's lead, it's antagonist and the nightmarish imagery he conjures up, there are some problems with it. At times, it can be hard to understand what's going on and I feel like if some of it was better laid out, it would be easier to follow. 

Other than that, though, this is both a rather compelling exploration of a hero's psyche and of the impact one man can have on the world.