Detective Comics #662, page 22 (1993) - Knightfall Pt. 8

The 1990's were a time when "big events" ruled the comic world. But of all the ones they did, to me, "Knightfall" in the Batman titles will always be the most seminal of them all.

Batman faces all his most deadly foes, before having to deal with the new threat of Bane for the mantle to "rule" Gotham. This page pretty much encapsulates the emotional thrust of the story. A battered, bewildered, and bedraggled Batman makes for a very potent image. Artist Graham Nolan is masterful in conveying the bone-weariness of our hero. The first panel, with Batman's downtrodden expression, tells you everything you need to know about what he's feeling. And the third panel only drives home just how drained, both physically and mentally, he is. Then you have the slick and smooth inking of one of the 90's workhorses, Scott Hanna, which is a perfect compliment to Nolan's powerful pencils. The final two panels, as we close-up to Batman's eye, gives the impression of an enveloping darkness that is surrounding the viewer, just as it is Batman himself. Something only an adept inker could hope to pull off effectively. Combine all this with the perfect prose from Chuck "Mr. Action" Dixon, and you have a crew which can stand head and shoulders among the greatest and most legendary creative teams of all time!

Every big event story wants to be what "Knightfall" was. And every creative team wants to be what Dixon, Nolan, and Hanna are here! What higher compliment can a creator ever hope for? That's why I'm glad to make this piece a part of my collection!