Book Review: BATMAN: MADE OF WOOD (2003) By Ed Brubaker and Patrick Zircher *** and a 1\2 out of *****

(c) DC.

Released in 2003 by DC Comics as Detective Comics number 784 to 786, Made of Wood is one of the most underrated Batman storylines of recent years.

Building upon the revelation in Post-Crisis DC Comics continuity, that Alan Scott’s Green Lantern was Gotham City’s protector in the 1940’s, veteran comic book writer Ed Brubaker creates a layered, deeply nostalgic, yet hard-hitting storyline about a vicious enemy from Green Lantern’s past, who seems to be brutally killing a select number of people for a reason known only to him. On the victim’s chests he carves the words, “Made of Wood”.

Batman, with the help of retired police commissioner Gordon, tries to solve the case, but it is soon obvious that without the help of Green Lantern\Alan Scott, the killing will continue.

So Batman and Green Lantern have to team up to hunt down the elusive killer, and, in the process, unearthing a forgotten dark episode from Alan Scott’s past.

Brubaker writes in his usual hard-boiled style, but with an added retro twist that gives the tale a winning 1940’s bent.

Brubaker’s stellar writing aside, Patrick Zircher’s gorgeous artwork also deserves a lot of the praise, as his style here is a loving tribute to artists from the 1940’s, with rich designs, shadowy backgrounds, and art-deco architecture, making Batman: Made of Wood a visual feast.

Near forgotten, and undeservedly so, Batman: Made of Wood is captivating, fun, and ultimately moving, and a worthy read for fans of Batman, Green Lantern, Noir, or just good, old storytelling.

Note: the storyline is collected in the Batman: The Man Who Laughs paperback.

Text © Ahmed Khalifa. 2022.

Ahmed Khalifa is a filmmaker and novelist. He is the writer/director of several short films and a feature, which was released on Netflix, and the author of a number of novels and short stories, including the YA horror novel, Beware The Stranger, available on Amazon. He is also the host of The Dark Fantastic Podcast. Find him on Twitter @AFKhalifa and on Facebook @DFantasticPodcast