Even though it was his first comic, his trademark cartoonist style is already present. Otherwise, Batman: Ego is a high-quality comic from start to finish, and a phenomenal first achievement.īatman: Ego was fully drawn, inked, and colored by Darwyn Cooke himself. Ego is crafted so confidently and effortlessly that the only clue to Cooke’s inexperience with the comics medium is slight pacing struggles as the narrative transitions between story ideas. One of the true highlights of the narrative is the balance between the dark psychological terror of Batman and Bruce’s unyielding optimism for a better future. Letting the readers meet these characters before their tragedy allows us to deeply feel what was lost when Bruce’s parents died. The comic spends more time with young Bruce and his parents than nearly any other Batman story, building the family dynamics and the Waynes’ relationships with each other. The story is easily accessible as a first Batman comic, presenting a concise yet thorough retelling of the classic Batman story through Darwyn Cooke’s unique point of view. The story is set during “Year Three,” but it recaps the grand Batman myth so elegantly that Ego serves as an origin comic for both Batman and his most notorious foes. Ego is a deeply powerful character study of Bruce Wayne’s psyche, exploring Bruce’s motivations for his mission and self-loathing for his failures. Batman: The story of Egoīatman: Ego was Darwyn Cooke’s comics debut and it’s a sensational start. So in this edition of DC Showcase, let’s dive into the depths of Bruce Wayne’s psyche and see what we can learn about the man behind the myth of Batman! Batman: Ego title page (DC Comics) Bruce Wayne vs. A major influence on beloved Batman adaptations like Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins and Matt Reeves’ The Batman, Batman: Ego has become one of the truly essential Batman stories that every fan must read for themselves, and it’s a perfect place to start for fans new to comics. Coming during a time when “dark and gritty” storytelling was the standard, Cooke’s bright, cartoony art style paved the way for retro-style artists like Doc Shaner and Chris Samnee.Ĭreated as part of Cooke’s job pitch for Batman: The Animated Series in the 1990s, Ego has endured for decades.

The 64-page prestige comic was the first comic written and drawn by legendary artist Darwyn Cooke, who started as a storyboard artist for the Batman/Superman animated series.Īfter Ego launched his comics career, Cooke would go on to win 13 Eisner Awards in just a few years, crafting some of the most artistically distinct DC comics of the 2000s including Batman: Ego, DC: The New Frontier, and the modern reinvention of Catwoman. Batman: Ego is one of the most important Batman character studies of the past twenty years.

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