Batman: Castle of the Bat

[Silver Nemesis]

This one seems to have been forgotten in recent years, but I recall a time when it was featured prominently on store shelves alongside titles like Gotham by Gaslight and Batman & Dracula: Red Rain. But while many still cherish those other Elseworlds books, this one nowadays tends to get overlooked.

Heavily influenced by James Whale's 1931 adaptation of Frankenstein, Castle of the Bat relocates the Batman myth to 19th century Europe. Here Bruce Wayne is reimagined as a young doctor whose research concerns the transferral of living energies across different species of animals. Through his experiments he is able to imbue one animal with the sensory abilities of another. For example, he mixes a dog and a bat to create a Bat-Hound.

The Bat-Hound – a clear reference to Ace from the mainstream comics – is one of only a handful of classic characters reinterpreted in the book. The others include Bürgermeister Gordon (Commissioner Gordon) and the hunchback Alfredo (Alfred Pennyworth). One thing I find slightly disappointing about Castle of the Bat is the way it doesn't attempt to incorporate any of Batman's familiar rogues into the reconceptualised mythology. There is a variation of Joe Chill, but aside from that there are no recognisable antagonists. And considering the number of times Frankenstein's creation has been matched against other monsters on the big screen – particularly during the Universal cycle of films – it feels like a wasted opportunity not to have included a stronger villain here.

The book presents an interesting dynamic between the Bruce Wayne and Bat-Man personas by separating them into two distinct characters. Bruce Wayne is the scientist responsible for handling all the detective work. The Bat-Man is a Frankenstein monster assembled from cadavers and given the brain of Bruce's late father, Thomas Wayne, who was murdered by a highwayman fifteen years earlier. Bruce is the cognitive, thinking side of the partnership; Thomas is the physical instrument of justice. The fact that the two aren't always functioning in alignment lends the relationship a Bruce Banner/Incredible Hulk dynamic that sets it apart from the more controlled depictions of Batman we're used to seeing in other comics.

I think this just about covers my thoughts on the book. The pacing is slow, the artwork is beautifully atmospheric, and the overall result is a mixed bag. It's certainly not the best Elseworld story, but it's far from the worst. And if you like your Batman stories with a sprinkling of gothic horror then there's a good chance you'll enjoy this one.

Does anyone else own a copy? If so, what are your thoughts on it?