Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo #5: The Horror, The Horror

Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo #5 is the best-looking issue of the series thus far. Marc Silvestri’s take on Gotham and Batman has never looked better, and this issue has many great visuals. Even the more minimal backgrounds have just enough detail to put the scale of things in perspective. I wish the series leaned into the horror aspect more. Arif Prianto knocks it out of the park with his coloring. Silvestri’s pencils and inks alone are stellar, but Prianto knows how to add just enough color to bring the horror up a level. 

I’m a sucker for horror, but the fight between Batgirl and Joker was the issue’s highlight for me. It just felt so intense and a perfect example of Silvestri’s use of expressive faces and dynamic movements. Batgirl’s moves are graceful even when the Joker tries to kill her. I was blown away by the look on her face when Batman broke up the fight. Silvestri’s art and Arif Prianto’s colors pack a punch. A few pages later, Bruce and Barbara are having a heated conversation at Wayne Manor, and we get another stellar closeup, but this time in Bruce’s eyes, you can see the reflection of the lit fireplace.

Troy Peteri’s lettering stuck out to me on this issue. Silvestri packs the dialogue in on this issue. So far, the pacing has been incredible,, so far, but this issue felt like a big info dump. There are a few instances where there is too much dialogue, but Peteri makes it work. On top of ensuring the issue reads as smoothly as possiI’m, I’m noticing more and more how Peteri’seri’s speech balloons and dialogue boxes compleSilvestri’stri’s art style.