Matt Wagner is an underrated Batman writer/artist. While he isn’t as good as Frank Miller (that list is fairly short), his Batman stories are very good. He started with the Batman/Grendel and then moved into his Batman: Faces story from Legends of the Dark Knight. He also worked on Trinity, featuring Superman and Wonder Woman along with Batman. Then he did his two part Dark Moon Rising story line as standalone mini series. The first was Batman and the Monster Men and then followed by Batman and the Mad Monk. Both of these are set immediately after Batman: Year One and feature a younger Batman who is still figuring out his way around the whole crime fighting scene. I haven’t read the first one yet, so let’s check in with the Mad Monk.

Bruce Wayne has a love interest in Julie Madison who’s father was “talked to” by Batman when he got into a criminal jam. But since then, he’s been a bit shy, bordering on neurotic. As Julie starts getting more and more concerned, Batman is being asked by Captain (not yet Commisioner) Gordon to look into a potential serial killer who drains the victims blood from their neck similar to a vampire. As Batman investigates, Julie is contacted by a woman who promises that her boss can help Julie’s father. Desparate, Julie goes to visit and the Mad Monk, who is a vampire, uses mind control to convince Julie to turn over all her father’s financial information to them (before he kills her and drains her blood).

Along the way, Bruce and Julie each spend a night trying to track the other person, with Bruce having some more luck than Julie does. Captain Gordon is still having issues with some rogue cops and is concerned with his relationship with Batman. He’s wondering whether a secret relationship is what’s best for everyone or if he should bring it out in the open.

What Wagner brings to Batman is the art and the mood. The story is decent, but not spectacular but Wagner knows how to set a mood (both with art and with story). Here’s Batman escaping from a trap (with a nice nod to Star Wars).

Wagner uses art and Dave Stewart’s moody colors to help set the mood and deftly brings in a supernatural element without making it seem like it’s out of place in the superhero universe. It’s a great story by Wagner and I’m looking forward to reading the prequel.