Source Material #421.5 - Bat-Man: First Knight (DC, 2024)

Jesse welcomes Chris Armstrong from Unspoken Issues for a deep dive into Dan Jurgens and Mike Perkins’ The Bat-Man: First Knight, a gritty DC Black Label reimagining of Batman’s earliest days in 1939 Gotham. Against a backdrop of Depression-era unrest, rising fascism, police corruption, and grotesque attackers who refuse to stay dead, an inexperienced Bruce Wayne must rely on detective work, low-tech ingenuity, and a few hard-earned allies to survive. The conversation explores the book’s film-noir atmosphere, Golden Age influences, striking period detail, Mike Perkins’ shadow-soaked artwork, Batman’s evolving relationship with James Gordon, and the moral crossroads that will define the hero he becomes. How does a vulnerable, untested Batman confront fear without becoming consumed by it? Grab your brass knuckles and tune in.