Chinese mafia accountant Lau (Chin Han) is sitting in his Hong Kong office, when the vigilante Batman (Christian Bale) swoops in and takes out his bodyguards. The police arrive and block their exit. A plane comes by, and Batman is instantly pulled away via a hook, and Lau is taken off as well. This spectacular sequence in The Dark Knight (2008) should remind Batman fans to pick up Batman: Hong Kong for further enjoyment.
The story kick starts with an Internet hacker watching live feed of a venomous snake biting a man. This was part of a Chinese underworld feud. Though he subsequently informs Gotham City Police Commissioner James Gordon, the latter’s inaction translates into the hacker’s death care of the Hong Kong triads.
Batman, who was in the loop as and when these incidents had occurred, acts as the liaison between Gordon and Hong Kong Police Chief Chow Yee. As the caped crusader goes on the trail of the murderer in Hong Kong, the vigilante finds himself embroiled in a bigger conflict that can obliterate that city in the long run. The biggest complication is that gangster Tiger One-Eye and Chow Yee are fighting each other relentlessly. Batman’s quest for finding the killer turns into a war on the oriental underworld.
However, he does have the difficulty of navigating through Hong Kong. He was fortunate that during all this chaos, he had inspired Benny Lo, a reformed street-punk (and former bodyguard to Tiger One-Eye), to adopt the identity of the Night-Dragon. They finally join hands for a common cause. As to whether they can resolve the crisis, that remains to be seen.
Writer Doug Moench and artist Tony Wong successfully fused American storytelling and Asian art. Japanese Manga heavily influenced the work, and the story’s melodrama meets expectations. However, it is not an easy read because it harps on the Chinese underworld, and much like the Italian mafia, it has an intricate hierarchy. To decipher the definition of honour in these sub-cultures is extremely hard, but for a casual reader, it should not be all that daunting. Hardcore gangster genre fans may not be able to digest the combination of Manga, Batman and the underworld because the triple combination obscures this book’s genre.
As for Night-Dragon, though the character resembles Batman in several ways, they do have loud differences. The Night-Dragon does not wear a cape, but that is simply a rudimentary observation. Though he has used green and yellow shades in his costumes, he has managed to maintain an intimidating persona. It goes to the extent of him upstaging Batman on several occasions.
In conclusion, Batman’s seven-decade history makes him predictable in terms of the artwork (with Frank Miller and Jim Lee being exceptions). There is no warmth factor attached to Batman even when he is recalling the past when in costume. On the other hand, despite Night-Dragon’s reptilian look and feel, his passion manages to ooze out as he recollects old times, thus emitting volcanic mammalian heat.
So, for a melodramatic comic book experience, go to Batman: Hong Kong though it may not be in the league of the critically acclaimed Batman: Hush.