Apr 1, 2016 19:53:13 GMT -5 shaxper said:

Apr 1, 2016 19:45:26 GMT -5 chadwilliam said:

It's been a few years since I last re-read this one, but I don't recall Stiletto's ability to get people to sympathize/side with him to be anything more than the result of his being an extremely charming, persuasive fellow.

Gordon outright indicates it's "supernatural," and in one of the scans I provided above, he convinces Batman to enjoy the beating he is giving him; doesn't sound like something someone could naturally persuade Batman to do.

I like the sitting and staring at the clock bit as well - again, awhile since I've read it, but I remember getting the sense that the moment illustrated Batman's acceptance of the fact that in this case, he didn't resolve the ambiguity of his thoughts and feelings and simply resigned himself to acting as a tool for the law.  The passivity of that final scene reflected that.

I wish I had extracted that meaning from it. If that's what Milligan was going for, he wasn't very clear about it.

And the bi-racial Two-Tone reminds of The Thing with Two Heads film from the 1970's - although in this one, it's a two-headed guy born out of a head transplant where a racist white guy finds his head attached to that of a black man.

Never would I have suspected, while writing this review, that Two-Tone would end up being the center of the conversation!

I just re-read the issue and wow - you're absolutely right about Calvino's ability being some sort of super power.  Man, I bought this when it came out, must have re-read it a couple dozen times at least since then, and that bit - so central to the character - slipped my notice.  Not that I missed all the anecdotes about "once talking a victim into holding his knife for him while he used the john and then killed him"; needing to be kept in a "soundproof box"; Gordon's statement that he's "supernaturally persuasive"; it's just that if I let myself accept the fact that Stiletto has some such ability (and isn't simply the "world's nicest killer" as the story put it) then things fall apart for me.

I had read this as a story in which a crime fighter who has sworn to never willingly take a human life has to consider the moral ambiguity inherent in turning a killer (who only kills criminals) over so that he can be executed.  Calvino is also given a moment where he saves Batman's life.  There are several moments where Batman thinks about how close he is to setting Calvino free and how relieved he is that Stiletto's ability to speak has been inferred with for whatever reason (namely when they're submerged underwater).  Now this is where things go south for me.  If Batman is on the verge of letting Calvino go because the killer is forcing him to confront certain truths Batman had either ignored or put in the back of his mind before, then that's compelling.  If however (as is the case) Calvino simply possesses a sort of super-hypnosis which Batman has to fight against, then where is the internal conflict on Batman's part?  He isn't thinking to himself "I've sworn to uphold the law, but how can I when doing so conflicts with my principles" but "don't fall under his spell don't fall under his spell don't fall under his..." instead.  So why bother having Batman owe his life to Calvino, being sympathetic to his situation, etc. if it isn't on the merits of these considerations that Batman's preparing his defense?

Also, how is Batman able to fight off Stiletto's influence anyway?  The same guy who once convinced a guy to help him kill him didn't stand a chance, so why does Batman?  I suppose Calvino's power might work best if he's given enough time with somebody except, doesn't he convince a guy to let him steal a bus after only knowing him for a few seconds?  Yeah, I know, "because he's Batman", but that's a crutch for a lesser writer. 

And why was Calvino even put in a position where he was able to ask a guy to let him go to the washroom unattended before his execution if his powers are well known?  Shouldn't he at least have been wearing a muzzle or something?

It's strange to me that Milligan had a perfectly believable and interesting character for use in his tale and instead just added on a super power which not only wasn't necessary, but in my opinion, lessened the story.

Oh, and it wasn't Two-Tone that stood out as the most visually grotesque thing in this story, but that baseball sized bruise Batman sports after getting kicked in the face.