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Batman: Miniseries
The Bat-Man: Second Knight
152 pages, Hardcover
First published May 5, 2026
About the author
Mike Perkins
527 books12 followerssource: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Per...
Mike Perkins began drawing at a very early age. After attending the Bournville College of Art, Birmingham, England he set himself up as a self-employed artist and pursued work in comics.
As well as illustrating children's books and educational literature, Perkin's career has encompassed computer game design, album covers and business-centered graphic design, although it is probably for his comic book work that he is more widely known.
Perkins' early professional work included work for the British anthology 2000 AD, Marvel UK, Ginn Publishing, Dorling Kindersley and Oxford University Press.
This led to further work in the American market with both DC Comics and Caliber Comics; where he worked on Kilroy is Here, Black Mist, Amongst The Stars, Negative Burn, St. Germaine, Brian Lumley's Necroscope and an adaptation of Doctor Faustus. The latter being a collaboration with Mike Carey, with whom he has worked with throughout his career – most notably on the co-created Carver Hale for 2000 AD and Spellbinders for Marvel Comics.
His first sole inking job, over the pencils of Phil Winslade, led to other inking opportunities at DC and Dark Horse Comics which in turn opened the doors to being asked to join the then new Florida-based comic company CrossGen.
While there, he primarily inked the series Ruse, and worked alongside Mark Waid, Butch Guice and Laura Martin. He also pencilled and inked Archard's Agents and co-created Kiss Kiss Bang Bang with Tony Bedard. He subsequently signed exclusively with Marvel Comics, where he has continued to work until the present time.[citation needed]
At Marvel he has worked on books such as Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Spellbinders, Annihilation Conquest, House of M: Avengers and Union Jack,[1] but has most notably been part of the artistic team (alongside Steve Epting) on Ed Brubaker run of Captain America.
Mike Perkins began drawing at a very early age. After attending the Bournville College of Art, Birmingham, England he set himself up as a self-employed artist and pursued work in comics.
As well as illustrating children's books and educational literature, Perkin's career has encompassed computer game design, album covers and business-centered graphic design, although it is probably for his comic book work that he is more widely known.
Perkins' early professional work included work for the British anthology 2000 AD, Marvel UK, Ginn Publishing, Dorling Kindersley and Oxford University Press.
This led to further work in the American market with both DC Comics and Caliber Comics; where he worked on Kilroy is Here, Black Mist, Amongst The Stars, Negative Burn, St. Germaine, Brian Lumley's Necroscope and an adaptation of Doctor Faustus. The latter being a collaboration with Mike Carey, with whom he has worked with throughout his career – most notably on the co-created Carver Hale for 2000 AD and Spellbinders for Marvel Comics.
His first sole inking job, over the pencils of Phil Winslade, led to other inking opportunities at DC and Dark Horse Comics which in turn opened the doors to being asked to join the then new Florida-based comic company CrossGen.
While there, he primarily inked the series Ruse, and worked alongside Mark Waid, Butch Guice and Laura Martin. He also pencilled and inked Archard's Agents and co-created Kiss Kiss Bang Bang with Tony Bedard. He subsequently signed exclusively with Marvel Comics, where he has continued to work until the present time.[citation needed]
At Marvel he has worked on books such as Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Spellbinders, Annihilation Conquest, House of M: Avengers and Union Jack,[1] but has most notably been part of the artistic team (alongside Steve Epting) on Ed Brubaker run of Captain America.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 5, 2026
A friend, EW, lent me the separate issues of the first volume of this series, The Bat-Man: First Knight (2024), the premise of which is to take us back to 1939-40, WWII, the war against Hitler, Nazis, and fascism, with an eye to today, where endless war continues and the threat of worldwide war threatens. Then: A Time of fear. Today: A time of fear.
This second volume, Second Knight (May 5 2026) continues the story, set still in Gotham, where there is a killer loose who leaves a hangman's noose. The Scarecrow. Re-enacting the early days of DC in Gotham, with Lois Lane and Superman easing into the fray with Batman as the vigilante crime-fighter. Retro forties style illustration. We have yet to get to Europe/WWII and its direct link to fascism, though, so we will have be having a Third Knight.
This second volume, Second Knight (May 5 2026) continues the story, set still in Gotham, where there is a killer loose who leaves a hangman's noose. The Scarecrow. Re-enacting the early days of DC in Gotham, with Lois Lane and Superman easing into the fray with Batman as the vigilante crime-fighter. Retro forties style illustration. We have yet to get to Europe/WWII and its direct link to fascism, though, so we will have be having a Third Knight.
Review of advance copy
It's got the style of the first volume down, but the dialogue is overstuffed with outdated catchphrases.
The intrusion of the real world is less that the prior installment but still present, and while it is easy to accept small changes to the background and the edges of the story (i.e. Clark as an Okie, Thomas Wayne as a soldier) when the author changes* or makes incredulous claims about actual history* (when actual history is a driving part of the story) it takes the reader right out of the tale.
* stating that Bruce was trained by Harry Houdini and trusted enough to learn his secrets is...unbelievable. HH died in 1926. Bruce's parents can't die before 1919 what with WWI and all, so at the very outside, the claim is that HH revealed all to some kid between the ages of 7 and .. 16 maybe? Unbelievable.
The intrusion of the real world is less that the prior installment but still present, and while it is easy to accept small changes to the background and the edges of the story (i.e. Clark as an Okie, Thomas Wayne as a soldier) when the author changes* or makes incredulous claims about actual history* (when actual history is a driving part of the story) it takes the reader right out of the tale.
* stating that Bruce was trained by Harry Houdini and trusted enough to learn his secrets is...unbelievable. HH died in 1926. Bruce's parents can't die before 1919 what with WWI and all, so at the very outside, the claim is that HH revealed all to some kid between the ages of 7 and .. 16 maybe? Unbelievable.
May 9, 2026
The sequel to Bat-Man: First Knight, the Dark Knight in an early 20th-century pulp setting just works. I was a big fan of the first volume. Although on a second read, I did find the story a little simplistic. The sequel ups the stakes, though, and introduces more familiar faces from the wider DC universe. The story fits seamlessly with the time period, with Gotham, and by extension, the United States, on the brink of being involved in the Second World War. The ending could've been a little more spectacular, although solid enough for me to be satisfied. The art, which was the biggest plus in the first volume, remains spectacular and is my favorite aspect of the book. Overall, a great continuation to a black label series that I hope can expand into something wider. 4.3/5.
April 10, 2026
I was happy to see First Knight get a sequel, I thought it was a fun read. Batman works so well in a 40s noir setting and that remains true the second time around.
Perkins art is great and he really captures early era Batman. Reimagining Scarecrow as a disgraced chemical weapons manufacturer from the First World War was a great idea for the character. I did find the Rabbi’s character to be a bit awkward, as he’s largely in the book for the sole purpose of ranting about the impending Second World War and European fascism. I suppose global conflict and fascist persecution of minorities is very relevant today, I just think this character came off as clunky.
I assume Bruce Wayne’s proposal to Julie won’t last and he will jump back into action in the future, otherwise the ending of this book doesn’t really jive with the overall theme. If you’re going to write a Batman World War Two story and have him check out of the game right before the war kicks off why even bother? This Batman still has work to do, his world is about to get demonstrably worse.
Perkins art is great and he really captures early era Batman. Reimagining Scarecrow as a disgraced chemical weapons manufacturer from the First World War was a great idea for the character. I did find the Rabbi’s character to be a bit awkward, as he’s largely in the book for the sole purpose of ranting about the impending Second World War and European fascism. I suppose global conflict and fascist persecution of minorities is very relevant today, I just think this character came off as clunky.
I assume Bruce Wayne’s proposal to Julie won’t last and he will jump back into action in the future, otherwise the ending of this book doesn’t really jive with the overall theme. If you’re going to write a Batman World War Two story and have him check out of the game right before the war kicks off why even bother? This Batman still has work to do, his world is about to get demonstrably worse.
September 26, 2025
This is a very stylish book but I’m just not into the art style. That is purely personal taste and I can appreciate what it’s doing. The story was fine but not outstanding. It was a good book but didn’t quite hit in the way I was hoping.
Review of advance copy
As good as the first, hoping for a third.
May 11, 2026
Very good sequel with Scarecrow and Superman both shining in here as really good additions. Main story is also a good mini story that is good in the time period.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews