4 Star

It’s Batman with a Steampunk Twist.

Once again Sam Liu (Batman: The Killing Joke, Batman and Harley Quinn) takes us into the DC world of Batman, this time based on a one of graphic novel by Brian Augustyn and Mike Mignola setting the caped crusader in the steampunk ear of Gotham’s seedier side of the city. So you know this is going to be different. (No Spoilers).

The smoke filled skies of the city, put a thick smog over the streets of Gotham, a place where the seedier citizens of move freely to pray upon those that stray into their territory. A wealthy couple do such a thing and three orphan rats accost them, threatening violence they want money and trinkets, that is until Batman arrives.

From the shadows a bruiser appears, it’s the orphans handler, Big Bill Dust and he takes on the the Batman, big mistake. Across town another young orphan is taking to the stage as an exotic dancer. She must have been good as she has peeked the interest of someone as she is followed when she leaves the theatre.

She is the new victim of ‘Jack the Ripper’. Because Batman is so efficient at his vigilante work he is feared by all and this leads to rumours that the Batman and Jack the Ripper are one in the same.

The murders keep happening and those in danger most are the street girls and they look too Stage actress Selina Kyle, a protector of the women from “Skinner’s End”. She even goes so far as to verbally attack Gotham policemen James Gordon and Chief Bullock for their inaction in stopping Jack the Ripper.

This leads her to set her self up as bait which she is successful at, but her plan doesn’t follow her script and Jack gets the upper hand until the Bat turns up and turns the tables on Jack, but the murderer manages to escape into the mists of the night. This encounter leads to Batman asking Gordon to help him bring down Jack the Ripper permanently.

The feel is familiar, but not all things are what they seem.

Batman: Gotham by Gaslight is available on Blu-ray and DVD