Hong Kong » (REV)

Written by Batman scribe Doug Moench and drawn by legendary Hong Kong artist Tony Wong, this exceptional collaboration blends storytelling techniques from the East and West to create a truly unique adventure. When a serial killer begins to use a streaming video computer cam to broadcast his vicious executions, Batman must travel to Hong Kong to put an end to the brutal slayings. But when the Darknight Detective gets caught in the middle of a Cain and Abel feud between the Hong Kong police chief and the leader of the local triads, his only hope may rest in the hands of the mysterious Night Dragon, Hong Kong's native super-hero.

Publishers Weekly

West meets East as Batman travels from the dark streets of Gotham City to the flashy world of Hong Kong on the trail of a serial killer who uses streaming video to prove his kills. A hapless computer nerd hacks into the assassin's Web site, attempting to report the crime to Commissioner James Gordon. Although Gordon is initially dismissive, when the witness becomes the next victim, he realizes there was nothing fake about the report. When Gordon learns of a Hong Kong connection to the crime, Batman comes to the rescue, traveling abroad to put an end to the spree. Discovering the identity of the murderer and his motives plunges Batman into the middle of a gang war among crime families. The case also introduces him to Hong Kong's newest hero, The Night-Dragon, a man filled with secrets all his own, including a very personal stake in this tale's outcome. When the true mastermind is revealed, along with his plans to release a biological weapon that will devastate Hong Kong, Batman and Night-Dragon team up and tackle an army of gangbangers without police sanction to save the city. This original graphic novel is a fantastic juxtaposition of Asian and American elements that bridges the gap between comics and manga. Wong, a legendary comics artists in his native Hong Kong, displays art that explodes off the page with an electric mix of painted and hand-drawn images. Although the story is somewhat trite, it resembles a Jet Li or Jackie Chan movie, with superheroes who should appeal to a broad range of readers and interests. (Oct.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.