The DCU source blog recently posted the cover to the second issue of "Batman: The Dark Knight," a series beginning with a six-part story by David Finch. The first issue solicit doesn't get into much detail about the contents of the series. There's the usual Batman stuff; horrific murders, long-buried secrets, and the 'more supernatural and esoteric areas,' of Gotham City. This second cover, however, reveals more about the series. Perhaps it reveals even more than it was intended to when compared with some other -- totally spicy -- covers.Particularly, a cover like this:


Or this:


Or even this:


The hero supporting the girl with one arm, the girl having a low-cut gown and the most flexible back around, there's even a similarity in the color of the dress.

Clearly, Finch's "The Dark Knight" is a modern interpretation. DC has done authentic-looking pulp covers in the past.


Finch's cover has a lot of contemporary elements. Instead of the swooning heroine and the grim hero being part of a larger scene, they're superimposed over a different background image. The illustration style, especially of the woman, is more cartoonish and less realistic. And considering the voluminous folds of the woman's dress and its relative lack of shredding, it's clear that DC plans on keeping any 'spiciness' to a minimum.

Still, this is a hint as to what kind of series "The Dark Knight," is going to be. Whereas the solicit for issue one hints at gothic horror of supernatural gore, this cover goes straight for lurid pulp. Get ready to see good fight evil, men talk in terse sentences over glasses of scotch, and damsels in distress swoon.

And ladies, if you must wear a yellow dress while reading it -- be sure to limber up first.

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