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Elseworld "German Cinema" trilogy #2
Batman: Nosferatu
Under Clarc and Lois' enlightened rule, Metropolis has begun to progress. However, some resist that progress, such as Dr. Arkham, the head of an asylum, who holds "psychomantic" seances for the entertainment of the depraved rich of Metropolis. The star of these is the "Laughing Man", a white-faced, murderous creature, a prototype cyborg built by Lutor from one of Arkham's patients. Many other patients in the asylum are also experiments of Lutor, driven mad by his work. When Eschevin Gordon tries to close Arkham down, the doctor sends the Laughing Man to kill him. Attorney Dirk Grayson becomes suspicious of Arkham, but he, too, is killed by the Laughing Man. Dirk's friend, Bruss Wayne, and their mutual love-interest Barbera Gordon, are then drawn to investigate Arkham, after being turned down by the police and apparently ignored by the Super-Man and Lois, who have greater concerns that require his attention.
Wayne discovers Arkham is in league with the new Chancellor, Henderson, and that the two are manipulating the city's aristocrats via knowledge of their secrets and the shows in the cabinet. He also hears the two plotting to kill both himself and Barbera with the Laughing Man. But, during an attempted escape by the inmates in the asylum, he is captured and thrown into a great pit, at the bottom of which lie vast, sentient computers who once built Metropolis and still sustain it and watch over humanity. They turn Wayne into the "Nosferatu" and send him back to the city above.
The Nosferatu saves Barbera and kills the Laughing Man, before attacking Arkham in his asylum. As he fights the orderlies, the inmates hail him as "the Master." While confronting both Dr. Arkham and Henderson, the latter armed with a gun scavenged from Lutor's old lair and powered by the green stone taken from Lutor's chest, the Super-Man appears to investigate at Wayne-son's behest and is wounded by the weapon before the Nosferatu hurls Hender-son from the tower.
He is then confronted by the Superman, who believes there is no place for creatures of shadow in his city of light, while the Nosferatu calls him naïve and claims the inmates as his responsibility. They fight, eventually falling down into the underworld. Their battle is inconclusive, with each mortally wounding the other. However, the ancient machines reveal themselves to the Superman and he realizes that there can be no light without shadows. The Nosferatu's job is to catch these shadows. The machines restore both combatants, and the Superman accepts his control over the dark. Bruss Wayne ends up in charge of the asylum where Arkham is now a prisoner, trying to convince anyone who will listen that the new director is the Nosferatu.
Wayne discovers Arkham is in league with the new Chancellor, Henderson, and that the two are manipulating the city's aristocrats via knowledge of their secrets and the shows in the cabinet. He also hears the two plotting to kill both himself and Barbera with the Laughing Man. But, during an attempted escape by the inmates in the asylum, he is captured and thrown into a great pit, at the bottom of which lie vast, sentient computers who once built Metropolis and still sustain it and watch over humanity. They turn Wayne into the "Nosferatu" and send him back to the city above.
The Nosferatu saves Barbera and kills the Laughing Man, before attacking Arkham in his asylum. As he fights the orderlies, the inmates hail him as "the Master." While confronting both Dr. Arkham and Henderson, the latter armed with a gun scavenged from Lutor's old lair and powered by the green stone taken from Lutor's chest, the Super-Man appears to investigate at Wayne-son's behest and is wounded by the weapon before the Nosferatu hurls Hender-son from the tower.
He is then confronted by the Superman, who believes there is no place for creatures of shadow in his city of light, while the Nosferatu calls him naïve and claims the inmates as his responsibility. They fight, eventually falling down into the underworld. Their battle is inconclusive, with each mortally wounding the other. However, the ancient machines reveal themselves to the Superman and he realizes that there can be no light without shadows. The Nosferatu's job is to catch these shadows. The machines restore both combatants, and the Superman accepts his control over the dark. Bruss Wayne ends up in charge of the asylum where Arkham is now a prisoner, trying to convince anyone who will listen that the new director is the Nosferatu.
64 pages, Comic
First published January 1, 1999
About the author
Jean-Marc Lofficier
425 books22 followersJean-Marc Lofficier is a French author of books about films and television programs, as well as numerous comic books and translations of a number of animation screenplays. He usually collaborates with his wife, Randy Lofficier
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
December 26, 2017
There are absolutely godawful Batman books and then there are Batman Elseworlds books, many of which somehow found a level even lower than rock-bottom quality - in fact, I might’ve found the worst of them all with Batman: Nosferatu!
I gather it’s supposed to have something to do with the (sorta) famous silent movies Nosferatu and The Cabinet of Dr Caligari but I’ve never seen either so couldn’t tell you how effective a parody/mashup it is of them. And, my word, Randy and Jean-Marc Lofficier’s script is so mind-bogglingly crappy, so completely incoherent and so incompetently executed, I honestly can’t tell you what’s meant to be going on anyway!
It’s set in a perpetually twilit Gotham (and/or Metropolis?) where everyone’s all super-Gothic for no reason. Some of the upper crust weirdos gather to watch the Cabinet of Dr Arkham on stage every day or so and Batman’s dressed up as Frank the Rabbit from Donnie Darko, presumably for reasons? Batman and Superman fight and it’s all over? Wha…?
Throw in some of the fugliest art you’ll ever see anywhere (seriously, grab some crayons, close your eyes and walk into some paper and you’ll produce something better than what’s printed here!) and you’ve got this remarkably terrible comic - I almost admire how stinkerific it is as I don’t think most people could intentionally produce something this rubbish if they tried!
So here it is, an extremely strong contender for the worst Batman book of all time that puts an unintentionally different spin on vampires and sucking: Nosferatu!
I gather it’s supposed to have something to do with the (sorta) famous silent movies Nosferatu and The Cabinet of Dr Caligari but I’ve never seen either so couldn’t tell you how effective a parody/mashup it is of them. And, my word, Randy and Jean-Marc Lofficier’s script is so mind-bogglingly crappy, so completely incoherent and so incompetently executed, I honestly can’t tell you what’s meant to be going on anyway!
It’s set in a perpetually twilit Gotham (and/or Metropolis?) where everyone’s all super-Gothic for no reason. Some of the upper crust weirdos gather to watch the Cabinet of Dr Arkham on stage every day or so and Batman’s dressed up as Frank the Rabbit from Donnie Darko, presumably for reasons? Batman and Superman fight and it’s all over? Wha…?
Throw in some of the fugliest art you’ll ever see anywhere (seriously, grab some crayons, close your eyes and walk into some paper and you’ll produce something better than what’s printed here!) and you’ve got this remarkably terrible comic - I almost admire how stinkerific it is as I don’t think most people could intentionally produce something this rubbish if they tried!
So here it is, an extremely strong contender for the worst Batman book of all time that puts an unintentionally different spin on vampires and sucking: Nosferatu!
December 16, 2020
2.5*
Una historia que es un claro tributo al expresionismo alemán (de películas como Nosferatu, Metropolis o el gabinete del doctor Caligari).
El argumento es bastante rebuscado y poco tiene que ver con el encapotado. A pesar de esto la historia no esta mal y funciona conceptualmente.
En cuanto al apartado artístico es bastante difícil de digerir
Una historia que es un claro tributo al expresionismo alemán (de películas como Nosferatu, Metropolis o el gabinete del doctor Caligari).
El argumento es bastante rebuscado y poco tiene que ver con el encapotado. A pesar de esto la historia no esta mal y funciona conceptualmente.
En cuanto al apartado artístico es bastante difícil de digerir
May 29, 2018
Cool azures and steeply laden jet blacks enshroud this tale rippling with barely veiled subconscious forces. The dark that must co-exist with the light finds itself locked in its eternally unending combat since time immemorial. Just like the self-cannibalizing nature of the ororborous, Nosferatu swirls within its own viciously internalized cycle of evocative illustrations and mirey madness.
As murky as the dark underworld depicted within, the newly minted Nosferatu writhes and snakes his way across the second and third acts. With weaponized fingers that recall a similar X-Men character these wiry protuberances do battle with a variety of DC characters, in particular: Joker and eventually Superman.
Yet with all the stupendousness of the visuals, the narrative itself seems to occlude its very growth and development. More an expose of raw talent amid a subconsciously savaging instinct, the Makes-Sense-O-Meter® doesn’t really move far beyond WtF. Various molds of parts and parcels of a story might be filled but, overall the structure is highly lacking.
I really wish the story had matched the art in quality and cohesion but, it doesn’t. So when the ending is reached my eyeballs were pleased but my mind really wasn’t.
As murky as the dark underworld depicted within, the newly minted Nosferatu writhes and snakes his way across the second and third acts. With weaponized fingers that recall a similar X-Men character these wiry protuberances do battle with a variety of DC characters, in particular: Joker and eventually Superman.
Yet with all the stupendousness of the visuals, the narrative itself seems to occlude its very growth and development. More an expose of raw talent amid a subconsciously savaging instinct, the Makes-Sense-O-Meter® doesn’t really move far beyond WtF. Various molds of parts and parcels of a story might be filled but, overall the structure is highly lacking.
I really wish the story had matched the art in quality and cohesion but, it doesn’t. So when the ending is reached my eyeballs were pleased but my mind really wasn’t.
October 10, 2017
A meshing of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Nosferatu with the Batman mythos. Set in the same Elseworld as Superman: Metropolis. This works a little better than the first story as we step away from Metropolis impressionism and into The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari's madness. Ted McKeever's highly stylized art works better with this story as well.
August 24, 2009
A remarkable retelling of the Batman mythos. Set in an expressionist version of Metropolis, the Batman characters are set and transformed into characters in a graphic novel that draws heavily (but not mindlessly) on Murnau's "Cabinet of Doctor Caligari". The spiritual descent of Bruss Wayne-Son and his transformation into Nosferatu is impressive, particulary in his struggle with the city's other champion, Super-Man. Visually, Batman: Nosferatu is a delight for those whose tastes rotate to the twisted, Lovecraftian angles of German Expressionism. However, a basic knowledge of Batman's worlds and characters would definitively help in the enjoyment of this book.
June 23, 2021
Both a confused stew of "Nosferatu", "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari", and "The Man who Laughs" as well as a semi-sequel to Superman: Metropolis, the clunky art and competing themes combine with the stilted language to create a poor experience all around.
June 27, 2021
The art style was astounding. Just amazingly like the thing it is a homage to but different in its technical details. The story and language were fascinating but more as an exercise (look what they pulled off!) than as a story in and of itself.....
December 15, 2023
"Batman: Nosferatu", the second volume in DC's Elseworlds German cinema trilogy combines plot elements from the the original "Nosferatu" and "The Cabinet of Doctor Calagari" to create a new origni story for the Batman and the Joker. The book tells a creepy and edgy story that is strengthened by iuts dark and garish artwork.
Fans of the original "Nosferatu" may be disappointed by the relatively rudimentary coverage of the film. Conversely, the book focuses heavily on the "Calagari" background material and readers who are not familiar with this lesser know movie may find the book to be less accessible.
In any case, this book does not hang together as well as the first volume. The material it covers is also even more taste specific than that of the first volume but for the right readership the quality and depth of the writing should make up for some of its inherent weaknesses.
Fans of the original "Nosferatu" may be disappointed by the relatively rudimentary coverage of the film. Conversely, the book focuses heavily on the "Calagari" background material and readers who are not familiar with this lesser know movie may find the book to be less accessible.
In any case, this book does not hang together as well as the first volume. The material it covers is also even more taste specific than that of the first volume but for the right readership the quality and depth of the writing should make up for some of its inherent weaknesses.
October 27, 2020
3/5
What the hell did I just read?
What the hell did I just read?
April 28, 2021
*shrugs* idk gloomy and vampires. So liked it
March 4, 2025
Batman but legitimately scary at some points
April 28, 2013
The artwork is beautiful and unusual. The story of the Gothic Dr Markham and the laughing man intriguing. The writing, however, is awful and it takes a lot of concentration to work out what is going on. An OK read for the artwork alone.
November 27, 2014
Impressed with the art and the concept, but a bit disappointed with the plot. Nosferatu could have come earlier, and the transformation should be more drastic and could use more pages.
October 2, 2018
Batman: Nosferatu is an Elseworlds imprint. Written by Jean-Marc Lofficier and Randy Lofficier, and illustrated by Ted McKeever. It is patterned after the classic films The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Metropolis, and, to a lesser extent, Nosferatu, despite the title. It is the second part in a trilogy based on German Expressionist Cinema.
Not everyone is happy with the new enlightened rule in Metropolis and some resist that progress, such as Dr. Arkham, the head of an asylum, who holds séances for the entertainment of the depraved rich Metropolis. The star of these séances is the "Laughing Man", a white-faced, murderous creature – a prototype cyborg built by Lutor for one of Arkham's patients.
When Eschevin Gordon tires to close Arkham down, the doctor sends the Laughing Man to kill him. Attorney Dirk Grayson becomes suspicious of Arkham, but the Laughing Man. also kills him. Dirk's friend, Bruss Wayne, and their mutual love-interest Barbera Gordon, are then drawn to investigate Arkham.
Wayne discovers that Arkham has controlled the city's aristocrats by manipulating them via the knowledge of their secrets. He also overhears the two plotting to kill both him and Barbera with the Laughing Man. Unfortunately, he was caught and thrown into a great pit, where sentient computers turn Bruss Wayne into Nosferatu to battle evil.
All in all, Batman: Nosferatu is written and constructed somewhat well and it was somewhat successful in mixing the worlds of Batman with German Expressionist Cinema.
Not everyone is happy with the new enlightened rule in Metropolis and some resist that progress, such as Dr. Arkham, the head of an asylum, who holds séances for the entertainment of the depraved rich Metropolis. The star of these séances is the "Laughing Man", a white-faced, murderous creature – a prototype cyborg built by Lutor for one of Arkham's patients.
When Eschevin Gordon tires to close Arkham down, the doctor sends the Laughing Man to kill him. Attorney Dirk Grayson becomes suspicious of Arkham, but the Laughing Man. also kills him. Dirk's friend, Bruss Wayne, and their mutual love-interest Barbera Gordon, are then drawn to investigate Arkham.
Wayne discovers that Arkham has controlled the city's aristocrats by manipulating them via the knowledge of their secrets. He also overhears the two plotting to kill both him and Barbera with the Laughing Man. Unfortunately, he was caught and thrown into a great pit, where sentient computers turn Bruss Wayne into Nosferatu to battle evil.
All in all, Batman: Nosferatu is written and constructed somewhat well and it was somewhat successful in mixing the worlds of Batman with German Expressionist Cinema.
October 29, 2025
This should be horrific. Instead it is just horrible. I really liked Superman's Metropolis so I was hopeful. That story is basically just Metropolis with Superman characters and that simplicity worked in its favor. I also liked the art of that book. This book is not it. It tries to be a Batman-Nosferatu book, but also a sequel to Superman's Metropolis paying homage to some Superman and Batman comics. Oh, but also, lets base the plot on The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (despite the title and the premise). Oh, Joker's design is based on a silent film character, isn't it? Lets throw in Joker combined with The Man Who Laughs in there as well. Maybe there's other things thrown in there that I missed also. The result is a hot mess if there ever was one. And the writing and the art are not much better, it seems like a pale imitation or a parody of Superman's Metropolis. There's so much in it and none of it works. It is a book that craps all over all of its influences and that is way less than the sum of its parts.
July 7, 2026
Batman: Nosferatu was an interesting Batman story that is apparently the second part of Jean-Marc Lofficier's "German Expressionist" trilogy. The comic follows Superman's Metropolis, which probably provides some much-needed context by setting the stage with some essential world-building. This book references "Lutor's" experiments and downfall, leaving a Dr. Arkham to continue his work.
The art was dark and twisted, which I personally quite enjoyed, but it didn't really lean into any of the elements of Nosferatu that I would come to expect, such as the vampire aspect. Instead, there are heavy themes of light vs. dark as Superman squares off with Batman over who shall "oversee the underworld," along with a face-off with "The Laughing Man"—this universe's version of the Joker, who acts as a murderous mirror to Batman's Nosferatu.
Overall, I don't think that I had enough context to really appreciate this book, so I would warn other readers to read it as part of the trilogy to better understand the arc the author was trying to convey.
The art was dark and twisted, which I personally quite enjoyed, but it didn't really lean into any of the elements of Nosferatu that I would come to expect, such as the vampire aspect. Instead, there are heavy themes of light vs. dark as Superman squares off with Batman over who shall "oversee the underworld," along with a face-off with "The Laughing Man"—this universe's version of the Joker, who acts as a murderous mirror to Batman's Nosferatu.
Overall, I don't think that I had enough context to really appreciate this book, so I would warn other readers to read it as part of the trilogy to better understand the arc the author was trying to convey.
December 23, 2021
I actually really enjoyed this. The artwork was the main reason I bought this: it's dreamlike and simply a work of art! I didn't set any expectations and just dove right into it. The story is ok and, as long as you don't take it too seriously and compare it with other Batman comics, it is a fun, dark ride.
This is the second part of a trilogy (preceded by Superman's Metropolis and succeeded by Wonder Woman: The Blue Amazon), so there isn't much time for character development, but for this type of one-shot comic, I think that's fine because we already have an idea of what motivates these characters based on what we've seen in other comics, shows, and movies.
I'd recommend this to those who like German Expressionism and silent horror films such as Nosferatu, The Man Who Laughs, and the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.
This is the second part of a trilogy (preceded by Superman's Metropolis and succeeded by Wonder Woman: The Blue Amazon), so there isn't much time for character development, but for this type of one-shot comic, I think that's fine because we already have an idea of what motivates these characters based on what we've seen in other comics, shows, and movies.
I'd recommend this to those who like German Expressionism and silent horror films such as Nosferatu, The Man Who Laughs, and the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.
June 29, 2025
What a trainwreck. Basically nothing to do with the silent film Nosferatu, which I watched just prior to reading this (the film isn't very good either, and it's a fairly straight adaptation of Stoker's DRACULA). A creepy Laughing Man (read: Joker) is dispatched to destroy the enemies of evil Dr Arkham. Toss in odd and arbitrary cameos from other Batman villains. Bruss (Bruce) should die, but reappears dressed like a vampire, gets in a totally needless and pointless fight with Superman (these "sequels" to SUPERMAN'S METROPOLIS would've been better if they were stand alone and didn't need to include Superman. Let them stand on their own merits rather than cling to the coattails of what was a decent Elseworlds). And then it ends. Darkness and light coexist. Amazing insight.
March 30, 2025
God this was fun, I love the german horror influences of the 20’s. So great to look at! I always enjoy a good Batman v Superman fight (that isn’t Zack Snyder).
Horror and Batman have always been my favorite element of Batman. I would love to see an animated adaptation or a video game based on this elseworld story.
This definitely makes me wanna watch the films that inspired the world, look, and story that inspired this comic.
I need more Batman Nosferatu in my life man.
Horror and Batman have always been my favorite element of Batman. I would love to see an animated adaptation or a video game based on this elseworld story.
This definitely makes me wanna watch the films that inspired the world, look, and story that inspired this comic.
I need more Batman Nosferatu in my life man.
September 4, 2019
An improvement up in the world building if Superman:Metropolis with this Batman story inspired by Nosferatu and the the Cabinet of..
Its a stronger installment and the German Expressionism fits better here.
Its a stronger installment and the German Expressionism fits better here.
September 25, 2017
like an old twisted movie without sound but intense !!!!!!
August 1, 2018
Al fin, un escritor que se acuerda de que Batman es un detective. Un cuento intrigante. Lo disfruté.
November 14, 2020
Read as part of the Elseworlds: Justice League Vol. 2 collection.
There's less painful exposition than in the Superman volume, and thematically, McKeever's art also fits the story better.
There's less painful exposition than in the Superman volume, and thematically, McKeever's art also fits the story better.
February 21, 2021
3.5 stars. This was a very cool take on the Batman mythos. Very dark, and the artwork was fantastic.
May 6, 2025
Like Superman's Metropolis, but the rough, dark art works here even better.
October 3, 2025
visually gorgeous but that's about it.
October 11, 2025
I loved the artwork y’all are just lame and hate fun
March 18, 2026
Ravishing
June 1, 2026
After near total destruction by the hands of the evil Lutor, Metropolis is yet again saved by Superman and is beginning to recover under his enlightened rule. This delicate peace soon becomes threatened by the popular and garish seances of asylum warden Dr. Arkham, which enthrall the masses through violent entertainment. When Eschevin Gordon tries to close Arkham down, the doctor sends his deranged enforcer "The Laughing Man" to kill him and soon sets into motion a series of events that threaten to destabilize Metropolis yet again... if not for a new protector by the name of Nosferatu.
As a big fan of McKeever's expressionist art I was expecting to enjoy this and for the most part it didn't disappoint. The setting is perhaps the most original elseworlds adaptation that I've read, with a dystopic Metropolis steeped in cryptic traditions and grim superstition visually packaged in a gothic aesthetic. The work is inspired by Murnau's classic silent film ~~"Cabinet of Dr Caligari"~~ of the same name and was executed nobly yet suffers from many of the source material's narrative shortcomings. That being said, the atmosphere more than made up for the simplicity of the plot and perfectly fit the creepy tone and abstract set design of its inspiration.
As a big fan of McKeever's expressionist art I was expecting to enjoy this and for the most part it didn't disappoint. The setting is perhaps the most original elseworlds adaptation that I've read, with a dystopic Metropolis steeped in cryptic traditions and grim superstition visually packaged in a gothic aesthetic. The work is inspired by Murnau's classic silent film ~~"Cabinet of Dr Caligari"~~ of the same name and was executed nobly yet suffers from many of the source material's narrative shortcomings. That being said, the atmosphere more than made up for the simplicity of the plot and perfectly fit the creepy tone and abstract set design of its inspiration.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews