From Evernote:

Batman: The Dark Knight #17 Review

5 / 5

This is the 2nd or 3rd issue in the current DK arc revolving around the Mad Hatter. First of all, it's just fun to have story lines with the Mad Hatter. He's not what I would call an old standard for the Batman villain line-up, which leaves him a lot of room for growth and development - and on that note we're seeing some development. Much like the previous arc's focus on the Scarecrow, we're watching Batman hunt the Mad Hatter as he sets his developing plans into motion. What sets this book apart from the other books on the shelf currently is that more focus is put on the villain than Batman, which makes for a good read. We all know what Bruce goes through as Batman. We know his motivations, his fears, his short-comings. What's more, continuing character development happens in other books. This book gives a lot of time with the villain first and Batman second. This week we look into the Mad Hatter's past when he was a child (much like we did with Scarecrow previously). Though we've not seen a turning point, we know that it's coming. It's wildly entertaining to watch these things develop with time. 

Another thing that we're getting in The Dark Knight books that kind of separates them from the other Bat books is a healthy dose of humor. It's not quite as off-the-wall as the Morrison stuff in Batman Inc., and I like it! 

The only "negative" is that the art's not quite as solid as the other Bat books. I like it, and I think it does a good job of distinguishing this book from the other ones on the shelf, but it's no Batman. Not enough to knock the book in any way though. 

All-in-all, this is a series, arc, and book that I highly recommend. I hope that the trend continues with this writing style, because at the moment, this is one of my favorite Batman books.