.jpg "Batman: Odyssey #1 (of 6)")
Neal Adams, one of the titans of the industry, returns to the world of Bruce Wayne in this 12 issue mini series. Adams's resume is that of one of the founding fathers of the Bronze Age of the medium in the 1970s, as well as a champion of creators rights. Read Superman vs. Hollywood for a look at how Adams was influential in Superman's creators getting a cut of the movie's profits.
We begin the story, both written and drawn by Adams, with Bruce talking to the camera, apparently about the image on the cover where he is getting a bullet through his arm. It appears this is the Bruce of today recalling that incident as happening early in his career.
We are taken to that incident, as Bruce, with a gun in hand, is out breaking up a train heist, Bruce gains the upper hand, but gets in a standoff with a Commissioner Rodriguez. The standoff is broken up by Rodriguez getting killed by a Spanish agent whom Batman was helping in the fuel heist case.
The scene shifts to Bruce and Dick Grayson, as Robin, discussing the incident in the Bat-Cave, and the merits of firearm usage and importantly why Batman no longer uses them. This interchange actually happens as Robin gets into a tussle with Man-Bat and features some nifty acrobatics from Robin. Present day Bruce discusses how a mystery was unraveling around him at that time and that it was consuming him.
Langstrom, after being taken down by Robin and has an important message for Bruce about findings that Bruce had wanted, but Bruce would rather hear it once Langstrom reverts back to his human form. With an urgent call from Commissioner Gordon has Bruce and Dick leave Langstrom in the cave to take his anti-serum.
Gordon is at a pier, which Batman suspects is a cover-up for the Riddler breaking in at the mint. Batman though, to the consternation of both Gordon and Robin, decides that the pier is where they should go.
Back in the cave, Langstrom accidentally drops the serum, causing him to have to fly out himself, still needing to warn Bruce about something. He is then menaced by a larger Man-Bat who tells him not to tell Bruce what Langstrom was going to tell him about "the cave."
We cut back to the Batmobile headed towards the pier as we see Batman has added harrier technology to the car as it flies over and makes a nice splash landing into the water. Meanwhile, Gordon is waiting for their arrival as the Gotham Police do not seem to be making any headway with most of their men over at the mint. Batman comes in and informs Gordon that he and Robin will head off the hijackers at the end of the pier as Gordon prepares his men to handle the stragglers.
While this is going on, a professor and his young daughter are hostages in a warehouse where the main guy, with a machine gun, starts blasting up some hydrogen tanks in a car. And that's where we leave off.
Kind of wish this wasn't a four dollar book. Seriously, this felt like a book that should carry the price tag of the day back in the height of the Bronze Age of Batman in the 1970s and in the early 1980s, and in a very good way. Both of the art and writing was great, and really seemed to be out of time, as if I was reading a back issue, though without the smell. Liked the use of humor out of Bruce, fun line in particular was "it's James Bond cubed" referring to the Batmobile that can now fly and float on water. Yeah, come to think of it, Bruce is a street level Bond, especially back in this era. Maybe more Timothy Dalton or Pierce Brosnan than the Roger Moore who was Bond during the 1970s and early 1980s. There is one thing though, I find it a bit off putting seeing Dick Grayson in Tim Drake's, and now Damian Wayne's classic Robin garb. But that is a small nit pick.
It is a great hook to the story, and I can't wait to go along for this ride.
Batman: Odyssey #1:
Reviewed by SteveJRogers
What can be said about Grant Morrison that hasn‘t already been said? I won’t bore you with quotes that praise not only his work, but his overall genius. What I will say though is that I think Morrison‘s work makes room for a larger critical debate both on the validity and the consciousness he presents within the pages he produces and the characterization on the psyche of the superhero. While people will agree with him, even more people will disagree. Where one person interprets the work as bunch of crap thrown onto the physical representation of nothingness, another person see’s the work of a genius and a need for a deeper understanding for the work presented. While he is sloppy, and inconsistent most times he strikes the vein of greatness, and when he does, he shines and you get a feel for what makes him so great. Batman and Robin #13 is a comic that not only pursues this thought, it is a comic that wholly represents it. Story-wise, the book has no faults. It’s a story that impresses, and leaves you to put the pieces together and find your own meaning, for now that is. The “detective story” never looked as good as it does here. The beginning of the book takes a moment of god-awful cruelty on a family and flips it on it’s side and turns it into an even crueler and shocking moment of a newly founded betrayal, of which we have never seen before in the Batman Universe. It not only punches you in the stomach, it lights a fire in the deepest recesses of your body for revenge and explanation, again drawing on your own mind to create a temporary answer. And that is exactly where things go from bad to worse.
We are not only forced to witness a brutal act of violence, we are also forced to peer into the mind of a madman via The Joker. Although it’s brevity needs to be taken into account; the back and forth between The Joker and Batman and Robin can only be described by the sane as scary, mad, and disturbing, and while those might not be the most grandest of words it serves it‘s used to the fullest. But what really shocked me more than anything was when The Joker breaks down and is crying when he admits that he is sorry for what he’s done, that he got shot in the face and was stitched up badly that’s why he’s always smiling, and that once he was a “little boy wonder and he didn’t set out to be this way. While it is a disturbing and a somewhat moving scene, there resides a thread of doubt in the back of my mind that this isn’t the real Joker, that this is an imposter, and that he is the true mastermind behind all the chaos that was sowed and will flower in this storyline only to make this world worse. The Joker interrogation scene is made even greater with the absence of Dick and the presence of Damian. Damian presented here is cold and remorseless stating that The Joker isn’t a force of chaos. That chaos is “needing someone to change your feeding tube” and that “chaos is not being able to go to the toilet without help” before producing a crowbar and beating The Joker over the head with it. It is a scene that is not for the light-hearted, it builds and builds on our emotions only to be released by a crowbar and a head. But that is only one part of the story, the other part shows Dick and Jim Gordon trying to piece together evidence to try and stop the release of a viral narcotic that Dick thinks has already been spread via an antidote that turns out to be a dormant version of the viral narcotic which is waiting for a viral trigger. The impending doom weighs heavy but is soon interrupted by Gordon’s phone, it is one of his cops stating that Damian is in a room alone with The Joker causing both men to rush back to the apartment when they are shot down by two men with rocket launchers. Dick and Gordon crash land in Blackgate penitentiary surrounded by Dollotrons who free Professor Pyg.
Brought on by forces temporarily unseen (as of this writing), things are even worse than before whether it’s the events that unfold in the first scene, or Dick and Gordon stuck in a very sticky situation, Damian acting on his killer instinct, or even the release of Professor Pyg, everything is falling apart in front of our eyes. But the worst part of all is Morrison’s brilliant use of the present and the past, using it, he is able to weave strands of inevitability and despair together to create a mat that is rough and uncomfortable, using against us, our barest of emotions and soft spots. The hopelessness Morrison evokes at the end of the issue only cements the fact that there is no redemption or salvation, that we must go down mentally with Dick and Damian and that there is a need to hit rock bottom before they get better if they ever fully do, as well as showing that with all the knowledge and strength Dick possesses he is powerless and helpless and so are we, we can’t stop it.
Even though I think this issue is the greatest thing (up to this point) Morrison has wrote for his run on Batman, the weak point of this issue, I’m sad to say, is Frazer Irving’s art. While it does have it’s brilliant and poignant moments, I just don‘t like it. Admittedly I have never been a big fan of his pencils or colors, I think his presentation of Batman and Robin are amateurish at best and are both bland and uninspiring, and that goes for the Frank Quitely/Frazer Irving cover also. But, that’s not to say the art doesn’t have high points. Irving’s Joker is the scariest and disturbing Joker I have seen in quite awhile, I mean The Joker smiling while he‘s crying, being beaten, and in peril is really disturbing and grotesque when it comes down to it, while the real Oberon Sexton laying dead next to his rotting wife is also of the same disturbing/grotesque quality. Overall though, the art does a good job when it comes to the story, and only enhances and creates a darker atmosphere even more so (in some cases) than the written word.
Batman and Robin #13 is a truly haunting piece both visually and story-wise. If I‘m being honest and if I‘m going to swallow my pride for a second I have to say that when I was reading this issue I found myself looking away and closing the book out of pure fear, shock, disgust, and horror more times than I care to admit, and that‘s what makes this issue so great. The refusal to compromise to the reader‘s needs and into a bold and new direction although it isn’t necessarily where you want to go is excellent. Throughout this issue there is an overall feeling of escalation into the depths of despair, and you do not want to be there. It is like being scared of roller coasters and being forced onto on that’s heading up to the biggest drop on the ride. It is constantly building and building and at its bursting point, the issue ends. But, it is not your typical Batman story, because it presents a state of weakness and suffering that hasn’t been presented before. It forces the reader to watch what we don’t want to watch, and overwhelms (in the best possible way) you with a sense of hopelessness, brutality, and shines a light on what makes you weak and brings those weaknesses to life.
Batman and Robin #13:
Reviewed by Dane
Following one or two reservations – okay, I'll say it, disappointments – with the previous issue I'd really been looking forward to seeing the return of a more familiar Batgirl with this release. 'Batgirl Rising: The Flood' marks the start of a new four-part story-arc that begins aboard a train screeching along the tracks through Gotham City. From the conversation between the driver and his Control it's clear something is amiss, that the driver isn't able to stop the train. Inside one of the carriages a middle-aged man – Johnny C – with a clear grudge against Gotham City wears explosives strapped around his waste as the passengers look on in fear.
As the train dashes in and out of the next station without stopping we see Batgirl – Stephanie Brown – desperately hanging on to the last carriage as she communicates with Oracle back at the Batcave. Having pulled herself up onto the roof of the train Stephanie surveys the situation inside the car, courtesy of thermal vision, and for the first time appreciates the scale of her task.
Rejecting Oracle's suggestion that she call in backup, Steph 'tools up', asks for the train to be plunged into darkness and … CRASH … swings through a window, knocks Johnny C from his feet amid a flurry of one-liners, calmly disarms the man and, with the lighting restored, receives – and accepts – the appreciation of the grateful passengers.
Soon afterwards, with the dramatic events behind them, Commissioner Gordon approaches Stephanie with a word of thanks, a warm hand on her shoulder and a reminder to be cautious. Stephanie seems a little taken aback by Gordon's comments, and as she reflects on a job very well done, it begins to rain before, almost immediately, catching her in a downpour.
In the meantime, with the rain getting heavier and forecasts suggesting that the weather is set in for the next 24 hours, over at the Computer Sciences lab of Gotham University Barbara Gordon is at work in her office accompanied by student Wendy Harris. While Wendy works to repair some electrical equipment Barbara is reminiscing about a previous encounter with Wendy's father – The Calculator – in which she foiled his attempts to cure Wendy of her paralysis using a dangerous procedure and ground-breaking technology.
Recounting the events that led to her brother Marvin's death and her own physical condition, Wendy's emotions get the better of her and she snaps back at Barbara's well-meaning words of encouragement, before pushing Barbara further away with some harsh words. The mood changes somewhat as the two are joined by Stephanie – now out of uniform of course – who is reminded that she and Wendy have met once before, at the fundraiser for the Thompkins Clinic. As Wendy leaves the office Barbara asks Steph to follow her …
Across the city, at the offices of Elysium Tech, Commissioner Gordon and Detective Nick Gage look on bemused at the blood-soaked body of an Elysium employee who had been discovered in very mysterious circumstances – it appears at first inspection that the individual had locked himself in the room and taken his own life, however it's not at all clear how or why. With blood covering the floor and the walls around the body Detective Gage identifies an unusual smell in the air around the deceased … curious!
Returning to the space beneath Barbara's apartment building we are introduced to the 'Team Batgirl' new secret base of operations in the making – Firewall! In a fantastic, fun panel, amid the high-tech workstations we see a number of buckets and pans catching drops of water as we are reminded of the atrocious weather conditions outside. As Barbara works to establish network connectivity and discusses her concerns and frustrations about Wendy with Steph she receives an alert that there's another incident underway at the offices of Elysium. A coincidence?
As Stephanie makes her way to the Elysium facility Detective Gage is already on site investigating the earlier suicide when the alarm sounds. Drawing his weapon, and making his way to the source of the security breach, he asks one of the staff members who had been assisting him to call for GCPD back-up – with alarming consequences for the young employee.
Arriving at the scene – level 38, Restricted Research – Gage is swept off his feet as he runs into a large security guard. As he soon realizes that the man is behaving suspiciously Nick finds himself at gun-point as the guard reels off a puzzling string of binary code. As the trigger is about to be pulled the weapon is knocked to the ground by a well-aimed batarang thrown by Batgirl. As Gage and Stephanie engage in clumsy verbal flirting the guard turns, runs, leaps through a window and falls towards his death. Stephanie immediately races after the man and does her best to catch him, but she just can't hold his weight.
Later that day both Stephanie and Detective Gage are at the West Mercy mortuary, collecting the results of the security guards autopsy. As the two wait, Barbara is back at the Batcave analyzing the mans blood sample … and she comes to a startling discovery.
Ordering Stephanie to return to the Batcave, Barbara explains that the sample contains a colony of nanites that are transmitting a subtle wi-fi trace – technology that Barbara has seen before.
The issue closes at a property out in Slaughter Swamp as the rain continues to fall: sat in front of a bank of displays is none other than the aforementioned Calculator. Viewing pictures of his daughter Wendy, he turns to the lifeless, decaying body of his son Marvin and declares that they are going to 'save' the girl.
'And you won't want to miss the best part' …
Following last issues 'dip', in my opinion, this issue felt like a real return to form. With Lee Garbett back on pencil duties and Guy Major taking care of colors, the art returned to a quality and style I've come to expect with this series and this, is turn, gave the book a much more confident and familiar feel.
I commented after reading issue #8 that Stephanie just didn't seem like … well she didn't seem like Stephanie: I've grown very fond of this cheeky, self-believing while at the same time self-deprecating young woman and in the last issue I just didn't see enough of her. Thankfully, throughout the pages of this issue I feel 'my' Steph returned with a healthy dose of wise-cracks, confidence, inner strength and physical comedy – none more so than during the opening pages of the book as Stephanie is towed at high speed behind the speeding train!
The appearances of Wendy Harris through previous issues of this series have puzzled and intrigued me in equal measure and, with the introduction of The Calculator into the story we get possibly the first indication of her true intended role. She's felt a little superfluous to the cast of characters up until this point so I'm glad for the opportunity to see her in a different context and I'm looking forward to seeing this particular theme develop.
Our first glimpse of the 'firewall' – the base of operations for Barbara and Stephanie – was something I also enjoyed. There was a nice sense of humor throughout these couple of pages – I thought the 'Now you're talking my language' exchange between Barbara and Stephanie was particularly charming. It'll be good over the coming months to see Barbara and Stephanie create their own home ground rather than relying on others 'cast-offs': it's a small but important step towards Batgirl – the character and the title – becoming more self-sufficient I think.
Throughout the early issues of this series Phil Noto produced some quite exceptional covers and new artist Stanley 'Artgerm' Lau has continued the tradition with his contribution to this issue – portraying Batgirl looking wind-swept, rain-soaked and sitting atop the sort of roof-top architecture of Gotham City that Bat-books are famous for, this cover is quite beautiful.
In summary, this was a very good first part of a new story arc – with themes continued from previous issues, 'new' characters introduced, a number of clues indicating the direction the story could be heading and an ending that leaves me keen for the next issues.
Welcome back Batgirl!
Batgirl #9:
Reviewed by Zaius
Once again, the DC Comics solicits have lead us astray. No you say? Unfortunately, yes. While we all could have expected the latest issue of Streets of Gotham to be the second part of Mike Benson’s two part arc, the solicits said otherwise. The previews stated that Paul Dini would be returning to the title, however, he didn’t. None the less, Benson pens the conclusion to the “Hardcore Nights” storyline.
Some fans may be disappointed with issue number nine, but not me. Benson doesn’t present the reader with a major villain and the Commissioner Gordon plays a major role. Basically, issue nine is just a downright good Batman crime story. However, while I thoroughly enjoyed this issue, Dick Grayson’s characterization is completely out of whack. First off, I get the strange feeling that Benson initially wrote this with Bruce Wayne as Batman; the dialogue that Dick speaks is very “Bruce like”. Dick displayed a very dark and less optimistic personality, qualities that fit the Bruce Wayne personality. The only other problem I had with issue nine is that the antagonist is revealed rather sudden and everything just comes to a end to quickly and conveniently. This is just my opinion, why don’t you decide after reading the issue summary:
The issue opens where issue eight left off; Dick and the escort are in the penthouse when the armed man busts through the door. Benson pulls a classic trick; issue eight led us to believe that the armed man was the jealous boyfriend. However, Dick soon learns that this is not the boyfriend, but someone completely random. The hunter smacks the escort and demands Dick’s wallet. Throughout this sequence, Dick is studying the man’s movements. The hunter keeps a gun pointed on Dick the entire time when the escort makes a remark distracting him. This gives Dick just enough time to land a knee right to the man’s face. The hunter becomes completely disoriented and eventually becomes unconscious. The escort quickly exits the room and makes her way out of the building. As she is running, the doorman, Anthony asks her if everything is ok. Remember Anthony because he plays a much larger role, later in the issue. Anyway, at police headquarters, the hunter, whose name is Sal, is being questioned by Commissioner Gordon and Batman. Sal is hesitant to talk at first, but soon Batman “persuades” him into singing. Batman and Gordon then bring in the escort, Sophia. We learn that Sophia and Sal have been blackmailing the same men who have been found murdered. Sophia would take them back to the room and then Sal would barge in and scare them. They accuse her of killing the men but she pleads her innocence. Gordon demands a name from her, and she gives the name of her ex-boyfriend, Roland Davis. Batman knows she is innocent and tells Gordon to let her go. Reluctantly, Gordon agrees, but there is a twist. Sophia is dropped off back at the penthouse and then heads back to work. She runs into him in the club and is shaken up by this. She heads home and upon entering in the elevator, Roland enters and begs her to take him back. Anthony then enters and takes control of the situation. Roland learns of the set up and seems to feel differently about Sophia now. Gordon enters the elevator and arrests Roland. In the interrogation room, Roland receives some tough love from Gordon and Batman, but maintains his innocence. Gordon and Batman know they can’t hold Roland for long and decide to take another crack at a set up, with a twist. Back at the night club, we see Sophia sitting with another man, who remains hidden. They leave the club and then head for the penthouse. Two hours later, the man exits the penthouse alone. He begins walking down the sidewalk when we see a large figure approach him. The man turns down an alley and sees the dead body of Roland Davis. The man is shocked by this and we learn that it is none other then Gordon. Gordon then is confronted by Anthony with a knife in hand. Anthony attacks Gordon but Batman is there to moderate the situation. Anthony turns out to be the killer, SHOCKER! Gordon informs Sophia that it is over. Gordon takes Sophia to the bus station, buys her a bus ticket, and tells her to leave and begin a new life. And that’s where the issue ends.
The Manhunter co-feature opens with Manhunter beating the snot out of a low level thug looking for answers she knows he doesn’t have. The issue then cuts to the court room, twelve hours earlier. Dent asks for a bench trial because of his horrid facial features. This leads to Kate asking the judge the relieve himself of the case. This upsets the judge and grants Harvey his request. Court is adjourned and rescheduled for Thursday. Back in Los Angeles, Kate’s son, Ramsey, has decided to head to Gotham to help his mother and is riding in the boxcar on a train. We then cut back to when Manhunter is beating up the thug when she is confronted by Huntress. Huntress offers Manhunter her help in finding something to bring Dent down. We cut to Thursday, back in the courtroom. In the courtroom, Harvey is outwitting Kate and then Commissioner Gordon is called onto the witness stand. Dent asks Gordon why he would have kept him alive if Gordon knew that Dent killed the district attorney. This upsets Gordon, and Kate knows she is in for a roller coaster ride. To be continued…
This past story arc impressed me. I think Mike Benson is a writer with a strong future in comics. He seems to have that gritty style that I so often enjoy. However, how obvious is it that Anthony is the killer? Once he is introduced, the reader automatically knows that he has a major role. None the less, I could dismiss this simple storytelling method. What I could not dismiss, was the poor characterization of Dick Grayson. It wasn’t that Batman was portrayed poorly; it was that this was written to be the Bruce Wayne Batman. This becomes very apparent in the interrogation scenes; Batman is threatening and isn’t planning on taking any prisoners. Dick isn’t Bruce, which is something that, I guess Benson doesn’t understand. However, issues eight and nine are exactly what I want from Streets of Gotham. Good stories that don’t always have to contain a large number of characters. I thought it was great to see Gordon take such a larger role in a story, it seems that recently; Gordon has taken a back seat in the other titles. It’s always good to see a writer stress the importance of Gordon’s character. Bravo, Mike Benson!
Of course, Dustin Nguyen remains to be impeccable and always impressive. I will say that Nguyen surprised me with his ability to pencil such a grim and gritty story so effectively. Derek Fridolfs is consistent as always. Fridolfs seems to be lost in the shuffle sometimes and I think he is just as important to this title as Dustin Nguyen is. But the art is great as always and leaves me with no complaints.
The Manhunter co-feature I found to be a little disappointing. This story felt like filler and not much progressed in the storyline. When you have so few pages to tell a story, Andreyko needs to keep the ball rolling. Needless to say, I am still interested to see where this is all going and I expect a better performance from Andreyko in the upcoming issue. Jeremy Haun is much like Dustin Nguyen, perfect. He art works so well with the Manhunter character and he maintains his consistency.
Overall, I found Streets of Gotham number nine to be an enjoyable read from front to back. While the issue felt a little rushed, I must say I am not missing Paul Dini and hope Mike Benson is giving some more batman-related work in the near future. The book’s art remains candy for the eye and is about the most consistent of any of the bat-books. In the end, if you enjoyed issue eight, you will not be disappointed with issue nine.
Batman: Streets of Gotham #9:
Reviewed by Zfactor
DESIGNED BY ANDY KUBERT
SCULPTED BY OLUF HARTVIGSON
In today's review, we have the Batman family Multi-part statue. Now I was really excited that Andy Kubert did the drawing for this statue and felt with DC's black and white series of statues that this would be awesome…..well not so fast. The sculptor Oluf Hartvigson did not do the greatest of jobs on this piece. The characters themselves look like they could of used a bit more detail and maybe some nice body tone. They almost look like $10 figures you put on a base all together. And with a price tag of $150.00 per statue (which there were 3) I don't see myself recommending this to anyone other then true…really, really, really true Batman collectors. I mean you have to be die hard to buy this.
I will say that I was excited to finally get the last piece to put Batman together since you need all three statues which each held a Batman piece. As I sit back at my desk in my office and look at the piece I am glad to see them all together and maybe that's what makes me think it was worth it, but what's really funny is that Commissioner Gordon looks totally BA!!!!
Reviewed by Apple
After a one issue stint on Streets of Gotham number seven, Paul Dini again takes a break from the title and hands the writing duties over to guest writer Mike Benson. Benson gives us part one of the two part story arc titled, “Hardcore Nights”. Dustin Nguyen remains to be as good as they get, and Mike Benson writes a shockingly excellent story.
Paul Dini’s absence from the title has proven to me that other writers should be taking a crack at this title. Streets of Gotham #8 has answered my prayers, give me a Batman book that is hard-boiled and utilizes Batman’s detective expertise. Benson focuses on the relationship between Batman and Gordon, and their ability to work together to solve a crime. Issue number eight is a simple, yet extremely entertaining issue that remains visually stunning.
Issue number eight opens with the murder of a former professional criminal. Batman and Gordon review the body at the morgue and go through the man’s file. They come to the conclusion that the murder was personal, and Batman discreetly comments that maybe this killer is doing him and the police a favor. I thought Benson’s dialogue between Gordon and Batman was well constructed throughout the issue. Batman suspects a former criminal who may have killed the deceased out of revenge. We learn that this criminal, Charlie had nothing to do with the killing and Batman lets him off. Again, Benson writes Dick’s Batman very straight forward and to the point. I often found myself almost thinking that this was Bruce because I thought Benson wrote a very grim and gritty Batman. The next night, another body is found slain in a warehouse. Gordon and Batman connect the two murders together and learn that these men must have ties to one another. After doing some sleuthing, Batman comes across a membership card to a “sex club” belonging to the second victim. Dick realizes that this is the connection between the victims and the murder and decides to do a little undercover work. A fairly simple plot that is written so well. Under a different persona, Dick heads into this exotic night club and learns of all the powerful people that belong to it. After telling an escort that he likes to “spice things up”, she introduces him to one of her colleagues. Dick and the escort head out of the club when she is attacked by a former boyfriend. Dick begins to choke him when the escort steps in and breaks up the altercation. Dick and her enter a limo and head for a hotel room. The ex-boyfriend takes the bait and follows them to their room. However, Dick is anticipating this and expecting a little disturbance. This issue ends with the ex-boyfriend kicking the hotel room door in with a gun in his hand. I anxiously await the conclusion to this wonderful two part story.
The Manhunter co-feature picks off where the last ended. Batman and Robin prevent Kate from inflicting anymore damage upon Two-Face. However, she pushes him off the ledge distracting the caped crusader and allowing her to escape. After Batman and Robin rescue Harvey, we cut to the Gotham court room. We also learn that Harvey plans on defending himself in the case, which Kate only naturally disputes. However, Dr. Jeremiah Arkham provides the court with evidence that while the Harvey part of his’ personality is in control, he is completely capable of defending himself. Kate then has a sit down with Jane Doe offering her a deal. Kate offers Jane that if she testifies against Two-Face, Doe’s sentence will reduced to life instead of the death penalty. Doe tells Kate that she’ll have to think about which leads to their discussion ending. The issue ends with a guard leading Jane Doe to Two-Face’s cell, where we learn that he has a deal for Jane as well. We will have to wait to find out in the next issue of Streets of Gotham.
For me, this was the strongest issue of the series. Please Mike Benson, write more Batman material! Benson is considered to be an up and coming writer who has a lot of potential. I could see why in issue number eight. Dialogue is always the number two thing I look for in a comic, besides plot, and this issue was well plotted and the dialogue was clean and straight to the point. This is a quick and fun detective story that is very straight forward. I think Mike Benson should be given the book indefinitely if part two of this story arc is as good as part one was.
What can I say about Dustin Nguyen that I haven’t already said before? He is just such a consistent artist and is art has really grown on me over the last couple of years. I thought the cover he did was absolutely fantastic and the interiors, as always, just perfectly paneled. Dustin Nguyen is starting to become one of my favorite Batman artists.
Manhunter remains to be worth the extra dollar and I have become invested in this character for the first time. It’s extremely disappointing to me that this co-feature will not be around much longer. I think it fits perfectly with this title. Marc Andreyko writes Kate Spencer’s character really well. I also find his Two-Face to be very appealing. He continues to write an extremely solid back-up.
I absolutely love Jeremy Haun’s pencils. I think him with the combination of John Lucas on inks and Nick Filardi on colors is golden. You can never complain about the artwork in this back up. Just really good and consistent stuff.
Street of Gotham has finally found the solutions to some of its problems; Get Paul Dini off this book? I would much rather two and three part stories by a revolving panel of writers who get to team-up with Dustin Nguyen. However, this then brings me back to my question; why keep publishing this book? I thought issue number eight was a HUGE surprise and I thoroughly enjoyed the book. GO CHECK IT OUT!
Batman: Streets of Gotham:
Reviewed by Zfactor
About half-way through reading this book and it occurred to me – and I might be the only person who this hadn't previously occurred to – Batgirl is a TEAM book. I'm not talking particularly about Batgirl being part of the 'Bat-family' but it occurred to me that, for me at least, the character 'Batgirl' is Stephanie Brown AND Barbara Gordon – both of them. At the same time.
I think it was the use of the word 'I' in Barbara's narrative, just a couple of pages after Stephanie had said the same thing, that helped me realize this – I'm not sure if it's a technique that's been used in the previous issues or whether I just hadn't noticed it – and it's part of the reason I'm enjoying the book so much.
Issue #5, Core Requirements, part one of three, opens in Devil's Square as the city Fire Department tackle a huge fire that has engulfed a social-housing project known as the Gracia Global Housing Development. On hand to witness the destruction is 'Real Estate Mogul' Stefano Gracia along with his son, Stephanie Brown's university class-mate Francisco.
At the same time, Commissioner Jim Gordon and Fire-Chief Nguyen are talking about the blaze with Nguyen remarking that he'd never seen flames quite like these and he hoped none of Gordon's 'men' were inside the building.
No men, but there is a girl inside the building – Batgirl of course! – and she's certainly got her hands full wrestling with 'Diesel', a giant of a creature who is spraying gasoline, flame-thrower like, in her direction. With Barbara on the com-link offering support, Stephanie turns to 'Mama Oracle's secret weapon': freeze-batarangs!
Unable to contain Diesel for long, it looks like the situation is getting out of hand for Stephanie as Barbara warns her that 'company' is on the way. Thinking this means the police Stephanie is surprised – 'offended' she says – to discover that the company is none other than Batman and Robin. With three-on-one Diesel doesn't stand a chance and is eventually overcome and knocked to the ground. With Robin pounding Diesel, Batman realizes there's a gasoline leak … 'Batgirl to the rescue'.
Later, Barbara and Dick are back at base discussing – arguing mainly – the events of the evening with Dick questioning Barbara's judgment of Stephanie's abilities. Barbara reminds him that his own 'protege' doesn't have a great track record either. With tempers now at boiling point Barbara pushes Dick just a little too hard – as he storms off he warns her that if she doesn't control Stephanie, he will.
Another day, and we're with Stephanie in the library at Gotham U where she overhears – 'earwigs' where I come from! – the aforementioned Francisco and his friend Jordanna discussing the building fire and the loyalty he feels towards his father. As Jordanna leaves, Stephanie sees an opportunity to find out more and asks if there's anything she can help with. Taking in some fresh air, Francisco feels that Stephanie is prying just a bit too much about his father before realizing that they are being followed … Damian.
Across town Barbara is waiting for her father when she's spotted by Detective Nick Gage who is also there to meet with Commissioner Gordon – they've been set up! After some very brief flirting the two start bickering before Gage grabs his coat and leaves, with Barbara realizing that she's still frustrated from her earlier row with Dick.
Later that evening, Stephanie discovers Francisco sat alone in a diner. Changing into some clothes hastily borrowed from Barbara she says 'hi' just as a gang of masked gunmen enter. Despite Francisco's instructions to leave she tackles the raiders only to find herself outnumbered …
This was another cracking read from the Miller/Garbett/Scott creative team. Yes, some of Stephanie's dialogue appears a little cliched but for me that part of her charm, she's 'storming': trying to prove to others – and herself – that she's confident and up to the job. Besides, she's still a young girl, what else should we expect? As I've suggested before, I'm really enjoying Barbara's role in the book and what's more I'm enjoying seeing the Stephanie/Barbara relationship develop.
The inclusion of Dick and Damian in this issue made for some interesting character exploration – there felt a tangible undercurrent of tension throughout the scenes involving Dick and Barbara while it's clear that Stephanie and Damian – like bickering siblings – just aren't getting along. My only disappointment with the Stephanie/Damian interaction was that we didn't get to see the results when Damian was 'rescued'!
Furthermore, it'll be interesting to see how the Barbara/Nick Gage relationship grows – with Batgirl possibly having a crush on the detective through the earlier books it could be interesting to see how – if? – this theme develops.
It's often said that there's no such thing as good or bad art, rather there's art that we either enjoy or don't enjoy, and I'm certainly enjoying the art on this book: from Phil Noto's striking, eye-catching covers to the warm, bold – confident – interior artwork and panel layout.
'Team Batgirl' goes from strength to strength.
Batgirl #5:
Reviewed by Zaius
Philip Tan must feel like the middle child in a family of celebrities. No matter how solid his art may be, it will never live up to his “older brother” Frank and his “younger brother” Cameron. Tan’s collaboration with Grant Morrison and run as primary artist on Batman and Robin will probably be forgotten once this series is done, but his style and tone continued the drama in an interesting visual direction even if it wasn’t as magical as his predecessor or as anticipated as his successor.
Tan and Morrison finish up the Revenge of the Red Hood arc with a slew of dramatic panels that are the most violent of this series to date. Morrison uses the maniacal Flamingo not only as a means to bring Red Hood and Scarlet’s fate to a climax, but to resolve the question of who will be Gotham’s protectors. The writer slyly does this without Dick and Jason having to physically confront each other directly. Much is left open ended at the end of the story: Damian is paralyzed; Jason is off to jail; Flamingo’s body can’t be found; Scarlet, free of her mask is off to start a new life, and a battered Dick Grayson opens a sealed vault to what I’m not sure by uttering the password “Zur en arrh”. I’m not even going to try and speculate on the reason why Grant Morrison has Dick utter that infamous phrase at this time of the story. I think my brain would explode if I did.
I appreciated the action and the depth of drama in this issue, but the writing and panel layouts seemed sloppy and rushed. The artistic simplicity that made the first arc so unique and popular is almost reversed here, with too much going on at the same time. Scarlet’s plot resolution is the most successful and effective of the characters. Her horrific happy ending gave the arc’s finale an edge that made the book worth reading. Dick once again doubts his significance, but there was awkwardness to this portrayal that I found unusual for the author who understands this Batman more than anyone. His cool lecturing of Jason followed by a verbal flare-up while Gordon and the cops are all around, was strange and out of character. Especially considering Robin is laying face first with multiple bullet wounds in his back. And then how does Talia show up all of a sudden? Is Damian headed for the Lazarus Pit? Is this a foreshadowing of his future?
Morrison also inserts a page of Oberon Sexton and El Penitente as if to make sure we don’t forget them. The two insignificant characters will hopefully have a meaningful purpose in the next storyline.
I think Philip Tan is a very talented artist. However, I would love to have seen this issue have fewer panels on each page. His detailing isn’t precise enough to bring out the emotion of the characters and the ferociousness of the violence in such small space. His visual expression would have had a much more profound impact with the use of splash pages. Unlike Frank Quitely, whose panels stand on their own, Tan needs the dialogue to give his work definite meaning. The last page, which should have left me wanting more, instead frustrated me. The actual standout from a graphic art perspective was Jonathan Glapion’s inks and Alex Sinclair’s colors. The quality of those elements has remained consistent from the first issue.
What I find so interesting is how Grant Morrison’s writing changed with the artist. It really makes one realize how essential the chemistry between writer and graphic artist are to the success of a comic book.
Much like Philip Tan, this story arc seemed like the misplaced middle child of the “Pyg” arc and of the story yet to come. I know Blackest Night will deeply impact this series in the upcoming issues, and fellow Canadian Cameron Stewart will no doubt bring the magic back to what was just a few months ago the best book in print. But whatever the future holds for Dick and Damian, I have a feeling we should brace ourselves for a tumultuous ride!
Batman and Robin #6:
Reviewed by Tiggerbrown
Picking up where 692 left off, Daniel continues the “Life After Death” arc with Batman and Robin fighting against “False Faces” outside a hospital by the Pullman district.
After a brief fight, we then get to see Dick Grayson in Bruce Wayne’s socialite world in this particular affair, being a function for the new Arkham. There he hobnobs with the usual suspects, and The Huntress, in her secret ID of course, shows up to help Dick keep a watchful eye on an attending Tommy Elliott, as Bruce of course.
The Riddler also manages to get involved as he is at the same function and interrupts a conversation Tomuce is having with an Arkham doctor, which gets the attention of Dick and Helen.
Huntress is then told by Oracle to go after a young girl named Kitrina, but gets caught in a bomb explosion! She manages to survive and goes out to pursue to girl.
Going back into the night, Batman meets up with Gordon and Bullock after it appears a St. Valentine’s Day Massacre took out about 16 or so of Falcone’s men. Batman then surmises from the way the murders too place that Black Mask must have brought in The Reaper to do the deed.
Batman then heads towards “Devil’s Square” in something looking like the Nolan-verse sonar suit to get info the usual way, and the issue ends as someone he is pumping for information gets shot in the back, and dies in Batman’s arms.
A good tale, nice to see more elements of the Batman “network” come into play with Oracle and The Huntress, and Dick being more Bruce like in this issue; with the detective work at the harbor, and his trying to fit into the socialite crowd.
The art by Daniel is good, and I really like the suit Dick goes out in during the last couple of pages. Could we possibly be seeing a hint of what Dick will evolve into when Bruce takes back the cowl?
There also is a nice scene in Wayne Tower which helps underscore the fact that Dick is clearly not in his element. Alfred wakes him up to get ready for the function. In a scene that is much like Batman Begins’ “BATS ARE NOCTURNAL” scene, Dick’s cape is scene strewn on his floor as he is asleep in bed.
Batman #693:
Reviewed by SteveJRogers
Brian Azzarello and Phil Noto team up to bring us one of the best Batman spin-off issues of the year. The Batman/Doc Savage Special is a unique and fresh approach to writing the character. This issue will also present you with some fantastic artwork by the very talented, Phil Noto.
Azzarello takes an original idea and expands upon it. Bruce Wayne is portrayed as a young and cocky character who is still adapting to the new gig. This issue also marks as a sort of preview to the First Wave line of comics that will debut in 2010. The story is set in a sort of modern, yet old school Gotham City where Batman has been around for only a month. We also see that Batman carries two pistols which, to me, give the character an interesting dynamic. Bruce is still learning how to fight crime and it also refers back to the first Batman comics when he did carry a gun. The plot revolves around a mobster that is murdered with many questions left unanswered. Doc Savage steps in to investigate, and take down the dark knight if needed. What we get is a great adversarial match up between the two characters. We see that while these two men are very different, they are also very similar. A young Jim Gordon also appears in the issue, ranting that Batman is the enemy and not a partner. After an altercation, Batman and Doc Savage meet and show that they have great respect for one another. However, after their discussion, Batman makes it very clear that Gotham is his’ city, and he needs to do this himself. I thought that Azzarello did a terrific job weaving the characters together. You get a real noir-like feel while reading this book. I feel that Azzarello’s characterization of Bruce Wayne is a fresh approach. I think he has big plans for the character’s development throughout this First Wave line. He also makes it very clear that this is a Gotham where scum is everywhere and while Batman is questioned, he is their lone hero. You also get a great contrast in personalities between Bruce Wayne and Doc Savage. You see that while Savage is far older than Bruce, Bruce is wise well beyond his’ age. I think that Azzarello has given us a taste of some new and exciting material to come next March.
I cannot say enough about Phil Noto’s artwork in this book. Noto’s art is clean and polished; it also works extremely well with in the storyline. He also draws some fantastic facial expressions throughout the issue. My only complaint is that, while the art works perfectly with Azzarello’s storytelling style, Noto can be inconsistent at times. It seemed that during Batman and Doc Savage’s fight sequence, he sped through those panels, leaving them with less detail compared to the prior and later panels.
This series has a lot of promise; it takes us to an alternate universe that I cannot wait to read more about. This one-shot was better than any of the other bat-book miniseries that involve Bruce Wayne. This issue felt very much like a pulp story, and I feel that this is a nice change of pace in comparison to the Batman Reborn titles currently taking place. I think this was a great introduction to a new line of comics that could turn out to be something very fun and interesting.
Batman/Doc Savage Special:
Reviewed by Zfactor
Batgirl is possibly the book I'm enjoying more than any other at the moment – perhaps the storyline hasn't so far pulled up any trees but the writing, and particularly the dialogue, feels fresh and fun while the artwork and page composition is clean, rich and imaginative – very much to my own tastes.
I'll admit to feeling a bit puzzled when I saw the cover of this issue – 'Meet the New Batgirl!' it proclaimed as we were reintroduced to Stephanie Brown in her new Batgirl costume. 'Surely we met the new Batgirl over the previous three issues' I thought. By the end of the issue I think I had a better Idea where the creative team were coming from with this statement.
For me, this issue has a theme – or moral – of 'the first few nights are always the hardest': the story begins with new University student Stephanie explaining to her mother that she's too busy with school work to take a break and ends – seven hours later and after a night of adventure – with Stephanie struggling to get out of bed prompting some motherly words of encouragement … 'the first few nights are always the hardest'.
With their bickering behind them, Stephanie and Barbara Gordon are back at base preparing for the night ahead. With the new costume linked in to Barbara's computer network Batgirl is ready for action. Within an hour of her 'shift' starting Stephanie breaks up a robbery and makes an unexpected guest appearance on one of the city's open-top bus tours. Minutes later she finds herself in the middle of a city-wide blackout as a result of a power cut.
In the meantime Barbara is called away to the Thompkins Clinic where an angry and frustrated Wendy Harris refuses to accept that she's used her legs for the last time. After hours of intensive exercise Wendy finally can take no more, breaking down in tears – distraught about her own physical condition as well as the loss of her brother. Clearly these are difficult times for Wendy but Barbara is on hand to comfort her … 'the first few nights are always the hardest'.
Over at the Gotham City Police Department Jim Gordon and Detective Nick Gage get a call that takes them to Monarch Meadows Stadium where they find the badly-burned body of a city employee. Continuing onto the D.W.P. facility the officers are helpless to intervene in a confrontation between Batgirl and an unexpected adversary … Livewire. With an inevitable conclusion the issue closes.
So, what was the line 'Meet the New Batgirl!' about? This issue is, in many ways, the proper start of the new run of Batgirl. The first story-arc, Point of Origin, had a 'prelude' or 'zero issue' feel about it – over those three issues we witnessed the handover of responsibility from Cassandra, Stephanie fighting for her own identity, Barbara resisting and resenting that there's a new Batgirl in town.
Building on solid foundations, this issue sees Stephanie embracing her new role. Yes, she's quick to put herself down – 'I'm almost fifty percent sure nothing could go wrong' she says when asked if she'll be ok – but she's got a genuine self-confidence that possibly says as much about the naivety of her young years as it does her capabilities.
Out of costume Stephanie appears so much younger than when in costume and this serves to remind us of her vulnerability – yes, she's been well been trained and has great back-up but she's still a young girl: this, along with the wise-cracks and bravado go a long way I think to explain the comparisons with Joss Whedon's Buffy Summers – quite a compliment to Bryan Q. Miller's writing I'd say.
At the moment, for me, the core of this book is about 'burgeoning relationships' – Stephanie and Barbara, Barbara and Wendy, Batgirl and Gage, even Stephanie and Batgirl – and I'm looking forward seeing these develop further.
After three distinctly stylized covers Phil Noto delivers something a little more conventional – the inclusion of dialogue aside – for this issue while the interior-artwork team gets a bit of a shuffle with Tim Levins now working alongside Lee Garbett – practically a neighbor of mine here in South West England! – on pencils.
A solid, enjoyable and entertaining read, with good writing and nice artwork suggesting good things to come for Stephanie Brown and friends.
'The first few nights are always the hardest'.
Batgirl #4:
Reviewed by Zaius
When we last left our masked crusaders they were careening out of control and heading for a crash landing in a cemetery at the outskirts of Gotham city. The new Batman, Dick Grayson, has a plan where he can isolate the Black Lanterns away from the citizens of Gotham and provides a means of escape for his battered passengers Barbara and Jim Gordon. What Batman didn’t count on was the arena for this plan would turn into a circus macabre starring his dead parents.
Batman rightly deduces that the best way to limit the feeding frenzy of the Black Lanterns is to rob them of their nourishment. A stratagem that will serve him well by the end of the book. He orders Damian to escort the Gordon’s to safety through a secret passage through the grave of an Archibald Stanton. (Like a million other people I Googled Archibald Stanton and the best match I could come up with was the grave of a Arch Stanton from the classic western, “The Good, The Bad & The Ugly.) Damian typically refuses but Red Robin (Tim Drake/Wayne) has Batman’s back and orders Damian to comply. It’s good to see Dick and Tim work as a team, when the chips are down their personal differences are tossed aside for the greater good. I also appreciate the small doses of humor introduced when Batman calls Robin through his link and both Tim and Damian answer. Dick is forced to clarify, “No, the other Robin!”
Despite the fact that Batman has a plan, so do the Black Lanterns. The source of the Lanterns energy is siphoning off the rage they elicit in their perspective victims. By running their adversaries through a gamut of emotions that typically reach an apex of rage the Black Lanterns then tear their hearts out to fuel their nefarious energy. In this story the bad guys pull no punches. A giant big top is constructed complete with trapeze for the dead Grayson’s to perform on and an apartment where Red Robin sees the night his father died. Despite Batman’s pleading advice to Red Robin to resist this farce, both heroes succumb to this hellacious hallucination. Peter Tomasi does a good job of spinning a fable where both Dick and Tim are given the opportunity to save their parents but more importantly take revenge on their killers. This rage of revenge falls right into the hands, literally, of the Black Lanterns and the gruesome ghouls make a play for the hearts of Dick and Tim.
But this Batman hasn’t played his last card and proves he is worthy of the mantle of the Bat. Before entering the fray, Batman tells Deadman to go get Jason Blood aka Etrigan the Demon! Continuing the theme of “family” Peter Tomasi weaves in the need to close ranks when those dearest to you are in danger. Dick, Tim, and Damian work as one. The Gordon family is made safe with Alfred’s help and the concept of the extended Batman family is shrewdly used. Both Deadman and the Demon are part of this “family” and without them the battle would have surely been lost. While the Deadman-possessed Demon holds off the reinforced Black Lanterns with his Hellfire, Batman’s last gambit is played out. Upon orders from Dick, Robin sends a “winger” stocked with a gun from Mr. Freeze that a trusting Tim allows Dick to use on him after which Batman uses it on himself. This clever design works as Batman and Red Robin are frozen over depriving the Lanterns of a target to focus on. Deadman completes the ploy entering the bodies of our heroes allowing them to break free of their frozen cocoons.
Family, trust, sacrifice and courage. These integral themes are woven into a foundation that is critical to Tomasi’s story. With these themes Batman lives to fight another day and valuable information is gleaned to carry on this battle when it is to be renewed on a greater scale.
I’ll give this story a four out of five Bat-a-rangs. There was no clear cut resolution to this saga for it just part of a far greater epic. An epic that the Batman and his family will play an important role.
Blackest Night: Batman #3:
Reviewed by Dark Knight Dave
Jim Gordon responds after the Joker murders his wife. Apparently Joker is the only one who finds it amusing.
Posted by Josh
I hope everyone has had a chance to read this latest Blackest Night title as Batman and Robin are back to do battle with DC Comics’ most horrific villains to date. I hardly no where to start with this issue. After my first read I thought to myself, “Well, this book reads like some summer blockbuster movie. Plenty of action, our heroes on the defensive, bad guys everywhere, unmatched courage, a thrilling rescue, and a cliffhanger to set up the next chapter.”
So why was I having a problem with this book? Twofold. First, like any other summer blockbuster movie it is all flash and bang and little substance. Perhaps it is like any other trilogy where the middle chapter is the weakest (Star Wars fans are saying, “Hold on now!”) But I ask you, where was the depth of sadness we felt in the first issue where we saw the pain of desecrated graves, missing loved ones and the emptiness of those who must live on? So then (secondly) it hit me. Some summer movies are pure action while others can delve into the occult or horror genres. What we have is not just an empty action movie but a horror movie to boot! And there are two things that can give definition to a horror movie. One is physical revulsion the other is mental terror.
Physical revulsion is the mainstay of the “slasher” flicks. See the Halloween, Scream, or Friday the 13th movies as an example. True mental terror comes in the form of movies such as, The Ring, Silence of the Lambs, or the Exorcist. When Blackest Night: Batman #2 opens up we see firefighters, priests, policemen and civilians basically being harvested for their still beating hearts. That’s physical revulsion and I didn’t much like it. I think in the first six or eight pages we get four eviscerated hearts and at least one decapitation. I know, repeat after me, it’s only a movie, er, I mean comic.
I’m not squeamish but I would rather have the fear of the unseen and unknown versus the splatter fest we got.
So what did I like about this book? How about the unrivaled courage of the Gordon’s as they faced down certain death. (Even though the Commish was blasting away at zombies like it was a “Day of the Dead” remake.) And for once I liked Deadman’s role in all of this. Possessing Barbara and using her to rescue her father was terrific and must have made many a Batgirl fan happy to see her swing into action again. How about Red Robin’s entrance? Now that was dramatic! It reminded me of rescue scenes from such movies as “Rescue Dawn” (Christian Bale! See it!), Bat-21 (with Gene Hackman) and “Black Hawk Down” where men put their lives on the line to help their fallen comrades. Awesome and inspirational.
So, yes, it wasn’t all empty. The question I asked in my issue two preview on the effectiveness of flame on the Black Lanterns was answered. Little to none. Cops still died. But the end, ah yes, the end. We finally get to see the Black Lantern Graysons and Drakes. A bit late perhaps but no less welcome. Now we’ll see how Dick and Tim deal with the resurrection of their parents. Some mental terror please!
My rating is based on the amped up action but it still should have been more.
Trivia question! Speaking of “Black Hawk Down” can you find the future movie versions of The Incredible Hulk, Obi Wan Kenobi, and Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four in that movie?
Reviewed by Dark Knight Dave