Detective Comics #973 - A Review

His mind broken by the tortures of The Victim Syndicate, Clayface is rampaging through Gotham City... straight for the protesters assembled by The First Victim. The Gotham Knights have some unexpected help in trying to prevent disaster, but will they be able to save their former comrade? Or will one of their own take it upon themselves to solve the Clayface problem permanently?


James Tynion IV brings the current storyline to a stunning and satisfactory conclusion. Unfortunately, while Tynion's writing is as great as ever, the artwork for this issue doesn't work at all. Colorist Jason Wright uses a bright palette that doesn't suit the story, particularly when applied to the ink-light artwork of Jesus Merino. Despite this comic looking way too bright, Merino over-inks the outlines of his characters without adding any shading to the interior line work. This leaves the entire book looking odd, but still worth fighting through to enjoy the story.

The Final Analysis: 5 out of 10. Great story, but the artwork is totally at war with it.

Detective Comics #972 - A Review

As riots break out around Gotham and Anarky revels in the chaos that he and The First Victim have unleashed, Batman must stare down a Basil Karlo driven mad by the torture he experienced at the hands of The Victim Syndicate. Batwoman may have a way to stop the rampaging Clayface but could her solution unleash Tim Drake's worst nightmare?


Again, I find myself wanting to sing the praises of this book yet unable to articulate its glories to the uninitiated. Such is the rich tale that James Tynion IV has told that it is impossible to relate the parts without considering the whole. This is Detective Comics only flaw - it defies the casual reader and denies easy access. To read it, one must start from the beginning or not bother at all. The journey will prove well worth it, however, particularly with the amazing art of Miguel Mendonca, Diana Egea and Jason Wright.

 The Final Analysis: 10 out of 10.

Detective Comics #971 - A Review

Anarky and The Victim Syndicate have control of Arkham Asylum and Clayface in their clutches. Now, with the people of Gotham City turning upon their vigilantes in the wake of the news that Batman enlisted Clayface in his war on crime and Batman's closest allies with the city and The Gotham Knights questioning his actions, Batman must make a bold choice in order to save his city.



The only bad part about Detective Comics #971 is its complete inaccessibility to new readers. James Tynion IV's plotting is dense and there's no way to just jump into this book at this point. You must have been reading since the beginning of DC Rebirth or there's just no chance of understanding it. Those devote Bat-Fans who try it, however, will find one of the most rewarding stories in years.

This complex story is told through some equally complex artwork. Miguel Mendonca's detail-driven style is a good match for Tynion IV's script. It is the inks of Diana Egea, however, which truly make this issue sparkle. Egea adds just the right amount of shade and definition, leaving the finishing artwork looking distinctive but not overly dark. Jason Wright's work on the color art is equally impressive.

 The Final Analysis: 10/10.

Detective Comics #970 - A Review

Tim Drake is back in control of The Belfry and The Gotham Knights have hit the organized criminals of Gotham City with a vengeance. Yet Stephanie "Spoiler" Brown wonders at Tim's newfound enthusiasm for crime-fighting and wonders if he's still committed to their plan to give it up to go to college together once Tim's plans are in place. Meanwhile, as Basil "Clayface" Karlo considers the possibility of a cure for his condition, The Victim's Syndicate make their next move against the vigilantes of Gotham City.



Detective Comics #970 is largely a house-keeping issue, light on action with most of the text devoted to reminding the regular readers of the many subplots that are up in the air at the moment. James Tynion IV manages all of the stories with the agility of a plate-spinner, continuing to display his amazing aptitude for depicting these characters.

Unfortunately, the artwork isn't quite so skillful. Joe Bennett's pencils are decent enough, though I admit I find his design for Clayface rather dull. The chief problem is that three inkers kill any chance of a uniform look to the artwork and everything looks odd as a result.

The Final Analysis: 6 out of 10.

Detective Comics #962 - A Review

With the Artificial Intelligence created by The Order of St. Dumas poised to take over every computer network in Gotham City, the only hope may lie within the brainwashed mind of Jean Paul Valley - the man who would have been Azrael. Will a change in program save the day? Or will Zatanna's magic have to work a solo act?


The final chapter of Intelligence continues the larger problem that the storyline as a whole possessed. While I appreciate the effort to restore Azrael's place in The Bat Family in the wake of Rebirth, it has proven difficult for the reader to develop any sense of attachment to Jean Paul as most of the story has focused on other characters telling us about Jean Paul rather than letting us learn about him through his actions. Another problem is the much more riveting subplot focused on Zatanna and Batman, which only distracts away from the main story.

The artwork, at least, remains phenomenal.  Messrs. Martinez, Fernandez and Anderson are one of the greatest artistic teams working in comics today and every page of this book looks fantastic throughout. Would that they had a stronger story to illustrate this time around!

The Final Analysis: 6 out of 10. Great artwork, but despite being nominally focused on Azrael, the story makes him seem like a supporting player and Zatanna's presence only distracts further from his story.

Detective Comics #960 - A Review

As Batman continues to win-over Zatanna, the rest of the team in The Belfry explore the mystery of Jean Paul Valley's Azrael armor and the intricate artificial intelligence hidden inside the seemingly ancient suit. Unfortunately, another sort of intelligence seems to have taken over Jean Paul himself...


Many great artists have tried to capture the mood and spirit of Gotham City over the years. For the life of me, I can't recall any of them doing so fine a job of it as Alvaro Martinez, Raul Fernandez and Brad Anderson. The ennui and depression inherent to the setting of Batman has rarely seemed so strong as it does here, with most everything rendered in muted blues and greys with shadows that seem far deeper for not being ebon masses.

James Tynion IV is an equally amazing writer but his work on Detective Comics has suffered somewhat as he has taken on more and more subplots. The interplay between Batman and Zatanna and the revelations regarding "Zee" are far more gripping and exciting than the rest of the team and the business with Azrael. This is particularly vexing as Jean Paul himself seems removed from the action of the issue and is a supporting player in what is meant to be his story!

The Final Analysis: 8 out of 10.

Detective Comics #959 - A Review

The Order of St. Dumas - the mysterious cult responsible for creating Azrael - have returned to Gotham and their ultimate weapon has been unleashed. As Jean Paul Valley prepares for the fight of his life, the rest of the team learn of his odd origins. Meanwhile, Batman seeks out his old friend Zatanna to seek her aid on another case that requires her magic touch.


Detective Comics is my favorite Batman book and that's almost entirely due to James Tynion IV. His grasp of these characters is phenomenal. While a flashback to a young Bruce Wayne and Zatanna Zatara discussing magic might seem indulgent under a lesser author, here it is a joy to read even if it ultimately has little to do with the main plot. Such is the magic of Tynion's pen and his gift for gripping dialogue.

The artwork is as excellent as the story. I'm hard pressed to think of any artistic team who has captured the savage beauty of Gotham City as well as Alvaro Martinez, Raul Fernandez and Brad Anderson have here. I regret that Martinez' gorgeous two-page layouts cannot be properly conveyed due to the size of my scanner but they are simply gorgeous and guide the reader's eye perfectly.

If this issue has a flaw it's that for all the focus on Azrael and revising his background for the reality of DC Rebirth there's surprisingly little of Jean Paul Valley in it outside of the fight scenes. It does make more sense for Batwing to be explaining the Azrael costume's AI given how taciturn Jean Paul is but it still seems a bit odd.

The Final Analysis: 8 Out of 10. A solid issue that suffers only in its inaccessibility to new readers.

Detective Comics #958 - A Review

Jean Paul Valley thought himself free of the Sacred Order of St. Dumas that trained him to be their perfect assassin but a visit from one of his former handlers confirms his worst fears about The Order's ultimate goals. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne plays a dangerous game trying to infiltrate the casino in The Penguin's new Iceberg Lounge.



While I've always had mixed feelings about Azrael as a character, I must say that James Tynion's handling of him here is masterful. It's still unclear exactly how much of Jean Paul Valley's background from the original Knightfall story arc in the 1990s  has been transplanted into the DC Rebirth reality but the script for this issue does a fine job of explaining the technical aspects of Azrael's history and abilities. And you have to love any story in the modern day that gives a cameo to Funky Flashman of all people at the high-rollers table in The Iceberg Lounge.

The artwork for this issue is equally above par. I'm hard pressed to pick a favorite creative team for this book but Alvaro Martinez, Raul Fernandez and Brad Anderson are one of the best in the business. The pencils, inks and colors for this comic are perfection incarnate. And I want a poster of the final splash page!

The Final Analysis: 10 out of 10. If you haven't been reading Detective Comics, now is the time to start! Easily the best of the Batman books right now. 

Detective Comics #956 - A Review

The battle for Gotham ends here. Orphan has freed her family from the clutches of The League of Shadows but can they save Gotham City from certain destruction? Even if they can, will Cassandra survive a battle with her birth mother, Lady Shiva?


Two weeks later and Marcio Takara's pencils are back to being sloppy and his finished artwork over-inked. The red-orange dominated palette utilized by Marcelo Maiolo doesn't do this issue any favors either. It's a shame because James Tynion's writing is as fine as ever but even his scripts aren't worth suffering this kind of hack-work.

Final Analysis: 4 out of 10. And that's purely for the writing.

Detective Comics #950 - A Review

Detective Comics #950 is an over-sized anthology special. More than that, it's a showcase of everything this series has to offer in the Rebirth era, giving both the regular art teams and guest artists Marcio Takara and Dean White a chance to display their talents bringing James Tynion IV's masterful writing to life.


The first chapter - a prologue to the upcoming League of Shadows storyline - is told from the perspective of Cassandra Cain a.k.a. Orphan. I've never been a big fan of the character but damned if this story didn't make me see Cassie in a whole new light. Her frustration with being unable to communicate her thoughts verbally will be sympathetic to anyone who has ever had trouble expressing themselves. The artwork is easily the best thing I've ever seen drawn by Marcio Takara and Dean White's colors are perfectly applied.



The second story, Higher Power, is a short one which focuses on two members of the Bat Family in need of further development - Batwing and Azrael. Tynion's script goes beyond its simple faith vs. science set-up, focusing upon the odd friendship and differing attitudes between the two tech-based heroes.  The artwork by Alvaro Martinez, Raul Fernandez and Brad Anderson is consistent with their usual output - entirely excellent.


The final chapter, The Big Picture, details a flashback conversation between Batman and Tim Drake. Despite nominally serving no purpose other than setting up the Dark Days crossover event due to run through all the Batman books in 2017, its an solid character piece for both characters. The artwork by Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira and Adriano Lucas is damn good too.

Detective Comics #946 - A Review

As Batman confronts The First Victim, the rest of his team are having their own encounters with the rest of the new gang called The Victim Syndicate.  Batwoman goes head-on with Mister Noxious and Madame Crow as Clayface faces his own villainous past and the woman he wronged, who was transformed into Mudface. Meanwhile, Stephanie has her own surprising encounter with a familiar face in The Belfry.


I regret that I don't have a scanner large enough to capture the glorious two page spreads that depict most of the action in this issue. Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, Julio Ferreira and Adriano Lucas are crafting pure magic together with their work on this series. Coupled with some fantastic character moments, as written by James Tynion IV, this is easily the strongest Batman book on the stands.

Detective Comics #945 - A Review

As Batman looks into his past to find the identity of The First Victim, the rest of The Belfry Team undergo psychiatric evaluation. Some members of the team are doubting their place. Others question the presence of other members of the team. Yet all of Gotham's heroes will be needed when The Victim Syndicate attacks again...


The artwork for this issue is all over the place. Unfortunately, this goes beyond the conflicting styles of the two art teams. Carmen Carnero and Scott Hanna do a fine job together but the work by Al Barrionuevo in the opening pages looks sloppy and inconsistent. Still, it serves as an interesting lesson in how a good inker can make or break a book.


Thankfully, the writing of James Tynion IV continues to be this book's most consistently excellent feature. There are a number of great character moments in this issue. I was particularly happy to see Clayface getting some much-needed exploration, since the series so far has said little about what prompted his sudden heroic streak. The final page offers a cliff-hanger that will leave readers anxiously awaiting the next issue in three weeks.

Detective Comics #935 - A Review

The new team Batman has formed under Batwoman's command continues to train together but has yet to venture out in search of the vigilante hunters now patrolling Gotham's streets. All of them are anxious to fight but none more so than Tim Drake, who is more used to leading a team than following orders. Yet Tim has his reasons for wanting to get out in the field - a once-in-a-lifetime chance may soon take away his ability to serve as a superhero at all...


The focus of this issue is on Tim Drake and that is greatly to its benefit and the readers'. The relationship between Tim Drake and Bruce Wayne was one of the first casualties of The New 52 and it has never been clear just where the two stood with each other over the last five years. James Tynion IV explains everything here simply and quickly, catching-up new readers whilst satisfying those Bat-fans who fondly remember Tim Drake's days as Robin in the 1990s and 2000s.

While the focus is on Tim, the rest of the cast get their moments in the sun as well.  The complicated relationship between Kate Kane and her father from the Batwoman books continues to be explored and we get a few brief pages of Stephanie Brown and Tim Drake being a cute young couple that aren't worrying about their lives as heroes for a bit... even as Steph's sometimes roommate Cassandra accidentally butts in on their "us time".  Even Basil "Clayface" Karlo gets a nice moment as he asks Tim, somewhat sheepishly, if it would be okay for him to take the device Tim created that locked him into a human shape to go out to an audition... purely so he can feel like his old actor self again for a few hours.


The artwork for this series thus far perfectly matches the scripts in quality and tone. Eddy Barrows is one of the best pencilers to work on the Batman books in years and Eber Ferreira's inks complete his work wonderfully. There is a nice effect - I assume it is the work of colorist Adriano Lucas - in which several portraits of the characters have a somewhat muted look that contrasts with the more sharply defined panel work. This softer edge is quite striking, ironically standing out all the stronger amid the more focused artwork in the panels.

Detective Comics #934 - A Review

Gotham City has become full of costumed avengers since Batman began his war on crime. Now, someone with resources and an army is tracking them all, apparently intent on bring them down. In order to win the battle to come, Batman needs to transform them from rogue vigilantes into an organized group. To that end he recruits Batwoman as his partner and teacher to this rag-tag group of vigilantes he hopes to shape into a team.


I went into this title with high expectations, having enjoyed James Tynion IV's previous work on Batman and Constantine The Hellblazer. I was not disappointed. Not only has he perfectly captured the essence of several long-neglected characters but he has also improved upon them. For instance, the relationship between Tim Drake and Stephanie Brown - considered by many to be a highlight of Chuck Dixon's Robin series - seems all the stronger here for being a partnership of equals.



The artwork is equally excellent. Eddy Barrows' designs for all the characters are outstanding, from his streamlined Batman to the nightmarish Clayface. Eber Ferreira avoids drowning the page in ink - a problem many Bat-inkers seem unable to avoid. And Adriano Lucas' finds the perfect palettes to finish everything up.