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 #955 - A Review

With Batman and most of his allies captured and held captive in the caverns under Gotham City, only Cassandra Cain remains to save the city from the League of Shadows. Can she overcome her conflicted feelings regarding her birth-mother, Lady Shiva, and be the hero her friends need? Or is she doomed to remain an Orphan at heart?


I don't know why but the artwork for this issue seems to suit the story better than it did two weeks ago, despite the creative team not having changed. I think this is due to most of the action taking place in a dark cavern where the heavy inks and extremes in color suit the emotional turmoil of Cassandra Cain at the time. James Tynion's scripts remain excellent however, and this issue is a fantastic character study of Orphan. As I've said before, I've never been a fan of the Cassandra Cain Batgirl... but I think after this story I might be transformed into one.

Final Analysis: 7 out of 10. The artwork still looks overly dark in the scenes that aren't set n a cave but things look less sloppy than in the last issue.

Detective Comics #953 - A Review

Lady Shiva and her League of Shadows are laying waste to Gotham. With several of his operatives captured, Batman has most of his rookie recruits hiding out in The Belfry. Yet Cassandra Cain - the heroine now called Orphan - wishes to confront the mother she never knew and seek the answers to questions she can barely understand and remains unable to articulate.


I've never cared much for Cassandra Cain as a character but James Tynion IV's script has - if not made me a fan of the character - enabled me to understand the appeal from the eyes of other people. Cassandra's search for identity is a relatable situation, albeit it one born of unbelievable circumstances. I also like the development given to Clayface in this episode and the odd friendship developing between him and Cassandra. It's these moments that sell the story far better than the action scenes.

Mind you, the action scenes in this comic are good. And both art teams (whom I would credit directly, if I were certain who had handled which pages) do a wonderful job on every aspect of the story - from the quieter moments of conversation to the fight between Shiva and Cassandra, which is presented without backgrounds so as to emphasize the focus of both combatants. There is nothing else - only mother and daughter in conflict. It's a stunning visual and typical of the sights one sees in Detective Comics.

Detective Comics #952 - A Review

The League of Shadows is real! Led by the vicious Lady Shiva (who has also been revealed as Cassandra Cain's birth mother) , the group's ultimate goals are unknown. All that is known for sure is that they have caused Ra's Al Ghul hardship and that they have set their sights on Gotham and Batman!


Detective Comics #952 is a master-class study in how different artists and colorists can be used to enhance the mood of a story. The issue's opening flashback sequence - depicting a conversation between Shiva and Ra's - has an entirely different tone that the rest of the issue, which is more action-oriented. By having Fernando Blanco and John Rauch illustrate this opening sequence, it gives the story more power when we shift to the present-day, which is awesomely handled by Christian Duce and Alex Sinclair.

 The book's final three pages, which depict the aftermath of the battle between The Batman Family and The League of Shadows, sport a subtly different look thanks to the colors being handled by Allen Passalaqua.  The effect is indescribable beyond my simply saying that effect is breath-taking and that James Tyinon IV (easily the strongest voice among the Bat-Family writers at this time) is fortunate to have such fine artists bringing his wonderful words to life.

Detective Comics #951 - A Review

Someone has killed Gotham City's mayor and framed Batman for the crime. There's any number of villains who could be responsible but Jacob Kane - currently a prisoner in Batman's Belfry base - says this is the work of The League of Shadows. Of course Batman doesn't believe The League of Shadows exists... but Batman has been wrong before!


Detective Comics #951 marks the first issue by artist Christian Duce and colorist Alex Sinclair. Their first outing is a strong one, with Duce's style being both intricately detailed yet uncluttered by heavy lines or inks. Sinclair avoids the dark hues that dominate most Batman books, giving this issue a distinctive and gripping look.


Despite the story building upon the previous arcs, the script by James Tynion IV remains accessible to new readers. It will mean more if the reader read last issue's prologue story but it isn't strictly required. It's a simple touch like this that makes this the strongest of the various Batman books.

Secret Six #13 - A Review

Strix has been recruited by The League of Assassins and her friends in The Secret Six aren't taking it lying down. They're just having a barbecue as they work out what to do next. Meanwhile, Strix is pit against a team of killers modeled upon The Six, told that if she cannot kill them all in under a minute, the corresponding team-mate will die!


I love this book. I was saddened when I learned that it wasn't coming back post-Rebirth. Still, Gail Simone seems determined to make sure this book ends with a bang. And I don't just mean Catman being asked to father Scandal Savage's child. *rimshot*


Tom Derenick's artwork is as fine as ever. Derenick is a gifted fight choreographer with a great eye for detail. And Jason Wright's color art proves perfectly applied.

Secret Six #12 - A Review

The League of Assassins is dying to recruit a Talon. Well, technically other people are dying so they can recruit a Talon but the organization is quite anxious to enlist one of the shock troops for The Court of Owls. And they've sent Lady Shiva to enlist Strix... one way or the other.


There's so much in this issue that I love. I love seeing Barbara Gordon written as a smart, competent crime-fighter. I love seeing Scandal and her two wives. But I think I love the final page of this issue most of all.

No, I'm not going to show you or tell you what it is. But I will say that there's no small amount of irony that one of DC Comics most dark and generally twisted comics should be responsible for the return of one of the DCU's most happy and cheerful heroes... though he could be pretty twisted in his own way. In any case, I commend Gail Simone for this issue.

Dale Eaglesham and Tom Derenick were two of my favorite artists before this series started. Their work on Secret Six has only increased my regard for their talents. Their styles are not exactly similar but unlike many series with multiple artists, there is no obvious visual discontinuity between their pages. The book's artwork is as great as its writing and I'll be sad to see it go post-Rebirth.

Thursday Night Comic Con News Round-Up - Part Two

* Joker will be returning in a big way in "Death Of The Family" - a crossover spanning most of the Bat-Family books. Scott Snyder, Tony Daniel and Kyle Higgins all agree that their respective contributions are by far the most disturbing things they have ever written. (Batman: Beyond The Night Of Owls Panel)

* Lady Shiva will make her first appearance in a New 52 title in Nightwing #13. (Batman: Beyond The Night Of Owls Panel)

* Ed Benes will be taking over as the regular artist on Batgirl with Issue #13. (Batman: Beyond The Night Of Owls Panel)