Detective Comics 867 and 868

Detective Comics #867
Written by David Hine
Art by Scott McDaniel

 

I am not the biggest fan of McDaniel’s art and is it can be too zany and cartoony and take away from a story – but it worked pretty well here I’d say. The Jokerz are the kind of thing that McDaniel can do well. I never read a story about them before except I remember them from Batman Beyond as the imposter Joker gang. Here it seems like they have been in Gotham before so hmmm I wonder if they are not new to the comics. What makes this interesting is that was once a gang of practical jokers and vandals has suddenly become violent like the real Joker himself. Good stuff.

Detective Comics #868
Written by David Hine
Art by Scott McDaniel

The war between Guardian Bats and Jokerz become bloody and violent and things are getting crazy out of control. We learn the origin of the imposter Joker – a young man permanently disfigured by Joker venom years ago. He makes an interesting villain as he seems to be angry with Batman for never permanently getting rid of the Joker ala Jason Todd. This arc continues to surprise me with how good it is.

Christmas In July

Green Lantern (Volume 4) #56
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Doug Mahnke

 

Once again the best thing about this series is everyone else but it’s supposed star Hal Jordan – as he continues to be boring but everyone around him is fascinating as hell. I finally can say that I love the character of Larfleeze and his search for Santa Clause was just adorable. Hector Hammond eating the orange power battery was interesting. I didn’t know he could do that. It was great to see Renee Montoya and Saint Walker together too. I wonder how these entities are going to effect everyone near them?

The Most Wonderful Anniversary Issue Diana Could Get

Wonder Woman #600
Written by Gail Simone, Amanda Connor, Louise Simonson, Geoff Johns, and J. Michael Straczynski
Art by George Perez, Connor, Eduardo Pansica, Scott Kollins, and Don Kramer

Wonder Woman reverts to classica numbering…well the numbering of all three of her series put together. Six Hundred issues! Now this was a damn anniversary issue! Beautiful pin-ups and wonderful stories that not only celebrated the character’s rich history but brought her forward. Gail Simone’s story of Wonder Woman leading a band of female heroes was breathtakingly drawn by Perez and ended with a sulute to the Perez era of the character. It was great to see all those female heroes working together – and Grace was there! We haven’t seen her in a while. But of course my favorite story has to be Amanda Connor’s short Wonder Woman team up with Power Girl that featured the Batgirl Cassandra Cain!!!!!! It takes place in the past but it was so great to see Cassie in her suit and all her glory again I almost cried! Sure she didn’t exactly talk like Cassie – but I am not complaining at least we got to see her. What a treat! Not to mention it was a great little story where Wonder Woman explains how Power Girl can bond with her cat. Simonson’s and Johns’s stories were good spotlights of how powerful and amazing the character is but the real meat of the issue is Straczysnki’s prologue to his new run. Shockingly, something has changed the timeline of Wonder Woman’s life and now she is an orphan raised in the city by amazons after Paradise Island was destroyed. The new costume isn’t going to last and let’s face it – it’s not the great but Kramer does the best he can with it. I know this isn’t a permanent retcon and that Diana will make her way back to the original timeline so I am interested in where this radical new direction is going. I also wonder how this will effect the rest of the DCU.  This was the perfect anniversary issue for Diana!

Gotham’s Creepiest Couple

Detective Comics #865
Written by David Hine
Art by Jeremy Haun
Co-Feature by Greg Rucka
Art by Cully Hamner

 

The main story was prefectly creepy! I love good Arkham Asylum stories and the new pair of Jeremiah Arkham and Alyce Sinner will probably make stories in the future. Arkham is an inmate of the asylum now just like his ancestor – he even carves his intial into Zsas’s eyelid! But Alyce is now director of Arkham Asylum and she is equally insane and in love with Jeremiah Arkham! This was a great little story. The Question back-up comes to its conclusion and we are left with a cliffhanger. Odd, Rucka really must have left DC in a hurry but we are not told whether Renee Montoya has the mark of Cain now or not. I wonder if we will have to wait till Rucka comes back to DC or if The Question is too high profile to keep waiting for him. Hmmm. All Good Questions haha.

Brings Me Back

Detective Comics #864
Written by David Hine
Art by Jeremy Haun
Co-Feature by Greg Rucka
Art by Cully Hamner

 

Wow that was good! I always have loved Haun’s writing from Brave and the Bold to his Arkham work and I was excited for his run on Detective Comics – but this blew me away. He really gets into the psyche of Jeremiah Arkham and how crazy he is. My guess is that the three inmates he supposedly cured aren’t real at all. I love that he is referencing old Batman stories – but not SILVER AGE Batman stories or something pre-crisis but the honest to God DC Universe of my childhood – Devin Grayson’s Gotham Knights run and so on. It makes me really miss that time where it seemed anything could happen in Gotham and new characters were being created and awesome dark storylines were being written. I loved reading this. I don’t even miss Batwoman – and I liked her in this book. The Question back-up was also good as Vandal Savage demands that either Question or Huntress take the mark of Cain from him. It makes me want to go back and read Final Crisis: Revelations where this all went down I am not sure how he got the mark. I also liked how Rucka brought in Huntress’s faith which has always been an important part of her character.

What Will Happen Next?

Detective Comics #863
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by Jock and Scott Kolins
Co-Feature by Rucka
Art by Cully Hamner

 

The main story has Batwoman defeat the Cutter and it is perfectly juxtaposed against the flashback with Batman. The art team did a great job of making sure that it was no confusing with the red versus blue colors. In the end, Bette reveals her Flamebird costume to Kate. I wonder what will come of this? I can’t wait to see but we may have to wait a bit considering Batwoman is taking a break from the title and Rucka is leaving DC. Darn. The Question back-up was good as Huntress and Renee find themselves facing Veronica Cale who leads them to Vandal Savage.

Commissioner Gordon’s Daughter? Really?!

Detective Comics #862
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by Jock
Co-Feature by Rucka
Art by Cully Hamner

Yay! We finally get some mention of Bette Kane being Flamebird and even get to see the costume which she is pondering putting back on. I wonder why Bette ran away from Batwoman? Either she feels bad about her friend or she doesn’t want Batwoman to ask questions about how she knows how to fight? I don’t know but I liked this issue. The Question back-up was actually pretty damn awesome. I think it is the first time I actually really enjoyed the back-up as a lot of stuff happened and Oracle guest starred. I love how Renee can’t get over how Commisioner Gordon’s daughter is helping them. I wonder if she will suspect that she is Oracle.

At Least The Question Has No Eyes And Doesn’t Have To See This Art

 

The Question #37
Written by Greg Rucka and Denny O’Neil
Art by Denys Cowan

Better late than never, this is my review of the Question resurrected for an issue. I never read O’Neil’s Question series but I have heard good things….I don’t know if I want to read it after reading this issue. The story was good and it looks like Vic Sage has a much more interesting back-story then I thought but the fact of the matter is I can not stand the art, it kills my eyes. I know that will make me unpopular around the blogosphere but I hope that Cowan wasn’t this awful when this series was around.

Batwoman Vs. The Cutter

Detective Comics #861
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by Jock
Co-Feature by Rucka
Art by Cully Hamner

Jock isn’t a terrible artist, but I miss Williams already. His style really brought a flare to this book. This issue would’ve been rather boring if not for learning more about the relationship between Batwoman and Bette Kane. The Cutter serial killer has been done-to-death in oh everything. Nip/Tuck had a whole season focused on the exact same premise. When did Bette move to Gotham and why is she still in college? Shouldn’t she be older then that now? She went to Hudson University with Dick Grayson did she not? Maybe she took some time off. I was confused why Batman was wearing the yellow symbol in this. It is great to have it back but at first I thought it was a flashback. Especially the beginning when Gordon is referred to as Captain? Perhaps just those first few pages were a flashback. The Question back-up was rather good this time. I still wish it had a less cartoony artist though.

Detective 859 and 860

Detective Comics #859
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by J.H. Williams III
Co-Feature by Rucka
Art by Cully Hamner

As a gay man, I definitely shed a tear reading this issue. I know that Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is something that many gays have had to deal with and Batwoman’s courageous and powerful resignation from the military was a beautiful, touching thing to read. I also loved that her Dad was proud of her too. The ending was beautiful as well as Kate finds herself lost in life and is saved by Batman – and is inspired. Great origin story for the new Batwoman. The Question back-up featured Huntress – it was okay. Hats off to Rucka for dedicating this issue to Dan Choi!

Detective Comics #860
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by J.H. Williams III
Co-Feature by Rucka
Art by Cully Hamner

Batwoman gets her costume in this chapter as Kate’s vigilante activities are discovered by her father who agrees to get her advanced training and help her out. I loved the explanation for the costume and the Kaballistic stuff – very nice and shows that Rucka really gets this character and he is bringing her to life. The revelation that Alice is her sister was expected but it was a good reveal. The Question back-up was actually pretty good with Question and Huntress talking about Vic Sage.

The Origin of Batwoman

Detective Comics #858
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by J.H. Williams III
Co-Feature by Rucka
Art by Cully Hamner

We finally begin the origin of Batwoman – a story I have waited three years to read. Was it worth the wait? I don’t know yet. I like that it has the violent background that the other bat characters have. Kate’s mom is murdered by terrorists or some kind of group because after she and her sister are kidnapped. Her twin sister seems dead but is obviously not considering she grows up to become Alice. Under any other artist, the story wouldn’t be as engaging. But the way Williams not only changes his style when we shift into the flashback, but also how draws the entire kidnapping and horrific scene through the eyes of Kate – which helps the reader empathize with her and think about how horrific the scene would seem to such a young girl. The way her father stays calm while saving Kate and reassures her is such a sad scene that I can’t say that Rucka’s script didn’t contribute to the greatness of this issue. Unfortunately, the Question back-up is still boring and completely devoid of anything remotely interesting.

Batwoman’s Alfred

Detective Comics #857
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by J.H. Williams II
Co-Feature by Rucka
Art by Cully Hamner

Damn is this a beautiful book. I mean people are not joking when they talk about how great Williams’s art is. It’s breathtaking and stylish. And story-wise things got interesting this time around as we discover that Alice is Kate’s sister? Interesting and I am interesting in learning how that happened. One thing that I have been thinking about is the idea that Batwoman is helped by her father – I almost wish that she was self-made like Bruce was – but now that I think about it I guess Bruce always had Alfred – so the father thing works. The Question back-up was rather forgettable I must say.

Breathtaking

Detective Comics #856
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by J.H. Williams III
Co-Feature by Rucka
Art by Cully Hamner

After last issue was only decent, this issue picked it up a lot and I really enjoyed it. The religion of Crime really interests me now. I like the idea that Abbot has a different interpretation of their religion then Alice. It was great to see Bette Kane and Maggie Swayer. The entire sequence where Kate is dancing with Maggie really hit home for me as a gay man and knowing how your family always thinks you are flaunting it when you are really just being yourself. It is also nice to know that Gordon has an anti-discrimination policy! We still don’t know if Kate’s Stepmom was once the original Batwoman (who per Morrison’s issues of Batman is still in continuity I think) but it doesn’t seem like it here. Is Bette still active as Flamebird? Does Kate know that she was or is Flamebird? Williams’s art is beautiful. Seriously the guy should win an award for this. Every page is breathtaking to look at. The Question back-up is pretty short but not bad.

A Little Too Damsel-In-Distress

Detective Comics #855
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by J.H. Williams III
Co-Feature by Rucka
Art by Cully Hamner

Let me start off by saying that Williams’s art was pretty darn amazing, maybe even more so, then the previous issue. But I didn’t enjoy this issue as much as the last. The whole issue was basically Batwoman fighting Alice and having hallucinations about what I assume is her past. I couldn’t quite make out what exactly she was hallucinating but I suppose it has something to do with her origin. I mean it wasn’t a bad issue but I just had high expectations and I don’t feel I understand Kate Kane any more then I did before I read this. I also think that having her Dad coming into save the day seems a little, well, damsel-in-distress for a character wearing the bat-symbol. The Question back-up was much better then the previous one and it was cool to see how Renee changes into her Question outfit. Don’t get me wrong, the art is still amazing and I enjoyed the issue, I just had high expectations.

Death in the DCU

Green Lantern (Volume 4) #43
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Doug Mahnke

If this issue doesn’t get you excited for Blackest Night the nothing will. This was an excellent issue detailing the history of the Black Hand, the murder of his family, and suicide and then his rise from the dead as the first Black Lantern and embodiment of the Black Lantern Corps. Mahnke’s are is as gorgeous as ever and I think he may be my favorite artist at DC for event books. I love the DC Universe and its continuity and it was so exciting to see Mahnke draw all the heroic deaths over the years. My only complaint is story-wise, why the fuck no mention that Kyle was basically the entire Green Lantern Corps for a decade! It’s just another example of DC favoring silver age old-fuck heroes. Oh and fuck Didio by the way and his stupid ass DC nation column about the Justice League. Am I being a little mean with this review? Sorry. Let’s go back to the positives, this was an amazing issue that brings us right into what will hopefully be the greatest event DC has had in a long time.

Kate Kane Is No Cookie Cutter Character

Detective Comics #854
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by J.H. Williams III
Co-Feature by Rucka
Art by Cully Hamner

Wow I expected this to be good, but man was this good! Batwoman is a character we have been waiting for an explanation behind for three years, and while we don’t get her origin story here, I have to say I am a fan already. She doesn’t exactly fit the Bat-family mold. Her father knows that she is Batwoman (Could her stepmother be the original Batwoman?!) She has a military background, apparently has no problem with guns, and she is as pale as can be. And that is what I like about her! She is not a cookie-cutter character or a Barbara Gordon stand-in anymore. A lot of this has to do with Rucka, but Williams as well. His art is breathtaking (and weird) and you can’t help but marvel at the detail he puts into it. Everything from the panels to the stuff in Kate’s room matters. And the villain, Alice, is surprisingly freaky. As for the Question back-up, it was okay. I have never been a fan of Hamner’s art but I like some of the changes he made to Renee. As a gay man, I have to say that it is AWESOME that DC is having two Lesbian characters headline Detective Comics, but it is even more AWESOME that their debut is on the fortieth anniversary of the Stonewall riots. We have come a long way since 1969.

Batman Confidential 29 and 30

Batman Confidential #29
Written by Andrew Kreisberg
Art by Scott McDaniel

I have to say that I like Kreisberg’s first issue here better then his pervious arc on this book. Even though this follows up on that arc, you don’t need to read that arc in order to enjoy this. McDaniel’s art didn’t even bother me that much. I noticed that he may draw people strange, but I have no problem with the way he draws Gotham. The Joker had some good lines this issue as well. Renee Montoya and the Ventriloquist are retconned to first appearing in Gotham much earlier then they did originally but I don’t really mind that.

Batman Confidential #30
Written by Andrew Kreisberg
Art by Scott McDaniel

I read a review of this that said that having Babs so young while Batman is active breaks canon. I don’t think so at all. I have no problem with Batman being in his fifties currently. Fifties are not that old anymore. Not to mention, it only breaks DC’s rudiculous ten year timeline not the perfect timeline created by this site. Anyways I enjoyed seeing a young Barbara Gordon, it is something I would expect more of in a series like this. This wasn’t the best issue ever but it was decent. It was certainly better then Kreisberg’s previous arc in this book.