Detective Comics #27 Review

Writers: Brad Meltzer, Gregg Hurwitz, Peter J. Tomasi, Francesco Francavilla, Mike Barr, John Layman and Scott Snyder
Artists: Bryan Hitch, Neal Adams, Ian Bertman, Francesco Francavilla, Guillem March, Jason Fabok and Sean Murphy

How will Batman’s 75th Anniversary fair? Read on to find out.

The official description from DC Comics:

DC Entertainment presents this mega-sized issue featuring an all-star roster of Batman creators past and present!

Don’t miss a modern-day retelling of The Dark Knight’s origin by the incredible team of writer Brad Meltzer and artist Bryan Hitch! Plus, all-new stories by Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy, Peter J. Tomasi and Guillem March, Paul Dini and Dustin Nguyen, Gregg Hurwitz and Neal Adams, new art by legendary Batman writer/artist Frank Miller and more!

Also in this issue, John Layman and Jason Fabok kick off the new storyline “GOTHTOPIA”! It’s a bright, shiny, happy place where dreams come true...as long as you don’t look at things too closely.

As far as mega-sized anniversary issues go, this was probably one of the best in recent years, and was certainly the most value for money having seven stories over 96 pages. The stories were however as expected rather inconsistent, though most were fitting for a celebratory issue.

The main story was “Gothtopia” written by regular Detective Comics writer John Layman with the artwork also coming from the usual artist Jason Fabok. Now the story itself was very interesting, taking a very different approach to the Batman mythos. It was however the mystery behind the story that interest me the most, with it having a “Nineteen Eighty-Four” feel to it. The artwork from Fabok was also as usual extremely impressive, having a lot of detail to it. The layout along with action sequences also impressed me, adding a lot of excitement and intensity to the story.

The other stories came from various creators including Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy, Brad Meltzer and Bryan Hitch, Gregg Hurwitz and Neal Adams, Peter J. Tomasi and Ian Bertman, Francesco Francavilla, and Mike Barr and Guillem March. All of these tales were be very impressive, with most actually being better than the main “Gothtopia” story. It was however the charm and retro feel of Hurwitz and Adam‘s “Old School” and the fitting birthday celebration in Tomasi and Bertman’s “Better Days” that impressed me the most, with both adding a lot to the overall feel.

Overall this was a very fitting tribute issue and well worth the money. The stories were all interesting and exciting with the main story “Gothtopia” being the perfect start to Layman and Fabok’s final arc. Highly recommended.

Rating: 8/10

Detective Comics #25 Review

Writer: John Layman

Artist: Jason Fabok

This has been a very strong series since John Layman and Jason Fabok took over as the creative team way back in issue 13 and with the announcement that they'll soon be leaving the series I'm slightly disheartened (even though it's a good team that's replacing them). It is however nice to see them have a Zero Year tie-in not long before they leave, and with the solicit it could turn out to be one of the best tie-ins.

Plot

James Gordon investigates a series of robberies/murders by the Black Mask gang, but soon finds out that half the Gotham City Police Department are on Roman Sionis' payroll.

Review

This was a fantastic issue and a terrific tie-in to Zero Year. John Layman once again produces a dramatic story with a lot of excitement and suspense, and with Batman only having a briefest appearance. Layman would also do a great job with the structuring and flow of this story, and I really enjoyed how he narrated the issue, and how Gordon would be the main focus throughout the entire issue. I could however not help but notice some similarities to the recent Batman: Arkham Origins video game, with Black Mask making an appearance in both as well as holographic crime scenes being mentioned in both. Now this could easily just be a coincidence, and even besides that the story would still be very exciting in it's own rights.

The artwork on this issue would also once again be amazing with Jason Fabok doing a spectacular job. The detail in Fabok's art would also be outstanding, and as usual would be very consistent throughout, and if there were any imperfection, they weren't easy to spot. The layout of Fabok's art would also once again add a lot of depth to the issue, as although they aren't as unique as some of the other artists that work for DC, they'd do a brilliant job of adding more drama and suspense. On top of that Fabok would also handle the action and emotion throughout this issue very well, as although there'd be the odd awkward facial expression, the action would be very exciting and explosive.

This issue would centre round Commissioner James Gordon who was only a Captain at the time. Now Gordon has been one of the most well known side characters in Batman over the years, and when you take away the villains as well Bat Family itself he is the most well known character left, so having him as the key character in this story was amazing. What would make this even better is the fact that this is set during the early years when the GCPD aren't working with Batman, as although we see Gordon share some of the same views as Batman it is clear that he's still seen as a criminal. We'd also see the determination that Gordon's always had, and it's no wonder he became Commissioner.

We'd also see a well known Batman villain in this story in the form of Roman Sionis, who's better known as the Black Mask. He'd also have his own gang known as the Black Mask Gang and would be at the centre of Gordon's investigation. Now I've already mentioned the connection between this and the Batman: Arkham Origins video game so won't say any more about that, but the addition of Sionis and his gang was a very interesting one, as although the similarities to the recent Red Hood Gang makes it feel slightly less creative, it would still make the issue very exciting, and shows a possible future for Black Mask.

Another thing that would be shown throughout this issue would be the corruption of the GCPD during that time period, something which I was very interested in seeing. I especially loved how this would make you question who out of the cops that were featured in the issue were crooked and who wasn't, as although there were some that were fairly obvious, there'd be a couple that'd be more questionable. I also liked how this would give yet another dimension to the story, as well as another sub-plot, with Gordon's reaction to this being very interesting as well.

Final Verdict

This was an amazing Zero Year tie-in as well as an outstanding James Gordon story. It would have a lot of drama and suspense, also being very exciting as well. It would also have a lot of depth as well, with some very intense sequences. Due to all this I'd highly recommend this issue, as although there haven't been many Zero Year tie-ins so far, this is one of the best so far.

Rating: 9/10

New Batman Weekly Series and Creative Changes for Detective Comics

2014 will mark the 75th anniversary of Batman, and with that USA Today has announced that DC will be brining out a brand new weekly series for Batman that will launch in Spring 2014. The series will be named Batman: Eternal, and will have the rotation of writers including Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, John Layman, Ray Fawkes and Tim Seeley, with artist Jason Fabok also working on the project as it's lead artist.

Scott Snyder told USA Today, "It's a place for me to be able to work with good friends in terms of shaping Gotham in a bigger, grander and more game-changing way than ever before."

It has also been announced that Detective Comics #27 will be a 96 page celebration issue, and will be released on the 8th January. It will feature multiple writers and artists, including Paul Dini, Brad Meltzer, Gregg Hurwitz, Peter Tomasi, Neal Adams, Dustin Nguyen, Francesco Francavilla and Frank Miller. This issue will also see the start of John Layman and Jason Fabok's final arc on the series titled"Gothtopia" as USA Today would also announce that there will be a new creative team for Detective Comics in the spring, with current Flash writers Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato taking over the series.

Manapul told USA Today, "We want to bring him closer to his roots and be more of a street-level type of hero. His superheroics will still be present, but the investigative part of Batman will be at the forefront."

Buccellato added that, "There is a perception that Francis and I are best suited for 'lighter fare' because of our run on the vibrant, fast-moving world of Barry Allen. But we also have a gritty and dark side that we will tap into as we get into the mind of the Dark Knight. Stylistically, we will use the tools in our toolbox to capture what we think the Bat-universe looks and feels like. Gotham won't look like Central City, so you won't be seeing all the bright reds, oranges and yellows that defined Flash's world."

My Thoughts

I don't know what I think of the idea of a weekly Batman series, as although I think it's a brilliant way of celebrating his 75th Anniversary, it is a lot to commit to a series that is released weekly. I do however like the idea of the creative team constantly changing as it gives people the opportunity to only get certain issues, or try writers and artists that they've not tried before. I will however give it a go and hope that it stays fresh and interesting. I am however much more excited about the Detective Comics news, as although I am enjoying Layman and Fabok's run I am happy that it's a creative team like Manapul and Buccellato that are taking over. I also am really looking forward to seeing what their take on the character will be, and how it will contrast to their Flash work. I also think it is very appropriate to have a celebration issue for Detective Comics #27 as with Batman being first introduced in the original Detective Comics #27 it's a nice homage. On top of this I'm looking forward to seeing all the brilliant artists work in the issue, and especially Frank Miller's.

Detective Comic #23.4 Man-Bat Review

Writer: Frank Tieri
Artist: Scot Eaton

I was in two minds whether to get this issue or not originally but after I decided I'd be getting all the Batman related issues in Villains Month bar the Batman: The Dark Knight titles as well as enjoying Frank Tieri's work on the Penguin issue I thought I'd get this and give it a try.

Plot

Man-Bat (Dr. Kirk Langstrom) decides to make his deceitful wife, Dr. Francine Langstrom pay for betraying him, and decides to become Gotham City's hero at the same time.

Review

This was overall a very good issue, as although it wasn't without it's flaws it was enjoyable. Frank Tieri goes with a completely different style that his Penguin issue that was out last week, as even the writing style is completely different. Tieri did a great job of showing Man-Bat for what he is, as although he didn't show much that we didn't already know, it allows Man-Bat fans who haven't been following this series a chance to see him in the New 52. I did however feel that the story had too quick a pace, as although some stories can drag this simply sped past, moving from one point to the next in rapid succession. The tone of the issue was however perfect and overall bar the faults Tieri did a great job with this issue.

The art in this issue was however simply outstanding, and Scot Eaton did a wonderful job of showing the Man-Bat in this issue. The detail in Eaton's art was also amazing as his artwork throughout the entire issue was very consistent, and I couldn't find any imperfections. I also loved Eaton's layouts, as although they weren't as unique as some artists, they were still very dynamic, adding a lot of depth to the story. Eaton also managed to show great emotion in this issue, also handling the action perfectly. I also felt that Jeromy Cox colours helped to keep a similar tone to previous Detective Comics issues, as it helps keep a level of consistency between Eaton's work and Jason Fabok's work.

The start of this issue would see Langstrom seek revenge against his wife, deciding to take her down. The fight that would embroil between these two Man-Bat's was amazing, as although it could have lasted a bit longer it was still very exciting. I also loved the dialogue near the end of the fight as well, as it was very dramatic. I did however still think it was rather short as given the build-up in the back-up features of this series I was expecting a bit more.

Langstrom would continue to try and perfect his formula throughout this issue, as without going into too much detail he's trying to make it much more better, and so that he can keep the transformation for longer. This sequence was again interesting, though I would much rather more fighting between him and his wife. It did however enjoy the atmosphere that Tieri added through his writing, as it made it very dramatic and suspenseful.

Another thing that Langstrom would try and do throughout this issue would be to become the hero that Gotham needs, as with Batman not around he sees it as his responsibility to protect the innocent. Besides the fighting sequence near the start of the issue this was probably the next best thing about the issue. I really enjoyed how Man-Bat was shown as trying to be a hero, whilst still being misunderstood to a certain extent. I also liked how his attitude to criminals seemed to change throughout the issue, making you question whether the serum is starting to corrupt him, or if this is his true intentions.

Final Verdict

This was a very enjoyable issue, but the pace was way too quick making it questionable whether it's value for money. It also didn't really show us much new, as although it was a nice development for Man-Bat it isn't a great deal off development. It was however still very exciting and dramatic and I'd highly recommend it to any Man-Bat fan, but otherwise I'd probably only recommend it if you want something that's a quick read, or if you have the spare cash to get it.

Rating: 7/10

Detective Comics #23.3 Scarecrow Review

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Artist: Szymon Kudranski

I wasn't originally going to get this issue, but after deciding to get all of the Villains Month issues from Detective Comics, as well as the fact that this will follow into Forever Evil: Arkham War I thought I'd give it a try.

Plot

Scarecrow is continuing his recruiting whilst also preparing to go to war against the Blackgate prisoners.

Review

This was a good issue, being better than the last Detective Comics Villains Month issue, but still nothing overly brilliant. Peter J. Tomasi did a great job of setting up the upcoming Forever Evil: Arkham War series in this issue, but at the same time it took a little away from Scarecrow as a character, which will upset fans of the character who aren't bothered about Arkham War. I did however like the direction that Tomasi is taking Scarecrow in, as although he didn't delve into his characteristics too much, he's shown him in a more powerful position, as over the last few years he's been rather pathetic. I also loved how this wasn't an origin story as we already had plenty of that in Batman: The Dark Knight: Cycle of Violence.

I wasn't too happy about the artwork in this issue, as although I've enjoyed Szymon Kudranski's art in the past, I didn't like his artwork on Scarecrow, and with him being the main character in the issue that's a big problem. The rest of Kudranski's art was very good, and I especially enjoyed his artwork on Mr. Freeze in this issue, but Scarecrow himself looked like a common robber, which I didn't like. I also felt that it was slightly too dark at times, as although that suited the issue as a whole, it didn't suit other characters such as Riddler. I did however love his layouts, and if he had drawn a better Scarecrow it would have been some of the best artwork of this week, but unfortunately that wasn't the case.

Due to Scarecrow going around trying to recruit villains to fight alongside him in his upcoming war there was a lot of cameo appearances, all of which I enjoyed. The two that I personally enjoyed the most were Mr. Freeze and Riddler, as although Tomasi got all the villains characteristics right, it was the interaction between these two and Scarecrow that I enjoyed most. I did however also enjoy seeing Poison Ivy and Killer Croc, though I did feel that Croc's entrance was slightly sudden, even though there was a key hint the page prior.
Scarecrow wouldn't be alone in this issue, as besides talking with other villains he would have somewhat of an assistant in the form of Hudson. Now Hudson is never going to win lackey of the year, but he was a brilliant addition, giving Scarecrow someone slightly less complex to work off, as well as someone who's going to agree with his actions. I also loved how Hudson would get the short end of the stick at times, which really amused me, even though it was simplistic.

As I said this issue was mainly set-up for the upcoming Arkham War, but it hasn't half got me excited for it, as well as next weeks Bane Villains Month issue, as it would appear that he'll be Scarecrow's main competition in the series. I also love the concept of the series as although we've seen both sides fight alongside, and against each other in the past, it will be interesting to see it without Batman's presence. I also loved how the issue would have the upcoming war as it's main concept, and I especially enjoyed the small additions like Riddler pulling out Art of War by Sun Tzu.

Final Verdict

A brilliant set-up for the upcoming Forever Evil: Arkham War series, but not the best Scarecrow issue character wise. The issue did however have plenty of brilliant cameos, also being suspenseful, and dramatic. It was however simply too much set-up, which although interesting meant that it wasn't anything special, and due to this I'd only recommend the issue to anyone who's getting Arkham War when it's out, and wouldn't recommend it to someone wanting an amazing Scarecrow story, or a story that shows the best of Scarecrow's characteristics.

Rating: 6/10

Detective Comics #23.2 Harley Quinn Review

Writer: Matt Kindt
Artist: Neil Googe

This is one of the Villains Month issues that I was half looking forward to, but was slightly sceptical about. I did however become more excited about the issue, as after finding out that Harley Quinn was getting her own series I've been really looking forward to it, seeing this as a teaser.

Plot

Now out of the Suicide Squad, Harley returns to Gotham City to wreck some havoc.

Review

This was a decent story, though it didn't feel like the same Harley Quinn I've enjoyed over the years. Matt Kindt did however do a decent job of making a very interesting story, that was well structured, it was just a shame he got Harley's characteristics off a bit. Kindt did however do a good job of showing the turmoil that Harley is going through, as although I've not been following Suicide Squad it has been made clear that she isn't too happy at the moment. Due to this it was probably fitting to go with a dark tone of story, but I personally feel that she needs a fun edge to her, which she was missing for most of the issue, and I hope that the upcoming Harley Quinn series is much better.

I really enjoyed the artwork in this issue, as although the style isn't what I usually prefer I think it suited Harley perfectly. Neil Googe is an artist I'm not overly familiar with, but his cartoonish style was brilliant in this issue, though I wasn't too sure if it was fitting considering the dark nature of the story. I did however love the layout, especially near the start, as it added a lot of depth to the story. I also loved how Googe handled the emotion in this issue, as although Harley isn't a character that I'd call over emotional, it was shown well in this issue. I also felt that the colours went well with Googe's art, and that Wil Quintana did an outstanding job.

This issue would show what it was like for Harley growing up as Harleen in a family that was very different from her. Now I personally enjoyed this part of the story, as although not overly entertaining, it allowed some light to be shone on her time growing up, showing that she's always lived a unusual lifestyle. I also found it interesting to find out that even from an early age that Harley was an intelligent person, as although it doesn't always come across that way, it's nice to see that it's always been the case.

With this issue being mostly an origin story it would also naturally show Harley during her time as a psychiatrist. What I loved most about this was that it showed her doing the same job outside Arkham Asylum prior to moving to Arkham for more of a challenge. I liked this as I never thought that Harley would have had a job prior to Arkham, whereas it makes sense that she would, adding a bit of normality. I did however feel that it was the moving to Arkham that showed her unique way of being a psychiatrist, and how it ultimately lead her to become Harley.

Talking about becoming Harley this obviously also showed that, and this was my personal favourite bit, as it showed signs of the Harley that I enjoyed from Batman: The Animated Series in the 90's, also adding a little bit of fun to the issue. I also loved how it would show that she was basically put together from a lot of on the spot decisions, which seemed appropriate, and the way she went about got her outfit and giant hammer was very entertaining, though not enough to change the way she was shown through most of the issue.

Final Verdict

Overall this wasn't a terrible story, but the characteristics of Harley Quinn were a bit off, as although it appears to be going along with the current status of Harley it doesn't quite feel like her. The story did however shed some interesting points about her life leading up to now. The story is also quite dark, but doesn't have much of the fun tone that usually comes along with Harley. It's hard to recommend this as part of me wants to, and part of me doesn't. I would however advice caution, especially if your a Harley Quinn fan.

Rating: 5/10

Detective Comics #19 Review

Writers: John Layman & James Tynion IV
Artists: Jason Fabok, Andy Clarke, Mikel Janin, Henrik Jonsson & Jason Masters

I have been a huge Batman fan all my life, and although I stopped reviewing this series following Death of the Family due to not having time to review everything, I wouldn't be much of a fan if I neglected to review the 900th issue of the series that introduced Batman, whether the issue was good, or not.

Plots

The 900

The 900 block of Gotham City has been infected, turning into Man-Bat's, but without the help of the rest of the Bat-Family, Batman is relying on someone else to help him cure this outbreak.

Birth of a Family

Dr. Francine Langstrom reveals how Dr. Kirk Langstrom created the Man-Bat formula.

War Council

Bane tells of how he faced the Court of Owls, and how they're his next target in taking control of Gotham.

Birdwatching

Mr. Combustible, and more of Ogilvy's men raid Gotham during the Man-Bat outbreak.

Through a Blue Lens

An injured officer is visited by other members of the Gotham City Police Department, and they talk about what they think of Batman.

Review

Now due to this being a super sized issue, featuring five different stories I'm going to review the main story, The 900, in detail, but the other stories in a more summarised fashion, although I will still mention all my thoughts on the stories, just not necessarily in as much detail as I'd normally give.

The 900

Now I have loved John Layman's run on this series so far, and he's truly turned this series from the poor series it was into something brilliant, but although overall this was a good story, it wasn't his best. The story itself was fun, and very entertaining, and dramatic, but there were minor flaws in it which annoyed me. I usually don't mind minor imperfections in stories, as long as overall the story's fun, or interesting, but these flaws were really annoying, and one in particular actually kind of spoiled the whole story. What I did however like about Layman's writing on this story, and his run on the series in general, is how he's managed to intertwine most of the previous plots that have happened, giving a series that flows very smoothly, and I've also liked that all the things he's added have been setting up the future of the whole story, which has been a good thing. I already stated that this story was far from perfect, and that although it was fun, it did have it's flaws, and although I don't want to go into much detail overall, I will say that I felt that the ending of this story, the main story was very anticlimactic, and it kind of ruined the entire story.

The art from Jason Fabok is once again superb, and I've really enjoyed his work on this series. Although Fabok's art isn't necessarily the most beautiful artwork that I've ever seen, it is however very realistic, and it suits this series perfectly. The detail in Fabok's art is also another thing that sticks out, as everything is drawn with such precision, and it really makes everything look so much better looking. Fabok also draws every character brilliantly, whether Batman, Nightwing (Dick Grayson), Ogilvy, but besides Batman the best characters he drew in this issue were the Man-Bat, as they looked simply stunning. The layout of the drawing is also fabulous, and Fabok really has a knack for making the art feel as dramatic as possible, and although a lot of artists do this, with writers helping in how they write their scripts, I still feel that it's worth pointing out, as it really makes the story feel more alive, and vibrant. I also love the way Fabok draws the facial expressions, as it really gives a lot more emotion to the story. Fabok also does a brilliant job with the inks on this issue, as everything looks so smooth, and overall tidy, adding more depth to his artwork. I do however feel that most artists that do they're own inks are better, and although there are plenty of brilliant inkers out there, the artist is bound to know exactly what he want's and can't blame others if it's not perfect prior to the colours being added. Talking about colours, the colours from Jeromy Cox are also fantastic, and they really make Fabok's artwork look truly magnificent, making it look even better than it already does, with the tone of the colours also being perfect for this style of story.

The issue starts with a prologue that shows Dr. Langstrom looking at ton's of Man-Bat's in the sky, and although this was a cool sequence, with brilliant artwork, but it did kind of makes the following sequence a bit redundant. The following sequence shows a mother and her child turning into Man-Bat's, showing that there's a contagion that's spreading, but this wasn't as powerful as it could have been, as it's already been established that there are many Man-Bat's going about. The sequence with the mother and child was however very emotional, but it would have been even more so if the prologue hadn't been there.

Although the Man-Bat's have already featured in the New 52, having featured in Batman, Incorporated, we've not really been given any details as to how they came into existence, and now we do. I really enjoyed how Layman handled this, and although the way he involved them wasn't perfect, it was still very good. The main problem with the way that Layman introduced the Man-Bat's into this story was that you could easily tell that he had to work round the fact that they'd already been used in a previous series, and that he needed to find a way of making this an introduction story, whilst also acknowledging that the Man-Bat's have been around, and although as I said it wasn't perfect, he did do a decent job of it.

This story also featured another couple of members of the Bat-Family (Nightwing and Batgirl (Barbara Gordon), as Batman tried to contact them, asking for help, with both refusing to answer. Now I know that the Bat-Family's still mad at Batman for not telling them everything during Death of the Family, and possibly keeping secrets, but I felt that this was a bit petty, and with a crisis hitting Gotham I'd have thought they'd have put things to one side. Besides that with the death of Robin (Damian Wayne) in Batman, Incorporated #8, I'd have thought the rest of the Bat-Family would have at least forgotten about the events of Death of the Family for now, and rallied round in support of Batman.

This story also featured an appearance from Batwoman. Now she didn't really do much at all in this issue, apart from putting the final element in place (which could have easily have been done without her), but I was still happy to see her make an appearance, and after the falling out she had with Batman in Batwoman #18 you could feel tension between them. The main thing I liked about her appearance was that it was appropriate for 900th issue, as having made her first solo appearance as the main character in the pre-New 52 Detective Comics series, during the Batman: Reborn era it was only fitting that she made an appearance in the milestone issue.

Verdict

This was an interesting, and fun story, but it had it's flaws, and the anticlimactic ending kind of spoiled the story, although besides that it was a good read.

Rating: 4/5

Birth of a Family

WARNING: MAY SPOIL THE MAIN STORY!

Again this was a very good, and interesting story, and fitting considering what happened in the main story, and once again Layman did a good job of the writing. To be honest, although I prefer the first story overall, the writing in this one was probably better, as although it wasn't quite as exciting as the first story, the structure of the story was better, and overall it was more interesting, also not having as many flaws. This was also a much more emotional story than the main story, and Layman did a good job of showing not only the sadness that Francine has over what has happened, but the joy she has from fonder memories.

The art from Andy Clarke was brilliant, and although I personally still prefer Fabok's art from the main story, Clarke's art was still very good, and really suited the style of this story. I've always enjoyed Clarke's artwork, especially on Bat titles, so I was very happy to see him featuring on one of the back-up stories. Clarke's art is very detailed, and I love the way he adds shading to the characters, as the lines are brilliant, and don't look as rough as most artists that use shading, which was very nice. I also felt that his art was very emotional, and for the type of story that this was that's what's really needed, as although most Batman stories are dark, this one wasn't so needed a more lighter tone, which Clarke's art more than provided.

This was a nice origin story, and although not the best that I've ever read, it is still one of the better ones that's featured in the New 52. What I liked most about the origin is that it comes after the main story, and that it's told by Dr. Langstrom's wife, Francine. As I said earlier this was a very emotional story, and that's probably what made it as good as it was, as despite being interesting, it was also slightly dull, simply re-telling something that's already been told, and although I don't mind the re-telling of origins, they still need something else to make them unique, and the emotion in this one, along with the fact that it's told from Francine's point of view was what did that in my opinion.

Verdict

This was an interesting follow-up story from the main story, and was a brilliant re-telling of the Man-Bat origin. Besides that it didn't really do much, and was a bit dull, and it wouldn't have been as good if not for the brilliant art from Clarke, and the emotional tone to the story.

Rating: 4/5

War Council

This was the only story to feature in this issue that wasn't written by Layman, being written by Talon writer James Tynion IV. This was probably the best story to feature in this issue, and I would have rated it more, but it felt more like it should have been in the Talon series, as opposed to being in this. I say this as the story appears to be a set-up for a future issue of Talon, and although I don't read Talon I still think that it belongs in that series, as it means that people who follow Talon may need to get this issue (which I personally wouldn't like). Besides that small detail this story was still brilliant, and it had a lot of excitement, and action in it, as well as being interesting. Although I don't get Talon, I will say that this story has made me more incline to possibly get the issues that have been out, or get the trades when they're released, and although that's probably the main intent of this being added to this issue (besides filling in the extra pages needed), but I still felt that it could have been put into the Talon series.

The art in this story was brilliant, and Mikel Janin did a phenomenal job, and I was very happy when I noticed he was doing the art for a story in this issue. I've loved Janin's art in Justice League Dark, and have felt that Janin is a very talented artist, having a very unique style, and I was happy to see that he could do a good job on something that wasn't JLD (although I knew he would). The detail throughout Janin's art is magnificent, as all the muscularity of Bane, and his army are brilliant, and it really shows the power that these characters have, especially Bane. I also loved how Janin handled the action in this short story, as although I've loved the way he's handled the action in JLD, it's nothing compared to the way he's drawn the action in this story, as it's nothing short of phenomenal. What I liked most however about Janin's art was the reference to when Bane broke Batman's back, way back in Batman #497, and although I sometimes feel that this has been referenced too much, it was fitting for this story, as it's not just a milestone for Detective Comics, but the first proper appearance of Bane in the New 52 (he briefly appeared in Batman: The Dark Knight, but it's best to try and forget that).

Although I felt that this story wasn't necessarily appropriate for this issue, I can't complain about how good it was, as it was brilliant, and the perfect re-introduction for Bane. With Bane being one of my favourite Batman villains I've been annoyed that he's not had a fitting appearance in the New 52, and although there are others that I'd like to see a proper appearance from more (like Riddler), I'd still love to see Bane used right in the New 52, as his appearance in Dark Knight was terrible (as was the series at the time). I liked how Tynion wrote Bane in this story, as it showed the determined character that I loved in his earlier appearances, but it also showed that he needed a little persuasion as well, which was nice, so I have every faith that Tynion will handle Bane right in the Talon series, and may actually get the series to find out. Another thing that interested me in this story was that Bane was approached by a mysterious man that persuades Bane that going after the Court of Owls is the right thing. I found this man intriguing, and although I don't know who this person is, and having not read any of Talon I can't make a judgement from that, but I'd find it interesting if it was someone like Ogilvy that told Bane, as although this isn't very realistic, and that it will most likely be someone from the Talon series, it would make the addition of this story in this issue more significant.

Verdict

This was a very fun, and action pact story, that was very interesting. Talon fans in particular will probably like this, as it appears to be setting things up for that, and although it's goal appears to be to get more readers onto Talon, I personally feel that it shouldn't have been in this issue (even though I've probably been persuaded to get Talon). Besides that it was however a very good issue, and a very good read (even if not necessary for this issue).

Rating: 4/5

Birdwatching

After a small break from Layman's writing in the previous story, we're back with the remaining two stories being written by him. Once again this was a very good story, but ye again it wasn't anything special. This was however probably Layman's best story in this issue, and it showed the quality of storytelling that I loved from his run so far, and although it's still nothing too startling, it's still good, and shows signs of things to come. Like the end of the main story this story shows that Layman is far from done with the whole Ogilvy story, and I'm not surprised, as that's been the basis for all his work on the series so far, and it's been good. Although this story wasn't necessarily very entertaining, it had it's moments, and besides that it was very interesting, I loved the way he developed things that will happen in the upcoming issues, without giving too much away.

The art from Henrik Jonsson was good, but it wasn't the best in this issue, and actually probably the worst. In saying that, that shows how much talent's actually working on this issue, as with five different stories, with five different artists, and this being the worst art wise, that's got to say something, as this art was good, and most multi-story issues have at least one artist that doesn't quite make the grade. Anyway the detail in Jonsson's art was brilliant, and the only real thing that I didn't like about his art was that it was a little too rough, and although I don't mind rough artwork, it just didn't feel as good as the other artists that featured on this issue. The characters that I felt Jonsson drew the best were, Mr. Combustion, and the man that turned into a Man-Bat, as both looked brilliant. I really liked how he handled the character transforming into a Man-Bat, as it wasn't as simple as here he is as a human, and here he is as a bat, as he showed the in between. What impressed me the most however was the Man-Bat stage, as Jonsson really made the Man-bat look grotesque, which was brilliant.

Mr. Combustion was introduced in this series by Tony Daniel, in Detective Comics #6, but to be honest he hasn't really done much, and I don't really like him as a character. I don't mind the look of him, and although he looks very unrealistic, I still think that that's the best part about him, but at the end of the day I don't see him being remembered for very long, and although Layman has continued to use him a couple of times in this story, I personally don't see him lasting for too long, and if he does it'll be as nothing more than a Z list villain. I did however like that his involvement in this story revealed the reason behind the Man-Bat toxin outbreak in the first place, and that it filled some of the questions that were left from the main story. Another thing I liked about Combustion's appearance was that it showed that he was loyal, and although I won't say any more than that to avoid spoiling the story, it was something that I found noticeable, and helped to develop the possible future story of this series.

Verdict

This was a very interesting story, that answers questions left from the main story, as well as developing the Ogilvy story that has been the main theme of Layman's run.

Rating: 4/5
Through a Blue Lens

Although Layman once again did a good job on the writing of yet another story, I personally felt that this was the worst story in this issue. I really wanted to love this story, as I love it when we get to see the police against Batman, but this time it felt a bit tame, and the overall story just felt like a filler for the issue, and it doesn't appear to have much affect on future events. In saying that it was still very interesting, and Layman did a brilliant job of writing both sides of the argument, showing a lot of emotion, but it did feel like a filler. On another positive note it was nice that this story, like most of the stories featured in this issue, continued from the original story, and although it didn't really contribute anything new, it was still interesting, and an decent read.

The art from Jason Masters on this story was brilliant, and although I'm still not a huge fan of his work, I am starting to like it more, and feel that it suited this story brilliantly. Master has been making appearances in the Batman Inc. series, drawing two to three pages each issue, for the last few issues, and although it's not been perfect on that series, it has been nice to see, so when I saw that he was working on the art for one of the stories in this issue I was actually happy, as I've wanted to see more of his art, but not on a series that already has a brilliant artist, so this is the best way to see more. Anyway, I liked the detail in Master's art, and although some of the fight sequences between Batman and a Man-Bat (the injured officer who was affected by the toxin) looked awkward, it overall looked brilliant. I especially liked how Masters drew the facial expressions in this story, as although it wasn't much for most of the time, when he showed emotion it was brilliant, as it added a lot of drama, as you could feel what the characters were feeling.

Although I felt this was pretty much a filler story, there were elements of it that I really liked, mainly the way that most of the officers seemed to hate Batman. I can kind of see why some people, especially cops would hate Batman, as there's the clear argument that not as much bad stuff would happen in Gotham if it wasn't for his influence. What was however a bit questionable was how the cops talked about Batman, only really stating the negatives, and although there were a couple of cops that praised Batman, there wasn't actually any that had a neutral opinion, seeing both the good, and bad of Batman, only really having one opinion. In saying that the argument was written well, and it was very bold with the character emotions. Now I may be wrong (although I don't think I am), but I'm sure one of the characters that featured in this story has appeared in this series before. If I'm write that's a nice thing, as I like it when a writer re-uses a minor character that featured in a previous issue, and although he may not have done much with him, it did show that he wasn't forgotten.

The fight between the officer that turned into the Man-Bat, and Batman was also good, and although I'm glad that it didn't take up much of the actual story, it was nice to see, and it gave more fuel for the argument that was shown between the officers.

Verdict

Although this was the worst story in this issue, it was still very interesting, and it showed the argument over whether Batman's a hero, or a menace brilliantly. It did however not really give anything new, and felt mostly like a filler story, which was a shame, and what made the story the worst in the issue.

Rating: 3.5/5

Finally I'll talk about the additional art that featured in this issue, from Alex Maleev, Brett Booth, Chris Burnham, Jason Fabok, Andy Clarke, Francesco Francavilla, Cameron Stewart, and Dustin Nguyen. All the artists that contributed to all these lovely artwork did a brilliant job, but there were some that stuck out. My favourite out of these was from Booth, as he made Batman look fun, something that you don't see a lot, and although I enjoy Booth's art in general, having loved it on Anita Blake comics, and Teen Titans, whilst also looking forward to seeing his art on Nightwing, I'd love to see him work on Batman at some point. The other two pieces of art that really stood out were Nguyen, and Maleev's, as Maleev's gave a brilliant, dark feel, showing Batman next to the Bat-Signal, which just embodied everything that Batman is, and Nguyen's was a brilliant tribute to my favourite Batman story, The Killing Joke, showing Batman grabing Joker by the cuff of the neck, whilst laughing. The rest of the art was still very good, it was just these three that stood out more too me.

Final Verdict

Overall this was a brilliant issue, and although the stories weren't perfect they were all fitting, and went perfectly with the main story (besides War Council). They were however all very different styles of stories, as some were more fun than others, and some were more interesting, but overall they were all good, and although I'm not sure if this was a fitting issue to have for the 900th issue landmark (especially considering the price), it was however a good issue, and I'd highly recommend it, whether you're a Batman fan or not.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Detective Comics #16 Review

Writer: John Layman

Artist: Jason Fabok

Since John Layman, and Jason Fabok have taken over as creative team on this series it has been much better, and although it's not been quite perfect it hasn't been far off, with one of the issues comic very close.

Plot

This issue shows Batman going round different parts of Gotham City, stopping groups that have been influenced by the return of the Joker. Whilst Batman is busy the most organized group the League of Smiles initiate their plans.

The back-up story shows Ogilvy making his position as the head of Penguin's organization clear to the others, and also making it clear that from now on he's the Emperor Penguin.

Review

This was a brilliant issue and finally Detective Comics is part of the Death of the Family crossover. Although the last issue was technically a part of the Death of the Family crossover it didn't really feel like it, but this issue does. This is also a brilliant jumping on point for new readers, as although it's connected to the previous story it is the start of a new chapter, and doesn't really feature much of the previous story in it. Layman continues to do a fabulous job on this series, and I have high hopes that he will continue doing a brilliant job further on in the series. I think Layman has handled this crossover brilliantly using it to kick start a new chapter in his run, and involve a new group. I also liked how he added some fun to the issue, something you don't see too often in a Batman story, as he's added groups that are a joke (no pun intended), and that run away scared at the sight of Batman, realising that they've made a mistake. I liked this because it was something I loved in the Batman Animated series from the 90's, as every now and again Batman would run into a group that are way out of his league.

Fabok continues to produce some amazing art on this series, and I think this has been his best to date. Although Fabok's art isn't necessarily the most beautiful to look at, it is very realistic, and I'd prefer he worked on Batman over some of the artists who produce the beautiful artwork. The detail in Fabok's art is just phenomenal, also putting brilliant detail in the backgrounds, which is something that I enjoy in comics. The facial expressions are also great, as you can really see the grit, and determination in some of the Joker inspired goons faces, and the shock in others. You can also easily see the psychotic look in the faces of most of the League of Smiles, which is also brilliant.

I loved the League of Smiles, and I was actually quite surprised, as I usually dislike groups similar to them (Joker rip-off's). What I think I liked about the League of Smiles more than the other Joker wannabe groups was that they didn't so much want to copy Joker, but serve Joker. I also think that they came about at the right time, as due to Joker running riot it was the perfect time for all the psychopaths to have an excuse to put their deep desires into actions. Another thing I liked about the League of Smiles was that they were very eccentric, and although Joker himself is eccentric this group is eccentric in a different way. The thing I probably loved the most about this group was Rodney Spurman, A.K.A. Rodney the Torch, as he seemed the most remorseful about their actions, and didn't actually want to kill anyone, showing that although Joker has affected people that some still have a concious. It was also nice to see a Death of the Family crossover issue without Joker involved. Don't get me wrong I have enjoyed seeing Joker spread chaos around Gotham, but I have felt that he's been a little over used, and have questioned how he finds the time for it all. Due to his absence in this issue it gives room for a different ans more unique addition to the crossover.

The League of Smiles

Also this issue Batman is all over the place taking down different groups that have been inspired by the Joker giving the League of Smiles more time to work. I really liked this sequence, as although it did slightly slow the story down, it did show all the different ways people were influenced by the Joker, and how some were more resourceful than others. It also provided as a good build-up to Batman actually finding the League of Smiles, as it wouldn't look as good if Batman had dealt with the League first, and went after the smaller groups after. It was also nice to see that Batman actually made comparisons between the League of Smiles, and Joker, and that he also pointed out their differences.

The back-up story in this issue was also very good, and I liked how it expanded on Ogilvy's assention to Emperor Penguin, and how he plans to take over the Penguin'n enterprise. I was happy that this was the back-up story as I felt that the issue needed an bigger appearance from Ogilvy, as after the way Layman has built up Ogilvy's transition into the Emperor Penguin it's obvious that this wasn't the last we'd see of him. I liked how this issue focused on Ogilvy cementing his spot as the head of the Penguin's enterprise, and that he showed that he wasn't to be messed with. Although not much happened in this issue it does show that Ogilvy means business, and also shows ton's of promise for the future role Ogilvy will play in this series.

The Emperor Penguin

Final Verdict

A fantastic issue, and a brilliant addition to the Death of the Family crossover. I would highly recommend this issue, as it start's the new chapter of Layman's run on the series perfectly, making it a brilliant starting point for new readers, and for anyone who feels that the Death of the Family crossover's used Joker too much will like this, as it's quite different from any other series'.

Rating: 4/5

Detective Comics #15 Review

Writer: John Layman
Artist: Jason Fabok

This was a very poor series, but since John Layman and Jason Fabok became the writing team it has had a new lease of life put into it. They have really made this a decent Batman series again, and I can't thank them enough for that.

Plot

This issue sees Poison Ivy buried in the ground, and Clayface, her husband is out looking for her and is willing to go through Batman to find her. Also in this issue, Penguin has to leave and help Joker (see the back story of Batman #14 for what happened), Ogilvy is planning something, and Batman dons a new suit.

Review

This was a good issue and Layman continues making this series better, and this story is also getting more interesting with each issue. This issue however isn't as good as the previous, and although there were a lot of interesting things revealed in this issue it's been the worst in Layman's run so far, but not by much, and still very good. I've enjoyed how Layman has made me excited about this series once more as although I like some of Tony Daniel's stories, and most of his art he was killing this series. I've been enjoying seeing some detective work since Layman joined this series and I can't thank him enough for that. When the title of the books called Detective Comics it's a bit disappointing to see little detective work throughout 12 issues, and although I'd prefer no detective work rather than bad or forced detective work, I'm happy to see it in this series as other Batman series have shown hint of detective work already.

I have thoroughly enjoyed Fabok's art throughout the last three issues, and he's slowly becoming one of my favourite Batman artists. Okay his art isn't a nice looking as J.H. Williams III or Ivan Reis but it is still very visually stunning, and very realistic, which is something Batman has needed. I also think that he's managed to draw all the characters perfectly, and when you've got a mixture in looks between Penguin, Clayface, Ivy, and more that's not easy to do. I've also liked how he's put ton's of detail into his work and how he's added detail into the background. I've also loved how he's been able to incorporate a sense of drama into the series, by setting the mood of the issue.

This issue wasn't really a proper tie-in to the Death of the Family crossover like advertised which was a shame. The only thing connecting this issue to the crossover was that Penguin got called away to help Joker. The series may very well tie into the crossover properly from next issue but it didn't in this issue, and considering this is the third part of a story, and that Death of the Family's been mentioned in others it would have made sense waiting till it was a proper part of the crossover, as some people wanting the entire crossover might be disappointed.

Ogilvy's secret agenda has been revealed in this issue, and it appears that he's sick of playing second fiddle. It's very interesting to see Penguin's right hand man betray his boss, and he couldn't have picked a better time. He wouldn't be the first of Penguin's henchmen to have betrayed him, but he's certainly put thought into his plan which is nice to see. It will also be interesting to see if this will affect other series as along with Penguin Ogilvy has appeared in Nightwing recently, so it will be interesting to see if any future appearances will keep the continuity from this series. Knowing what DC's been doing since the New 52 I'd expect they will.

This issue has Batman donning a new suit to tackle Clayface. Batman has had many different suits in the past and I always like when he gets a new one as it adds something new to the issue it's featured in. This issue he's wearing a red suit with a yellow logo, and a purple cowl, gloves, and trim. He had a suit to this in Batman R.I.P., but there was a reason for it in that story. This issue however doesn't have much of an explanation to why he's wearing a different suit, although due to the mask I assume it's to do with the chemicals he's releasing. I do however like this suit overall, and always like seeing Batman wearing something new every now and then.

The fight between Batman and Clayface earlier in this issue was also very good and although it was cut short I liked how Batman was unprepared for a fight with Clayface, and how he knew when to leave. The cross between anger and love in Clayface's words during this sequence was also easily noticeable, and it was nice to feel some sort of sympathy towards him for a change.

It was nice how the story went through telling how Poison Ivy and Clayface got married. Although the back story from last issue showed Ivy breaking Clayface out of Arkham Asylum it was nice that this was continued in the main story, as it adds more information to the story, plus not everyone likes reading the back stories in series. I also liked how Layman was able to tell this part of the story without taking up too much of the issue, and showing the emotions Clayface feels toward Ivy. It was also interesting to find out exactly how Ivy was able to persuade Clayface to marry her, and how the big lump of mud showed that he had a heart.

Final Verdict

Another brilliant issue from Layman and Fabok. I would recommend this to anyone who's been following the series, and would also recommend this and the previous two issues to anyone who's a Batman fan or looking to become one. I would however warn again that this isn't a proper crossover issue and that if anyone is looking at buying this to learn more about the Death of the Family crossover they'd be better of giving this a miss.

Rating: 4/5

Detective Comics #14 Review

Writer: John Layman

Artist: Jason Fabok

Since Layman and Fabok took over as creative team for this title last issue it has been very good and the quality has stepped up dramatically. Nothing against Tony Daniel as he is a great artist and can be a great writer (Batman: Battle for the Cowl for instance), but he was doing a very poor job on this series which wasn't doing it any favours. Layman and Fabok have however been able to breath new life to this series and it's shaping up to be one of the best Batman series out the now (like it should be).

Plot

This issue sees Bruce Wayne narrowly escaping assassination by a member of the Ghost Dragons with the help of none other than the Penguin. Batman later goes looking for Poison Ivy who he believes is behind a bunch of attacks against Cobblepot's businesses. When he finds Ivy she tries manipulating him into helping her to no avail. Batman eventually realises that this is a trap and that someone planned for them to be there.

Review

 

This was a brilliant issue and by far the best in the series to date. Layman has really done a tremendous job on both this issue and the last and the series is finally looking like it could be great again. He writes both sides of Batman (Batman and Bruce) brilliantly and I liked how he made sure that Bruce didn't look like he could fight well so as not to give away his identity. I also like how he writes the villains as they fell true to character whilst being a challenge to Batman. I did however feel that Damian was a bit tamer this issue than normal which I wasn't too sure if I liked. The main thing I like about Damian is his quick wit, and unpredictability which this issue didn't really show but I did like how there were actual Detective work going on between the pair and how for a change they got along.

The art from Fabrok is simply amazing and although it's not the most prettiest art I have ever seen, it is very good and suits this series perfectly. He draws emotion very well and the way he drew Ivy in this issue was just astonishing. I liked how he did a lot of close up pictures of Ivy as her main feature is her ability to seduce/manipulate men into doing her bidding, which was shown perfectly in this issue. I also love Ivy's New 52 costume which looks a lot more modern. Although this isn't a new thing to the DCU it is new to me as I have only read one issue of the Birds of Prey series and she wasn't in it, so I haven't seen the outfit properly.

 

I found it a shock seeing Penguin saving Bruce as you wouldn't expect it. It was however make sense and was done very well. I liked how there was a brilliant excuse for Penguin saving Bruce and how before Ogilvy suggested it to him, he was very angry and irate seeing Bruce Wayne's possible death as ruining his night. I am also looking forward to seeing the role Penguin will have in the rest of the story after taking a back seat in this issue.

I also loved Ivy in this issue and am happy to see her as at least a semi-villain again as although it was nice to see her doing good with the Gotham City Sirens or Birds of Prey she is best as a villain and hasn't been one for a while now. I also like the reasoning she has transitioned back into a villain and that as usual it's to do with plants, and that her methods are frowned up, due to her bad intentions. I enjoyed seeing her and trying to manipulate Batman, and she is back to acting exactly like she did when she was last a villain. I also liked how Batman explains how he managed to resist her influence by willpower in the past and how this time he's using a new addition to his Batvisor, which resets to his short term memory if he feels he's loosing control. I always like seeing a new Batman gadget and this one was very cool. I always like when we get to see in his visor as the images showing all the different readings are amazing. This time it was a short demonstration but still very smart looking as well as being cleverly thought out.

I was I also happy to see the introduction of another Bat-villain in this issue and am looking forward to seeing them in the future. I will not spoil who it is but will say they have a connection to Ivy since this issue and is not happy with Batman. I won't speak about the back story as this will reveal the villains identity. I will say it's a story involving Ivy and the other villain.

Final Verdict

A brilliant issue and it's nice to see the series finally going in the right direction. I would highly recommend this issue and hope that the series will continue to be as good as the last two issues were.

Rating: 4.5/5