Detective Comics by John Layman issue #25

"He [Loeb] lost control of Gotham, lost control of its police. And some time ago, he'd given up the fight. All of these things I vowed never to do." ~James Gordon

A Zero Year tie-in that is not only a decent standalone story but was also a vibrantly drawn and pretty fucking fantastic ride of my life! John Layman consistently writes great issues for Detective Comics and he is officially my new boyfriend now next to Snyder and Tomasi. As for the focus of this story, I would just like to state that James Gordon definitely belongs to my most enduring favorite fictional characters in comics who is not a superhero, and this issue entitled Whistleblower's Blues gave me new reasons why I love him so darn much.

If you read Snyder's Zero Year issue #25 which was set six years ago before the New 52 continuity officially started, then you know that a city-wide blackout in Gotham has happened courtesy of the Riddler, and you might have wondered where Jim Gordon was for the first arc. This issue more or less answered that. I'm a sucker for character-driven issues with a well-paced exploration for a certain person's angst and motivations so I enjoyed this issue A LOT.

In this case, it's a personal and riveting story of an honest man who had to stand strong against the corruption deeply embedded in a law enforcement agency that he is a part of. It's a rather lonely mission with nobody stable and trustworthy enough to fight it with him but Gordon perseveres anyway. What I like about his monologues is the tonality of it; he's simultaneously disheartened and hopeful that he can make a difference one step at a time yet he also acknowledges that it's going to take lots and lots and lots of those steps. The saving grace of it all is that he may not be as alone as he thinks. If one man is not enough for this mission then perhaps two men could do the trick. We have seen through the course of seventy-five years that the timeless partnership between this good cop and this vigilante can accomplish so many things together, and that they save the city they swore to protect from completely falling apart.

Told solely in Gordon's perspective, Whistleblower's Blues is a Die-Hard-esque noir tale sans the flashy action and heart-pounding race to the finish line--though there is plenty of build-up and suspense to keep it exciting enough. Jason Fabok's constantly impressive style and scene depictions are at their A-game for this one. I especially loved the washed-out colors of gray, brown and yellow. In essence, the one-man crusade trope is vey much alive for this story since it's Gordon's journey to fully embracing his role as  a self-appointed guardian who will one day clean up GCPD once and for all, but it's still implied that Batman is a part of this too, lurking in the shadows, and ready to help him.

As usual in every Detective Comics issue, this one has a backup story set in the present time where we go back to the first installment of the ongoing Man-Bat subplot from issue #22. Here we get Gordon and Officer Wallace talking about the strange string of killings and what is Kirk Langstorm's role in all of this. It's a great set-up for the upcoming issue which will conclude the Man-Bat storyline, something I've been diligently following from the start. As I've stated before, I think the Langstorm-Man-Bat story was fantastically done because Layman took his time to piece together the elements for it and the result is a deftly realized and earnest look at the composition of monsters and what drives human beings into becoming one, in a physical and metaphorical sense.

Overall, this was a personal favorite issue that I can re-read again and still enjoy. Now I'm going to be spoiling the beautiful illustration that contained the most striking imagery of the story. It's also its climactic scene. I felt my eyes sting just a little as soon as I laid my eyes on those panels. Be warned of the SPOILER TERRITORY:

RECOMMENDED: 9/10



[GOTHAM] Episode 7 Review

When I decided to watch and review Gotham dutifully here in my bat-blog, I had high hopes and anticipation for the series as a whole because I've enjoyed Bruno Heller's earlier works before, and I certainly approve of the initial casting of the lead roles. In addition, I'm always very optimistic when it comes to DC comic-book characters and their worlds being adapted into screen especially anything that's Batman-related. Nevertheless, as the episodes for this show kept coming in on a weekly basis, I did start forming a few reservations, some criticisms and an overall skepticism about the creative directions this show has been heading to, as well as the issues they've been tackling. My favorite installment is still Viper but the last two episodes Spirit of the Goat and this week's release Penguin's Umbrella were definitely its strongest contenders...yet.

What Gotham does best, it does it pretty well but then there are those other things that manage to make you roll your eyes and just visibly wince every now and then. It happened to me on a few occasions but I don't think they ever lessened the appeal of the show or my enjoyment of it. I suppose it's clear by now what makes the show works and what doesn't and the last two episodes provided us a hefty amount of both. I still hope that Gotham will start focusing more on it major arc but I can't help but feel that it will go back to its case-of-the-week formula again which won't be surprising for me either. Besides, Gordon and Bullock's chemistry has gotten better so I don't mind a buddy-cop drama format again next episode but since this week has been a game-changer, let's hope they can keep the momentum up. I think I'll keep my review of this episode just as condensed as the last one was, merely classifying everything between the best and worst moments of Penguin's Umbrella.

 

• "There's nothing more dangerous than an honest man" ~Salvatore Maroni
• WORST: The first twelve minutes or so of the episode started slow, if not awkwardly paced. I think the reason why it suffered like that is because of how abrupt the cutting of these scenes were. They weren't necessarily bad by themselves (I enjoyed Butch Gilzean going all cheery-rapey with Barbara and Gordon pistol-whipping him in the goddamn face) but there were hardly smooth transitions in these scenes until we get to Victor Zsasz and the police station action sequence where the pacing finally finds a better rhythm and directional style. The worst part of Penguin's Umbrella definitely, if not solely, belongs to Barbara Kean. I like her in general because I thought Erin Richards was convincing enough as the loving and supportive girlfriend with a troubled past. But I'll just go ahead and say that her role for this episode was the weakest and it got under my nerves. She was definitely underused which is odd considering what a plot device she has become lately. The entire damsel thing was needless and did not give her any sort of agency as a supposedly strong female; the predictable 'coming-back-to-save-your-man' was cliché and utterly idiotic because she only made it worse (and anticlimactic) for Gordon and Bullock. I just didn't like what they are doing to Barbara at this point and the lesser moments of the episode are certainly blamed on her passiveness and irrationality in action and ability. I hope Erin Richards will be given some material that's not sexist like what we had seen her play so far. I would like Barbara Kean to contribute something meaningful to the plot aside from being the girl endangered and needing of rescue.
• BAD: Newcomer Makenzie Leigh as Liza who is basically just an ornament baking pastries in Falcone's kitchen. It was nice to see her becoming a close 'friend' of Falcone but the actress is just..so unimpressive in the role. She didn't have the same spark after she got that makeover. I much preferred her with Fish so I hope we see her reporting to her 'mama' for updates about her undercover very soon. Other than that, we also have that grating scene where all of the cops of the GCPD walked away immediately just because a scary hitman ordered them to, and that's just far-fetched for me. At least have two officers put up a fight then get shot at so the rest would know Zsasz meant business. That whole scene played out too quickly and unconvincingly. We get that half if not everyone in the task force is corrupt but come on, that's just too easy. I suppose us viewers need to believe that Jim Gordon stands alone in his fight for Gotham's soul so this kind of extreme freeze out from the law enforcement is necessary...still, it was a tad incredulous.
• NOT NECESSARY: I belong to the faction of viewers that loves David Mazouz as Bruce Wayne and Sean Pertwee as Alfred but their scene for this episode is something I could have done without. Yes, it was touching that we're getting another follow-up to the growing connection between a young Bruce Wayne and Gordon but it carried no purpose aside from sentimentality. Sure, it also provided us with the possibility that Allen and Montoya can take over the Wayne murder case if Gordon doesn't make it out, but that subplot could have been discussed some other time (like the next episode; we do have a 22-episode package for this season so we really should take our time, Gotham).

 

• "When you know what a man loves, you know what can kill him" ~Oswald Cobblepot
• GOOD: Anthony Carrigan as Zsasz. He would look familiar if you're also watching The Flash where he played a villain called the Mist. I thought his presence was menacing enough and I'm glad we got to see him cutting as a way to jot down the number of people he has killed (which is really his only definitive trait aside from being absolutely crazy) I fucking loathed Zsasz but he's an entertaining asshole in the comics and I thought his casting was pretty awesome. It also made me crack up when we find out that his ringtone is "Funkytown." His scene in the kitchen with a bruised Barbara and a cupcake-making Liza with that bright lighting was funny because of how casual everything seemed among them. Meanwhile, Gordon and Bullock's interplay and dynamics have finally gotten to a place of honesty and trust. There is camaraderie between these men that is unspoken, and I sincerely hope that Bullock will not go back to his crooked ways so easily after this development. We saw him choosing sides for this episode and that he made the right one. He is willing to back up his partner, so it'd be a shame if he suddenly throws that all way once it becomes inconvenient again. I bet next episode we'll see them solve a case together while dealing with the repercussions from this episode's events.
• BETTER: Everything about the escalating mob war and the delightful interactions among Carmine Falcone, Salvatore Maroni, Fish Mooney, and Oswald Cobblepot whether by pair or as a group. A great majority of the episode was devoted on exploring the tension and violence from either side and the actors have now brought their A-game in every scene most especially Jada Pinkett-Smith as Fish Mooney who finally has an interesting conflict to sink her teeth in and chew the fuck out of it! Her exchanges with Robin Lord Taylor's Penguin have been so electrifying; there is great physical chemistry between these actors especially since both of their characters have a complex relationship on the surface, seeing as Fish practically raised Oswald to a life of crime (based from my understanding of their history). Those lingering, seething looks from Mooney met by an uncontainable smugness from Oswald...it was just delicious to see them try to outmaneuver each other as they try to maintain face with their respective bosses. Falcone and Maroni also hugged it out as they agree on a peaceful way to put a pin on a possible gang war from breaking loose simply by exchanging a piece of real estate and then agreeing that Maroni gets to keep his new pet. I stated in my previous reviews that I look forward to the mob war and now I'm finally getting it. The chess pieces are being moved and I like how the gameplay is evolving at this point. I can only hope that the next episodes will be more engrossing. We are getting there...
• BEST: It is Inarguably and universally acknowledged that Robin Lord Taylor as the young, ambitious cutthroat Oswald Cobblepot has been the brightest, most compelling and fan-favorite part of Gotham as a show. He carried this particular episode with his every scene and performance whether he's blending in the background as a parasite who whispers things into Maroni's ear, or he's standing right in the spotlight, stabbing a man with a knife and then giving him an unusually affectionate kiss on the head (that was unsettling as hell). I can honestly say that not since Heath Ledger's the Joker have we seen a villain so unpredictable, endearing and creepy as well as ultimately magnetic to watch on screen. The third arc of the episode, however, was also carried superbly by John Doman as Carmine Falcone. That omitted scene from the pilot episode where we see a conversation with Falcone and Oswald as they struck a bargain that benefits them both was the highlight of this week's installment. I admit that I did not see that coming at all so it made me giddy as I watched! This development and revelation also helped solidify Cobblepot and Falcone as formidable game players. Falcone is not going soft. As a long-time don, he is simply playing his cards very close to his chest especially now that Oswald revealed that two of his people have been conspiring to take him down. Employing Oswald to spy for him by embedding himself in Maroni's circle was an astounding crucial move in the chess-play and what a stone-cold move it was. Oswald, on the other hand, being consistently portrayed as a sneaky, backstabbing "scaly-faced bitch" (as Mooney lovingly called him) further enhances his threat and role in the grand scheme of things. I think Falcone knows Oswald has a usefulness he can benefit most from but he shouldn't underestimate the boy's capacity to betray and to do whatever it takes to get higher from the ranks so Falcone must watch his back. Meanwhile, Oswald's increasingly disconcerting fixation on Gordon is becoming a favorite angle of mine now. It's good to know that Falcone would have killed Gordon if Oswald didn't specifically asked for the don to spare his life as a favor.

I am ridiculously and painfully excited for what's in store for everyone in this show now. Hopefully Gotham continues to hit the sweet spot and play on its strengths which would often mean that some of the characters have to be dropped to craft and tell a proper story without these needless appearances and distractions. No way to go but up now, Gotham!

FINAL VERDICT: 4.25

 

* With lots of hits and only a few misses, this week's installment has more gravitas than everything we have seen so far. It has increased the stakes and placed characters in dangerous and compromising positions as unlikely alliances have taken shape. The show is evolving and will hopefully continue to do so.



Detective Comics (Man-Bat) by John Layman issue #23.4

This particular Villains Month issue has less to do with Forever Evil itself and more to do with the backup stories on Man-Bat written alongside the Wrath storyline (from issues #22-24). Hell, it even picks up right after what happened in the last installment of the Wrath arc. If you've been following John Layman's run as dutifully as I have been then you should know by now that this man has a talent for supplemental stories. In some issues, his standalone material even surpasses his major arcs in quality and execution alone. I consider the Man-Bat subplot to be a very engaging story that grew on me in a rather unnoticeable way.

I never realized how eager I was to read its installments issue after issue. I never expected to care about Kirk Langstorm, but the New 52 version, together with Layman's meticulous characterization, has made me care A LOT.

My only encounter with Man-Bat as a villain is back in the pilot episode for Batman: The Animated Series and he left no discernible impression after that. This is why it has come as a shock to me to become emotionally invested on this character all of a sudden--and it happened because Layman took time and considerable effort to rewrite Man-Bat's history starting with Kirk Langstorm as a very sympathetic dude. From what I understand, the old version painted him as your garden-variety mad scientist who created a serum from the chemical composition of bats, tested it on himself, loved it, and then started loving it way too much that he became a bloodthirsty, chaos-seeking freak of nature.

This time around, since the special issue #19 story The 900 we meet Kirk Langstorm as your garden-variety do-gooder who actually discovered the bat-serum as a cure for hearing-impaired children (because bats have sonar hearing. I forgot the scientific specifics of his research, sorry). That alone was already tugging at my heartstrings (since I have a special-needs brother myself). That short piece ended with Langstorm sacrificing himself by taking the serum to stop a man-bat army (courtesy of Emperor Penguin) from infesting Gotham and murdering innocent civilians. His wife and fellow scientist Francine also takes the serum so she could find him and bring him home because the transformation really took a toll on him. So...it was quite a heartfelt, humane story. It's great that Layman decided to pursue it and, for three issues, I followed Kirk Langstorm and Francine as they battle the monsters within them that only come alive every time they secretly indulge with the bat-serum. For Kirk, it's a catharsis that allows him to feel free. For Francine, it was the opposite. She became vampiric thanks to the adjustments in the formula she's dosing herself in. She started terrorizing and eating people at night and it's up to Kirk to put an end to it. The Langstorm domestic dispute that follows was rife with drama and climactic confrontation where two people who love each other can suddenly turn into bats and beat the crap out of each other. It sounds absurd on paper but it's actually very poignant.

You can even view it as a metaphor for marriage rotting within in a sense that when there is deception and a lack of trust between partners, it puts pressure on both sides which can lead to seriously damaging effects in the relationship. At least that's how I've put meaning into it and it definitely enhanced my appreciation for the story itself. Anyway, I don't want to oversell this minor arc but I honestly recommend you start following this story because it's engaging, evenly paced and surprisingly contemplative and personal. This issue ended in an ambiguous way and I can't wait to know what happens next after such a crucial moment occurred.

RECOMMENDED: 8/10

Detective Comics (Scarecrow) by Peter J. Tomasi issue #23.3

Peter J. Tomasi (I call him "P. Tomz" in private when I want to be disgustingly cute all by myself) is a Batman writer I've been going steady with since April of this year. His Batman and Robin run had been an exhaustingly emotional ride that I never want to leave anytime soon. Aside from that, I've been enthralled by his five-issued story arc for Two Face which showed that he can excellently write a classic baddie and find new ways to make it current. But before all that jazz, we have his Villains Month issue for Two Face (A Tale of Two Faces) was probably the catalyst that launched Batman and Two Face because I maintain that it was singularly THE BEST VM story I have read (though I only read eight so far but I don't think I'll be changing my opinion about it either).

Now Tomasi graces us with another VM issue and this time it was about Scarecrow...only it really wasn't so much about Jonathan Crane and his origin story as it is about a Forever Evil/Arkham War prelude. It was unexpected, considering the way VM issues operated so far with a standard formula (where each Bat-villain would walk around a desecrated Gotham City, reminiscing about their past and present). Apparently, this issue is where we get updates pertaining to the various rogue villains and their division of territories. There was even that chilling full-paged illustration of Gotham City in savage ruins, while a few locations and landmarks were possessed by villains with their signature powers/symbols plastered all over each infrastructure. 

I liked this issue but I couldn't say it was what I wanted and expected from Tomasi' writing. It was simple in execution and very dialogue-heavy. Still, the atmosphere it established was unsettling and eerie, fully capturing the hellish state of things now that the heroes have been defeated, and evil is at its peak like we have never see before.

So this issue basically has Scarecrow going around to talk to Mr. Freeze, the Riddler and Poison Ivy to convince them about the soild plans and guaranteed security the League offers. He's a recruiter these days, and an affably accommodating neighbor of the evil sort. It's worth noting that Tomasi did write a Scarecrow-Two Face dialogue in the Two Face VM issue with a similar set-up so this was aligned with that, I suppose. Through this, we get a first-person perspective of how incredulously apocalyptic Gotham has become and the roles each villain could play and contribute. For that alone, I thought this issue was worth picking up. But as a VM issue re-telling an origin story of a classic Bat-villain, it didn't actually deliver any gravitas. Still, I had an awful lot of fun reading the dialogue boxes even if they were quite wordy and expository. I had no problem absorbing the information because it at least gave me a fair amount of idea about the emerging major story arc and how they will play out such as the ongoing Forever Evil saga and the arc that this opens for which is the Arkham War.

RECOMMENDED: 7/10

Detective Comics by John Layman issue #24

This has been a splendid conclusion installment for the Wrath storyline which got delayed in its release due to the Villains Month issues that were published in between for Detective Comics (I'll be posting my reviews for the Scarecrow and Man-Bat issues right after this). I wouldn't consider this as absolute favorite but it was definitely a solid action and adventure arc. It also showcased what the best of Layman's abilities has to offer. As a storyteller, he sure knows how to put enough layers in his plot and resolve them as neatly as he could manage. I can't say that his issue wrapped up everything conclusively (there are small nitpicks along the way for me) but it still stuck its landing which is more than I can say from the earlier Detective Comics issues from the title's previous writer. As a matter a fact, I only acknowledge that the official New 52 Detective Comics run started from issue #13 and up until this point. Sorry, Tony S. Daniel but I'm not sorry.

Wrath (whose real identity is the billionaire Caldwell of Caldwell Technologies) is basically Batman in every way except that he's a nasty piece of work with no regard for human life. He was a orphaned boy whose father was wrongfully arrested and murdered by the corrupt task force of the GCPD back in the old days. Just like Bruce Wayne, this early injustice has set him in a dangerous path, but instead of criminals, he's targeting cops. Batman dispels order and punishment but never takes the lives of the criminals while Wrath purely operates out of vendetta and brutally murders the cops whom he unfairly blames them for something that happened decades ago. Conception-wise, it wasn't exactly an original idea for a villain, but the delivery of such a character, especially the story he was written in, was rich and exciting.

The cover image delivers on the promise that this is going to be action-packed and it was heftily so. One thing I have enjoyed about Detective Comics these days is the assortment of gadgetry for Batman. Wrath, having his own corporation of weapons, can also keep up with Batsy in that aspect, so you gotta believe there are many explosions and fights in the pages herein.

I'm hardly the type of gal to go nuts over action-heavy stories like this one but I certainly appreciate superbly drawn panels that depict such events. I thought the brisk pacing was just right and the confrontation between Batman and Wrath with the GCPD to struck the finishing blow was pretty cool. I was happy with how all of this ended...or not ended. There is a surprise twist by the ending pages. It made me go, "Oooohh" as I nod my head in agreement and expectation. Anyway, I had a few favorite moments for this issue which included that metal Batsuit (because militarized Batsy is always sexy and appealing for me; it brings out my latent robot fetish...which happens to be not so latent when Batman is concerned):

And this touching dialogue between Batsy and a police officer:

 

This story also perfectly sets up the next one that is more or less a crossover for Scott Snyder's ZERO YEAR featuring the corruption inside the police department back when Gordon has yet to clean up the messy motherfucker that is the GCPD and become the commissioner. That sounds promising and I can't wait to start reading!

RECOMMENDED: 8/10

Detective Comics Annual #2 by John Layman and Joshua Williamson

I have to say that this has got to be one of my favorite annuals for a Bat-title in New 52 (the other two have to be Peter J. Tomasi's Batman and Robin annuals, of course). I was simply astounded by the focus and scope of the stories herein which has less to do with Batman and more to do with supporting characters. A collaboration by two writers, namely Layman himself and Joshua Williamson, the second annual for Detective Comics delved on a new villainess appropriately named Jane Doe, and the underrated Harvey Bullock. This annual issue is composed of three interconnected standalones that are best read during the wee hours (as I did around two in the morning earlier),  and preferably in a dark room while lying on the with only a small nightlight near you. It enhanced my experience tenfold, giving me the sudden chills as I perused the pages illustrated wonderfully by artist Scot Eaton.

With thirty-seven pages, Layman and Williamson first delivered the intriguing main story entitled Face in the Crowd which follows an unknown female who can perfectly mimic and embody another person, and since her real identity is unknowable at this point due to the multiple identities she inhabited for god-knows how many years, she became officially known as JANE DOE. She is also the closest thing we could have to a shape-shifter for a non-supernatural villain, and she was absolutely spooky as fuck. I know what you're thinking: she's just a knock-off of Clayface--but aside from their shared abilities, they are nothing alike and the distinct difference lies on how Jane Doe uncomfortably, disconcertingly and creepily becomes the person she is imitating that without it she's merely a blank slate and that singularity is what was so freaky about this bitch in the first place. At least Clayface still has a personality for himself, but this Jane Doe is so far gone human comprehension that she's only a real person when she's mimicking another person, and even then it's sickening to watch her in action.

Also, unlike Clayface, she doesn't just morph into another human being; she studies their behavior, mannerisms, etc. and then wears their fucking faces after she has skinned them. Jane Doe doesn't have her own skin underneath. She's literally exposed facial flesh! A thing of nightmares, that's what this bitch was, and I couldn't take my eyes off the pages as the story organically unfolded. It was almost hypnotic. Now Batman has a more prominent role in this story (whereas the other two were centered on Jane Doe and Bullock), investigating leads and putting together pieces of this enigmatic criminal. 

Face in the Crowd is just engrossing; I can literally feel the excitement in my fingertips as I turn the pages. It got under my skin especially after they apprehended Jane Doe at the end and she was taken to Arkham Asylum. The last two stories delved on her and Harvey Bullock [SPOILERS] whose identity she has stolen for at least a span of weeks or so, AND NOBODY EVEN NOTICED. The Jane Doe story entitled Contained Multitudes was illustrated by Szymon Kudranski and it was seriously horrifying! I can't spoil the story for you so you're going to have to read it. You won't be sorry! Harvey Bullock, This is Your Life was the impressive third arc to end this annual issue. The way this story was crafted has garnered so much potentials for future storylines someday that are told and explored in the same vein. I would definitely like to read more stories with a complex characterization and insightful look on Bullock such as this one. It was even heartbreaking in some places. I would read the fuck out of another Bullock-Jane Doe story. I will be waiting patiently, Layman, but hopefully not for long. I might pick this annual issue again and re-read it with a friend beside me. I was just smitten which is why my rating is going to be a perfect one due to personal taste.

RECOMMENDED: 10/10

Detective Comics by John Layman issue #23

THIS WAS EXCITING! It wasn't flawless entirely, but this was definitely a story so evenly paced that I can overlook and even forgive some of its technical problems. I should have read this before the Villains Month issues for Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn but I'm glad I didn't, considering how much I nerdraged over the Harley issue last night. This effectively cleansed my Bat-palette then, and provided me with an entertaining roster of great dialogue, an interestingly layered narrative and some enjoyable action sequences thrown in the mix for good measure.

Bat and Mouse is the second installment to the Wrath-cop-killer storyline, Fabok retained the same artistic atmosphere in his illustrations though the pages here have more brightness to them than the previous one. As for the characterization: I'm pleased we get more page time for Bruce Wayne and Alfred. I think this is my favorite kind of Bruce Wayne, this New 52 version where it's universally acknowledged that he's the financial benefactor for Batman Incorporated which meant that he's a man who is making a difference not only in Gotham City but also in the rest of the world. I was never a fan of the billionaire playboy persona; I much liked Bruce Wayne as a world-class philanthropist who funds crime-fighters for different nations.

Speaking of which, his growing rivalry with Caldwell Industries is becoming very fascinating, considering said corporation and its founder seems to find itself getting involved in shady operations.

The revelation that Caldwell himself is Wrath does not surprise. He's a distorted mirror version of Bruce Wayne as Batman. A wealthy and successful businessman who creates military weapons for mass destruction and is interested in acquiring Wayne technology to improve his stock, considering Wayne Tech also provides Batman with his gear and other equipment. So far I think Caldwell is a formidable villain and quite a malicious one. He provides bulletproof vests for the GCPD as a businessman by day but then roams the streets to execute them through fatal headshots by night.

What a sick, opportunistic fucker. I can't wait until Batman puts him down in the next issue but not before we get more interesting scenes with them together first! This issue actually follows the a storyline from the second annual for Detective Comics. I was told that I won't have to read that first before this story which was good because I read this one next and will only start on the second annual right after posting this review. John Layman continues to impress me a lot lately, most especially his collaborative work with Andy Clarke in the backup story about Kirk Langstorm and the Man-Bat. I never expected it to grow on me so quickly. I think it's one of my favorite standalones now from New 52. It was engaging and earnest in ways that defied my expectations. I look forward to reviewing the Villains Month issue for Man-Bat after the second annual. Let's do this!

RECOMMENDED: 8/10

Detective Comics [Harley Quinn] by Matt Kindt issue #23.2

Matt Kindt wrote the comic book series Mind MGMT which was very lovely, and was one of my lingering regrets earlier this year because I couldn't find any time to read more of it, seeing as I'm sticking to a strict Batman comics diet until the end of the December. I had high hopes for this issue with that alone, and never have my hopes for a comic book been squashed so violently and repulsively before. This has to be the second greatest offender committed in Detective Comics for me. I look at the general consensus rating of Goodreads for this issue and it's flabbergasting! If I had my way, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN LOWER THAN THAT. Personally, as someone who loved Harley Quinn deeply than of all the Bat-villains, this re-telling of her origin story offends me.

I gotta ask: WHAT THE FUCK HAS NEW 52 BEEN DOING TO HER LATELY? I'm happy she became a part of the comics canon, but aside from Paul Dini's Mad Love comic, I seriously have never read a magnificent and resonant Harley issue after it, even when she got her own title. Those stories were okay, a few may even be great. I read bits of her appearances in Suicide Squad for New 52 and never truly enjoyed them. I have copies of her title re-launch and I dread getting around to them. I don't understand why they're doing things to Harley that contradict the characteristics that Paul Dini and Bruce Timm originally defined and instilled her with. Look, I can go on and on about the costume she started to wear since New 52 began WHICH I LOATHED because it was NEEDLESSLY SKANKY and very un-Harley in the MOST DEGRADING SENSE. It's even worse than putting Wonder Woman IN PANTS before. I can even complain about the gratuitous violence she displays that even for someone like her is grossly over-the-top.

But I won't. I'll simply say that this issue, written by someone whose other work I was slowly falling in love with, is a sorry miss. It was joyless. It was pretentious. It was everything Harley never was. Harley is a barrel of laughs in spite of the grimness of her actions. She always does everything with a genuine smile in her face because she found her life's purpose and calling by being the Joker's muse. She's charming in her exploits and uninhibited in exploring her dark inclinations. But she's never cruel or chaotic for the sake of her own sadism that needs to be filled. She enjoys and takes pleasure when it's the Joker who inflicts cruelty on people. as long as she has a part to play in it. She relishes on his psychosis and gives herself to him as his personal instrument of destruction which only he could play the right tunes from, if not a terrifying and playful symphony. That's comics' most functional dysfunctional relationship between two sick minds that complete each other and it's a love story that is one of a kind. But New 52 can't seem to grasp how to capture what Dini and Timm offered on screen in the animated series. It confounds and irritates me.

(I just remembered reading a Harley story in Batman Black and White issue #1 two months ago entitled Justice is Served and I loved that one. I can recommend it.)

There were just so many things that this issue got wrong about their relationship, let alone what motivated her to join him in the first place. I don't want to discuss it any more in detail. I feel like I might alienate those who only read Harley Quinn in comics and never got to enjoy her in all her fabulous, hilarious self in Dini's work or in the cartoons. And I really don't want to rant on. What you need to know is that this issue left me numb. The amusing costume change (which I can tolerate better than the one she had on in Suicide Squad but it's still a far-cry from the original which was just perfection) did not distract me from the awful way this story ended. Harley committed an atrocity that I will never in a million years believe she will ever be capable of. It was just too much! Look, the Joker is chaos in its rawest form but Harley is more of the distilled version. She can be unpredictable but she's also got a big heart that magnanimous enough to love someone like the Joker and stand by him. She IS NOT HEARTLESS ENOUGH TO DO WHAT SHE DID IN THIS STORY. So fuck this. I don't know who this person is but she is an impostor. SHE IS NOT HARLEY QUINN. I might never read any New 52 comic book with her in it ever again. It just hurts too much. It also pains me to know that novice readers will firstly acquaint themselves with this version of her and even enjoy it for the joyless, skanky and inconsistent mess that she has become. I'll also re-read my some of my copies of Mind MGMT to remind me that Kindt is still a spectacular writer. Also, so I can forgive him for this disgusting issue.

NOT RECOMMENDED: 1/10

Detective Comics [Poison Ivy] by Derek Fridolfs #23.1

Villains Months marks the official re-telling of the origin stories of the baddies of DC. Several months back in my first wave of Batman comics diet, I read and reviewed Peter J. Tomasi's villain issues for Two Face, the Talons, Clayface and Ra's Al Ghul and they were all great especially Two-Face's which was an absolute favorite! I was really surprised to see that Layman didn't write the four villain installments themselves for his title. In any case, I thought Fridolfs did a remarkable piece with his take on Poison Ivy's origins. The artwork by Javier Pina stood out for me well enough especially his illustrations of the hellish jungle that Poison Ivy turned Gotham into being.

Absurdly enough, a Villains Month issue seems to have a standard formula which is composed of a villain walking around the city about to fall into ruins (or already in ruins) as he or she reminisces the past (several flashbacks detailing their cruel beginnings which led them to life of crime and chaos). This worked for Tomasi's Two Face tremendously well, and he delightfully subverted it with his Ra's Al Ghul issue. As for Poison Ivy: I was just okay with it. There was nothing to it that felt like a disservice to the character, but there was also hardly anything I connected with. Still, the entire issue was enjoyable because Pamela Isley was contemplative and consistent in her tale of woe. I didn't like her less when I read this which I felt the need to point out only because I also didn't like her more after finishing.

It was a suitable origin story that didn't try to offer me beyond its means which is what saved its quality from dropping which it could have easily done so. So that's a comforting consolation.

I still maintain that Fabok draws Poison Ivy the most splendidly yet, and he at least illustrated the cover for his issue and look how slick it is! She's sexy and appealing but not at all trashy. That's not to say that I thought Pina did a subpar job of drawing her in the pages themselves; there were a lot of panels which I thought were lovely to look at, and his flashback sequences were had a lightness and sweetness to their color palette which certainly makes Pamela Isley's childhood look idyllic which was far from it. The thematic 'looks can be deceiving' is very much alive in that regard then. Poison Ivy after all makes a point to drive home that grain of truth as she relishes on her past aches. This is an issue I can re-read again and appreciate. It wasn't innovative but it wasn't ambitious either which was why it was overall a solid exploration of a fascinating villainess.

I dare not say the same for the Harley Quinn one after this. Oh, boy, am I about to nerdrage on that one..

RECOMMENDED: 7/10

Detective Comics by John Layman issue #22

Here we are then with a brand new story arc to look forward to, and it looked so terrific, judging by the first action sequence alone. I think that opener (reminiscent of something from a movie, actually) is probably my favorite of this issue entitled Targeting the Shield. I also think that this was truly the first time artist Jason Fabok made me swoon all over his Gotham landscapes and the atmospheric chills that they can inspire. Every illustration was astounding and I especially liked the color choices and how they blended so well together that the images just pop and crackle in every scene, even the ones that don't have much action. It looked not only good but sounded better too, dialogue-wise and that's most probably because of the way the supporting characters were characterized by Layman.

I'm referring of course to the police officers whom I believe also had some adequate page time in issue #19 (with the story The 900 and the Man-Bat epidemic). Having them making another appearance helps a lot for readers to connect and sympathize with the city's ordinary men and women and their small struggles, to treat Gotham as a brewing place shared by real people who have different opinions and concerns, and that not everyone in the law enforcement approves of Batman still, but also begrudgingly work with the flow anyway if it meant saving lives and hunting down the real bad guys. Gordon may cooperate with Batman most of the time but it doesn't always guarantee that the GCPD as a unit could ever see Batman as more than a vigilante in a freak-costume. We have read this lots of times before (Blind Justice is the most memorable for me) but Layman was able to ensure that the police are still doing their jobs and not blinded by their own personal negative bias towards Batman. And that is very fortunate for everyone involved, seeing as there is a new villain in town he's out for blood, killing cops.

Said cop-killer turns out to be a small-fry accomplice named Scorn who serves a man named Wrath. I have no idea what are his goals and motivations and I very much want to know that soon enough. Also, can I just say that Batman officially driving the tumbler around is awesome? I didn't know why I keep forgetting to mention this (I believe the tumbler made its first appearance during the Emperor Penguin storyline before). The only reason I brought this up at last is because Fabok has certainly used the Christopher Nolan design for that badass vehicle and it makes me squee a little every time I lay my eyes on it! It looks soooo gooood.

For yet another wonderful backup story with an artwork courtesy by Andy Clarke, we get another installment for the Man-Bat story. Clarke makes those Man-Bat illustrations very edgy indeed. I'm also getting a hang on this subplot because the build-up and pacing are well-even. Bullock was also quite impressive in this, questioning Langstrom's involvement and intentions for extra measure even if the suspicion was resolved later on by Langstorm's wife Francine...who turns out to be the one behind the spree killings around Gotham as perpetuated by someone who transformed him/herself into a bat--a vampiric one at that. This was a shocking twist for me because I remembered what a loyal and caring wife Francine was. I also remember that the only reason why she took the serum is to find her husband and bring him home. And now she has lost control along the way, and started using the serum to feed her cannibalistic desires for human blood. That's pretty ironic, and I believed Kirk thought so too, much to his chagrin.

I'm already invested on both the Wrath story arc and this one. I'll also be reviewing the four issues in this title for Villains Month which focus on Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, Scarecrow and Man-Bat. I hope they're good. Peter J.Tomasi wrote one for Two Face in Batman and Robin and that was honestly a favorite. I'm on a roll with Detective Comics right now!

RECOMMENDED: 8/10





Detective Comics by John Layman issue #21

I liked the first Detective Comics Annual (which was actually not penned by Tony S. Daniel so that in itself probably helped) and Layman deciding to take a character from that standalone to infuse on this issue was a fine enough move, but I'm not sure that the execution of the story he chose to tell was the best choice. The bottom line is that I didn't care much for the 'shadow' assassin Mio. I honestly felt that she served her purpose on that Annual story and I really didn't need to know her beyond that. It wasn't like Layman made her interesting or sympathetic either.

I guess I won't be saying anything more about Mio in this review because she wasn't what got me reading--that was understandably going to be Harper Row. I like Harper. I got to know her first from Snyder's Batman issue #12 and again in the Requiem issue #18 and I became very fond of her in both instances. I thought she had a great personality, a sympathetic motivation for her choices, and a fleshed-out personal relationship with her brother Cullen. She definitely demonstrates enough autonomy to survive Gotham, and a possesses real sense of what is right and what is wrong, as well as the willingness to do good when she's able. Harper Row is a great upcoming heroine, and might qualify to be the next sidekick for Batman. I don't think she was created to replace Damian Wayne as Robin. I think she can be her own crime-fighter and she's definitely getting more entangled with dangerous events in Gotham, and this issue further drives that point.

As interesting as Harper is, and even though I thought Layman placed in her in a situation that once again showcased the promise of what she could be if only Batman took the time to acknowledge her drive, and that wonderful spark only tenacious youth can channel, Harper wasn't the focal point of the story. That's a darn shame because, as I've stated earlier in this review, I didn't think Mio was compelling enough to sustain my interest, let alone for me to make any substantial connection with her. It's not like she was the first failed romance for Bruce Wayne--she certainly won't be the last. There was just not enough personal background for her aside the fact that she murdered one of Bruce's mentors, faked her death, trained to be a more ruthless assassin, and then came back to Gotham only to disappear quickly without making any kind of lasting impression. She was a waste of time for me and I got the sense that perhaps Layman might be setting up something else and this was just a distraction. I certainly hope so. I dully pray that he has an engrossing story for the next issues. A one-note shadow assassin just didn't do it for me at all. It's a saving grace that Harper was here, and that Batman has softened up a bit with her and looked like he's ready to let her in soon.

 

As for the backup story, it was all about Kirk Langstorm and the Man-Bat from issue #19. I was actually happier about this one than the shadow assassin. I'm glad Layman followed up on the Man-Bat serum storyline and Kirk's role in all of this. I was never a Man-Bat fan but I did like New 52's take on Kirk Langstorm, not completely painting him as a villain with evil motivations. He seemed like your average guy with a troubled inclination for desiring something greater and infinitely dangerous--which can be nothing but trouble in the long run, naturally. I suppose I'll find out on the next issues where this subplot will go.

 

Overall, this was a serviceable issue. Not really anything daring or new but it wasn't completely rubbish either.

 

RECOMMENDED: 6/10

Detective Comics by John Layman issue #20

I'm torn about this issue. The build-up of the Emperor Penguin storyline, despite the side tracks it often encounters with other minor story arcs along the way, had been believably well-balanced for the previous seven issues. I was able to enjoy the slow but not necessarily drawn out pacing that Layman had treated this story with; even if there were multiple things happening that coincide it. Layman kept Batman busy in Detective Comics, all right, but he also allowed sufficient time to tackle the cases and their respective persons of interest in his backup stories which actually served as beguiling supplement material which were always relevant to the grand scheme of things he's building up.

The conclusion for the Emperor Penguin story arc wasn't a slam dunk, though. It had its problems (which had more to do with Batman's role; which wad underused so his impact was something that was underwhelming), and Ignatius Oglivy's motivation for trying to take Oswald Cobblepot's empire for his own in the first place. I don't have any strong feelings for Oglivy in general. I didn't like him. I didn't hate him. I accept his pivotal role, I acknowledge his resourcefulness and initiative to go toe-to-toe with Cobblepot, and I thought his careful planning was darn impressive even if it didn't make me root for him unlike with other previous villains. I just don't know how to rate this issue properly once I'm done writing this review.

On one hand, I enjoyed Cobblepot's scenes because his actions were unpredictable. I thought he was amusingly inscrutable all throughout the story which worked well. I also thought the backup story with Oglivy in Blackgate as we discuss his childhood and humble beginnings to a life of crime had been a splendid sequence. It helped me understand him better because the main story somewhat diluted his threat and accomplishment as Emperor Penguin. I wasn't convinced that he had done anything remarkable enough to warrant his name in the annals of Bat-villains who did great and terrible things.

And that's probably because I didn't like how his fight with Batman played out. It was just...too easy and a bit cheap. Also, the GCPD has no presence in here whatsover which is just grating because police incompetency is a trope that I don't like seeing in my fiction, especially when their absence only reinforces the tackiness of the pay-off for a story's conclusion. Honestly, the narrative flashback in Blackgate, Cobblepot's actions and that revelation that Oglivy might not be done with his conquering (and might strategically do so while in prison) were the most compelling elements of the issue which was a terrific thing. The rest of the other stuff almost killed it and definitely did not help with my rating below. I'm still pretty interested to see where Layman plans to take Oglivy's character in the future for New 52. I'm certainly still enjoying myself with this title. Fabok and Clarke are wonderful art accompaniments to Layman's narrative style. What they had done so far still hits my sweet spot. This issue was more of a miss than a hit for me, nevertheless, but I can easily forgive it because there is something salvageable.

RECOMMENDED: 7/10