Batman #67 (DC)
I've been collecting all the trades in Tom King's run (actually, pretty much every Tom King trade in general, as he's beyond any doubt my favorite comic book writer working right now). I haven't been as diligent reading the individual issues. Once I fell off that track, I figured it was okay, since the trades (I have officially become a trade waiter, I guess). But I still check in with the odd issue, such as this one, which reunites King with Lee Weeks (they get in another nod to the famous Batman/Elmer Fudd special, don't worry), and it's Weeks in the spotlight (well, I guess not anymore than usual), as this is a mostly silent issue, a chase sequence. I dig it.
Detective Comics #999 (DC)
The final issue before the big one, Peter Tomasi and Doug Mahnke conclude the improbable tale of Thomas and Martha Wayne's second murder. Because it's a dream sequence, essentially, a training program Batman has run for years, this time in virtual reality. I know there will be readers who feel cheated by that big reveal, but Tomasi has become a reliable interpreter of Batman's psychology. I think it tracks.
(Incidentally, I learned from the 80 years hardcover collection that "DC" doesn't stand for Detective Comics, as the popular story goes, but rather Donenfeld's Comics.)
Here's the reason for the most recent visit to the comics shop! I got the Frank Miller '80s cover. Like Action Comics 1000 last year, DC put out covers for each decade of the title's existence, and I figured I'd give Miller the nod. Here's some quick thoughts on the stories:
"Batman's Longest Case" (Scott Snyder/Greg Capullo)
Snyder and Capullo, the much-celebrated New 52 team, again reunite (after Dark Nights: Metal) for a tale that sees Batman ultimately join a team of famous detectives. Seems about right, for a Detective Comics anniversary tale. The detective aspect of the Dark Knight hasn't really been emphasized much in the modern era. Amazing, Brad Melzter has never been asked to do an extended Batman adventure. Seems like an oversight.
"Manufacture for Use" (Kevin Smith/Jim Lee)
Smith and Lee are high profile collaborators, about as high profile as the issue gets. The tale is maybe a little lightweight, and never gives Lee a chance to highlight his work, but at least it gives Batman a chance to finally reconcile the gun that was used to shoot his parents. It's also nice to see Matches Malone.
"The Legend of Knute Brody" (Paul Dini/Dustin Nguyen)
This one was a highlight for me, even if the twist at the end seems to diminish it. The gag is that there was an all-time terrible henchman named Knute Brody who worked for most of Batman's enemies. The reveal is that Knute was actually a disguise Batman's allies used to get insider information. Seems like something that could fill out a longer story.
"The Batman's Design" (Warren Ellis/Becky Cloonan)
I'm not sure Ellis nails this one, a sort of spiritual sequence to "Knute Brody," in which we learn Batman doesn't just dismiss and brutalize all those henchmen, but rather thinks of them as individuals worth a kind of sympathy, even a chance to walk away. He spends too much time away from the particular henchman at the end of the tale to really sell it.
"Return to Crime Alley" (Denny O'Neil/Steve Epting)
One thing is certain to rankle fans: for a story not to automatically side with Batman. But that's exactly what O'Neil, the oldest Batman creator in the issue, does, as a sequel to the first appearance of Leslie Thompkins, as she again questions whether or not Batman's crusade is healthy for him. It's a more than fair question, and more than fair to bring up again, the rare pessimistic beat in another upbeat issue.
"Heretic" (Christopher Priest/Neal Adams)
What's interesting about this one (other than art from another long-time Batman creator, Adams) is Priest remembering that the League of Assassins doesn't begin and end with Ra's al Ghul, but rather also includes, y'know, the League itself, all the fanatics who comprise it, including one who decided to leave not later known as Batman. It's a worthy subject, especially in the age of Islamic terror.
"I Know" (Brian Michael Bendis/Alex Maleev)
Before I reached the credits with this one, I thought it was the Tom King entry, as it heavily features a vocal tic, which is kind of a King trademark, but no, it's Brian Bendis helping Penguin along, as an old Penguin meets with an old Bruce Wayne, confessing he knew Wayne was Batman all along. And the twist in this one is much more satisfying, thank you. Bendis apparently should've been writing for DC all along, as he's a complete natural.
"The Last Crime in Gotham" (Geoff Johns/Kelley Jones)
Here's perhaps the highlight of the whole thing for me, in the subtle way Johns uses the issue to establish his Joker credentials, ahead of his much-anticipated Three Jokers. In this future, Batman and his extended family are investigating a murder scene, trying to figure out who did it. Turns out it was the Joker's son, who wanted to end the cycle of violence the old man helped perpetuate for years, sacrificing himself in the process. Some readers will lump the results in with the Batman-family-friendly vibes of the whole issue, but it's really someone else's triumph. Maybe the impact is thrown off by Jones, who will always dominate whatever he works on (by the way, nice for him to represent the veterans, too), but the story, if you follow it, carries its own weight. It's one of the best things I've read from Johns.
"The Precedent" (James Tynion IV/Alvaro Martinez-Bueno)
Tynion likely got the nod to contribute thanks to his early Rebirth era run, which helped jumpstart the significance of the series after drifting back into relative obscurity, in the New 52 era, when all anyone could really talk about was Snyder's Batman. I like what Dick Grayson (it's his tale) says in one of the final panels: "I'm not the precedent. You are. And you're just the start." It's easy to get caught up in the Batman craze, and dismiss all his allies and so many sidekicks, but if Batman achieves anything at all, it's his ability to inspire others, not in fear but hope. That's something Christopher Nolan concluded, in a different way (but with a Robin figure, too) in The Dark Knight Rises. It's just nice to see someone else notice.
"Batman's Greatest Case" (Tom King/Tony S. Daniel/Joelle Jones)
King, as always, seems to have bewildered his readers. But really, he's coming to the same conclusion Tynion does above, that Batman's legacy won't ultimately be about what Batman himself can achieve, but what he's been able to inspire in others. So this is a tale about his many current allies coming together and talking, and eventually, someone realizes that "Batman's greatest case" was about solving that original problem of having lost a family and thinking that was always going to define him. But it really didn't, and the appearance of the original Robin, so soon after Batman himself first appeared, was kind of proof from almost the very start. He's just needed reminding every now and then. This time he reminds himself, by taking a picture, and leaving it on the graves of his parents. That's what King's Batman has been concerned about all along. I think this will make an excellent addition to King's collected Batman tales, wherever DC might slot it in eventually.
"Medieval" (Peter Tomasi/Doug Mahnke)
Current Detective Comics creators Tomasi and Mahnke (see above!) get to introduce video game character Arkham Knight to continuity in this one, and it's great to see something new(ish) in all the reflective splendor. Hopefully another villain worth remembering years to come.
Great issue.
Books of Magic #6 (Vertigo)
Part of the Sandman Universe corner of the Vertigo corner of DC these days (...), I thought I'd have a look, as I've always been interested in the concept of young Tim Hunter learning how to be a wizard. Yeah, Harry Potter later made the concept much, much more popular, and Vertigo in turn had The Unwritten (which didn't star Tim) (maybe should've?). But the existence of Harry only increases Tim's shine, not diminishes. And this issue proves it. Glad at least for this revival.
Daredevil #3 (Marvel)
Holy crap. So Chip Zdarsky just rocketed into the upper echelons of Marvel lore. His take on the traditional Daredevil's-life-is-being-ruined! tale not only involves the cops (amazingly, very few comics seem to understand this maybe would be a...natural element to any superhero story) but finally addresses the element in the room. If this were happening to a superhero, especially a very-well-established one like Daredevil...wouldn't the rest of the superhero community have something to say about it? Turns out that someone is...Punisher. Hell yeah! The fans like claiming that Marvel has nothing much to boast about these days, but they're really just feeding perceptions. Zdarsky has been working toward this moment, and I'm glad to witness it. He's going to be in that echelon hopefully for years. Unless DC gets to benefit. Just sayin'!
Dial H for Hero #1 (DC)
Part of the second Bendis imprint (after Jinxworld) at DC, Wonder Comics, this is Sam Humphries kicking down the door to once again establish himself as a writer worth taking seriously, owning a familiar if somewhat obscure DC concept. I have a blogging acquaintance who's gone over all the heroic identities to emerge from the H Dial over the years. I'm sure he's paying attention to this, too. And I hope he's as impressed as I am. The superhero conjured this issue is a stereotypical '90s archetype, which is pretty fun in and of itself. But Humphries manages to make the H Dial itself more interesting than anything else. I don't know if he's covering new ground or not, but I love it.
Doomsday Clock #9 (DC)
I began tradewaiting this series almost immediately. The shop I went to for the first issue was already upcharging for it (dick move, Banner), so I...lost the motivation quickly, and just started randomly checking in. This was my latest check-in, in the apparent mistaken belief that the Legion ring on the cover belonged to Saturn Girl. But the issue still has a major revelation worth reading, involving Firestorm and a patented Geoff Johns character revision. He always seems to know exactly how to do that. It's his superpower...
The Forgotten Queen #2 (Valiant)
The last time I checked in with a new Valiant title I wasn't impressed, but this time I was. Valiant remains the best-kept secret in superhero comics, it seems.
G.I. Joe: Sierra Muerte #2 (IDW)
When I realized that was Michel Fiffe art on the cover, I snapped it up. Fiffe, of course, is the creator of Copra, the best-kept secret in indy comics these days, kind of the official insider handshake. But the showstopper in the issue is an essay details the history of Snake Eyes, one so intriguing it makes you wonder if Snake Eyes is the best kept secret of the best creators in comics. Did Alan Moore have him on the brain was conceiving Rorschach? Now I'm pretty convinced! Was Snake Eyes responsible for Wolverine's incredible ascent? Now I'm pretty convinced! All hail Snake Eyes!
Heroes in Crisis #6-7 (DC)
Well, did Wally crack? King tackles head-on whether or not Wally himself was capable of viewing himself as that mythical "symbol of hope" fans thought he was starting in DC Rebirth, while Booster and Harley continue to compete against each other as the sole survivors. Two more issues. I think King has once again produced magic. Can't wait to see how it ends.
Meet the Skrulls #1 (Marvel)
Having seen and enjoyed Captain Marvel, when I saw Meet the Skrulls referred to s Marvel's successful attempt to finally recapture that Tom King Vision magic, I thought I knew what to expect. But someone seems to have misinterpreted another family intrigue with the same kind of storytelling, because what King did, what King always does, is reinterpret family intrigue. This story merely follows it, perhaps finding another character who'll fit the classic Marvel tragic model, but it would have to significantly upgrade itself to even begin to resemble King's Vision properly.
Spider-Man: Life Story #1 (Marvel)
Here's Zdarsky again, with Mark Bagley, revisiting the life of Peter Parker, one decade at a time. It'll be interesting to see how things develop. This issue almost seems standard, but it's also part of Marvel's current initiative to reintegrate its characters into historic moments, in this case the Vietnam War, with Spidey struggling to reconcile his absence from the battle field with his famous mantra about great responsibility. Iron Man is depicted on the field, and then Captain America makes some bold choices. Well, like I said, it depends on what happens next. But Zdarsky is quickly proving that there are few things he's unwilling to breech, and he's been proven right in his instincts so far. I'm willing to bet that trend continues.
Marvelous X-Men #1 (Marvel)
This is a kind of sequel to Age of Apocalypse, which is pretty great to see. This issue, meanwhile dithers most of its space, but still brings up some interesting points.
Young Justice #3 (DC)
Another Wonder Comics entry, this title famously brings back classic '90s teen heroes Impulse (yeah!), Superboy, and Robin, the heart of the original team and backbone of DC's '90s teen heroes in general. This issue follows Superboy's journey to Gemworld, which was featured for a hot minute in the New 52, and I'm glad it's back. This is a whole dream come true. I guess that's the other reason Bendis was allowed to take the Rebirth Superboy off the table, to make room for the other one. Hell yeah!
