Tag: Detective reviews

Comics Reviews: Batman 365, Detective 532, Batman & the Outsiders 4, Firestorm 18, Vigilante 1

Batman 365 coverBatman #365 – “Ruins” – Doug Moench/Don Newton/Alfredo Alcala

Last time, we saw Vicki Vale heading to Guatemala for a hot story. She tracked down a shipment of guns from the USSR, funneled through Cuba, and intended for rebels in Guatemala. As she’s taking photos of the rebel trucks, another convoy shows up to hijack the weapons. The newcomers aren’t government soldiers … in fact, they seem like rebels themselves, just with newer equipment and perfectly coordinated moves. Vicki wonders if these new “rebels” might be a CIA-trained team out to expose the rebels’ connections to Cuba. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 365, Detective 532, Batman & the Outsiders 4, Firestorm 18, Vigilante 1”

Comics Reviews: Batman 364, Detective 531, Batman & the Outsiders 3, Firestorm 17

Batman 364 coverBatman #364 – “The Man of a Thousand Menaces” – Doug Moench/Don Newton/Alfredo Alcala

This one starts with the Brewster family attending the circus in a small Indiana town. Mr. Brewster has his wallet lifted while waiting in line, but his wife convinces him to see the show before reporting it. Unfortunately, the pickpocket is after more than just petty cash; he gets the Brewster’s address from the wallet and goes to break into their empty house. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 364, Detective 531, Batman & the Outsiders 3, Firestorm 17”

Comics Reviews: Batman 363, Detective 530, Batman & the Outsiders 2, Firestorm 16

Batman 363 coverBatman #363 – “Elegant Night Crimes” – Doug Moench/Don Newton/Alfredo Alcala

For the past week, a mysterious man in black (Night-Thief) has been committing robberies around Gotham. Batman has had no luck catching him, as Night-Thief is well-trained and seems to be at one with the darkness. Night-Thief turns all his acquisitions over to his lady, Nocturna (aka Natasha Knight), who he worships—rather creepily—as the Mistress of the Night. Nocturna is pleased with his gifts, but tells him it’s time to strike at her employers … and she knows the perfect occasion. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 363, Detective 530, Batman & the Outsiders 2, Firestorm 16”

Comics Reviews: Batman 362, Detective 529, Batman & the Outsiders 1, Firestorm 15

Batman 362 coverBatman 362 – “When Riddled by the Riddler” – Doug Moench/Don Newton/Alfredo Alcala

This one starts with a reporter doing a story on wine production. She’s shown the process called remuage—turning the bottles to sediment collects on the corks instead of at the bottom—which is also known as “riddling” the wine. Coincidentally (or not), one of the workers is Edward Nigma, the Riddler, and seeing the reporter’s interest in the riddling process gives him the inspiration to go back to his criminal ways. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 362, Detective 529, Batman & the Outsiders 1, Firestorm 15”

Comics Reviews: Batman 361, Detective 528, Brave & the Bold 200, Firestorm 14

Batman 361 coverBatman #361 – “The Most Successful Species” – Doug Moench/Don Newton/Pablo Marcos

This one starts with Man-Bat sleeping upside-down in a bell tower, clutching a frightened Jason Todd in his arms. Man-Bat kidnapped Jason when he overheard him refer to Batman as his father, although Batman’s more of a surrogate father since Jason’s parents died. Man-Bat blames Batman for his own daughter (Rebecca) dying; of course, Rebecca’s not dead, but Man-Bat is so crazed he doesn’t know reality from fantasy anymore. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 361, Detective 528, Brave & the Bold 200, Firestorm 14”

Comics Reviews: Batman 360, Detective 527, Brave & the Bold 199, Firestorm 13

Batman 360 coverBatman #360 – “When Slays the Savage Skull” – Doug Moench/Don Newton/Pablo Marcos, Ron Randall

This one starts with a beat cop named Lew on patrol. A newspaper vendor reminds Lew that two other cops have been stabbed to death lately, but Lew’s not too worried about it. He should’ve been, as the killer comes after him next, spouting off about justice and how he’ll make everyone pay. The killing is interrupted by a car and the killer flees into the night. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 360, Detective 527, Brave & the Bold 199, Firestorm 13”

Comics Reviews: Batman 359, Detective 526, Brave & the Bold 198, Firestorm 12

Batman 359 coverBatman #359 – “Hunt” – Gerry Conway/Dan Jurgens/Dick Giordano

This one starts with Batman sneaking into the home of Filbert Hughes III, a fat cat who’s a big wheel in the Tobacconists’ Club. Batman knows the Club is full of rich men who profit from the criminal acts of others while keeping their own hands clean. Batman scares the hell out of Hughes. Asking him about Gotham’s newest mob boss … Killer Croc. Speaking of Croc, he’s holding a convocation of mobsters at the Reptile House of the Gotham Zoo. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 359, Detective 526, Brave & the Bold 198, Firestorm 12”

Comics Reviews: Batman 358, Detective 525, Brave & the Bold 197, Firestorm 11

Batman 358 coverBatman #358 – “Don’t Mess With Killer Croc” – Gerry Conway/Curt Swan/Rodin Rodriguez

This one starts with Killer Croc busting in on a meeting of the Tobacconists Club. Croc knows it’s a front for the crooked businessmen and politicians who pull the strings in Gotham and mentions the recent fall of Boss Thorne and gangster Tony Falco. Croc says he’s stepping into the power vacuum left at the top and they can either support him or get wiped out. (He makes quite the impression when he takes off his coat and hat, revealing his freakish reptilian appearance.) Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 358, Detective 525, Brave & the Bold 197, Firestorm 11”

Comics Reviews: Batman 357, Detective 524, Brave & the Bold 196, Firestorm 10

Batman 357 coverBatman #357 – “Squid” – Gerry Conway/Don Newton/Alfredo Alcala

This one starts with Batman beating the hell out of some gangsters and capturing their leader, a guy named Lester. Batman wants to know who gave Lester the drug concession in Gotham. Lester says that since Batman put the old mob boss (Falco) away, a new guy has moved in to take over the action … a guy called the Squid. Across town, Commissioner Gordon is undergoing his first physical since being reinstated. He’s in pretty good shape for a sixty-year-old, but the doctor says he has high blood pressure. He’ll have to stop smoking, cut down on salt, and take pills. Gordon isn’t too impressed with her list of demands. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 357, Detective 524, Brave & the Bold 196, Firestorm 10”

Comics Reviews: Batman 356, Detective 523, Brave & the Bold 195, Firestorm 9

Batman 356 coverBatman #356 – “The Double Life of Hugo Strange” – Gerry Conway/Don Newton/Dick Giordano

This one starts with Hugo Strange (who, as we saw last issue, is very much alive) indulging in his favourite hobby … dressing up like Batman. Strange has pulled this trick before, but this time he’s got doppelgangers of Alfred and Dick Grayson as well. Elsewhere, Bruce Wayne is on a date with Vicki Vale, who ditches him to go finish a story. Bruce can’t complain too much, since his love life usually takes a backseat to his crimefighting career, so he tells her to come by his place when she’s done. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 356, Detective 523, Brave & the Bold 195, Firestorm 9”