Tag: Detective reviews

Comics Reviews: Batman 445, Detective 612, Legends of the Dark Knight 5

Batman 445 coverBatman #445 – “Red Square Bloody Square” – Marv Wolfman/Jim Aparo/Mike DeCarlo

This one starts with Batman tracking down a self-styled vigilante (the Slasher) who uses various edged weapons to kill people. Thanks to Batman’s intricate knowledge of Gotham (including the sewer system), he anticipates Slasher’s moves and pounds him. In Moscow, another serial killer is on the loose, but this one seems to be targeting only certain people, those on a specific list. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 445, Detective 612, Legends of the Dark Knight 5”

Comics Reviews: Batman 444, Detective 611, Legends of the Dark Knight 4

Batman 444 coverBatman #444 – “Crimesmith and Punishment” – Marv Wolfman/Jim Aparo/Mike DeCarlo

Last issue, Batman caught some thieves who were working for a criminal mastermind known as Crimesmith. But when Batman tried to get one of the thieves to talk about his boss, the guy was immolated by an incendiary device Crimesmith had earlier injected into his neck. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 444, Detective 611, Legends of the Dark Knight 4”

Comics Reviews: Batman 443, Detective 610, Legends of the Dark Knight 3

Batman 443 coverBatman #443 – “The Coming of Crimesmith” – Marv Wolfman/Jim Aparo/MikeDeCarlo

This one starts with a family going out for a jog at night and running into some muggers. Batman shows up and pounds them, using their fear of him to dictate their responses. Tim Drake and Alfred are in Bruce Wayne’s car nearby, so Tim can see how Batman operates. Tim is eager to put on the Robin costume and become Batman’s partner for real, but Batman says he has a long way to go before he’s ready for that. Tim is determined, so he agrees to whatever training Bruce wants. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 443, Detective 610, Legends of the Dark Knight 3”

Comics Reviews: Batman Annual 13, Detective Annual 2

Batman Annual 13 coverBatman Annual #13 – “Faces” – James Owsley/Michael Bair/Gray Morrow

This one starts with Batman and Commissioner Gordon investigating the remains of a bombed-out house. The house belonged to an undercover cop (Anthony Wells), whose body is so mangled it’ll have to be identified by dental records. Wells was trying to boost his career by infiltrating a bunch of thugs led by a guy named Freddie Richards, a known associate of Two-Face. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman Annual 13, Detective Annual 2”

Comics Reviews: Batman 442, Detective 609, Legends of the Dark Knight 2

Batman 442 coverBatman #442 – “Rebirth” – Marv Wolfman, George Perez/Jim Aparo/Mike DeCarlo

This is the fifth and final chapter of the Lonely Place of Dying storyline, but because of the way my reviews are set up I’m doing it before the fourth chapter (in New Titans 61). This one starts with Alfred and Tim Drake in the Batcave worrying because they haven’t heard from Batman or Nightwing (who left to track down Two-Face). Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 442, Detective 609, Legends of the Dark Knight 2”

Comics Reviews: Batman 441, Detective 608, Legends of the Dark Knight 1

Batman 441 coverBatman #441 – “Parallel Lines” – Marv Wolfman/Jim Aparo/Mike DeCarlo

This is part three of the “Lonely Place of Dying” storyline, which takes place after New Titans #60 even though they came out in the same month. Last issue, Batman realized Two-Face was behind the strange crimes he’d been dealing with. This issue gives us a look at how closely matched Batman and Two-Face are (almost like opposite sides of the same coin, if that’s not stretching things too much) and how their thought processes work almost in tandem. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 441, Detective 608, Legends of the Dark Knight 1”

Comics Reviews: Batman 440, Detective 606, Detective 607

Batman 440 coverBatman #440 – “Suspects” – Marv Wolfman, George Perez/Jim Aparo/Mike DeCarlo

This is the beginning of the “Lonely Place of Dying” storyline that crosses over with New Titans and introduces the new Robin, Tim Drake. This issue starts with Batman on top of a dam fighting a guy called Ravager, who has killed numerous people (including a couple of cops) in the last few weeks. Batman knows he was led here by someone who wanted him to find Ravager, but his opponent turns out to be a pretty tough customer. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 440, Detective 606, Detective 607”

Comics Reviews: Batman 438, Batman 439, Detective 604, Detective 605

Batman 438 coverBatman #438 – “Turnabout” – Marv Wolfman/Pat Broderick/John Beatty

This continues the Year Three storyline that shows how Dick Grayson became the first Robin twelve years ago. Dick (who’s now Nightwing) is worried about Batman’s behaviour since Dick’s successor as Robin (Jason Todd) was killed by the Joker. Batman has become more brutal and emotionless, throwing out all reminders of Jason as if he was trying to pretend he never existed. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 438, Batman 439, Detective 604, Detective 605”

Comics Reviews: Batman 436, Batman 437, Detective 603

Batman 436 coverBatman #436 – “Different Roads” – Marv Wolfman/Pat Broderick/John Beatty

This is the first part of the Year Three storyline, which tells how Batman first started working with the original Robin, Dick Grayson. The story starts in the present, with Batman watching a yacht belonging to a mobster named Jacobi. Various mob bosses have been killed lately, but nobody knows who’s behind the hits or why they’re doing it. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 436, Batman 437, Detective 603”

Comics Reviews: Batman 435, Detective 602

Batman 435 coverBatman #435 – “The Last Death of the Batman” – John Byrne/Jim Aparo/Mike DeCarlo

This is the final chapter of the Many Deaths of the Batman storyline. So far, a number of men have turned up dead in Gotham, each of them wearing a Batman costume that was sent to them anonymously. Bruce Wayne received a costume too, but didn’t put it on and thus avoided being dissolved by acid. This issue starts with an apparently unrelated crime, the murder of a hooker named Mary McGinnis. But the cops find a crude bat logo scratched into the carpet beside Mary’s corpse. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 435, Detective 602”