Tag: Detective reviews

Comics Reviews: Batman 434, Detective 601

Batman 434 coverBatman #434 – “How Many Times Can a Batman Die?” – John Byrne/Jim Aparo/Mike DeCarlo

This is the second part of the “Many Deaths of the Batman” storyline. Last issue, a couple of people dressed as Batman were killed in Gotham, but neither of them were the genuine article. This issue starts with Batman (?) chasing someone in a red cape over the roofs of Paris. He plunges into the river after his quarry and the French police recover his cape and cowl from the water. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 434, Detective 601”

Comics Reviews: Batman 433, Detective 600

Batman 433 coverBatman #433 – “Period of Mourning” – John Byrne/Jim Aparo/Mke DeCarlo

This is the first chapter of the Many Deaths of the Batman storyline and it’s done in an interesting way, with almost no dialogue. The art is great and really tells the story well, but the lack of dialogue makes for a very fast read. It starts with the cops being summoned to the scene of a crime, but when they arrive they’re shocked to see the victim is Batman, who’s been beaten and tied to a fence. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 433, Detective 600”

Comics Reviews: Batman 432, Detective 599

Batman 432 coverBatman #432 – “Dead Letter Office” – James Owsley/Jim Aparo/Mike DeCarlo

This one starts with Batman responding to an alarm tripped in a lawyer’s office. He finds a private Investigator (Maxine Kelly) going through the files. She’s got an attitude and ends up leaving before the cops show up, but Batman’s waiting at her place when she gets back. From examining the files she was looking at, Batman has figured out that Kelly is working on the disappearance of Josh Winston, a kid who was snatched seven years ago. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 432, Detective 599”

Comics Reviews: Batman 431, Detective 598

Batman 431 coverBatman #431 – “The Wall” – James Owsley/Jim Aparo/Mike DeCarlo

This one starts with a flashback (said to be ten years ago) of Bruce Wayne travelling to a monastery in Korea to learn ancient martial arts techniques from a guy named Kirigi. In the present, Batman has been watching a thug named Ralph Stuart for weeks, hoping to get some evidence to put him away. Stuart is supposedly fearless and Batman was looking forward to testing that, but Stuart suddenly turns himself in and confesses to a bunch of crimes. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 431, Detective 598”

Comics Reviews: Batman 430, Detective 597

Batman 430 coverBatman #430 – “Fatal Wish” – Jim Starlin/Jim Aparo/Mike DeCarlo

This one starts with a guy named Tim Conrad, who was recently fired from his banking job, climbing onto the roof of the bank building with a rifle. Conrad starts shooting people at random, gunning down civilians left and right. Batman shows up and Commissioner Gordon tells him what’s going on (and asks about Robin, so apparently Gordon doesn’t know Robin is dead). Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 430, Detective 597”

Comics Reviews: Batman 429, Detective 596

Batman 429 coverBatman #429 – “A Death in the Family Chapter 6” – Jim Starlin/Jim Aparo/MikeDeCarlo

Last issue, Batman found out Joker had killed Jason Todd (aka Robin), but before Batman could go after him, he found out Joker had been appointed Iran’s official Ambassador to the United Nations. Not only does that mean Joker is untouchable (because of diplomatic immunity), but apparently he’s been retroactively pardoned for all his past crimes. I don’t think that’s how diplomatic immunity works, but whatever. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 429, Detective 596”

Comics Reviews: Detective Comics Annual 1, Green Arrow Annual 1, Question Annual 1

Detective Comics Annual 1 coverDetective Comics Annual #1 – “The Monkey Trap” – Denny O’Neil/Klaus Janson/Tony DeZuniga

This is the first of a three-part story that continues in the Green Arrow and Question annuals, linked by the story of a Japanese sensei who imparts some wisdom to each of the heroes in exchange for their help later. We start with a scene from the sensei’s past, when he was a soldier in Manchuria during the Sino-Japanese War. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Detective Comics Annual 1, Green Arrow Annual 1, Question Annual 1”

Comics Reviews: Batman 428, Detective 595, Green Arrow 13

Batman 428 coverBatman #428 – “A Death in the Family Chapter 5” – Jim Starlin/Jim Aparo/Mike DeCarlo

This continues the storyline of Jason (Robin) Todd’s death. Apparently, the fans actually got to decide his fate at the time, calling either of two phone numbers to vote for killing Jason or sparing him. Obviously, they voted to kill him, although on the Letters Page, Denny O’Neil claims the vote was pretty close (5343 for killing Robin to 5271 against). Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 428, Detective 595, Green Arrow 13”

Comics Reviews: Batman 427, Detective 594, Green Arrow 12

Batman 427 coverBatman #427 – “A Death in the Family Chapter 3” – Jim Starlin/Jim Aparo/Mike DeCarlo

If you’re wondering what happened to Chapter 2, it was last issue; these issues are double-sized and DC published a couple extra issues of most titles (labelled Winter and Holiday) at the end of 1988. Speaking of last issue, we saw Jason (Robin) Todd figure out that the woman he’d thought was his other was actually his stepmom. He narrowed his biological mother down to three possible candidates: Sharmin Rosen, Shiva Woosan, and Sheila Haywood, all of whom were overseas. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 427, Detective 594, Green Arrow 12”

Comics Reviews: Batman 426, Detective 593, Green Arrow 11

Batman 426 coverBatman #426 – “A Death in the Family” – Jim Starlin/Jim Aparo/Mike DeCarlo

This one starts with Batman and Robin observing some scumbags who are running a child porn ring. The Dynamic Du are supposed to wait for the cops to show up, but Robin gets impatient and jumps in ahead of schedule. After pounding all the punks, Batman gives Robin shit for acting rashly, but Robin shows no remorse, stating that life is just a game. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 426, Detective 593, Green Arrow 11”