Tag: Detective reviews

Comics Reviews: Batman 425, Detective 592, Green Arrow 10

Batman 425 coverBatman #425 – “Consequences” – Jim Starlin/Mark Bright/Steve Mitchell

This one starts with Bruce Wayne opening a letter that was left at police headquarters addressed to Batman. It’s from Jose Garzonas (whose scumbag son died “accidentally” last issue in close proximity to Robin) and contains a photo of Commissioner Gordon tied up in a junkyard. Garzonas wants Batman to “bring the boy”, meaning he obviously thinks Robin killed his son and wants to even the score. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 425, Detective 592, Green Arrow 10”

Comics Reviews: Batman 424, Detective 591, Green Arrow 9

Batman 424 coverBatman #424 – “The Diplomat’s Son” – Jim Starlin/Mark Bright/Steve Mitchell

This one starts with Robin hearing a woman screaming as he swings by a penthouse apartment. He busts in and finds an asshole named Felipe Garzonas, who attacks him. Robin kicks Felipe’s ass, but his bodyguard (Juan) has a knife and manages to corner Robin. Luckily, Batman saw where Robin detoured to and puts Juan through the wall (literally). Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 424, Detective 591, Green Arrow 9”

Comics Reviews: Batman 423, Detective 590, Green Arrow 8

Batman 423 coverBatman #423 – “You Shoulda Seen Him” – Jim Starlin/Dave Cockrum/Mike DeCarlo

This is an interesting little character study of Batman seen through the eyes of some cops who run into him over the course of one eventful night. The first cop (Bart) tells how he was trying to talk a junkie out of jumping off a bridge when Batman showed up. The junkie jumped, but Batman was rigged to a safety harness and swung down to catch the kid, giving him a lecture on making the most of his life afterwards. Bart figures Batman might’ve actually gotten through to the kid. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 423, Detective 590, Green Arrow 8”

Comics Reviews: Batman 422, Detective 589, Green Arrow 7

Batman 422 coverBatman #422 – “Just Deserts” – Jim Starlin/Mark Bright/Joe Rubinstein, Steve Mitchell

This one continues from last issue, with the two serial killers known as the Dumpster Slashers (Vito Procaccini and Karl Branneck) discussing what to do now that Batman knows they’re the killers. Branneck assures Vito that Batman has no real evidence and says they just need to kill one more person to throw Batman off the trail forever. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 422, Detective 589, Green Arrow 7”

Comics Reviews: Batman 421, Detective 588, Green Arrow 6

Batman 421 coverBatman #421 – “Elmore’s Lady” – Jim Starlin/Dick Giordano/Joe Rubinstein

This one starts with Batman and Commissioner Gordon discussing a serial killer who leaves his victims—all young women— in dumpsters. There’s not much evidence left on the bodies and no real pattern, except the Dumpster Slasher does stick to a schedule, killing once a week but skipping every third week. But there’s been no new victim found and Gordon wonders if the killer has moved on to new hunting grounds. Batman hopes not, since he wants to put the scumbag away. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 421, Detective 588, Green Arrow 6”

Comics Reviews: Batman 420, Detective 587, Green Arrow 5

Batman 420 coverBatman #420 – “Ten Nights of the Beast Part 4” – Jim Starlin/Jim Aparo/Mike DeCarlo

This one starts with Batman finding the dead body of the underworld engineer who built a weaponized mechanical hand for KGBeast, after he lost one fighting Batman last issue. KGBeast (and his associate Salari) are in town to kill off ten people involved in the Strategic Defense Initiative, hoping to cripple the program. KGBeast has taken out most of his targets, but there’s one big one left … President Reagan. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 420, Detective 587, Green Arrow 5”

Comics Reviews: Batman 419, Detective 586, Green Arrow 4

Batman 419 coverBatman #419 – “Ten Nights of the Beast III” – Jim Starlin/Jim Aparo/Mike DeCarlo

In the last couple of issues, a Russian super-agent called KGBeast has (with help from his Iranian associate, Salari) been eliminating people crucial to the development of the Strategic Defense Initiative. He’s already killed six of the ten people most important to the SDI and this issue opens with him taking out number seven, a general named Ridwell. KGBeast uses a Stinger missile to blow up a plane that Ridwell and Agent Bundy of the CIA are travelling on. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 419, Detective 586, Green Arrow 4”

Comics Reviews: Batman 418, Detective 585, Green Arrow 3

Batman 418 coverBatman #418 – “Ten Nights of the Beast Part II” – Jim Starlin/Jim Aparo/Mike DeCarlo

This one starts with Batman summing things up from last issue: a super-powered assassin called KGBeast has come to the United States (unsanctioned) to kill people associated with the Strategic Defense Initiative. He’s already eliminated four key targets, leaving another six whose deaths could cripple SDI permanently. Five of them are already in protective custody, but one (Sylvia Burrows) hasn’t been notified because she’s staying with her boyfriend. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 418, Detective 585, Green Arrow 3”

Comics Reviews: Batman 417, Detective 584, Green Arrow 2

Batman 417 coverBatman #417 – “Ten Nights of the Beast” – Jim Starlin/Jim Aparo/Mike DeCarlo

This famous storyline begins with a bunch of DEA agents waiting on a deserted beach to catch some smugglers. Instead they run into a pair of mysterious (and completely silent) guys, one of whom is a powerhouse who kills every agent without even dropping the huge box he’s carrying. Later in Gotham, a top Soviet official named Andrei Yevtushenko tells an assembly of CIA and FBI gents (plus Commissioner Gordon) about a secret Soviet program called Hammer. It was disbanded and the leader killed himself, but he set one last plan into motion: Operation Skywalker. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 417, Detective 584, Green Arrow 2”

Comics Reviews: Batman 416, Detective 583, Outsiders 28, Green Arrow 1

Batman 416 coverBatman #416 – “White Gold and Truth” – Jim Starlin/Jim Aparo/Mike DeCarlo

This story is set “one year ago”, which I think is a neat way of avoiding all the Millennium bullshit going on at the time. Jason Todd is still getting used to his role as Robin and when he tracks some cocaine dealers to a manufacturing plant, he figures he’s hit the jackpot. But he’s caught by a guard and about to get pounded by all the thugs inside when he’s rescued by … Nightwing! Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Batman 416, Detective 583, Outsiders 28, Green Arrow 1”