Detective Comics #4 Review

Well, this is the end of the first arc. It's been an amazing ride so far, one of the best series I'm currently reading. Dark? Check. Gritty? Check. Mystery? Check. Batman doing what he does best? Check. Definitely an all-star series, great for new and old fans alike. For those that grew up with the 90's series, you'll feel right at home with this book. Anyways, I've been giving high praise to this book, the lowest score I've given it was an 8, back in Issue 2. So, the trend must continue with a positive score for this issue, right? Of course.

The story continues with Batman battling a bunch of Joker fakes from the last issue. Eventually, Doll Maker is offered a deal for Batman alive. Where is this deal coming from? A certain crime lord with a bird for a name. Can Batman make it out? Get ready for an explosive finale.

The thing that makes this series great is the thinking boxes with Batman. I always find it very interesting to see what's going on his mind as be battles the scum of Gotham City. Reminds me of the late 90's Spidey Howard Mackie run. Batman is a very interesting character, and this series has been taking everything interesting about him and putting it on every page. Tony S. Daniel knows how to make a gritty, but intriguing story. It's fast paced, but at the same time, still a detective story, amazing.

Alright, I have to say this. I don't find Doll Maker interesting at all. I just don't find him threatening, or particularly engaging. Heck, Professor Pyg from the 2007 Batman and Robin series was more interesting. Since the start, the main thing I wanted to see resolved was the Joker plot, not this guy. I liked how they introduced Penguin without showing him, it was very, very good how that happened. Olivia comes off as rather generic, will she have a bigger role later? It's hard to tell. Commissioner Gordon didn't have much of a role in this issue surprisingly.

The art has always been top-notch. It's fits the grim tone well, especially in the scene where Batman is interrogating the messenger. Everyone looks great, it's just hard to complain when Marvel's Avengers art is so inferior. It's just dark and moody. Impressive cover, so far all the covers have been very good. And wow, that final page is so iconic, it really gives the reader a bit of a shiver. Though is it me, or does the Bruce Wayne scenes seem out of place? They seem to be there just to fill the space.

Overall, an excellent issue and a fine closure to the first arc. This book has succeeded in being a definitive Batman series. I have a feeling it will only get better. DC has done it, go check out Detective Comics if you haven't already.

9/10.

Detective Comics #3 Review

So we enter month number three of the New 52. Everyone should be use to it by now. I can't speak for the other comics, but the ones I'm reading, Justice League and Detective Comics, have been some of the best stories I've read all year. Detective Comics has been the definitive Batman story, it has been bringing all the elements: dark atmosphere, insane villains, down-to-earth mystery, and Batman doing what he does best: solving it. The series has been exceeding my expectations, Issue One I gave a PERFECT score. Issue Two, while it didn't live up to the previous one, still got a 9/10. I have been anticipating this issue for awhile, does it continue to impress? Of course. (There will be spoilers, skip to the last paragraph if you don't want to know anything.)

With the realization that the plot twist at the end of the second issue isn't what it seemed, Batman is on the hunt for the horrific Doll Maker. He first has to find him, and a captive, Olivia, knows where the psycho is. Even that may not be everything it seems....

As I've said before, I'm loving how this series is less "superhero" and more "Law and Order." I haven't read something like this in a long time. I'm loving the dialogue boxes, they let us know how Batman feels about everything. Everyone looks upon him as a serious force who cannot be stopped. These dialogue boxes really ground the character, making him even less "Superman" to the street level of things.

Even though it's a mystery at its core, this issue doesn't slow down or get dull. There are no unnecessary filler scenes, (I'm looking at you Issue Two) and is it  really necessary to say how great the art is? While this new take on Batman isn't as drastic as Superman, he does act a bit different than the ultra-serious one we're use to. He's actually making some wise cracks! No, not like Spidey, but he makes them once in a blue moon. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, just surprising. It's kept at a minimum, so it's fine. I was shocked by the plot twist at the end of the second issue, but as the month went by, I knew it couldn't be him. So Commissioner Gordon is once again slapped to the side, but this is by far my favorite incarnation. (Not that there's much difference besides the hair.)

Doll Master has been the antagonist for this series so far. He hasn't been anything special, nothing we haven't seen before. Honestly, I want to see what's up with Joker, that's really what I'm interested in, not this guy and his backstory. It doesn't help that it turns out, (according to Olivia) that this guy is working for someone he fears, therefore undermining him even more.

There's some really gritty action here as it should be. The cover is very impressive, showcasing Batman looking great. Still not a fan of the short ears on the cowl though.

Overall, another amazing issue from DC. It's much better than the last one, though I preferred Issue One a bit more. Still, this issue is not to be missed, especially with the amazing price of $2.99. Seriously, if Marvel's going to charge $3.99, they should at least make their main stories (I'm looking at you Amazing Spider-Man) have the high-quality feel of Detective Comics.

9.5/10.