DETECTIVE COMICS #2

[ BARGAIN BASEMENT BATMAN ] 

Sometimes people can have a very hazardous day, and they only ever really realize this fact by the end of it. Well, you can get up in the morning, have a shower, go to work, before life takes for a sudden turn of the worst, and you are left grasping upon a disfigured husk. These guy’s know what I am talking about – Writer: Tony Daniel; Artists: Tony Daniel plus Ryan Winn; and Publisher: DC Comics – especially in November 2011.

THE STORY:

By day, millionaire playboy, Bruce Wayne, has a rather strained time at ‘work’ in Wayne Enterprises. He has a meeting with the head of Mech-North Corps, Hugh Marder, whilst he is climbing a stoned edifice. Plus, he has an encounter with journalist, Charlotte Rivers, which has its ups and downs too. Funnily enough, by night, whilst he is garbed as the Batman, Bruce’s time has the same tone to it as well – just in a different manner is all.

You see, Batman wants to figure out why the skin off of the Jokers face has been discovered within the confines of Arkham Asylum, plus, why this fiend is no where to be seen. Now cigarette chomping Commissioner Gordon cannot help Batman with this dilemma, oh no. Though what he does instead, is points Batman towards two suspects who could possibly be associated with this strange turn of events – fraudster, Ray Quimby, and serial killer, Wesley Mathis.

However, does anything come out of the information, which the Commissioner tells Batman? Err – yes, it does – because within the bowls of Gotham City, this news leads Batman into a battle with the Dollmaker and his disfigured minions. Worst still, the Dollmaker has been able to get his clammy hands onto the Commissioner to boot – scarring him in the process.

To be continued...

THE REVIEW:

Now as with most issue two’s – particularly with this installment of Detective Comics – a very important question has to be addressed first, before you can really get to grips with the whole pretext – was it better than the previous chapter? Now, personally speaking of course, this is an easy question for me to answer – yes. Because thanks to the previous chapter and this one, the tone for this Batman related title has now been set in stone, thus giving us – the reader – the opening that we needed to enjoy the context more so than what we did with issue one.

Well, I just found that the tone of this tale was more congenial overall, because it managed to relay what is at the core of this comic book title – adventure and mystery. Granted, for me, it is not better than lets say, Batman #1, instead, it is different in content and style, and shows us a different side to the Bat-series – which is what I hoped for.

Moreover, another thing that was different with this book, is how this creative team appeared to be handling it. The artists, Tony Daniel and Ryan Winn, have a very nice flair to their style – because in places, their pencils are somewhat reminiscent to an early Frank Miller or a late Mike Mignola. And as for writer, Tony Daniels (by himself this time), on the other hand, his ‘flair’ has improved likewise – as he seems to be concentrating more on a story, rather than paying homage to what he once liked many a year ago.

Good on you guys – because even though this has not been the best Bat-book that I have ever read, what it is, is a sign that the best is yet to come. And I am sure that it will come, right? The Joker is faceless – there are monsters in the sewer – and what about the Commisioner? Ohh! Batman needs to thwack me thinks.

Fine tale – nice art – promising future.

THE RATING: B