DETECTIVE COMICS #25

[ HERO FOR SALE ]  

He's holding a gun. He's got the gumption. Plus he' wearing a pair of spectacles and sporting a very dashing mustache. But still. Can he do it? Can Lieutenant James Gordon bake a very nice soufflé for everybody's favorite Dark Knight? I know. Let's ask John Layman and Jason Fabok if he can! Maybe they and the Publisher: DC Comics, will give him the recipe, in November, 2013? Sniff-Sniff! Can you smell burning?

Using GENERAL terms, answer the following 5 questions about this STORY entitled 'Whistleblower's Blues'.

• WHAT'S THE MAIN THRUST OF THIS TALE: After receiving a bloody good kick-in, Lieutenant James Gordon recollects how the hell he got himself involved with crooked cops, Roman Sionis, plus the black mask gang, whilst recovering from a dip in Gotham Harbor.    
• ARE THE MAIN OBJECTIVES ACHIEVED: Yeah. More or less. With a little help from Lieutenant Bullock and some chap in a cape and cowl.
• ANYTHING ELSE HAPPEN:  Ah-huh. I suppose so. Inadvertently we discover the origins of the Bat-Signal.
• HOW DOES THIS STORY END: With an honest cop realizing he's not in a war on his own.
• WHAT'S THE BACK-UP FEATURE ABOUT: When Officer Wallace informs Jim that a certain bat-shaped creature gave him a heinous scar on the face, next issue; I'm pretty damn sure there'll be a confrontation in the making.  

All in all, what is the most memorable SENTENCE OR CONVERSATION spoken in this issue?

For reasons I'll mention later, I couldn't help but grin from cheek to cheek, when James Gordon said to himself...

'There's no way I could have survived that fall. But I'd signaled for help... and somehow... help came'.

Now please read on if you want to know why I loved reading this segment so much. Ha!

What are the BEST bits about this issue?

(+) If you're a fan of such films as 'Training Day' or 'Serpico', I bet you anything that you'd love reading this particular adventure. Yeah. Straight up! To me this was one of those yarns were an honest cop does some good by rebelling against his corrupt superiors, whilst exhibiting some earnest and humane family values in the process. Wow! That Jim Gordon. What a nice guy!

(+) Without giving too much away, there was a certain 'bridge jumping scene' at the beginning of this book, which initially didn't make much sense to me at all. However, nearing the end of this book -- POW! -- things became an awful lot clearer, thanks to a really dramatic splash page by my twitter pal, Jason Fabok.

(+) Hey! While I'm on the subject of Jason, should I use this section to explain how much I loved his work like I always do? Or should I just shut my cake-whole and allow his great pencils to do all the talking for me? Oh! Alright then. I won't say anything else. Ha!

(+) As mentioned above, I really dug reading that scene which explained away the inadvertent 'origin on the Bat-Signal'. Honestly. This gem just elevated this story to a very timely proportion.

(+) On a conceptual level, I was very fond of how this tale was told in a novelized fashion. It kicked off with a beating. It then jumped back to a flash-back. And finally it finished off with a conclusion that made the overall package as sweet as a diabetic in a sugar-induced coma.

(+) Now I'm not too sure how I feel about this updated version of Roman Sionis and his Black Mask gang. Don't get me wrong. A part of me did enjoy how it was incorporated into this is corrupt saga. Yet, whilst saying that, another part of me felt that it wasn't as original or as outstanding as it could have been. Hmm. 50 / 50 at best.

What are the WORST bits about this issue?

(-) What the hell is going on with DC and their revitalized 'weight loss characters'? First Amanda Waller goes all Naomi Campbell. And now Harvey looks like he should be modelling for an on-line catalog, whilst Loeb looks like he should be appearing on a fifties sitcom about accountants! Yikes! Whatever next? Batman in a bikini?   

(+) I'm afraid to say that this month's back-up feature was nothing more than a stepping stone story, setting up whatever else is going to take place next issue. Shame. Cause I've enjoyed the previous Man-Bat installments.

Choose TWO CHARACTERS out of this comic book, and then compare them to FRUIT.

AN APPLE AS JAMES GORDON: Well, can you think of another fruit that is as reliable and as wholesome as this tree-based sweet?

BEETROOT AS ROMAN SIONIS: Yuck. I hate beetroot I do. It tastes of soil. It looks ugly. And it only works well if its used in a salad or thrown in the bin.

What QUOTE would be appropriate to sum-up this story?

'The duty of youth is to challenge corruption' -- Kurt Cobain

What SONG, THEME-TUNE, or MELODY, would complement this tale, as well as add and extra dimension to it by default?

'SHINE A LIGHT' BY THE ROLLING STONES: What? Is this comparison too 'old school' for you? If so, tough! Cause from my point of view this paring is spot-on in both title and in tone. Rock on!!!!!!

ANYTHING Else?

Have you ever wondered why Jim Gordon sports a very seventies mustache? I have. As I've spent many a waking minute contemplating why Gothams top-cop would grow such a thing under his very nose.  I mean, could it be because...

• He's a big Tom Selleck fan.
• It helps him inhale more tobacco.
• His top lip is made of felt.
• When he was a kid, he was abused by a hamster.
• He's also a very big Vincent Price fan too.
• It makes him feel special.
• He was inspired to grow his tashe' because of 70's porn.
• It beats growing a goatee.
• It hides his Meat Loaf tattoo
• His ex-wife hated it, therefore...

Anyway. That's enough of my stuff and nonsense for this month, folks. All I have left to say is that this issue of 'Detective Comics' reminded me of a chilli-dog. Nice to eat once. Better to munch twice. And it doesn't leave a bitter taste in your mouth afterwards.

Nuff said.