DETECTIVE COMICS #44

[ BAT-BARGAIN RETURNS ] 

To some, Alan Scott is the first Green Lantern to ever grace a comic book page. Yet to the likes of Brian Buccellato, Fernando Blanco, Francis Manapul, and most probably DC Comics, well, he's a good marketing gimmick, isn't he? If only for one month. Namely, the month of September, 2015.

To QUOTE An Idiot Speaking To A Blind Person: 'So Who's Your Favorite Artist?"'.

THE REVIEW:

I'm afraid to say I won't be able to tell you too much about this issue of Detective Comics. Because if I do, I'll also have to spoil it for you as well, and I don't want to do that!

You see, this episode essentially presents us with a dual-stranded story-line that evolves around two of the principal characters, Bat-Jim and Harvey Bullock, and tells a tale that starts off in one direction, and finishes off in another.

Now in one portion of the plot, we get to see Bat-Jim trying his best to fend off a giant sized Joker Robot (with the Jokers daughter inside it no less), so he can save the day with all that BIFF-BAFF-BOOM malarkey. Then, in another portion, we get to see how Harvey deals with his two female partners -- which trust me, has a very surprising twist. And finally, in between these two portions, we get yet another portion, a third portion if you will, which basically ties the two together with the inclusion of a mastermind I don't want to mention yet.

Why so? Well, as I said before, if I tell you every detail I will be spoiling some very surprising and emotional moments cleverly created by Brian and Francis. Honestly, these moments I dare not speak of, are very daring in tone (Falcone-Sneak-Boom!), and make me hesitant to either applaud or debase their inclusion.

That said, however, what I can say about this issue is how much I loved the artwork provided by Fernando Blanco. Despite not being overly keen on his design of the Joker Robot (I mean, how are we supposed to take an over-sized smiling robot seriously?), in the same breath, I did love the noir like ambiance of his pencil work (both in the foreground and the background), and how it was beautifully complemented by Brian's muted color pallet.

Another thing I best mention is how we eventually got to see this new 'Team Robo-Bat' in action. Finally, all the players are in place, defined, substantiated, and shaping up to be a pretty decent group of players. How long they will last is a question for another day. Today though, well, yeah! I liked them. I liked them a lot. At long last they are triumphant and in a bold and nice place.

THE MUSIC:

Again, without giving anything away, I'd say the end of this issue ended on a real bum note for our pal Harvey. In fact, it was such a bum note, I bet you after he spoke to Jim on the rooftop, he then went back to his apartment and played the following song. 'All By Myself' by Eric Carmen.

THE COMPARISON:

Now you know how I said that I didn't like the look of Fernando's Jokerized Robot? Well, how about I now compare this issue to an actual toy robot? Come on. Let me compare the two. If you do, I'll let you go to Harvey's apartment and listen to his sad songs with him, taking with you the aforementioned toy robot to play with.

  

THE CONCLUSION:

At the very end of this episode Harvey gives Jim a piece of advice. So, for the love of cheese, Slam-dance, can you guess what he says to him out of the following eight options? Does he say...

1. Stop being Batman.
2. Start smoking e-cigarettes: As you have a socket in your suit whenever you need to recharge it.  
3. Pull my finger.
4. Why don't you act like you do on the Gotham TV series?
5. Shave off your Mohawk.
6. Never piss in your Bat-suit.
7. If I was you, I'd sell myself on ebay.
8. Give me a kiss.

Nuff said.