Quickfire Combo-Reviews: "Detective Comics" #938 / "Superman" #4 / "The Punisher" #4

"Detective Comics" #938: We see more and more classic Batman themes and moves in "Detective Comics" recently, and it is all the better for it. The dynamic between Batman and his team has also notably improved, making this a solid read throughout. 

7/10

"Superman" #4: The series seems to have finally found its rhythm and footing, while Jon's significance to it grows with every issue.

7/10

"The Punisher" #4: It's a pure joy how pissed off and angry everyone here just is. Not as violent as you might have hoped for, but still really, really good.

8/10

Quickfire Combo-Reviews: "Civil War II" #2 / "Nightwing" #1 / "Action Comics" #937

"Civil War II" #2: The series is now in full swing, as the battle lines are drawn with no way back for either side. Tony Stark is conceived particularly well here, as both emotion and the urge to control his environment rage inside him.

8/10

"Nightwing" #1: It picks up where it left off in the "New 52", but still manages to give newcomers a thorough introduction to the character and what defines him. Funny with a compelling story.

8/10

"Detective Comics" #937: The mystery of "The Colony" unravels here, as Tynion IV builds up what could be a great showdown in the following issues. It also features some really interesting facts about Batman's utility belt. 

8/10

Review: "Detective Comics" #936

Just when I had almost given up Detective Comics, writer James Tynion IV finally remembers that he's actually one of the best Batman writers in recent time (go ahead and read the Batman/TMNT crossover). 

In this issue, he finally taps a bit deeper into some of the main characters' minds and motivations, while streamlining its main story transforms the comic into a highly entertaining, surprising and gripping affair. Alvaro Martinez' art and Brad Anderson's colors make for an impressively dark and menacing Gotham, thus completing the comic's positive overall impression.

8/10

Further Links:

Detective Comics #934

Detective Comics #935 

Keepin' It 360: "Detective Comics" #935

Problems persist here, as the "superhero academy" story arc is a directionless mess, including artificial and shallow dialogues and a romance that really no one needs. The comic redeems itself a bit once writer Tynion IV addresses the story surrounding Azrael and the mysterious attackers; but after all it remains a pretty underwhelming experience altogether.

4/10

Further Links:

Detective Comics #934

Comic of the Day 10/5: "Detective Comics" #52

With the DC rebirth less than a month away and Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo ending their impressive run at Batman, we're all a bit tired of the James Gordon Bunny-Ear-Batbot by now. And judging by "Detective Comics" #52, the writers are as well. While the first part of "Our Gordon at War" had its moments, the wheels have completely come off on this one. Quite possible DC didn't want to waste any good stories before the Rebirth any more.

To put it bluntly, everything about this comic stinks. James Gordon is weirdly out of character throughout the story and writer Peter J. Tomasi and penciller Fernando Pasarin do the Commissioner a huge disservice when showing him in some of the comic's larger hand-to-hand battles. The Gordon of the Marines and that of the GCPD seem two completely different characters, denying any coherence with earlier titles. 

Clearly a central issue for Tomasi is to emphasize the loyalty and unity among Gordon and the Marines, but he does so by only using a succession of pathetic and clichéd phrases. Branded for some reason as a horror story ("Horrors from the Crypt!"), the only thing that really scares is the quality of Tomasi's writing. The action is lame and predictable; and Amun-Set and hic cult is the same cheap Mola Ram copy that we have seen in so many movies over the last 3 decades.

Detective Comics #52 is a disappointment on every level with a story that seems pure filler material so close to DC Universe's Rebirth.

2/10

Further links:

Detective Comics #51

Comic of the Day 19/4: "Detective Comics" #51

Detective Comics #51 is a solid, satisfying and entertaining read throughout, mixing things up by setting the story in the desert wastelands of Afghanistan instead of the Gotham's concrete jungle. 

Jim Gordon, hunting down a mystical power he encountered once before and which is now killing all men from his former Marine Corps, works particularly well in this new environment. Peter J. Tomasi's portrayal of Gordon is full of grit and determination here, and Fernando Pasarin particularly excels in giving his facial expression a remarkable range and depth, as the former Commish tries to uncover the circumstances surrounding the death's of his former combatants.

However, there is one glaring issue with Detective Comics #51, and that's Batman himself. Seeing Jim Gordon being the Caped Crusader again after he gave up the "job" in Batman #50 is not necessarily faulty, as the two comics' timelines have never been completely synchronized. But it feels that the inclusion of Batman at all is more of an afterthought here, as the few times Gordon does put on the costume are unnecessary, not forwarding the plot or adding anything of interest. 

Nevertheless, it's still a splendid and varied story that I cannot wait to be concluded.

Comic of the Day 8/4: "Detective Comics" #27

An homage to the first ever appearance of the Batman in the original Detective Comics #27, this issue is nothing short of a celebration of itself. Apart from its main feature, "Gothtopia", every story in this super-sized issue is wonderfully "meta", reflecting on the very nature of Bats and what it is exactly that keeps audiences coming back for more than 75 years. All this is accentuated by ever-changing art styles that elegantly chronicle the series' visual development over the decades. 

Here's a short look at all of them:

• "Gothtopia: Part 1 of 3": I like the idea and execution of a somewhat psychedelic Gotham, where utopia and dystopia are almost interchangeable. Unfortunately, it feels as if it is to become a rather more conventional Batman story towards the end.
• "The Case of the Chemical Syndicate": A modern re-telling of the first ever Batman story. It feels charmingly dated, but the inner monologue here is simply outstanding.
• "Old School": It's first part is a hilarious homage to the early days of Batman, with art and language that skilfully and ironically capture the style from the 30's to the 60's, while the second part mirrors the darker images of Miller's interpretation from the 1980's.
• "Better Days": Featuring a very, very, very old Bruce Wayne and lots of well-known Batman faces, but unfortunately never convinces in what it tries to do.
• "Rain": It looks stunning, but can anyone please tell me what's going on? Who's that boy?
• "The Sacrifice": A "What-If" type of story, imagining what would have become of Bruce Wayne had his parents never died. It's well-executed, although with predictable conclusions.
• "Twenty-Seven": Anticipates what will happen in later Batman comics, especially in the "Mr. Bloom" story arc. A great idea in itself, I still don't think the sci-fi elements necessarily fit Batman.

Comic of the Day 30/3: Detective Comics #26

Batman is once again after Dr. Kirk Langstrom (a.k.a. Man-Bat) in this one. Although I like the concept of having one complete story arc in one comic, it feels too rushed and incoherent at times. While we get a good picture of Kirk Langstrom and his dilemma, his wife comes too short in exploration and development, leaving behind a main villain with loads of possibilities that could have been. 

And although not without fault in this one, "Detective Comics" surely was on a great run here, with events building up to #27; the issue where everything started back in 1939.