Reviewed by Chris Fenn
I am a huge Batman fan, always have been and always will be; so being able to own my own copy of Detective Comics #27 is a dream come true!… Okay, it’s not that Detective Comics #27, but it is the next best thing! As this issue is split up into separate stories I think I’ll split my review up to mimic each story on its own merit.
The first story, The Case of the Chemical Syndicate, is a retelling of the original Detective Comics #27, which truth be told I have never read in any capacity until now. I’m assuming it has been touched up and made more contemporary but it is still just as good a Batman story as any other, so much so I’d wager five British pounds that some people wouldn’t even know it was a retelling!
The Case of the Chemical Syndicate
Old School was a really fun story to read. It instantly reminded me of a few things; Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader (and subsequently the short story at the end of the trade: When is a Door), Grant Morrison, and the final episode of Batman the Brave and the Bold. It’s a fantastic little celebration of all incarnations of Batman and his many tones across his 75 years.
A story inspired by Frank Millar comes next, Better Days. This seems to play the birthday idea more straight and has Bruce as a 75 year old man; the Frank Millar bit comes when he spends one more night of crime fighting. A nice touch of this is seeing Dick, Tim, Barbara Damian and Alfred, all in their old(er) age celebrating with Bruce.
Frank Millar’s Better Days
A very small story called Rain shows Batman helping a parent and child from the bad weather. More quaint and simple than the other stories, and hardly any dialogue, but shows Batman will always do the right thing, even if nobody gets punched.
This story is probably my second favourite story in the entire book; The Sacrifice. The Phantom Stranger shows Bruce a world that his parents survived, which reminded me (again) of Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader and of Batman Noël. I think The Strangers closing words really resonate with what Batman stands for and why he is so loved and revered.
The Sacrifice featuring The Phantom Stranger
The next story is the start to the new Bat-family story arc; Gothtopia. As this is the start of a multi-issue arc, with tie-ins, I won’t say too much, however this does look very interesting and more psychological than recent stories. My guess at the moment is some ideas from the Arkham Asylum computer game were used in this one.
The closing story is written by Scott Snyder, who can seemingly not do much wrong when he does Batman; this one is simply called Twenty-Seven. My initial reaction reminded me of the idea behind Batman Beyond (revealed in the Justice League Unlimited episode Epilogue), and oddly enough Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader. I loved the ideas behind this, and the one moment really resonated with me is when Bruce looks at the Joker card hung in the Batcave.
Scott Snyder’s Twenty Seven
I know this is a particularly lengthy review, but when you’re celebrating Batman’s 75th birthday you have to give it the nest you have! I also know I mentioned Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader a lot, but a lot of the themes in Detective Comics 27 are about the timelessness of Batman and how he can never just go away, and a lot of that is looked at in a different way in Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader. Also it is an awesome book, and if you’ve not read it then go buy a copy right now!
For more comic views and reviews follow Chris on Twitter at @fenneth1989
Posted on January 19th, 2014
Category: OUT OF THE LONG BOX, REVIEWS
Tags: Batman, Batman’s 75th birthday, Chris Fenn, Comic Reviews, DC Comics, Detective Comics #27 Review, Frank Millar, Gothtopia, Scott Snyder
By Daniel Cole
Daniel Cole brings you episode #009 of the Six Shooter!
Welcome to the Six Shooter! This is a weekly column that will review six specific comics. Big new releases, small interesting titles and random curiosities. All will be looked at. The way it works is that there will be a brief review of the comics followed by our rating system. Our ratings are:
Headshot (Best of the week)
Hit (Read)
Miss (Don’t Read)
Misfire (Worst of the week)
This week is all about variety. From futuristic law enforcers to Oz, the selection is nothing less than eclectic. So how did they do?
TRILLIUM #1 – VERTIGO (DC COMICS)
Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Jeff Lemire & José Villarrubia
Jeff Lemire marks his return to original stories with this new Vertigo title. Trillium is a science fiction tale that is intended to be an emotional roller-coaster. But does this highly publicised title live up to all the hype?
Well it is halfway there. Lemire has definitely crafted a tale that engages the reader and there is a lot here that makes you want to return for the next issue. However over-familiar ideas, inconsistent pacing and heavy-handed exposition burden it.
The general idea of having two characters from different time periods that are destined to fall in love is not an original concept, but Lemire will hopefully overcome this in coming issues. The first issue’s split narrative at least shows that Lemire is attempting to give some depth to the concept.
But the problem is that there are elements to the narrative that seem predictable due to their familiar nature. Giving the scientist from the future a storyline that ties into the survival of humanity will inevitably lead to complications between the two characters. Also having the soldier suffering mental anguish due to the events of WWI doesn’t exactly scream original characterisation.
But at least Lemire’s art gives the book a very unique look. Even though the art is often rough there is a charm inherit in the visuals. The world building from the pencils is strong and the characters are distinct and emotive. The art is easily the books greatest selling point.
So, Trillium has little in the way of originality as Lemire borrows heavily from a plethora of sources. But this doesn’t mean that the book isn’t a solid read. The art gives the title an edge that enhances the story. It clearly needs time to grow, but for now it is a perfectly fine issue one that will entertain most readers.
SIX SHOOTER RATING – HIT
THE EMERALD CITY OF OZ #2 – MARVEL COMICS
Written by Eric Shanower
Art by Skottie Young & Jean-François Beaulieu
Marvel continue adapting L. Frank Baum’s Oz books and in doing so they are giving Skottie Young a playground for his talents.
Make no mistake this comic is all about Young’s art. With the aid of Jean-François Beaulieu’s colours, the art of this book is something to behold. A true cartoon vision of the whacky world of Oz. Young’s character designs are perfect for the source material, as we get to see even more of Oz’s populace this issue. Even something as simple as a chicken has an animated charm to it in Young’s hands. The book is vibrant, colourful and eye catching. Baum’s world has never looked this good.
Eric Shanower’s script isn’t bad either as he continues to build on the plot. He uses Dorothy’s aunt and uncle as a means to explore the Emerald City. He actually delves into the society of the city, even if it is simplistic.
This comic is perfect for children of all ages as the fantastical world Baum’s created is brought to vivid life thanks to a great creative team. It maybe a little simplistic for the mature reader, but there is a lot to get out of Young’s artwork.
SIX SHOOTER RATING – HEADSHOT
MEGA MAN #28 – ARCHIE COMICS
Written by Ian Flynn
Art by Ryan Jampole, Gary Martin & Matt Herms
The popular videogame character’s adventures are given the comic book treatment. And he really suits the medium.
This title is literally a Saturday morning cartoon show in comic book form. This is mainly due to the colourful cartoony art. Ryan Jampole is faithful to the videogame’s style, but still manages to do a lot of characterisation with these ridiculous looking creations. It is clearly aimed at a younger audience and the art directly engages with that audience.
The story continues some plot developments from last issue, but it’s the perfect jumping on point for new readers. A new villain is revealed, Mega Man fights his brother and the world goes dark.
The only downside is that there isn’t anything for older readers, unlike The Emerald City Of Oz, which could be appreciated for its artistic merits. Fans of Mega Man might approve, however it isn’t exactly sophisticated reading. But it is a bright and fun comic that will entertain its target audience.
SIX SHOOTER RATING – HIT
SHELTERED #2 – IMAGE COMICS
Written by Ed Brisson
Art by Johnnie Christmas & Shari Chankhamma
With a twist cliff-hanger last issue, we find out what is in store for our characters now that the kids are in charge.
Sheltered is a book with a solid concept as its foundation. What Brisson, Christmas and Chankhamma have done is created a scenario that has tension, action, characterisation and thematic strands. Sheltered is quite simply a compelling read.
Brisson uses this second issue to play up the grief and confusion of the main characters, with the exception of Lucas. As the books antagonist Lucas comes across as a calm and charismatic psychopath, which makes him quite the terrifying adversary for our hero Victoria. However she is also well defined as a genuinely strong and determined character.
Brisson’s script is very layered and well paced. It moves forward quickly and keeps the reader engaged throughout. He moves the main plot along and sets up a lot of subplots. The cracks are starting to form as Lucas’ plan has a hiccup and the last page “fight back” moment is well stage, getting the reader rooting for Victoria without milking the scene.
Johnnie Christmas does some great work here. His pencils do as much characterisation as Brisson’s script. Christmas really highlights Lucas’ character with his pencils, showing his dead eyes. Also framing him with the fire creates some of the books best images. In fact any scene with the fire is drawn in such a way to make it utterly unnerving. This is also helped by Shari Chankhamma’s colour work. The stark contrast between the warm fire and the cool surroundings allows Chankhamma to give the book a distinct visual tone to the art and shows the reader how bleak a world the characters live in.
Sheltered has it all. A compelling narrative that is exciting to watch unfold. A layered protagonist you can get behind and a villain that has depth. With perfectly executed art, that adds to the overall experience. This title is the complete package and should be on everyone’s pull list.
SIX SHOOTER RATING – HEADSHOT
LORDS OF MARS #1 – DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
Written by Arvid Nelson
Art by Roberto Castro & Alex Guimaraes
What do you get when you team Tarzan up with John Carter?
This dismal first issue of a crossover that doesn’t even have the decency to actually have the main characters cross paths. Instead we are given a look at how moralistically superior the man from the jungle is compared to the “civilised” upper class of England. If that doesn’t quite signal that this issue has problems, then writer Arvid Nelson only briefly visits John Carter for a mundane scene that is clearly setting up plot elements.
The problem is that the script is a dud and the characters are almost cartoonish in their depictions. Tarzan is a bland protagonist in Nelson’s script and he dominates most of the title. It is fair that Nelson wants to take his time with his script, but this is treading water and it is only issue one.
Roberto Castro’s art doesn’t fair any better. The bulging eyes that a lot of characters have are distracting and in general the facial work is inconsistent (just how big is Tarzan’s forehead?). The action is well choreographed though and there is a glimmer of creativity once the book moves to Mars. But on the whole the art is mediocre.
With a script that fails to even deliver an interesting narrative and lacklustre art, Lords Of Mars is off to a terrible start. There is literally nothing in this comic that will make readers want to come back for issue 2.
SIX SHOOTER RATING – MISFIRE
ROBOCOP: LAST STAND – BOOM! STUDIOS
Written by Steve Grant (Story by Frank Miller)
Art by Korkut Öztekin & Michael Garland
Bringing Frank Miller’s famously unproduced script to life is in itself a good idea. Fans of the series will be intrigued and its good publicity for Boom! However the actual product is a tired formulaic piece that doesn’t have the same cult sparkle that the original film had.
It would be unfair to compare issue one to the original film, but it doesn’t exactly sell itself on its own merits. The violence, foul language, satirical adverts and grim future of Robocop’s world are all accounted for. But it all feels too forced, too manufactured. Steven Grant’s adaptation suffers from Miller’s brand of storytelling. To say the book feels dated is an understatement. It isn’t a nice homage to the past; it is in fact a tired relic that shows up how unsophisticated this type of material can be. Its all flash and gore, with no substance.
It doesn’t help that Korkut Öztekin’s art is ugly. It is so bad that the book would read better if it were just a script, so the hideous pencils wouldn’t constantly distract the reader. There is no sense of proportion to the characters, the layouts are pedestrian and the thick inking makes the art look rushed. The fact that it wants to be visually dark and gritty is in conflict with the bright white guttering that frames the whole book.
This is a comic that is a mess both narratively and visually. Fans of the series may want to check this out, but it is a title best avoided.
SIX SHOOTER RATING – MISFIRE
VERDICT
So two headshots are cancelled out by two misfires. But with two hits we can declare this week another success.
Do you agree with the reviews? Did we get them wrong or right? Have any suggestions on what we should review next week? Get in touch in the comments below.
For more comic views and reviews follow Dan on Twitter at @gizmo151183
Posted on August 9th, 2013
Category: REVIEWS, SIX SHOOTER
Tags: Comic Reviews, Daniel Cole, Emerald City Of Oz #2 review, Frank Millar, Image Comics, Lord of Mars #1 review, Mega Man #28 review, Robocop Last Stand #1 Review, Sheltered #2 review, Trillium #1 review
Holy cow…
All Star Batman & Robin makes for an interesting read, but be prepared for a different kind of Batman; one that you might not like.
Written by Frank Miller, and with art by Jim Lee, All Star Batman & Robin, The Boy Wonder (Volume 1) is an out of continuity re-imaging of The Dark Knight’s early career and first encounter with The Boy Wonder. Collecting issues 1-9 of the never finished series, Volume 1 was released in 2008, to mixed reviews. Despite some awful lines, All Star Batman & Robin makes for an interesting read, but be prepared for a different kind of Batman; one that you might not like.
All Star Batman & Robin Vol. 1 examines Batman’s early career and quickly introduces a young, bereaved Dick Grayson.
All Star Batman & Robin Vol. 1 examines Batman’s early career and quickly introduces a young, bereaved Dick Grayson. After being seemingly kidnapped by Batman, Dick Grayson begins to learn about the Batman’s secrets, his war on crime, and how The Dark Knight plans to recruit him into this war. The story continues to follow Batman as he wages his war on Gotham’s criminals trying to discover who murdered Dick’s parents, whilst Dick is left in the cave to fend for himself and invent a costumed persona.
The story continues to follow Batman as he wages his war on Gotham’s criminals, whilst Dick is left in the cave to fend for himself and invent a costumed persona.
As the book progresses we see the introduction of Black Canary, learn that it was the Joker who was behind the murder of Dick’s parents, discover that a teenage Barbara Gordon spends her evenings as Batgirl, and find out that the Justice League feels the need to rally against Batman as they believe that he has finally taken things too far by kidnapping a young boy. This culminates in a fight between Batman and Green Lantern, where Robin nearly kills Hal, leading to a realisation for both Batman and Robin that there must be time to grieve in the war on crime.
The Justice League feels the need to rally against Batman as they believe that he has finally taken things too far by kidnapping a young boy.
Whilst the premise of the story is pretty good, it’s the actual writing and characterisation that will put a lot of people off. The Batman created by Miller here is one who is violent, psychotic, and enjoys what he does. But he enjoys it too much. The Batman portrayed here acts with a reckless abandon, and enjoys the violence with sadistic glee. He’s also incredibly tough on Dick, treating him like a soldier and forcing him through hardship immediately after the death of his parents. It’s not the usual sidekick relationship that readers are used to; not by a long way.
The Batman portrayed here acts with a reckless abandon, and enjoys the violence with sadistic glee. He’s also incredibly tough on Dick, treating him like a soldier and forcing him through hardship immediately after the death of his parents.
The Batman here is unlikeable and hard to reconcile with the Batman that we are used to reading about, or even Miller’s other incarnations of Batman in Year One, and The Dark Knight Returns. Even if you consider this as early in Batman’s career when he could afford to be more reckless and enjoy what he was doing, Miller takes Batman too far, abandoning the key morals and attributes that are the cornerstone of Batman’s character. Even when Batman is shown to be more introspective and questioning of his actions, it’s hard to shake the feeling that Miller has assassinated Batman’s character. For example, Batman shows no remorse for the fact he almost kills Alfred and Vicky Vale early in the book. Add to this some of the worst lines uttered in comic books ever, including the now infamous “What, are you dense? Are you retarded or something? Who the Hell do you think I am? I’m the Goddamn Batman” line, and it’s hard to find a whole lot to like about All Star’s Batman. Batman is no longer the Dark Knight, but instead just another psycho in a cape and cowl. This is something that many people have called Batman in various comics, but it’s never something Batman has actually been.
It’s hard to shake the feeling that Miller has assassinated Batman’s character. Add to this some of the worst lines uttered in comic books ever!
Where All Star Batman & Robin succeeds is in the characterisation of Dick Grayson. All Star’s Boy Wonder is smart, skilled, introspective and quick to question both Batman’s and his own methods and actions. Another area in which All Star Batman & Robin succeeds is in the artwork by Jim Lee. There’s not much to say other than Jim Lee nails the look of the characters Miller introduces; you might not like these characters, but you can’t argue with the artwork. Likewise the writing isn’t always bad; there’s an interesting story underneath all the bad dialogue, and the relationship introduced is intriguingly different to the normal hero/sidekick dynamic. It’s just unfortunate that the majority of the dialogue turns these good factors into farce. Dig a bit deeper, and there are hints that Batman is trying to find himself, and that he may even realise that he’s taking things too far. Unfortunately this is never explored in detail, meaning it’s impossible to see Batman as anything more than a demented psychopath. One thing I really did like, though, was Miller’s juxtaposed portrayal of Batman and the Joker. By having Batman laughing continuously as he fights Gotham’s criminals and a Joker that doesn’t laugh at all, but instead seems deadly serious, Miller creates a clever paradox with the usual portrayal of these two characters.
One thing I really did like, though, was Miller’s juxtaposed portrayal of Batman and the Joker.
In truth, I did enjoy reading All Star Batman & Robin, but not for the reasons I usually enjoy reading a comic book/graphic novel. I’m not a fan of this version of Miller’s Batman at all, and I’m surprised at the quality of writing on display in places, particularly given how good Year One and The Dark Knight Returns were. Some of the lines (such as the infamous “Goddamn Batman” sequence) have no place in any type of book/comic/graphic novel no matter what the writer is trying to achieve; in this book they lower the tone to the point of absurdity and seem only to have been included for shock value, cheapening the writing as a whole. However, there’s no denying that All Star Batman & Robin is a unique and interesting portrayal of the Batman/Robin relationship dynamic, and a completely new take on Batman’s attitude towards his war on crime. This alone makes it worth a read. Just don’t expect to like the book. Don’t expect to find the Batman you recognise here. And don’t expect many answers as All Star Batman & Robin was never finished. This means that the significance of Batgirl and Catwoman’s appearances are never expanded upon, and the Joker’s motive and endgame is never revealed. Without these points ever expanded on, it makes Miller’s writing appear lazy and lacking depth; All Star Batman & Robin might come across very differently if the story it was trying to tell was ever finished.
There’s no denying that All Star Batman & Robin is a unique and interesting portrayal of the Batman/Robin relationship dynamic, and a completely new take on Batman’s attitude towards his war on crime.
All Star Batman & Robin never lives up to Miller’s other work, in particular Year One or The Dark Knight Returns. The characters are hard to like and the writing is at times terrible and cringe-worthy. The artwork is a high-point and Miller’s treatment of Dick Grayson is much better than that of Bruce Wayne, or the other DC characters that make brief appearances throughout this volume. Nonetheless it’s one of the more interesting interpretations of Batman available, and whether you love it or hate it, it’s worth reading purely for the fact there’s never been a version of Batman quite like this before, or since.
Thanks for reading. Written by Chris Orr, an Inter-Comics contributor. You can follow me on Twitter (@Orr_Man), Tumblr (www.dresslikethehulk.tumblr.com), and check out my back-catalogue of articles at www.dresslikethehulk.com.
Posted on January 25th, 2013
Category: PROJECT COMICS, REVIEWS
Tags: All Star Batman & Robin, All Star Batman and Robin Volume 1 review, Bruce Wayne, Chris Orr, Comic Reviews, DC Comics, Dick Grayson, Frank Millar, Jim Lee, Joker, Justice League, Project Comics, Superman
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