DETECTIVE COMICS #879

[ VERY RED HEAD ] 

Family’s, huh? You can’t live with them – you can’t live without them – and you can’t chop them up into small little pieces and then serve them to your cat at tea time (it’s true, I checked). So what can you do instead? Analyse? Cajole? Ignore? Slap? Hmm – maybe – though I would rather just read this issue of Detective Comics, as Written by Scott Snyder; Drawn by Francesco Francavilla, and Published by DC Comics in August 2011.

THE STORY:

It is a matter of assessment for two analytical and troubled Gothamites at the moment, with both of them presently perplexed by the hand that God has dealt them.

For Gothamite number one – a Doctor at Arkham Asylum – he is troubled by the inane ramblings of a bound mad-man that he is presently trying to assess – the Joker. Now the doctor does try his best to ignore the Jokers taunts, but the Joker being the Joker, he finds a way to pluck at his strings...

Meanwhile, for Gothamite number two – Commissioner James Gordon – he is troubled by his gut instinct concerning his wayward son, James Junior. Now Junior’s employer, Dr. Leslie Thompkins, thinks that James has really turning his life around – where as Junior’s sister, Barbra, thinks the complete opposite. So what does Gordon do to assess this situation? He swipes some of Junior’s medication from work, and then gives it to Barbra for closer scrutiny...

At the end of the day, both Gothamites get a result from there respective assessments. The Doctor gets poisoned thus allowing for the Joker to run free – and Gordon is lead down a path of confusion and a novelty bat.

To be continued.   

THE REVIEW:

After reading this issue of Detective Comics, I feel really-really sad you know. Now this emotion has nothing to do directly with this story, this art, or anything pertaining to this actual comic book issue. Instead, this is all to do with my own personal ‘issues’ with this creative team being pulled off of this title, and Detective Comics being renumbered.

Currently, this comic book is just so magical – with Snider and Francavilla really digging from the hip where this James Gordon Junior plot is concerned. The art is moody and atmospheric, and manages to capture a nourish and suspenseful tone that is more dramatic than any Hollywood blockbuster in recent years. I especially liked the captivating nature of the Joker’s incarceration – as it was very ‘Hannibal Lecter’, HSSS! And as for the story itself – sigh – pure bliss. Granted, this instalment was somewhat fractured by the Joker sub-plot, but that is not to say that the overall issue was diluted in any way shape or form. In my own personal opinion, this series is one the best comics on the racks today – if not the best comic book I have seen for a really long time, SOB... BOO-HOOO!

Oooops! There I go again. At the very thought of DC ripping this title with a new issue one, I just want to pull my hair to the marrow. Why the f*ck are you doing this DC? This title is older than your name! Heck, ‘DC Comics’ was named after this particular comic book series, as before then – back in the day – this publishing house was called ‘National Periodicals’! I just don’t get it! I understand – to some degree – why DC are doing this ‘reboot’. I also understand – to some degree – why certain characters are being ‘rebuffed’. But what I do not understand at all, is why is this stalwart of comic book history – with good sales files, a good creative team, and a good regular fan-base – is being re-jigged with the rest?

Hmm? Maybe there is nothing to understand? Maybe DC have planned for a back-lash and will rectify this ‘mistake’ in a couple of months time? Here’s hoping, huh? Great issue – great creative team – not so great future.

THE RATING: A