SYNOPSIS: Mommy’s home! With Talia al Ghul back in town, anything can happen…and the mother of Robin is here to lay down the law. Meanwhile, the Riddler’s scheme to turn Batman’s sacred city into a twisted riddle of life and death has at last been revealed…and Edward’s going to use whatever and whoever he can to turn Batman’s life upside down. Then, in the finale of Gotham Girl, Interrupted, Claire Clover unravels the mystery behind the Gotham Girl website…so why doesn’t she believe what she finds in the process? It’s betrayal, healing, and punches galore!
Hello BOFers! We are back on the Detective Comics beat! As usual, Detective presents two stories; Mariko Tamaki and Nadia Shammas write the primary as they continue their Riddler thriller. At the same time, Sina Grace takes Gotham’s outsider hero Gotham Girl to new heights with unexpected friends. So, does this book live up to the hype? Should you spend your cash on this title? Let’s get into it!
The Riddler is having a wonderful time in this issue, chatting it up with some of the Gotham Underground’s finest to going toe to toe with the Batman himself. Tamaki and Shammas are keeping with the evil doctor theme. While we get an exciting nod to Dr. Ware, we learn that Dr. Meridian may not be all she makes herself to be. I found that the action beats in this story were far superior to the character moments I have come to enjoy from Tamaki. Seeing Batman and Riddler battle it out over a live stream was entertaining, giving me those The Batman vibes that I am still riding high. Tamaki and Shammas write an interesting Riddler; his monologues stole the issue. I know I should have felt some sympathy for certain characters, but Riddler just left a mark that makes me forget his horrible goatee. Tamaki and Shammas leave their usual stamp of breadcrumbs to follow that we won’t know until the next issue. This combo does a masterful job of teasing what should be a big event. You wonder if the landing will stick. The ride, however, is a thrill along the way.
Once again, Ivan Reis is the interior artist on the primary, and once again, Ivan Reis impresses you panel after panel. Reis is having a blast with his page layouts and delivers some beautiful Batman artwork. The Batman/Riddler fight was outstanding, but it was the finale where Reis did his most impressive work on the book. The Batman and Batgirl rescue mission was exceptional and will make comic lovers grin ear to ear. This rescue was a vintage tactical Batman that all fans love and want. While I’m still not sold on this Riddler design, I’m curious if this is Reis or a DC thing. It is such an odd take, although original for Edward. From the first page to the last, Reis delivers what you expect from an A-lister.
Sina Grace and Gotham Girl are on the anti-Dr. Meridian wagon as well. It seems that Gotham Girl is having trust issues again, and Huntress was just the hero in Gotham to calm her down. Grace writes some feel-good bonding moments between the two. The ending of this tale is a nice touch and makes you wonder if this will connect to the primary.
Detective Comics is a must-have on your pull list this week. This Riddler tale is a nice spin, and if you enjoy what you saw in THE BATMAN, you will love it even more. Who knew this would be a tough issue for Dr. Chase Meridian? The backup story is interesting enough but not as good as the last. It will be interesting to see how that follows up; there are a lot of teases, tons of action, and well worth your cash on new DC day. – Peter Verra
GRADE: B+