Review: Detective Comics #995

“…The war you’re waging to keep Gotham alive…Is also a war you wage against yourself.” – Leslie Tompkins

Synopsis:

Five issues til the big 1,000! This issue has an incredibly dramatic opening. Batman is cradling a poisoned Leslie Thompkins. He’s calling Alfred and instructing him to have the anti-toxin on hand when he arrives. I’m not going to reveal Leslie’s fate here, of course, Suffice to say it’s a clever opening to an important issue. Someone who knows Bruce Wayne and Batman intricately is using images from our hero’s past to attack those who are closest to him.

The Creative Team:

Peter J. Tomasi gets us into Bruce Wayne’s psyche, and we go deep inside the mind of the Caped Crusader. We’re drawn into this tale because we need to know which of the Dark Knight’s rogues gallery could be setting up these elaborate assaults. Maybe it’s not a villain we know, it could be someone new to Gotham. This is a great set-up for a potentially awesome story. Just like Brian Michael Bendis has done with Superman Tomasi is taking a character that’s been around for about 80 years and making the stories fresh and dynamic. This will be only the second hero to make it to 1,000 issues, successively (and to think, DC almost cancelled this title at one time.) and the build up looks to be bringing us a promising Millennial celebration. Great stuff includes the stranger at the door we’re led to believe is Commissioner Gordon (is he or isn’t he.) Also, Leslie’s encouraging advice to Bruce.

M & M (no, not the rapper) have a brutal style that works so well for this tale of Gotham’s worst element. If Metropolis emphasizes the American Dream, then Gotham is America’s nightmare, which keeps Batman on his edge. All of this comes out with they dynamic duo of Doug and Jaime. They give Gotham its own personality and it’s a dark one. Highlights include The opening splash with Batman holding Leslie. Also, the flashback scenes of young Bruce interacting with Leslie, mixed with the modern-day imagery.

In Conclusion:

Someone is opening up several cans of worms that I bet Bruce wants to keep closed. The walk through Arkham Asylum let’s us eliminate several of Batman’s Rogues gallery as suspects. The set up leads us to suspect one villain, but the end results of the story make us question whether it’s actually that person. Batman’s walk through Arkham Asylum brings us to the cell of…to be continued. ****1/2 (9.6 rating)

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Writer – Peter J. Tomasi
Art – Doug Mahnke, Jaime Mendoza
Colors – David Barron
Letters – Rob Leigh
Publisher – DC

Author Profile

Kevin Given

Kevin Given has studied with “ Longridge Writers Group ” and “ Writer’s Boot Camp ” a speech/communications major from the University of Maine Presque-Isle/Orono sites. He has created the “ Karl Vincent Vampire Hunter ” franchise which includes novels and comic books. They can be found on amazon, Indyplanet and Kindle. For a limited time you can get digital copies of “ Karl Vincent: Vampire hunter ” # 1 and “ Files of Karl Vincent ” # 1 for free on Indyplanet. Kevin is producing the third novel in the series “ Dracula Rising ” (working title) and developing “ Foul Blood ” into comic book form. Don't forget to check out the YouTube show " Comics: Let's Talk " hosted by Kevin Given

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