BATMAN: DETECTIVE COMICS (ISSUE 1)

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BATMAN: DETECTIVE COMICS (ISSUE 1)

November 23rd 2011 21:42

Category: Graphic Novels/Comics

Publisher: DC Comics
Production Team: Tony Salvador Daniel – story, art & cover art, Ryan Winn – inks, Tomeu Morey – colours, Jared McFletcher - lettering
Cost: AU$6.50/US$2.99

The other day I was helping out at the club as is my usual role on a Tuesday when after all the hurly burly of that was done it was time for a break. During my break I wandered into a local newsagent just down the street from the club and chanced upon this particular work – the first issue of Detective Comics in the new 52 that has seen a complete reboot of the entire DC Universe. Just what is behind this reboot I hear you ask…from what I can gather it’s to streamline the amount of titles that DC produces though that may not be the rationale my best advice is if you’re curious about this check out the DC website or Newsrama as they’re on to this issue.

So what about Batman: Detective Comics Numero Uno then? If you’ve been an ongoing reader of this blog you’ll know that for the last few years I’ve been highly critical concerning the direction that mainstream comic publishers like DC and Marvel have been taking. For me in the last few years it seems that mainstream comics have been about what world shattering menace are we going to punch the snot out of this week rather than attempting to do an interesting story. In fact the interesting stories seem to be more in the one shot graphic novels that are published than in the ongoing issues of the regular series. After reading this particular issue of Detective Comics though I hope that the direction they’ve taken is the path they continue to follow with regards to story and narrative.
Does this mean I think that this comic is the best thing since sliced bread? Am I ecstatic with joy about this issue, dancing around believing that we are entering a new golden age of comics? Hardly…but rather than saying just what I really think let me break down things for you, how I perceive with the aid of the Lantern’s eternal emerald gaze this issues ‘truth’ as it were. First thing to consider is the artwork; Tony Daniels has done a superb job of creating a gritty, grimy and very noir looking Gotham City as well as an equally gritty hardboiled Dark Knight. This is what Detective Comics in my mind should be about, a gritty style of art combined with an equally gritty story.

Now in that regards the story that Mr Daniels is telling does match the feel and atmosphere of his artwork, it is a story that one could almost expect to come straight from the pages of Dashiel Hammet or Raymond Chandler detective novel. Essentially one could say that the story has gone back to the very roots of the whole Batman mythos and is giving us a new take on affairs whilst still remaining true to the core elements of the character – Batman still has his Batcave, he is still the multi squillionaire Bruce Wayne during the day and his faithful servant the English butler Alfred Pennyworth is there and he still has connections with Jim Gordon, the hardworking police commissioner.
So what has changed? Well there is the element that even though Jim Gordon trusts Batman the rest of Gotham’s finest done not…nor does the Mayor…this is in turn a nod to what occurred in the most recent Batman film “The Dark Knight”. And as I mentioned early on in this review there is a decidedly grittier feel to this comic, it is like a detective novel with its use of interior monologues – not only just from the key protagonist but also from the other characters such as Commissioner Gordon. Then there is the character of the Joker…Batman’s nemesis, to my way of thinking this incarnation of the Joker seems to owe a lot to the Joker in “The Dark Knight” portrayed by the late Heath Ledger. The Joker is decidedly grittier and more in control, more of a Machiavellian figure than just a raving lunatic, a man who is always got a plan, a scheme up his sleeve.
And in this issue we see that the Joker does have a scheme up his sleeve, one that requires a decidedly gruesome alteration. In fact the last page of the story is very gruesome indeed, still in spite of this opening issue of Detective Comics in the reboot of the DC Universe is good, extremely good. The story, artwork and atmosphere all jell together nicely…but does this mean the dawn of a new golden age of comics? Time will tell…if they stick to Detective Comics being more of a detective focused magazine then I say it will go from strength to strength but as soon as they slip back into that what world ending menace will be in the magazine this week they’ll have totally undermined the good work they’ve invested into this issue and possibly others. Solving crimes, thwarting the schemes of villains and villainous organisations, putting the bad guys away and having a gritty, grimy feel this is what both Batman and Detective Comics should be all about. Keep up the good work DC and you could find yourself at the head of a renaissance…

BATMAN: DETECTIVE COMICS (ISSUE 1)

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