Detective Comics #1047 Review

Tags

Arkham Asylum, Arkham Tower, Batman, Batwoman, DC Comcis, Detective Comics, Detective Comics 1047, Detective Comics 1047 review, Gotham, Ivan Reis, Mariko Tarmaki, Shadows of the Bat

Detective Comics #1047

Review by Paul Bowler

Arkham Tower looms over Gotham in Detective Comics #1047 like a dark ominous shroud. Yet beneath its gleaming high-tech facade and promises of new therapies from the mysterious Dr Wear, a terrifying darkness is waiting to be unleashed. But with Batman taking a break from Gotham City following the events of Fear State, the Bat-Family’s supporting heroes must step-up in the Dark Knights absence. If, like me, the solicitations for this issue made you think another year, another ‘Bat-Event,’ then you’d be wise you to think again as you may find yourself pleasantly surprised. The Tower: Part 1 kicks off a 12-part weekly Detective Comics event, Shadows of the Bat, written by Mariko Tarmaki, and the first chapter of its engaging and mysterious storyline draws you in right from the outset. 

Arkham Asylum has fallen and been replaced by Arkham Tower; a new facility built in the heart of Gotham itself and run by the enigmatic Dr Weir together with Dr Chase Meridian – a consultant appointed by Mayor Nakano. The issue is something of a slow burn to begin with,  as Tamaki builds the tension with scene setting flashbacks that shift between the Towers opening, Batwoman’s investigation of the new Arkham’s therapies, and a chilling portent within the pages of a hand made tarot scrapbook before plunging us full throttle into the carnage the Bat-Family must confront in the present-day when the inevitable riot break out in Arkham Tower. Tamaki weaves grim, action-packed descent into chaos for the Bat-Family, with action divided between characters either rushing to the scene while others are missing, or trapped inside the tower in dire peril. 

Featuring pencils by Ivan Reis and Inks by Danny Miki, Detective Comics #1047 looks absolutely stunning. Every panel is awash with rich detail and steadily gathering menace. The panel layouts are dynamically structured, moving from free-flowing to chaotically haphazard, all in perfect sync with the beats of the story. There’s intense close up drama, horror, and high-rise shocks cleverly interspaced with the Bat-Family’s interactions against the backdrop of Gotham and the terror unfolding within the tower itself. The vivid colors employed by Brad Anderson stylishly accentuates the mood and pace as the drama unfolds, and letterer Ariana Maher also does a fantastic job of making this surprisingly dialogue heavy issue a throughly engrossing and gripping read.

Batman may be out of town but he still plays a major role in this issues backup story: House of Gotham by Matthew Rosenberg. Its a dark, unsettling glimpse into the not-too-distant past, with an unflinching tale of the horrifying cracks in Gotham’s mental health system that one poor unfortunately soul could soon fall through. Featuring art by Fernando Blanco and colors by Jordie Bellaire, this bleak foreshadowing of the main storyline unfolding in Shadows of the Bat looks set to be every bit thrilling.

Detective Comics #1047 is like a gloriously dark and sinister mash-up of One Flew Over the Cuckoos  and The Towering Inferno. As comic book events go this one has certainly gotten off to a compelling start with its taut scraping and impressive artwork. Detective Comics #1047 is a terrific set up for Shadows of the Bat that poses just as many question as it does answers, let’s hope Tamaki can sustain the pace and keep the narrative on track for the duration of this immense storyline. 

Publisher DC Comics

Writer Mariko Tamaki

Pencils Ivan Reis / Inks Danny Miki

Colors Brad Anderson / Letters Ariana Maher 

Cover Irvin Rodriguez

Follow @paul_bowler

About The Author

Hi, I’m Paul Bowler, blogger and reviewer of films, TV shows, and comic books. I’m a Sci-Fi geek, a big fan of Doctor Who, Star Trek, movies, Sci-Fi, Horror, Comic Books, and all things PS4.You can follow me on Twitter @paul_bowler,or at my website, Sci-Fi Jubilee, and on YouTube and Facebook

Superman #14 Review

Tags

comics, DC Comics, DC Rebirth Superman, Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Justice League Incarnate, Marcelo Malolo, Multiplicity, Multiplicity Part 1, Multiversity, New Superman of China, Patrick Gleason, Peter J. Tomasi, Red Son Superman, Sci-Fi Jubilee, Superman, Superman #14, Superman #14 review

Superman #14

Review by Paul Bowler

Superman #14 kicks off the New Year in fine style with a multi-Earth epic! Multiplicity Part One is steeped in the legacy of the character and world of Superman, as writers Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason offer an action packed opening instalment to this adventure, with art by Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, and Marcelo Maiolo that sees Kal-El discovering a new threat that is collecting all the Supermen throughout Multiverse!

After inexplicably running into, well almost, the badly beaten Red Son Superman of Earth 30, Kal-El quickly learns of his counterpart’s plight. Namely, that something, or someone called Prophecy and his army of Gatherers have been hunting the Superman of Earth 30 and countless other Supermen from across the Multiverse. Now the Gatherers have a new target, Kenan Kong, the New Superman of China, and the Red Son Superman has managed to escape from captivity to bring this warning to the Superman of our Earth.

Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason move the plot along at a cracking pace right from the start. Its heavy on exposition in parts, but not distractingly so, and once the Gatherers – strange gangly creatures that look like they’ve just scuttled out of Pans Labyrinth – arrive, we get to see Superman and Red Son Superman of Earth 30 fighting side by side against these seemingly indestructible monsters. This all exhilarating stuff, but things really notch up a gear in the excitement stakes (especially for Grant Morrison fans) during a brief respite from the Supermen’s battle with the Gatherers when the Justice League Incarnate arrive!

Yes, if you enjoyed Morrison’s sweeping Multiversity saga you are absolutely going to love this issue of Superman, and even if you are late to the party, there’s still plenty going on here to enjoy, and it’s explained in a way that won’t alienate or leave you scratching your head and wondering what on Earth is going on either.

Superman #14 is a great looking issue, with art by Ivan Reis (Layouts), Joe Prado (Finishes), and Marcelo Maiolo (Colorists), and they do a fantastic job of juggling the numerous characters involved in this issue. One thing I really liked about this issue was how it never felt cluttered or sacrificed the finer details in any way, which can sometimes be the case when a large roll call of characters and different locations are involved. The opening battle with the two Supermen battling the Gatherers is especially good, its awesome to see both Supe’s really cut loose like this, and the Gatherers relentless chanting of two phrases becomes quite disquieting after a time. The colors are also gloriously rich and vibrant throughout. Then of course we have the return of the JLI characters from Grant Morrison’s Multiversity to enjoy, with a quick who’s who to bring everyone up to speed, and some insight of their mission to save the Supermen on the Gatherers “list” from being kidnapped a taken to a processing facility.

The issue builds to a frenetic and exciting close with Superman, the Superman of Earth 30, and the Justice League Incarnate attempting to save the New Superman of China from the Gatherers, and the glimpse of the terrifying fate that awaits the captured Supermen of the Multiverse also provides us with one hell of a cliff-hanger to keep us on the edge of our seat until the next issue!

I’ve never followed Superman comics that much if I’m honest, most of the New 52 passed me by, so I’ve been reluctant to give the Rebirth Superman titles a go, until, that is, someone recommended Superman #14 to me to the other day. So, I thought I’d give it a whirl, and I’m sure glad that I did. Its been a long, long time since I’ve read a Superman comic that’s made me want to read the next issue right away, but Superman #14 certainly did! I’m a fan of Morrison’s Multiversity as well, so I think that was also a big factor in my enjoyment of this issue, but I was also very impressed by what Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason have done with this issue, the story was so engaging, especially for newcomers (like me), and the art by Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Marcelo Maiolo was also exceptionally good. One thing is for sure, Superman #14 has got me interested in Superman comics again, and I’ll certainly be sticking around to see what happens next in this Multiplicity storyline.

Publisher DC Comics

Written by Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason

Art by Ivan Reis (Layouts), Joe Prado (Finishes), Marcelo Maiolo (Colorist)

Letterer Rob Leigh / Cover Gleason / Gray / Kalisz

Follow @paul_bowler

DC Universe Rebirth #1 Review

Tags

and Phil Jimenez, Brad Anderson, DC Universe Rebirth #1, Ethan Van Sciver, Gary Frank, Geoff Johns, Hi_Fi, Ivan Reis

 DC Rebirth #1

Review by Paul Bowler

Past, present, and legacy begin to realign in DC Universe Rebirth #1, as this major DC Comics event, written by Geoff Johns, and featuring an all-star art team, including Ethan Van Sciver, Ivan Reis, Gary Frank, and Phil Jimenez, kicks off this epic with a mammoth 80 page story that encompasses virtually every conceivable aspect of the DC Comics universe.

Split into four consecutive chapters, DC Universe Rebirth #1 brings events surrounding the scarlet speedster The Flash to the fore, as the repercussions of Flashpoint which heralded the beginning of the New 52 reboot of the DC Comics line that we currently have today, begins to spiral outwards as one particular characters journey intersects throughout all of the critical junctures of the DC Universe. Sadly, major details of this issue were leaked, so by now you probably already know what’s coming up in this issue. But, if by some miracle or chance you haven’t read any of those aforementioned spoilers, well, don’t worry I’m not going to throw more spoilers onto the fire as it were…

Someone said to me the other day, what’s the point reviewing it if so much about it has already been leaked and spoiled online? Good point I figured. So, rather than reviewing it in detail as such, I thought I’d simply surmise how this issue made me feel instead. Well, I must admit I came to this issue with a lot of scepticism. I’m not a big fan of reboots, relaunches, or big crossover events, frankly there have been so many few really interest me nowadays. That’s where DC Rebirth #1 differs, or at least it seems to. Split into four distinct chapters, and an epilogue, this issue actually felt more like a reinstatement of core values and themes at the heart of DC comics legacy, rather than a reboot as such, the fact that some of the plot focuses on two of my favourite characters in the DCU – Batman and The Flash – is another big plus point for me.

Do you need to know everything that’s gone before in the DCU to enjoy DC Universe Rebirth #1? Well, not necessarily, but it certainly helps. Geoff Johns has done a commendable job of brining together the various elements of DC continuity to entwine them with the context of the New 52 and the premise of Rebirth itself. There is plenty here in DC Universe Rebirth #1 that will reward long-term DC Comics fans, while I think new readers might find it all a little overwhelming, but as for me, well…

Let me put it this way, I’d only just started collecting and reading comics again after a long break when the New 52 started. It was an exciting time, new spins on classic characters, everything was very different, but overall I enjoyed it. Over time though The New 52 didn’t always quite work for me, some of it felt very disjointed. DC Universe Rebirth #1 goes some way to readdressing the balance in my opinion, the main character in this issue makes a desperate timey-wimey voyage through the DCU, touching on numerous key moments and characters, essentially paving the way for many classic characters, and teams to return. DC Universe Rebirth #1 reenergizes the legacy of the DCU, it made me feel like I was rediscovering DC Comics all over again, just like I did with the New 52, only this time it felt right, this time it felt a lot more like the DC Universe that I knew and loved so much from before.

Geoff Johns densely plotted story is brought to life by the four artists; each with their own very distinct style. DC Rebirth is a beautiful looking book from cover to cover, in terms of visuals; this is one of the most impressive DC issues I’ve read of this kind in a long while. With much of the book colored by Hi-Fi or Brad Anderson, their work brings an underlying sense of consistency throughout the issue, which helps ensure the differing art styles never jar with each other or distract you from the story – which can often be the case when so many people are working on one issue. If anything, the attention to detail here is staggering, the sheer emotion, and drama conveyed in some scenes is genuinely moving, particularly towards the end, with a major discovery rounding things off with a bang, before a surprising epilogue knocks it out the park in fine style!

DC Rebirth #1 is set before Justice League #50 and Superman #52, so you might want to check those out first. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by DC Universe Rebirth #1, as I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did. At this price point for 80 pages, its really great value for money as well, and I’d certainly recommend picking it up. I know this hasn’t been like my usual kind of comic review, but I didn’t want to spoil anything for you, there’s been enough of that around Rebirth already, and there’ll be plenty of time for us to chat over the details of everything in the comments later if you want to. For now, all I can really say is, approach this issue with an open mind, and I think you will be left genuinely surprised and filled with anticipation for what the future now holds for the DCU. Sometimes I think with all the hype, promotion, social media chatter, spoilers, and endless speculation, it’s all too easy to lose sight of what it is that makes us all love reading comic books so much, and I think DC Universe Rebirth #1 goes a long way to helping us all remember why we love these comics and these characters, as it celebrates the legacies of yesteryear, today, tomorrow, and beyond…

Follow @paul_bowler