Detective Comics #968 Review

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A Lonley Place of Living, Alfred, Alvaro Martinez, Azeral, Batcave, Batman, Batwing, Batwoman, Cassandra, Clayface, Damian, DC Comics, DC Comics Rebirth, Detective Comics, Detective Comics #968, Detective Comics #968 review, James Tynion IV, Nightwing, Raul Fernandez, Red Hood, Red Robin, Tim Drake, Tomeu Morey

Detective Comics #968

Review by Paul Bowler

A Lonely Place of Living reaches its astounding conclusion in Detective Comics #968, with Tim Drake now back on Earth, but he’s also brought a fearsome menace back with him – a future version of himself that has been tragically moulded by fate to become the Batman! This misguided Batman is determined to complete his mission to kill Batwoman and change the future, not even the Dark Knight and his allies can stand against him, and now Red Robin must fight to save everything that he’s ever fought and died for…

Suffice to say, Detective Comics #968 is not only one hell of an action packed issue, its also probably writer James Tynion’s finest story arc so far during his run on Detective Comics. With its throwbacks to A Lonely Place of Dying and nebulous links to the Mr Oz storyline going on over in Action Comics, this storyline with its timey wimey narrative has made for compelling reading, and effectively brought Tim Drake‘s story full circle as he returns to the fold in a battle royal with his future self who now wears the mantel of the Bat!

Tynion skilfully balances the cast of Bat-characters in this issue, with Batman, Red Robin, Nightwing, Damian, Red Hood, and Alfred squaring off against the future Tim / Batman in the Batcave, while Batwoman, Azeral, Cassandra, Batwing, and Clayface bravely confront a lethal attack from hacked Colony drones at the Belfrey. Everyone in the Bat-Family gets a moment to shine in the spotlight, the dialogue and banter positively crackles from the page, and the team dynamic that makes this book so strong will no doubt be made all the richer by the dramatic far-reaching implication of the events that unfold over the course of this issue.

Detective Comics #968 also dazzles with some especially striking artwork, with pencils by Alvaro Martinez, inks by Raul Fernandez, and colors Tomeu Morey, the bold, free flowing page layouts and panoramic double page spreads exquisitely relay the frenetic action and emotional beats in vivid detail; while the concise letting by Sal Cipriano ensures the dialogue seamlessly blends the narrative across each and every panel. From the face-off in the Batcave to the showdown in the Belfrey, the extensive cast of characters are all impressively rendered, dynamic perspectives give each location a distinct tone, and the temporal effect that intermittently manifests around the future Tim / Batman also provides an interesting visual flourish.

This story-arc has been nothing short of brilliant, and James Tynion IV has excelled once himself again with this issue. Detective Comics 968 delivers an extremely satisfying, powerful, and moving conclusion to A Lonely Place of Living. It’s great to finally have Tim Drake back after his apparent demise in the battle with the Colony and his subsequent incarceration outside of time by Mr Oz. A Lonely Place of Living has offered us an intriguing glimpse into the future (or at last one possible future), it will be fascinating to what happens now that Tim has returned to the Bat-family, and I can’t wait to see what Tynion and Co have in store for this team next!

Publisher DC Comics.

Writer James Tynion IV / Pencils Alvaro Martinez / Inks Raul Fernandez

Colors Tomeu Morey / Letters Sal Cipriano

Cover Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, & Adriano Lucas

Varian Cover Rafael Albuquerque

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Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #29 Review

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DC Comics, DC Comics Rebirth, Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #29, Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #29 review, Kyle Rayner, Rafael Sandoval, Robert Venditti, The Green Lantern Corps, The New Gods, Tomeu Morey

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #29

Review by Paul Bowler

The intergalactic saga that has entwined the fates of the Green Lantern Corps and the New Gods kicks off big time in Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #29, Fall of the Gods Part Four, as the Green lantern Corps battle valiantly to hold the line between the gargantuan Godkiller robots and the Source Wall. But will even the combined might of the Green Lantern Corps be enough to save the New Gods from annihilation?

Having caught up with Lightray to safeguard Highfather of the New Gods last issue, and with Orion’s life still hanging in the balance back at the Green Lantern Corps HQ on the sentient world of Mogo, the race is now on for Hal Jordan to prevent the Nth Metal Golems from destroying Highfather.

As with the previous issue in this story-arc, the pace hardly lets up for a moment, and writer Robert Venditti keeps the action and suspense building as the emerald jet fighter Hal’s constructed carries him and Highfather across space at unimaginable speed – pursued by a Golem’s lethal Omega Beams. Meanwhile, on Mogo, Kyle Rayner must muster every ounce of his willpower to maintain the artificial heart needed to support Orion – after Orion’s real heart was removed to trick the Metal Golem hunting him into believing that he was dead – while Corp’s leader John Stewart strives to discover the destination of the Golem’s new objective.

I’ve only been reading Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps since issue #17, primarily because that issue featured a major turning point for Kyle Rayner (my favourite Green Lantern) in a story which saw him transformed from the White Lantern back to being a Green Lantern again. The Prism of Time and Fracture story-arcs which followed then got me totally hooked on the entire Green Lantern Corps again, and I’ve enjoyed catching up with the lives of Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, Guy Gardner, and many more characters besides.

Even though this issue is the final part of a big storyline, this title is still relatively easy for new readers to jump on board and get swept along with the action. Much like the Omega Beams stalking Hal and Highfather, this issue moves at lightening speed, and there’s no time for breakfast either as the Green Lantern Corps rally their forces to prevent the Metal Golems releasing Yugr-Khan from a mysterious cosmic barrier – The Source Wall!

Needless to say, the artwork by Rafael Sandoval and inks by Jordie Tarragona relays the frenetic action superbly, realizing the finer nuances of Robert Venditti’s script and dazzling the eye with bold, sweeping page layouts. Impressive vistas of the Source Wall and stunning scenes of the Green lantern Corps flying into battle with the Golems, all gloriously accentuated by colorist Tomeu Morey’s striking use of tone and shade, all serve to make this one of the most visually arresting issue so far, and it more than hit’s the sweet spot for delving all-out-action on such a grand scale.

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #29 provides a rousing conclusion to The Fall of the Gods arc. The threat poised by the Golems and their plan to free Highfather’s father, Yugr-Khan from the Source Wall is resolved in a fittingly blockbusting, and satisfying manner, with an especially poignant scene for Hal and Highfather afterwards which resonates powerfully with the underlying themes of fatherhood that have bought added gravatis to this cosmic epic. In short, if, like me, you like your comics packed with more Green Lanterns than you can shake a power battery at, boasting wall-to-wall action, together with strong characterization, plotting, and fun camaraderie, then Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps is the book you for you!

Publisher DC Comics

Writer Robert Venditti / Art Rafael Sandoval / Inker Jordie Tarragona

Colorist Tomeu Morey / Letterer Dave Sharp

Cover Sanddval, Tarragona, & Morey / Variant Cover Barry Kitson and Hi-Fi

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