Batman: Detective Comics #1059 – Mariko Tamaki/Nadia Shammas, Sina Grace, Writers; Ivan Reis/Danny Miki, David Lapham, Artists; Brad Anderson, Trish Mulvhill, Colorists
Ray – 8.5/10
Ray: Mariko Tamaki is stepping off this title in a few months as Ram V takes over, and has brought in Nadia Shammas as a co-writer for the last few issues. Taking place in the aftermath of the Arkham Tower saga, it’s an odd one—Riddler has grown himself a horrible mustache and has a new career as a talk-radio host and is delivering cryptic messages over the airwaves. And each message seems to correspond to a horrible crime that happens in Gotham—starting with a bombing at a courthouse that targets Judge Caroline Donovan just as she’s sentenced an arsonist to a harsh term in Blackgate. That Judge Donovan, by the way, just happens to be the estranged daughter of mercurial Gotham reporter Deb Donovan.
That Donovan is old enough to have a daughter who’s a judge comes out of nowhere—she’s never been drawn as fifty-plus—but it’s an interesting wrinkle for the character. Batman is soon able to find the culprit, but she confesses way too easily and doesn’t seem to give any relevant details. As other large-scale attacks start happening around Gotham, it becomes clear Riddler is directing these somehow, and those he ropes into the attacks are too terrified to implicate him—no matter what it takes. There are some intriguing details in this issue, especially once it’s revealed who one of the conspirators is, but overall this take on Riddler just seems a little too schtick-y to be a really compelling threat.
Much stronger is the Sina Grace/David Lapham backup focusing on Gotham Girl. After losing her brother and going mad during the Tom King run, Claire Clover is out of Arkham and trying to rebuild her life as a teenager with secret superpowers. She’s messy, as the opening scene where she tries to interrogate a violent gangster makes clear. She’s painfully awkward, as the scenes in high school make clear. Her inner monologue is one of the best depictions of struggling with mental illness I’ve seen in a while, but she seems to be making some progress—until the rug is pulled out from under her in a dramatic conclusion. It’s been a while since the character appeared, but this is a fantastic reintroduction.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
