Batman Gotham Knights: Gilded City #5 – Evan Narcisse, Writer; Abel, Artist; John, Colorist
Ray – 8/10
Ray: The penultimate issue of this video game tie-in continues to be strong, with the flashback segments delving into an era where Gotham was a waystation for freed and escaped slaves—and brutal slave-hunters who didn’t care whether a Black person had the right paperwork or not. The mysterious Runaway’s identity is finally revealed this issue, and it’s a good twist. In the present day, the search for the source of the mysterious “FOMO” plague finds both Jason and Tim in dire straits as the villains close in. Vandal Savage connects the two plots neatly, although Tim’s story often just finds him fighting some generic goons. Bruce going after an infected Jason has some nice emotional punch, as we get a good feeling for Bruce’s regrets as he tries to stop history from repeating itself. Of course, we have a pretty good idea how this story is going to end, and the beats are neatly set up for that here.
Punchline: The Gotham Game #5 – Tini Howard/Blake Howard, Writers; Gleb Melnikov, Artist; Luis Guerrero, Colorist
Ray – 7/10
Ray: All of Tini Howard’s books sort of flow together into a Gotham shared universe of femme-fatale crime stories, but this one doesn’t have the hook of Catwoman. Punchline continues to feel like a side character in her own book, as she engineers a bloody Gotham gang war and takes control of the Royal Flush Gang. The closest thing to a real lead her is Harper Row, as she finally tracks down her kidnapped brother and gets closer to Punchline—who has unleashed her secret weapon in the upgraded gang. The new Ace provides a fun action scene with some surprising sci-fi twists, but most of the supporting characters surrounding the book don’t really leave much of an impact. The one exception is the new DA whose plotline ties in with Catwoman’s current predicament. The cliffhanger brings a surprising new guest star for the final issue, which promises some more focus and danger for the title character.
Batman: The Audio Adventures #5 – Dennis McNicholas, Writer; Anthony Marques/J. Bone, Artists; Dave Stewart, Colorist
Ray – 8/10
Ray: This intriguing alternate reality always reminded me a bit of Batman ‘66, but with some darker twists that mean anything can happen. This issue primarily focuses on Batman facing off against the mysterious enemies of Ra’s Al Ghul, who are determined to complete a dark ritual requiring thirteen very specific assassinations. Except, after a dramatic confrontation at the Gotham Arboretum, it becomes clear that these assassinations aren’t necessarily what was expected. Killer Croc continues to be the strongest part of this series, as the dark secret of his mysterious obsession with a tiny doll is revealed in a flashback to his alliance with Penguin. Penguin is an intriguing wild card here, manipulating Robin by convincing him he may be the lesser of all evils. All in all, this continues to paint a picture of a Gotham that’s just slightly askew from the one we know.
DC Horror Presents Sgt. Rock vs. the Army of the Dead #6 – Bruce Campbell, Writer; Eduardo Risso, Artist; Kristian Rossi, Colorist
Ray – 8.5/10
Ray: It’s all been building to this—Sgt. Rock vs. Hitler. The Nazi madman’s mad science program to create undead soldiers has been a success, leading to five issues of grunts vs. zombies. But now Hitler’s turned the experiment on himself, turning himself into a hulking monster, and he won’t let himself be taken… semi-alive. That means this issue is almost entirely based on one simple pleasure—watching a U.S. officer beat the hell out of the ultimate Nazi until there’s nothing left but a racist smear. The ending hints at Rock’s future career, but I don’t know if Campbell will be back to follow up on it. What I do know is that this was ultimately a story with a very simple plot that it executed very well. It put a fun twist on the classic Easy Company stories, with brilliant art by Eduardo Risso that elevated the whole affair. I could see it easily being a fun R-rated animated movie down the line.
The Riddler: Year One #3 – Paul Dano, Writer; Stevan Subic, Artist
Ray – 8/10
Ray: The best way I can describe this movieverse-set thriller is “Claustrophobic.” Much like the movie it comes from, The Batman, this version of Gotham feels oppressive like few others. It’s dark, cruel, and ruled by the worst people around. But it’s just as claustrophobic to be trapped in the mind of our lead, Edward Nashton, as his eyes open to the corruption of the world around him and he becomes increasingly convinced that the only way to change the world is to become a monster. As he investigates the Wayne Foundation for his corrupt boss, he slips deeper into the world under Gotham. Much of the story is told through encrypted conversations on the internet, which means that it can take longer to read than your average comic. The best thing this comic has going for it is the intensely moody art and the writer being very acquainted with the character as he makes his final descent into madness.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
