Batman Gotham Knights: Gilded City #6 – Evan Narcisse, Writer; Abel, Artist; John, Colorist
Ray – 8/10
Ray: The conclusion to this video game tie-in continues to deliver a compelling story that has more on its mind than the game. Splitting its story between the present day, where the Bat-family is busy trying to track down the masterminds behind the deadly “FOMO” virus, and the past when the Runaway has been forced to cut a deal with Vandal Savage to rescue Vivian Foxworthy from the Court of Owls, it succeeds because it manages to give us some intriguing characters and beats we probably won’t see in the game. This issue has a shocking last-act twist about who’s been helping the Bats in the present that throws everything for a loop, but Narcisse’s deft writing carries it over the last few pages. The ending feels a bit rushed, especially given what we know comes next, but it contains some great moments for just about every member of the Bat-family here.
Punchline: The Gotham Game #6 – Tini Howard/Blake Howard, Writers; Gleb Melnikov, Max Raynor, Writers; Luis Guerrero, Colorist
Ray – 7/10
Ray: The final issue of this Gotham-set crime thriller finally gives Punchline the focus, as she wakes up half-dead in the Joker’s tender loving care—such as it is. The shabby, half-dead clown we see in the Gotham segments of his solo series—who seems to be the real one—seems to actually have some odd affection for her, although it’s not clear if it’s truly romantic. She definitely doesn’t seem to care much for him, though, as she immediately rushes off to rejoin the chaos at the Gotham pier. Batman and Bluebird are racing there as well, as are all the key players including Bluff and the new Royal Flush Gang, not to mention gang leaders like Black Mask. What ensues is a chaotic scramble for the keys to Gotham and the drug supply, but very little in the way of resolution—it even tells us to look for Punchline in the pages of Catwoman’s title, making this whole series feel just like a bonus arc of another book.
DC/RWBY #2 – Marguerite Bennett, Writer; Meghan Hetrick, Artist; Marissa Louise, Colorist
Ray – 8/10
Ray: The first issue of this series had a lot of action and little exposition, which means it’s time to catch up. There is almost a decade of material in the world of RWBY, and most Batman fans have never even heard of it, so the second issue may have a little too much verbiage about how things like Semblances work. The creative team manages to keep it compelling, with some surprising twists that see major Gotham figures gain powers of their own. While Batman—as usual—is pretty humorless, other members of Gotham’s power structure seem a lot happier to see Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang. Alfred and Catwoman in particular seem to be having a lot of fun. The first half feels almost laid-back, but when the team heads to Arkham Asylum to put down an outbreak of Semblance-empowered villains, things pick up in a big way. It’s not a natural fusion, but the creative team has a good handle on everyone involved.
The Sandman Universe: Dead Boy Detectives #4 – Pornsak Pichetshote, Writer; Javier Rodriguez, Jeff Stokely/Craig Taillefer, Artists; Miquel Muerto, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: This has easily been the most disturbing book in DC’s lineup at the moment, with Pornsak Pichetshote bringing the world of ghosts to horrifying life—and showing that things can still touch the undead. With guest artist Javier Rodriguez, he takes us into the world of Jai, the young Thai ghost with a disturbing secret under her school uniform. We find out the nature of her death—which is both mundane and incredibly tragic—and get a better look at exactly what drives her. Rodriguez’s art is gorgeous and disturbing—maybe too graphic in places, if you don’t have a strong stomach. As one of the ghosts deteriorates and starts losing their humanity, and enemies emerge from the shadows, this comic really sells that no one is safe—as we find out in the final pages when the title of this comic is finally revealed. It’s the darkest issue of the series, and another unqualified win for this line.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
