The Batman and Scooby-Doo Mysteries #3 – Ivan Cohen, Writer; Dario Brizuela, Artist; Franco Riesco, Colorist
Ray – 8.5/10
Ray: The Mystery Machine gang has been solving cases for years, but when matters of the heart enter the fray, it becomes more complicated. And that’s exactly what happens when Catwoman is arrested for a heist—but both she and Batman claim she’s innocent! While all the evidence points to her, there are a few odd details about the heists that don’t match—for instance, why would Catwoman want bird statues? Batman convinces Gordon to release Catwoman into their custody until morning, and it’s a race against time to clear her name by digging up the truth in the criminal underworld. The identity of one culprit is pretty clear, but the other is a bit of a surprise and another bit of evidence about how much this show loves to dig up obscure faces from DC history. There’s also a clever little last-act detail that perfectly sums up the Batman-Catwoman relationship.
Suicide Squad: Kill Arkham Asylum #2 – John Layman, Writer; Jesus Hervas, Artist; David Baron, Colorist
Ray – 7/10
Ray: This video-game tie-in is dedicated to showing us the inner workings of the new Arkham Asylum as Amanda Waller builds the Suicide Squad, and it’s an ugly place. Guards are specifically hired for their brutality, and one guard in particular has been abusing, torturing, and even killing the inmates. So naturally, when the gates open and the criminals get loose, it’s revenge time. It’s satisfying to watch, but most of the issue focuses on the uneasy alliance between a trio of villains—Deathstroke, Deadshot, and Great White Shark—who have an unexpected tie in their backstory. The involvement of these two deadly assassins is intriguing, but overall this issue doesn’t really seem to have too many ties to the game and also lacks any characters to really root for. Unlike the first issue, it mostly seems to be a story of evil killing evil and Waller seeing who’s left standing.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
