Green Lantern has been an incredible read since Hal Jordan and Sinestro were replaced with the awesomeness that is Simon Baz. Unfortunately, things appear to be moving into crossover territory, so although it's not new reader inaccessible, some background is necessary.
Other Green Lanterns are now contacting the Hal/Sinestro ring and the Third Army's expansion throughout the DCU is becoming unwieldy. But the star of this remains Baz, who confronts the owner of the car he was stealing in #0 Month (the twist, by the way, is pretty interesting).
I will say that this was the weakest of Simon's issues. The big revelation is kind of thrown away and I feel like Simon's first encounter with a GLC member should have been with an Earth-based Lantern. Also, without a reference to other books, the book really assumes you know what the rest of the Corps knows, when in reality you know as little as Simon.
Hal and Sinestro's fate after the Black Hand fight is revealed (PLEASE let it stick!) and the First Lantern is getting very close to opening the gateway to the next crossover event.
My big concern is that the Green Lantern books are getting back to that level of complexity where you don't want to get involved with the books because you can't buy all of them. I really hope Baz's stories stay relatively separate because it is a joy to read him.
If you haven't been following the last few issues, this is a terrible one to join in on. If you have, definitely stick around.
Thoughts on Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man
While at the comic store today, I read through the first two trades (#1-10) of Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man and I can honestly say that I really liked it.
Miles Morales came across as a really likable character and his motivation was clear. He receives spider powers and wants to hide them, but then realizes upon Peter Parker's death that he owes it to put his powers to good use.
He confides in a friend and that allows for actual dialogue as he learns about his powers. And when he puts on the suit, he is immediately met with people who want him to go away.
Nick Fury, Spider-Woman, J. Jonah Jameson, etc. all seem to have issues with his existence in the suit, but he's determined to do what is right - even if he has no clue what he's doing.
This is exactly how a Spidey universe should function post-Peter Parker and I hope the moves after Amazing Spider-Man #700 lives up to this.
I'll admit that I'd never followed the Ultimate Universe to that point and really didn't see the point, but this book shows exactly what the universe can do, and I look forward to hearing more about Miles' exploits in the future.
It's been almost a calendar year since my first comic review on this blog, and once again, Nightwing and Red Hood are leading the charge! My one-year anniversary will involve a defense of The Grinch, so keep an eye out this week. Anyway, let's get to the reviews!
Nightwing #15
I definitely got a lot of enjoyment in this issue, but for some reason I couldn't get into it all the way and I'm not really sure why.
The art in the issue looked good, and there were plenty of moments where I was really interested, but something didn't come together and I cant figure out why.
Joker's first killing in the book was definitely a surprise, and I like how it came during the cold opening. It got me off my guard from the start and I was definitely hooked. But then I wasn't really into the whole Batgirl-Nightwing dialogue that took up a two-page spread. I'm glad that was short.
I will say that there is a dialogue between Dick and Sonja that is just a great read and is the highlight of the book - well, next to the Joker unleashing utter terror on the reader by going all Return of the Joker on Raya, whom he helped escape from prison in the last issue.
Honestly, though, what I think was the disappointment was the thought bubbles during the evacuation of the circus and Dick's search for the toxin in his friend's corpse. Something about it didn't flow all that well, even though both told important parts of the story.
Overall, it's a well-told story and is a great Joker story in its own right. Unlike most of the crossovers, Joker is hitting the character with something other than just a sadistic attack and a supplementary monologue. Dick really has a supporting cast at stake in this one and that makes this book stand out.
I'd say definitely get a look at this one. It's not as good as Batgirl or even Batman & Robin but it's definitely in their class.
Red Hood and the Outlaws #15
This was not as good as I hoped that it would be. Joker supposedly set Jason up to be Robin just so he could kill him (which is still kind of an annoying development) and actually did succeed in killing him.
So why does this first showdown since Under the Hood feel so weak?
I think much of it has to do with the showdown between Joker and Jason being the exact same thing as Joker and Catwoman, only this time Jason fought back a little harder.
The scene where Joker lays out their history together was a lot of fun, but it could have been done with more subtlety - Jason finds all kinds of old mementos as he stumbles across crime scenes between leaving Isabel's and finding Joker - but it felt hurried when the book should have taken its time to develop.
Unfortunately, space was being taken up thanks to Kori and Roy having a few scenes. I may enjoy these two, but they could have had their own story after this crossover. Jason should have gotten these two issues to himself for the most part.
Instead, Scott Lobdell has decided to cross Tim Drake and Jason's Joker clashes together and throw Kori, Roy and the Teen Titans into some horrible side story that is starting to feel like a rescue mission the Recess kids would come up with.
(And no, they don't come up with a plan, but I feel like I can tell where this is heading.)
Also there's a panel where I can't tell if the body on the ground is Tim or a replica of Jason's corpse. If anyone knows what the deal was, please let me know. Yeah, with Kenneth Rocafort on a break this month, the art really suffered as well.
I really wasn't a fan of this issue. It's a shame because I'm really into the idea of this showdown and am invested in what might happen.
Definitely look at it if you want to see where Jason's next character development is going, but with Isabel's awesomeness missing in this and too much focus on the other two characters (first time I've complained about characters getting too equal of time), this is not one of Lobdell's better efforts.
I think H'el on Earth is cutting into his creative time and that's really not helping when such a pivotal story needs to be told.
I can't say for certain, but I'm pretty sure this is the midpoint of my Death of the Family review blogs. There was a lot to get to this week, and now that the men have had their reviews, let's get to the females affected by all this Joker madness.
Batgirl #15
Ok, I'll freely admit I'm a little saddened about reading this one. I'm sure by now that you've all heard that Gail Simone was unceremoniously removed via email from the Batgirl title.
Now, I'll fully admit that I've been on-and-off with Simone's work here. I thought her arcs were starting to follow a pattern, drag on a little too much and I REALLY didn't like when she crossed Batwoman into the book and made Batgirl look like a lesser hero in her own title.
With that said though, with the exception of that one issue, I haven't had any real complaint with the title's storylines. The arcs, while slow, have developed in a way that I really do care about the payoff, and I honestly don't think any other writer could have reinserted Barbara Gordon into the Batgirl role without botching it.
Add in that the title has been selling better in trade form than most every other book, and it really feels nonsensical to make the head writer leave when she clearly has stories in place that could last another year.
Which brings me to this issue. Simone's set up to the end of the Batgirl-Joker crossover payoff, and supposedly her penultimate issue. This one is really good, but it may have been my least enjoyable read of the day.
It hit all the right points: Dealing with the Joker proposal, Batgirl cutting lose and going full bore on the Joker, and a setup that leaves me anxious for next month's issue. But there are weak points.
I still have no idea what Jim Jr. is doing, and now I'm left wondering if he's in some way a redeemable character. I also feel like Joker dragged his cutesy dialogue on a little too long. It just felt weird in the context.
You shall be missed, Gail.
But now the positives. I thought the parallel story with Joker talking to a psychiatrist was well-executed, and led me to wonder about the top half of that corpse near the end of the book. Also, I liked Barbara finally snapping and deciding that she's willing to break the Batman Rule to finish the Joker fight. It's a natural reaction and I look forward to the follow-up in other arcs and... OH WAIT...
Yeah, that was my running thought here. All the positives of this issue, and even the Jim Jr. thing were hurt further by the fact that Simone won't be carrying the follow-up out herself. I'm sad for that because as much as I criticize decision of Simone month to month, she always has a future payoff in mind that has earned her my trust that things will improve.
A new writer won't have that. So grab this issue. Grab next month's. Because in a few months the landscape changes.
Suicide Squad #15
Holy crap, was this better than last month's or what?!
To be fair, last month's issue was total garbage, but this was a night-and-day difference. Mostly, that had to do with the fact that this crossover actually tied into the Joker-Harley dynamic.
For once, I didn't hate the route they took Harley's character by putting her into the vat of chemicals. They gave it a purpose in this story and the psychological war of wills between these two was just fun to watch. In some ways, this showdown felt more emotional than Batgirl's.
I also was a fan of how Joker described how he felt more primal when the nerves of his face were no longer attached. It actually got into his psyche and the panel where his face comes off was a nice touch.
The problem is, there are still a lot of annoying problems with this book. One is that they keep saying that Joker is changed, but I really don't think he is. That is really an issue with the writer's take on the Joker, but it is in the book nonetheless.
Next is Amanda Waller. She apparently put cameras in Harley's eyes to see when she inevitably went back to Joker so she could... Observe and not report? Why does she need to see what Joker is capable of and not want to catch him. Waller is really pissing me off in this book.
Lastly is the concept of possible previous Harleys. Given the 5-year nature of this DC Universe, that doesn't make a lick of sense, so unless he's just saying patently false crap or had a random team of Harley henchwomen in one of his plans, then we've come up with yet ANOTHER time paradox in the DCU.
Ok, writing this I see that this book is nowhere near Batgirl's level. This is a good buy if you like the crossover, and it does beat the living hell out of Catwoman's entry into DOTF, but this is kind of weak.
I honestly have no clue why this title exists, and if you don't buy this issue, nothing shown in the last two months has made me any more receptive to this title's existence.
I've got a lot of comic reviewing to do, and all of it this week has to do with Death of the Family.
Well, let's get the big guns out of the way first.
Batman #15
Scott Snyder hits the mark yet again in this issue and it really pinpoints why the Joker is such a threat.
I think it was a bit of a misnomer to call this the most insane Joker yet. Joker isn't really going any more insane than he has in other major storylines. What's happening in this Snyder arc is that Joker is laying more of his cards on the table than he usually does.
He's trying to restore Batman to the glory of their original battles, and to do so, he's calling back many of their old encounters and trying to remove the walls of defense he's put up vis-a-vis the Bat-family members. It's all of these things hitting at once that makes him look more insane, but at the core, this is the Joker we've come to respect/fear.
I only really have one complaint in this issue. Yes, I understand that Bruce is supposed to be in denial about the fact that Joker may, in fact, know everything; but given the fact that he's been proven wrong extremely recently with the Court of Owls, shouldn't he be questioning more about his own detective work? The two stories do not seem to be building off each other properly, unless the point is that Batman is a brash, pigheaded moron.
The detective work in this book is at least solid, and I have to say that I am loving the buildup to this final showdown. Most importantly, though, I love the backup story.
Now while I may love the greatness that has been the main story, seeing the my favorite Batman rogue, the Riddler, used as well as he was in this really makes me excited for when I'll FINALLY get to see a Riddler arc.
The art from both Greg Capullo in the main story and Jock in the backup are strong, and I really can't complain much. There is so much subtlety (one panel in particular has drawn the criticism of other reviewers because it was too subtle) that it really requires a slow-down in reading to appreciate the work that went into it.
This is especially true with Joker's face, which causes me to cringe every time someone punches it because of how bizarrely it moves around. Truly a grotesque scene.
Overall, I think it's safe to say everyone who's a Batman fan needs to give this a look.
Batman & Robin #15
I'll say this, as an issue as a whole, I'd actually say this book outdoes Batman #15. (I know. Shocking!) That said, the previous mini-arc rears its ugly head and really hurts my enjoyment.
Let me get to that criticism first. In the lead-in story, Batman and Robin fought a zombie invasion that was tied (in a completely nonsensical fashion) to the Joker. In this story, the plan is explained, but it still just feels random.
Joker isn't a character who just does things to do them (even if he claims so). He's just as much a planner as Batman; he just aims for utter chaos and getting some point across to Batman. I don't feel like his scheme had any connection to the hoard of fear-driven cannibals. (Never thought I'd write anything resembling this past paragraph.)
Anyway, once you get past that point of idiocy, the book is actually quite enthralling. Robin goes out to find Joker and ends up in Mr. J's House of Horrors. He taunts Robin with an actual robin and bat in an utterly unsettling scene. This is made even more unsettling by the way Joker has contorted his face.
If the cannibals/zombies were practice for Patrick Gleason to be ready for Joker's face, then I will gladly take those last couple of stupid arcs. This was gruesome, terrifying, unsettling, disturbed, and I enjoyed every page of it.
The last panels in particular really get into the heart of a Batman-Robin relationship and lead to an interesting situation for Damian. I don't expect him to fail, but I want to know what he's up against and how he's getting out of it. (Also, side note, but Titus the dog is quickly becoming a favorite for this book.)
Had literally ANY other arc led into this, I would have said this was about a perfect book, but it does lose points. Not enough, though, that it shouldn't be purchased. Damian vs. Joker is a good match-up and one that I hope gets another play in the future.
The final arc of Amazing Spider-Man took a big risk at its beginning by (spoilers) switching out Peter's consciousness with Doc Ock's. This issue takes another by focusing more on Peter in Ock's body and not on Ock in Peter's body at all.
And it worked, actually. Peter's thoughts are the bigger concern and so I was glad that he got the focus and the story could develop.
I think the only real complaint in the storytelling Peter gives as he searches through Ock's consciousness is that we all had to bear witness to Ock banging Aunt May. Peter's reaction is hilarious, but the image in readers' heads must be horrifying.
Anyway, Peter unlocks the memory as to how the switch was made and uses Ock's resources before it is too late. There's an interesting dialogue with The Lizard, and I hope the next series dives into that more.
Also interesting is the thought of both Peter's and Ock's consciousnesses melding with each other. It could be a compelling storyline later on, should both survive.
The art here is serviceable, though it is still horrible to look at Ock's degenerated body. It's just a really excessive, gruesome image.
I doubt the changes that will be made after next issue are permanent, but I definitely want to see how this ends. I genuinely hope that after providing Peter with a montage of pain and misery for 700 issues, he can finally end in a happy place.
Some quick thoughts
Briefly, I do want to talk about Huntress' crossover with Robin in World's Finest #6-7.
In case you hadn't heard, New 52 Huntress is actually Helena Wayne, Batman's daughter and Robin on Earth-2. The main Earth's Robin is Damian Wayne, Batman's son.
As such, the fights and dialogue are really interesting, and I loved how Damian was written here. He really has come into his own as Robin and I hope this dynamic stays in place for a while.
Helena is more relaxed, most likely due to her mother's personality coming from Catwoman instead of Talia al'Ghul. Helena doesn't respect Damian's more extreme behavior and that leads to trouble between the two.
Overall, though, their mutual respect is seen by the end and the story is really fun. I wasn't big on the Power Girl stuff, though it is interesting to see how Kara's development in Supergirl will lead her to be different than Earth-2's Kara in this book.
Not really worth buying because Kara's storyline is joined in the middle and that half of the book is hard to follow, but definitely read over the Damian-Helena storyline in the store. It's the kind of fun I'd hope for from that type of crossover.
Now that Thanksgiving has gone by and the Catholic season of Advent now in full force, I can finally be comfortable in talking about the Christmas season.
For those who don't celebrate Christmas, don't worry. This isn't about the holiday. It's about a topic that everyone regardless of religious affiliation or lack thereof can talk about pretty easily: Christmas TV specials.
These suckers own network time everywhere for about a month, and anyone who claims they never run into them are... Amish. Or lack the means to own a TV/go near electronics stores/etc.
Everyone has their personal favorites that have gained some level of legendary status. My personal favorites include The Polar Express, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Year Without a Santa Claus, and the first two legs of the Santa Clause trilogy. (I watch the third out of a feeling of obligation.)
The Rankin-Bass universe rules the roost for 25 days on ABC (formerly Fox) Family, and Disney as well as Nickelodeon have a slew of TV show-based holiday specials. Those range from beautiful and near-perfect (Hey Arnold! Arnold's Christmas and Rugrats: The Santa Experience) to freakishly/awesomely disturbing (Invader Zim's Christmas Special).
But while so many all-time greats are considered must-watch, I'd argue that there are another level of specials/movies that should be must-see but are generally forgotten or missed.
And there are reasons for that. Some were made-for-TV films that no one cared to watch and couldn't gain a true following. Some were based on material that isn't as mainstream as Rudolph or Frosty. And some were just insane to the point that people refuse to watch them despite their entertainment value and still-present charm.
As such I am listing my Top 5 Fun, but Forgotten Christmas Specials/Movies.
To be clear, being on this list doesn't make a special good or bad. (Read my explanations to know if they are or not.) These are just specials that deserve viewership and yet for some reason don't gain traction.
Also, these aren't "hipster answers" either. All these specials usually air. I just usually never hear of people knowing of them (or in some cases liking them).
So let's begin!
Honorable Mention: Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer
I felt this was obligatory because it was requested by a fellow viewer of this thing. This is a special that airs no fewer than 10 times on Cartoon Network (among other channels) and yet it somehow still isn't in the public eye.
The special is based on the terrifyingly disturbing song of the same name. The premise is exactly what it says.
However, the difference between the evil song and this is that this special KNOWS it's going to look stupid and not only has fun with itself, but adds some nice dimensions to make it worthwhile.
What I really like is how the corporate transformation of Christmas is seen as a negative, but it's not outright demonized. The main CEO isn't the one who hates Christmas (the main character's sister and her lawyer are for that); in fact, he loves Santa and legitimately thinks he's giving back to his community. Nice change of pace.
The spin-off songs are as stupid as the main ones, and the thoughts of Santa having universal North Pole health care and/or Santa being sued for homicide are bouts of insanity that actually come across as kind of funny.
Everyone in this special is fun to watch and it's beautifully drawn. It's not truly being forgotten since it's EVERYWHERE, but deserves more credit than it gets for making a dumb premise entertaining.
Frosty Returns (1992)
Again, hard to make a point on a special that is on network TV twice a year (including tonight!), but no one really sticks around for this one it seems like.
And I'd be lying if I didn't know why: This thing is a BLATANT push for environmentalism. The whole story centers around a kid meeting Frosty and then the two have to team up with their nerdy friend to stop a villain from selling what basically amounts to "Global Warming in a Can."
Yeah, it's not subtle in any way. Heck, Ferngully had a more subtle environmental message than this. Seriously, "Don't pollute or you'll kill Frosty!" Wow.
So why is it getting mentioned? Well, to be honest, it's still a lot of fun. There are some actually funny moments and John Goodman does a nice job as Frosty. And the musical song breaks are much better (in my view) than the classic Frosty songs.
Maybe it's just me, but I'm not a big fan of the original Frosty special. It has one decent emotional moment and the rest of it is kind of lackluster. And maybe I'm more of a fan because Frosty Returns uses animators from the old "Peanuts" specials and the musicians who did the score for "Rugrats," but in any case, I look forward to this environmental thumping each year.
Regardless of if you believe in Global Warming, this is worth checking out. It has really no connection to Christmas, so it's the closest thing to a secular Christmas special you'll ever see, so I say everyone should see it.
5: Hey Arnold! Arnold's Christmas
This will only be touched on briefly, but this may be one of the five or 10 best holiday specials ever and it only airs once in a random Nicktoons Network timeslot AT BEST.
It's going to keep moving up over the years. The only reason it hasn't yet is because there's still a large base of people who watched Hey Arnold! and know of this special.
If you want a special that has humor and yet is mostly just beautiful emotion, this is the special.
Yes, the scene where Helga finds out about Arnold's dilemma is a little forced, but it's a Christmas special! Of course that's going to happen.
Ultimately, it's a story about a man who made a massive sacrifice for his daughter and the love of his American pseudo-family helping to bring them together. It's one of the few specials where I can't get through it without getting emotional. Heck, typing about it is bringing back emotion.
I need to get through this blog, though, so let's move on. (And on a final note, FIND THIS AND WATCH IT!)
4: The Story of Santa Claus
CBS shows this 1996... thing... like once every two years, and as weird as it is, it's a nice special that I make a point of seeing if and when it's on.
Santa going bankrupt: weird idea; elves being able to grant wishes: weird idea; Cosmic energy locking in a wish and forcing elves to work at the cost of their magic (and, I think, existence): bizarre idea. And yet all of it comes together in a way that doesn't make me hate it.
It's a strange special that introduces the idea that not all the elves were initially on board with Santa's somewhat nutso-crusade, but that they eventually come around to it.
I'm still not sure how a group of elves with the power to grant wishes and immortality (seriously, they make Santa and his wife immortal) couldn't just conjure toys out of nowhere, but again, that's what makes this fun to watch.
It's so weird to see the ideas that came into play here, and yet the sincerity of it and the excellent voice acting actually sucks you into the story.
It's a good experience watching it, and an even better "Wait, did that just actually happen?" reaction about 10 minutes after viewing. If you can find it, check it out.
3: Three Days
This movie came out in 2001 for then-Fox Family and as most TV movies are, it was quickly thrown down the card of importance. Which is a shame because of the few reviews I could find, people agree with me that it's really well-done.
Many people compare its plot to an altered version of "It's a Wonderful Life,'' and I see the comparisons, but there are stark differences. Basically, an out-of-touch husband is really focused on business, and upon upsetting his wife, she leaves the apartment and is hit by a car.
This leads to an angel named Lionel coming in and giving him the last three days back to him, and if he can prove his devotion and love, then she won't die.
The ticking clock element definitely adds suspense, but it's downplayed. Pretty much anyone with a sense of story can probably guess how he has to prove his love, but the question as to whether there will be a death or not really does feel ambiguous until the final moments.
Kristin Davis absolutely kills in the role of the wife, and I really loved the interaction between everyone as more layers come into play. And I don't think knowing the story is that bad here. Everyone can pretty much guess how Miracle on 34th Street is going to end, but that doesn't mean the characters don't take you for a ride.
I will say that the movie probably would have lived up to its full potential with a tragic ending, as the comedic ending is where a lot of cliched dialogue comes into play. That said, it's a Christmas film and you really have to do it this way if you don't want to suck. (Looking at you, Christmas Shoes, and your evil, evil messages.)
This will probably be on once this year at best, so when ABC Family puts it in a slot, find a way to watch it.
2. Olive, the Other Reindeer
I originally had this at No. 1, but moved it down for reasons you'll see. This special, though, is beautiful.
Yes, the premise is stupid, but at least in the TV special it makes more sense than the book it's based off of. Basically, Olive wants to be a good dog for her owner, and thinks that she should try to become Blitzen's replacement when he's injured in order to prove her merit.
What I love about this is that in this special, Santa is pretty much a given. People go to the North Pole and report on the warm-up runs for the reindeer. This actually takes a lot of confusion out of the special, such as "If the adults don't believe in Santa, then how do they explain the toys they DIDN'T buy under the tree?" That always irked me.
Anyway, the characters are all really compelling and the mailman being the villain is actually kind of a funny development (especially when you hear his motivations).
Overall, this is a must-see special and I really hope this goes down as an all-time classic one day.
1. Year Without a Santa Claus
I didn't even consider this for the list until I heard that no one in my brother's school had heard of it.
How is that possible? This is one of Rankin-Bass' legendary ones. I thought everyone knew this special, and the fact that a new generation is missing out on it upsets me.
The iconic Heat and Snow Miser Brothers and the elves, Jingle and Jangle, must never be forgotten. Plus, the South Town, U.S.A. characters are the most likable southerners I've ever seen in Christmas specials.
There are so many great emotional moments in this special that you probably come close to crying multiple times when you're younger. Heck, even as an adult it triggers the feelings to a degree.
And the Miser Brother songs. OH, the Miser Brother songs. These are so iconic that "Batman and Robin" used them in what was one of the most confusing (and yet somehow entertaining) 30-second bits of the movie. (Seriously, it's the only time I really enjoyed its stupidity.)
And Heat Miser's:
This special is amazing and needs to live forever. I firmly expect you to find this show's airdate on ABC Family and view it.
Well, that's it for "Fun, but Forgotten," but I still have one more Christmas special to talk about. It's one that many reviewers I watch (specifically those on TGWTG) either hate or call a "guilty pleasure," implying it should be acknowledged as weak.
I intend to prove that it is, in fact, a good film and deserving of its love. This month, I defend the live-action "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."
Well, look at Detective Comics! It gets a blog all to itself!
Ok, so I was going to review Amazing Spider-Man #699 today as well, but it's not available in the store closest to me, so I have to wait until tomorrow when I can go to another store.
It's ok, though, because we have DC's flagship brand in the middle of an exciting arc, all while simultaneously serving as a Death of the Family tie-in. So let's talk about it!
Most who have been reading this blog know that before John Layman started writing this book, it was pretty inconsistent. Under Tony S. Daniel, the arcs went from solid, to promising but unsatisfying, to lackluster and incredibly incoherent.
Layman has changed all that, and although the Penguin has been getting A LOT of play lately, this is actually a really compelling piece. Penguin has just ordered his right-hand man, Ogilvy, to bury Poison Ivy alive; however, that comes at the same time that Joker needs Penguin for something he's planning.
This leads to Penguin leaving the empire to Ogilvy temporarily, and it would seem that Ogilvy, now calling himself Emperor Penguin, is looking to use this chance to seize control.
Meanwhile, Batman and Clayface are fighting, as Clayface explains that he's now married to Ivy. This raises a red flag in Batman's head, and he immediately gets away and goes to work trying to figure out whether this marriage is real and how he should handle the situation.
This book has actual logic, detective work and the Joker angle is subtle. It's a tie-in, but it's showing more of a ripple effect that Joker is having - and not just forcing the Joker into any and all situations.
I was very impressed with what I saw, and the back-up story does a nice job of showing how Clayface and Ivy came into their situation, as well as teasing the next appearance of either character in order to get a follow-up.
The art is really strong and the panels were easy to follow. My only issue is that the die-cast cover is exactly the same as the one Batman #13 had. It felt kind of redundant and I kind of wish it had been Cobblepot's face (or the teased cover above). Oh well.
All in all, it was a really good issue and if you haven't been following Layman's work on Detective, now is definitely a good time.
