The one-shots just keeping coming on Detective Comics. It appears that Detective Comics #827 I is yet another one-shot issue. I know a lot of people are enjoying this constant one-shot format that Dini is employing on Detective Comics. However, it is beginning to wear on me. Anyway, let’s go ahead and hit this review.
Creative Team
Writer: Paul Dini
Penciler: Don Kramer
Inker: Wayne Faucher
Art Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Story Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 7.5 Night Girls out of 10
Synopsis: We begin with Batman in the Batmobile racing to a building where the police got an anonymous tip about a gunfight and the victim was describes as Catwoman. Batman busts into the building and sees Catwoman lying on the floor. He walks up to her and it is nothing more than a fumy with a bomb strapped to it. Batman just manages to jump out of the building as the bomb explodes.
Batman then sees a Robin dummy sitting on his Batmobile. (Whoa, wait a minute. Don’t people know that you don’t touch Batman’s whip?) Batman realizes that the Robin dummy is another bomb so he uses his batcable gun to blast the Robin dummy off of the Batmobile and the Robin dummy explodes.
We shift to Batman and Commissioner Gordon exhuming The Ventriloquists grave. It is empty. Batman tells Gordon that he was at Arnold Wesker’s murder scene and that he was stone dead. Bullock then informs Batman that the Scarface dummy was stolen from the police station.
We cut to the Batcave where Batman decides he needs to don one of his undercover identities and get some information on the possibility of a new Scarface. Batman chooses his “Lefty Knox” identity.
We shift to Bruce posing as Lefty Knox prowling the underbelly of Gotham making inquiries about finding a job with the Ventriloquist’s gang. Finally, Bruce hears rumors of a meeting with the Ventriloquist over at the Penguin’s Iceberg Lounge. Bruce shows up for the meeting as Lefty Knox. There we see other small time hoods like Mr. Zzz and Marchetti also at the meeting.
A hot blonde shows all the thugs to the meeting room. One of the thugs named Wolfman slaps the blonde’s ass. The blonde closes the door and the lights dim. A red curtain is up on a small stage in the meeting room. The red curtain parts and we see the very same blonde chick with the Scarface dummy on her lap. She tosses Arnold Wesker’s decayed body onto the stage. Scarface declares that he is back and better than ever.
Wolfman stands up and can’t believe that Scarface is a chick. Scarface blows away Wolfman with his machine gun. Scarface says that he killed Wolfman for slapping his girl’s butt. And that anyone else who treats Sugar with disrespect gets the same. Scarface then says that they can’t do any business with the Batman in Gotham. Therefore, they need to get rid of the bat so they can then do their business without his interference. Scarface then says that he believes Batman is actually in this room tonight disguised as a thug. All the thugs claim innocence. Scarface then tells Sugar that it appears there is someone here that is lying about not being the Batman.
Batman then uses a technique that Zatara taught him on how to throw his voice. Batman throws his voice and says that he is here in the room. Scarface demands that Batman show himself. Batman then uses a Batarang to take out the lights in the room. Batman ditches the Lefty Knox disguise. Scarface starts randomly shooting in the room while all of the thugs break open the door to the meeting room and run for safety.
Batman swoops down and grabs Sugar and Scarface. Scarface reveals that Sugar is like him in that she also used to be dead. We see that Sugar has a scar over her right eye that her long hair covers. Batman pulls the Scarface doll from Sugar. Sugar thanks Batman and claims that Scarface was twisting her mind and forcing her to do terrible things. Scarface calls Sugar a back stabbing slut.
Batman realizes that this is another trap and throws the Scarface dummy down inside one of the fake icebergs in the Iceberg Lounge. The Scarface dummy was a bomb and explodes.
We shift to Sugar back at her penthouse. She has a closet full of Scarface dummies. She takes one at and lies on bed with the Scarface dummy. Scarface says that Gotham is going to pay for what it did to both of them and that the Batman better stay out of their way. Sugar then tells Scarface that Gotham can wait. That tonight Sugar is here and she is all his. Sugar then kisses the Scarface dummy and turns off the bedroom light.
We cut back to Batman and Commissioner Gordon talking about the new Ventriloquist. End of issue.
Comments
The Good: Detective Comics #827 was another solid read. Dini continues to crank out technically sound issues that are well written and tightly plotted. Dini is truly the master of the one-shot format. Dini delivers a story that is quickly paced and has very little wasted space. The issue is nicely focused and moves with a clear direction. Dini does a great job of quickly establishing the mystery for the issue and then mixing in some action and nailing the end of the story with an exciting ending.
Dini also writes a great Batman. Dini’s Batman uses an economy of words and is a very physical character. Dini really emphasizes the fact that Batman is the world’s greatest detective. Many writers forget that fact and just focus on Batman as the world’s greatest fighter. Dini presents a mystery each and every issue that Batman has to use his mind and not his muscle to solve.
Detective Comics #827 was all about introducing a new Ventriloquist. For the most part, I strongly dislike it when comic books companies, DC in particular, feel the need to constantly kill off characters and then recycle the same name, gimmick and powers with a new character. I view that as writers just being lazy. It is much harder to re-invigorate an existing character than it is to just introduce a new character with the same codename, gimmick and powers.
Having said that, I actually don’t mind this new Ventriloquist. Partly because I never was all that impressed with Arnold Wesker’s character. And partly because I find Sugar to be so flat out chillingly creepy that she really captivates my attention. Dini does a great job quickly establishing Sugar’s disturbing and deranged personality. Where Wesker was more pathetic character that evoked your sympathy, Sugar is completely eerie and really gives you the creeps watching her get it on with a dummy. Gross. Sugar is an all new level of twisted.
Plus, Dini teases us with the fact that Sugar evidently suffered a massive trauma to her head that nearly killed her. I’m looking forward to learning more about this new Ventriloquist. I think Dini has got himself a very engaging villain that should provide for some interesting plotlines in the future.
I’m really digging the new role that Dini has given the Penguin. I find the Penguin to be a much more entertaining character as the owner of a nightclub that caters to the less than reputable denizens of Gotham. It is a much better role than that of a physically unimposing and rather goofy gimmicked villain.
Don Kramer’s art kicks butt. I just love how Kramer draws the Batman. It is one of my favorite versions of Bats. Kramer’s art has excellent detail and creates for a visually appealing comic book.
The Bad: My only complaint is the continual one-shot format that Dini has employed on Detective Comics. This is completely a personal bias and if you don’t mind getting nothing but an endless number of one-shots then you will probably enjoy reading this title. I just find the one-shot format to get a bit stale after a while. I like more complex story arcs that present more intricate plotlines and character development. Continual one-shots give me the feeling that the title and the characters are just treading water and that there is little direction or purpose over the long run.
Having said that, Dini has done a good job with some re-occurring themes such as the Penguin and the Iceberg Lounge and the Riddler and his new legitimate profession. I would just like to see a story arc that takes more than one issue to complete.
Overall: Detective Comics #827 is a good read. Dini is delivering an enjoyable and well written story with each and every issue. If you like the continual one-shot format then I definitely would recommend this title to you.