These scanned pages are coming really clear, are they from the various Tales Of artist and writer books?
This time (30 March - 12 April) we discuss Batman #361 and Detective Comics #528.
Batman #361: "The Most Successful Species!"
Summary:
Jason Todd has been taken by Man-Bat, who intends to transform him into a bat-boy.
creative team:
Writer: Doug Moench
Penciler: Don Newton
Inker: Pablo Marcos
Colourist: Adrienne Roy
Letterer: Phil Felix
Editors: Len Wein, Nicola Cuti
Detective Comics #528: "Requiem for Skulls"
Summary:
The Dark Knight takes on the Savage Skull.
creative team:
Writer: Doug Moench
Penciler: Gene Colan
Inker: Klaus Janson
Colourist: Adrienne Roy
Letterer: Ben Oda
Editors: Len Wein, Nicola Cuti
I enjoyed both chapters. Man-Bat and Savage Skull are two surprisingly interesting characters. At least for one or two story arcs.
At first I thought Savage Scull was pretty bland, just a bad cop doing bad stuff and looking scary. But with the introduction of his and Bullock's past his character gains some nuance.
I'm thrilled to see how the story around Commissioner Gordon, Mayor Hill and Harvey Bullock will develop.
Waldo looks so damn scary in Detective Comics #528. Is there even one single clown in the (main) DC universe that one can trust?
This time (13 April - 26 April) we discuss Batman #362 (no appearance of Jason Todd) and Detective Comics #529.
Batman #362: "When Riddled by the Riddler"
(collected in "Batman: Arkham - The Riddler")
Summary:
The Riddler embarks on another riddle-filled crime spree while Harvey Bullock brings up charges against Commissioner Gordon.
creative team:
Writer: Doug Moench
Penciler: Don Newton
Inker: Alfredo Alcala
Colourist: Adrienne Roy
Letterer: Ben Oda
Editors: Len Wein, Nicola Cuti
Detective Comics #529: "The Thief of Night!"
(collected in "Tales of the Batman: Gene Colan Vol. 1")
Summary:
The Batman encounters the black-clad Thief of Night, who steals precious gems to bring to his lover Nocturna.
creative team:
Writer: Doug Moench
Penciler: Gene Colan
Inker: Dick Giordano
Colourist: Adrienne Roy
Letterer: Ben Oda
Editors: Len Wein, Nicola Cuti
Batman #362 is mostly a filler story, basicaly a very typical Riddler case.
Detective Comics #529 is the start of the Nocturna Story line, that will go on (partly in the background) for a good part of the run.
It is nice to have with the Night Thief a Villain who can go toe to toe with Batman, even if his costume is little simple and his stick with his devotion to the Night/Nocturna is kind of wired.
The Riddler story itself didn't spark my interest but I liked the tension between Gordon and Bullock.
I'm looking forward to Nocturna's story line. I've already read some parts of it and found them very enjoyable.
There is not much Jason in Detective Comics #529 but as it seems Jason and Bruce already had communication problems with each other pre-crisis.
It's interesting to read the Waldo stuff retrospective. I wonder if readers back then had a bad feeling about the clown too.
So according to Wiki, that's the end for Savage Skull.
I can understand why writers didn't want to use him anymore. He's pretty much a one-trick pony. But I'd still like to know if Savage Skull shot an innocent kid or an arsonist.
Savage Skull denies the crime until the end and his backstory, that he and Bullock trained ghetto kids how to fight, doesn't back up the claim that Savage Skull would shoot an innocent kid.
This time (27 April - 10 May) we discuss Batman #363 and Detective Comics #529.
Batman #363: "Elegant Night Crimes"
Summary:
Batman learns the origin of Nocturna and the Thief of Night.
creative team:
Writer: Doug Moench
Penciler: Don Newton
Inker: Alfredo Alcala
Colourist: Adrienne Roy
Letterer: Ben Oda
Editors: Len Wein, Nicola Cuti