DETECTIVE COMICS #1
The Face In The Glass

November 2011

Written by Tony Salvador Daniel

Pencils by Tony Salvador Daniel

Inks by Ryan Winn

Cover by Tony Salvador Daniel

Synopsis

Batman is on the hunt for the Joker.  He has learned that phone calls from the victims of the Joker came from a motel on the lower east side.  There, the Joker is killing another victim.  Just then, Batman crashes through the window.  The Joker flees.  Batman is about to follow, but he stops when hears the voice of a young girl.  The police arrive, intent on fighting on Batman.  Relaizing no one is helping the girl, Batman runs away.  Later, Batman ,meets Gordon on the roof of the Gotham City Police Department.  Gordon tells the Dark Knight the girl heard the Joker mention the Roscoe Pharmacy.  The police are already there.  However, Batman senses a trap.  Too late, as the pharmacy explodes with the police inside.  Nearby, Batman finds the Joker.  The Dark Knight gives chase, eventually catching up to the Joker and capturing him.  The Joker returns to Arkham Asylum.  There, the Dollmaker and appears and literally removes the Joker’s face.  Tonight, they celebrate their rebirth.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

The ending was spoiled.  Not by the internet, but by the poor placement of the final page.  Wouldn’t it have been better to force the reader to turn the page to get the final page of the Joker’s face rather than seeing it before you’ve read the scene leading up to it?

This is a weird comic.  It feels like it belongs in the same category as Action Comics, a tale of the early years of the Batman.  We not only have a very young (or at least younger) Gordon as evidence by the red hair, but we have a mention about things getting worse since Batman showed up, and the police trying to take down the Batman.  Moreover we have Dr. Arkham as the head of the asylum, when he was actually a patient pre-launch.  Yet, I am not sure that is what it is supposed to be.  Everything I have heard is that the Bat-continuity will remain as it had been, picking up after the end of Batman Incorporated.  There is nothing in this comic to suggest that. 

Having said that, this was a very good comic.  It was brisk, but not too fast paced with a central mystery surrounding the Joker’s action, but not to the Batman’s actions (if that makes sense).  The Joker is a (pardon the pun) a wild card, while Batman is dedicated and intense and unwilling to stop until the Joker is captured and put away.  I also love the fact that for as much as we are starting in the middle of the story, it doesn’t feel that way because Daniel is using the character’s past (and our knowledge of that past) to build up the story and letting that carry us through to the grisly ending, which is different than what we have seen before. 

Interesting note about Catwoman in relation to Bruce’s love life.  I wonder if there is a change to their relationship in the re-launch. Or maybe not, if this is truly an “early years” story.   

STRANGE SIGHTING

Page 15, bottom left panel, right in the center wearing the hood.  A little tough to see as she is not as “glowy” as she is in the other books.

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