DCU Comic Book Reviews

MANHUNTER #32

Forgotten, Part 2

September 2008

Written by Marc Andreyko

Pencils by Michael Gaydos

Inks by Michael Gaydos

Cover by Liam Sharp

Synopsis

While investigating the disappearance of young woman on the US/Mexico border, Kate Spencer (aka Manhunter) encounters the Blue Beetle, who lives in nearby El Paso.  Manhunter is investigating Las Muerta De Juarez and asks Blue Beetle for help.  He sends her to La Dama.  Meanwhile, Iron Munro gives his grandson Ramsey a puppy, who is not who it appears to be.  Elsewhere, a young woman is doused and killed with the Joker toxin.  Later, Manhunter visits La Dama who tells her that she should speak to the Department of Extranormal Operations (DEO).  Manhunter contacts Bones, who refuses to tell her anything.  The next day, Kate goes to the factory where the woman worked, but she is not allowed inside.  She is, however, approached by someone who knows stuff.  Inside, a woman bound to an operating table is about to be worked on by the Crime Doctor.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

There is a good reason why this comic returned from the grave twice:  damn good writing.  And this issue is full of it from the humorous opening sequence (wardrobe malfunction) to Kate’s investigations as she doggedly pursues the case, and even the brief scene with the victim of the Joker.  The scene between Bones and Kate just crackles with great characterization of two people who have worked together long enough to realize that don’t really know each other that well.  It is brilliant stuff.  And the rest of the issue is just as a great.  It is a seamless blend of mystery, politics, and super heroes; none of it feels forced and each part grows organically throughout the issue. 

Andreyko does a great job turning the “heroes fight each other before realizing who they are” cliché and turning it on its head.  Normally I would rail against the opening sequence, but Andreyko finds a way to make them fight while planting seeds for possible stories.  In other words, the fight actually means something and is therefore not gratuitous.   Is Kate’s costume some holdover from the Darkstars?  And if so, is this a good thing or a bad thing.  I should also point out that I like the way Andreyko handles Jaime; it felt like Blue Beetle and not someone just writing a generic character that happens to be Blue Beetle. 

I should point out that the original Manhunter, Dan Richards, had a dog named Thor who turned out to be an android (whrr, click).  I will reserve judgment on this until I see where Andreyko is taking the story, but such a blatant call back doesn’t work for me, unless this dog is somehow related to the original android dog.  But if there is no literal connection, then it is just a rehash of an older idea. 

Comic Connection

The original Crime Doctor (Matthew Thorne) first appeared in Detective Comics, issue #77 (July 1943).  More recently, the Crime Doctor appeared in Villains United and then in this story in Birds of Prey, where he committed suicide.

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