Batman 353 (November 1982)

With the amazing cover and the Garcia-Lopez art, it’d be impossible not to at least enjoy the issue. It’s just a Batman versus the Joker issue–this time the Joker’s making a monument to himself, angry Gotham was going to make one to Broadway musical stars instead. On some level, I agree… Broadway musical stars?

Conway’s Joker is both nuts and dangerous–he opens the issue killing one of his henchmen. It’s very iconic Joker stuff, actually. I remember the issue from when I was a kid.

There’s some development on the subplots–Batman’s finally on to Rupert Thorne, probably a year after he was released. Good thing Batman didn’t keep tabs on him, or else there wouldn’t be a long gestating storyline.

The backup is all right. Barr does a good job writing Robin as a somewhat naive kid and Newton’s art is fantastic. Again, “Matches” Malone is just a completely goof.

CREDITS

Last Laugh; writer, Gerry Conway; penciller, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez; inker, Dan Adkins; letterer, Ben Oda. The Sting–Batman Style; writer, Mike W. Barr; penciller, Don Newton; inker, Dennis Jensen; letterer, Todd Klein. Colorist, Adrienne Roy; editors, Carl Gafford and Len Wein; publisher, DC Comics.

Batman 343 (January 1982)

Yuck. Conway’s Detective is so good and his Batman is so bad. And he’s even got Gene Colan and Klaus Janson on the art here. With Janson’s inks, Colan doesn’t exactly look like himself. Everything’s a lot sharper, a lot more defined. It’s a good looking issue, but I don’t know if there’s a single panel I’d point out as Colan. On the other hand, I’d have easily been able to guess Janson worked on it.

The story’s atrocious–Batman versus some moronic new villain. The bad part isn’t even the plot, it’s Conway’s writing of the character. He’s got Batman talking to himself for a few pages, explaining everything for the reader… but not discovering some clue, it’s Batman describing swinging from a rope.

On the other hand, the Robin backup is well-executed. None of Conway’s problems in the feature show up in the backup. Maybe he’s overextended.

C-

CREDITS

A Dagger So Deadly…; writer, Gerry Conway; penciller, Gene Colan; inker, Klaus Janson; colorist, Adrienne Roy; letterer, John Costanza. Odyssey’s End; writer, Gerry Conway; penciller, Trevor von Eeden; inker, Rodin Rodriguez; colorist, Carl Gafford; letterer, P. Bernard R. Editors, Dave Manak and Dick Giordano; publisher, DC Comics.

Batman 342 (December 1981)

Conway’s promise of a Man-Bat story–the one he basically wasted the entire previous issue setting up–is not realized here. And I make that observation even with the issue having two fight scenes between Batman and Man-Bat and a bunch of flashback recapping his origin. It’s a silly story, requiring the reader to once again accept Batman is out of the loop.

I think some of the issue is with Conway trying to humanize Batman. He gives him faults and failings, but they’re contrived ones. Somehow the only faults Batman has are the ones moving the issue’s plot lines along.

Speaking of plot lines, this issue concentrates a lot on the mayoral race in Gotham. It’s not good or bad so much as a nice use of subplot.

Novick’s art is occasionally annoying, never spectacular.

The Robin backup’s just strange. Conway’s decided to write Robin’s narration like a Raymond Chandler detective.

CREDITS

Requiem for a Hero; penciller, Irv Novick; inker, Frank McLaughlin; colorist, Adrienne Roy. Burn, Robin, Burn; penciller, Trevor von Eeden; inker, Frank Chiaramonte; colorist, Carl Gafford. Writer, Gerry Conway; letterer, Shelly Leferman; editors, Dave Manak and Dick Giordano; publisher, DC Comics.

Batman 341 (November 1981)

It’s the ghost of Wayne Manor! Actually, it’s just Man-Bat. It’s Bruce Wayne and Jim Gordon bickering! Actually, they’re both just upset about politics. It’s a guest appearance from Dr. Thirteen! A really boring one.

Apparently, Conway wanted to do a Man-Bat story but also had an issue to fill. He pads this issue with a ludicrous “haunted” Wayne Manor mystery. Lots of things don’t make sense–primarily, Batman dismissing the idea of someone creeping around Wayne Manor. Or what about Batman not having a security system in place–even though he has a computer monitoring all Wayne Manor Batcave entrances, it doesn’t alert him when they’ve been breached.

The Novick art is a disappointment. Man-Bat looks silly.

There’s a two page Batman mystery–the Adrian Gonzales art is better than the feature’s.

Then the Robin backup with somewhat loose Trevor Von Eeden art, but not bad.

CREDITS

The Ghost of Wayne Mansion; writer, Gerry Conway; penciller, Irv Novick; inker, Frank McLaughlin; colorist, Adrienne Roy; letterer, Ben Oda. Murder Will Out; writer, Robin Snyder; artist, Adrian Gonzales; colorist, Roy; letterer, John Costanza. Night of the Coven; writer, Conway; penciller, Trevor von Eeden; inker, Mike DeCarlo; colorist, Carl Gafford; letterer, Oda. Editors, Dave Manak and Dick Giordano; publisher, DC Comics.

Batman 339 (September 1981)

It’s a strange issue in a couple ways. Primarily because the Robin backup is some kind of life-affirming emotional origin of the character. It’s well-produced–Conway and Novick really make the reader pay attention to all the time shifts–and it’s trite and well-meaning. In other words, solid eighties mainstream work.

Unfortunately, Novick’s art is better on the backup than it is on the Batman feature.

The feature’s got some awesome stuff–the idea of a hypnotized Batman walking through Gotham nightlife is just fantastic. That scene alone not totally flopping makes the issue. But then Conway gives it an unresolved cliffhanger and comes up with one for both Bruce and Batman–Poison Ivy takes over the Wayne Foundation.

Some of the writing is somewhat loose, but Conway’s got a nice mix of Batman and Bruce Wayne here. And Novick’s not bad, just better on the backup.

CREDITS

A Sweet Kiss of Poison…; inker, Steve Mitchell; letterer, Ben Oda. Yesterday’s Heroes!; inker, Bruce D. Patterson; letterer, John Costanza. Writer, Gerry Conway; penciller, Irv Novick; colorist, Adrienne Roy; editors, Dave Manak and Dick Giordano; publisher, DC Comics.

Batman 338 (August 1981)

It’s sort of hard to believe Conway wrote both the terrible lead story and the mildly charming Robin backup. I mean, the Robin story–Dick solving a mystery at the circus–has it’s problems, like Conway keeping crucial information until the last scene so as to explain all the problems away… but at least he’s trying.

The Batman lead story is another thing entirely. Not only is there an idiotic reference to fingerprints being found on wet grass, but there’s also a bunch of malarky about the Americanism of sporting events. Alfred, the Brit, says it’s un-American to dislike sports.

The story’s villain is the world’s best (chemically engineered) athlete who decides to kill all of Gotham’s famous sports figures. Batman finds him through fumbling and stops him from killing a bunch of people in a mall.

I don’t know if Conway was just dozing off through scripting or what; terrible story.

CREDITS

This Sporting Death!; writers, Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway; penciller, Irv Novick; inker, Frank McLaughlin; colorist, Adrienne Roy; letterer, John Costanza. Killer Under the Big Top!; writer, Conway; penciller, Don Newton; inker, Larry Mahlstedt. Editors, Cary Burkett and Dick Giordano; publisher, DC Comics.